Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Still need advice...Rockies vs. Pacific Rim?

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Still need advice...Rockies vs. Pacific Rim?

We're having a hard time deciding between a return trip to the Canadian Rockies vs. a first-time trip to the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Haven't gotten *any* responses to my inquiries regarding 'new' places to stay in the Rockies (vs. where we stayed last time) nor really regarding Kootenay National Park. Also, no responses to my inquiry (on the B.C. board) regarding Cathedral Provincial Park, nor to this particular msg. I'm posting here now. So, I'll post this one on both the B.C. board & the Alberta one, hoping for some reponses. We're re-visiting the idea of maybe checking out the West Coast of Vancouver Island for the first time. We've been to Victoria & Vancouver & the "Sea to Sky Highway" in the past. Absolutely love the San Juan Islands & Gulf Islands! We only have about a week to 10 days to allocate to a trip in early Sept. & are having a hard time deciding where to go this time. We absolutely loved our trip to the Rockies in '95. There is still plenty for us to do & see which we didn't get to last time. However, as I map out our days, seems kind of tight on time - like it would be better if we had 2 full weeks. Esp. if we try to see Revelstoke or Glacier, or stop by Cathedral Provincial Park on the way (if we fly in & out of different cities). The more unusual areas of Vancouver Island, however, I feel we could cover in a week to 10 days quite well. Any opinions out there as to which option *you* would choose - the Rockies for a 2nd time or the West Coast of Vancouver Island for the 1st? Gen'l preferences? Not ever having been to Tofino or those areas, not sure how it compares. Also, we do live in Calif. so we can get to the ocean pretty readily, albeit it looks completely different here (the Coastline) than it does in the Northwest. If we had more vacation, we'd just do both! However, we can only make the one choice for now. We like to visit the San Juans in May, usually, & I'm thinking maybe we should just add Vancouver Island to our next trip there. Would love to hear your favorite: between the Rockies & Pacific Rim Nat'l Park (or even north Vancouver Island). We need to get this trip planned soon! I realize too that the time of year our trip is planned for, may also make a difference. Do you think Pacific Rim would be better in May or September? Thanks so much!

Rosemary: You are probably not getting replies because, like you, everyone else would have a very hard time deciding. The two areas are quite different but both lovely. Assuming you are into hiking and just generally enjoying nature and lovely scenery, then I would take Pacific Rim ( Long Beach ) but I would also add perhaps another part of the Island as 10 days may be too long for Tofino. Take a look at Strathcona Park just west of Cambell River. Whale Watching and perhaps a kayak trip in Johnstone Straight north Of Cambell River is also a great trip. If you have been to the Oregon Coast, you will find Long Beach very similar. If you chose to do this area, book NOW as it is very popular and books well in advance. The Rockies give you a little more option of different scenery and "urban" activities if you so desire. Personally, Jasper is my favorite compared to the Banff area. This is of no help watsoever, but perhaps the best route is to just flip a coin as both sides would be a win-win situation.

Thanks so much for responding! :-) (And, for the terrific ideas for more to do on Vancouver Island.) If we do take a full 9-10 days there, I agree completely, that the West Coast alone wouldn't fill up all that time. My husband is very interested in Strathcona, too, but so far I haven't found that much info on what we can do there without significant hiking - overnight style. (Haven't had time yet to research this park on this Forum, however.) Seems to be only one place to lodge within the park. We *are* up for long day hikes or short ones...not campers, though. Your idea of a kayak trip in Johnstone Straight north Of Cambell River is completely new to me, & an interesting thing for me to now research. (Part of the pleasure in travel is the dreaming & planning.) We have kayaked in the San Juans, altho' only for 3-4 hours at a time. I'll have to see if they have fairly short trips like this where you mentioned trying it...could maybe do a full day outing sometime (if there was a long break). However, I don't think we could get into whale areas with just a day outing, isn't that right? We'd definitely enjoy whale watching. May need to do it by boat, if one needs to multi-day kayak to see whales. Not sure if this would be better near Tofino, or from some other area on Vancouver Island - as you mentioned. Guess it depends on whether we want to see grey whales or orcas. Heard even a humpback is occasionally possible? (We once had terrific luck w/orcas not far from Victoria's Inner Harbor.) Need to figure out how far it is by car to this region from the Parksville area - where we cut over for Tofino. (Don't have access to a map, right now. Will look into this evening.) We *have* considered taking a ferry across somewhere & driving down the Sunshine Coast back to Vancouver, for our return. Again, this trip could be this Sept. or next May. Not sure if two these choices make much difference w/regard to the whales, weather, etc. Thanks again!

