Travelling through the Rockies...
 

My boyfriend and I are flying into Vancouver on 22nd August and spending 2 nights, then a further 2 nights in Whistler. We are then heading to Kelowna to visit a relative. The only other thing that we have booked is a flight out of Calgary on the 5th September.

My dilemma is that I'm not too sure how long to stay in Kelowna and how much to try and do in the Rockies. It has been suggested that we go from Kelowna straight to Banff and miss out Jasper but I am worried about missing something amazing! Wondering if anyone can offer an opinion on whether we should try and do both and roughly how long we would need to stay in each place to feel like we were able to see a fair bit and not be too rushed. Also, would we find the two parks quite different, with different activities available?

Would also love to know if anyone has an idea of the most scenic route and what we could see along the way. Any links to other sites with itineraries, drive times etc. would be appreciated as I am trying to plan everything quickly without much time and am a little overwhelmed......!

We are early 30's and have a reasonable but not unlimited budget!

Thanks so much!

Well I guess some of it depends on how far you're traveling, and from where you originate. IF you are from an area that doesn't have many mountains, and which is far away from BC, then you should probably do as much as you can.

Vancouver is probably worth a 3rd night, but you might already be committed in that regard.

So I'm reading/guessing here:

1 & 2 Vancouver
3 & 4 Whistler
5 & 6 (???) Kelowna

First thing you should probably do is <b>commit yourselves</b> to lodging on <I>Labour Day Holiday weekend</I>, because rooms will be scarce.

Outside of that, you should proooooooooobably travel the Icefields Parkway at some point...

So maybe:

nights 7 & 8 in the Banff/Lake Louise area
nights 9 & 10 in/on the way to Jasper

(that's already the Holiday weekend)

trying again

Nights of:

22,23 Vanc.
24,25 Whistler
26 (maybe only ONE in Kelowna