My call would be a trip from Victoria to Tofino. Long beach is a great stop, and you can always go to the east side of the island for different scenery. Qualicum beach, Chemainus, Campbell River - all worth a stop. 10 days is lots for the island. As for rockies...my call would be taking a tour with giddy goat adventures to see jasper, banff, and the icefield parkway. Which too choose? I'd say choose the one you haven't done before. Try something new. They'd both be good trips. And are you talking about cathedral grove on the island? If so - it's an amazing stop. Feel free to email me with any travel related questions. Cheers. Kevin

My family spent a week in August 1994 vacationing in Tofino. We spent the first night in Parksville, the following three nights in a cabin along Mackenzie Beach (directly south of Tofino but north of Long Beach and the Pacific Rim National Park). After our days in Tofino/Ucluelet, we drove back east but headed north from Nanaimo to the ferry terminal over to Denman and Hornby Islands. Two amazing little islands with a big artist/hippy population, but the beaches along Hornby Island were some of the most brilliant I've seen in this region. White sands, warm clear water... A short stop to one of the southern Gulf Islands (ie: Saltspring, Galiano, etc) is another idea. If you haven't already, check out www.vancouverisland.com for an amazing informative site about "the Island" and its surroundings. www.britishcolumbia.com is the same format, except it provides info on everything in BC. Every little region and town ever known in BC is somehow represented on that site.... it's amazing! :) You'd probably get good use out of those, just for getting ideas alone.

Thanks, Kevin & Robyn both for your input & feedback! :-) More places to consider on Vancouver Island - clearly the Island has plenty of places for us to explore. All we've seen prior on Vancouver Island was Victoria (several times) & Sooke (for an hour or so). Still wondering whether May or Sept is better - sounds like for grey whale spotting, May might be. For the orcas, perhaps Sept? If there was a big difference or preference for Pacific Rim National Park in May, would maybe return to Rockies this Sept. & then, do Vancouver Island for our Anniversary in May. (I think the Rockies next summer/fall aren't a possibility due to other commitments.) We definitely will check out that grove on the way to Tofino. Sounds special!(We really enjoyed the Olympic Peninsula & the Hoh Rainforest on a prior trip. I'm guessing there will be *some* similarities between Vancouver Island's West Coast & that spectacular region in Washington state.) For the web links, Robyn - I haven't yet hit those sites, so many thanks! (Just recently began considering Vancouver Island as seriously as a Rockies escape.) I'd definitely like to hear more about Denman & Hornby. I enjoyed the details you shared - from what you wrote, these isles sound intriguing. They are definitely under consideration because we've been to SaltSpring (2x), Mayne (1x) & Galiano (very briefly) & like the San Juans, find them delightful. Was wondering how Denman & Hornby compared...thought maybe Gabriola was too close to Nanaimo's mills to feel like an escape, so was thinking about those more northern isles. And, Kevin, for being willing to field yet more travel questions from me, thank you! :-)

The last time I went to Hornby Island, the ferries were set up so that you had to drive like blazes across Denman to make the connecting ferry to Hornby. Hornby does indeed have some lovely beaches. Helliwell Park has an easy-to-walk loop trail through the forest to grassy bluffs. I remember golden grass, arbutus trees and vivid green pines. At the right time of year the cliffs, which have some interesting formations, can be full of nesting cormorants. I haven't spent much time on Denman, but I would prefer either island to Gabriola.

Thanks, April, for your input, too. Will have to find out when those nesting cormorants are there... Glad to hear which islands are more worth our time, from the Northern ones. Still considering the idea of doing the Rockies in Sept. & Vancouver Island in May, but not sure if there will be much whale activity then, or, if the weather will be much less reliable, then in Sept. (I guess on the West Coast, it's never too dry!) We were on the Olympic Peninsula Coast one July & we had fabulous weather, though. If we *do* decide to do the Rockies again, I definitely would like some feedback on cabin options, since we didn't really lodge at them much last time. Will try to start a thread on that topic, again. Didn't have any luck last week in getting replies. Thanks again for your info w/regard to our trip to Vancouver Island!

September might be good for the Rockies. When I was there a few days ago, Lake Louise was still partially frozen and the air was a bit nippy. I don't know what they're like, but on a drive-by we thought the cabins at Paradise Bungalows near Lake Louise looked nice. We're kicking ourselves for not stopping in for a closer look. May on the coast could be quite cool, cold even, and wet.

Thanks again, April! I'll be sure to give those cabins at Paradise Lodge a look - will check in books, etc. And, I agree, May might be a bit too early for Vancouver Island's West Coast. We generally have luck in the San Juans then, but I realize Tofino is in a different kind of weather pattern, to say the least. Have a good weekend. :-)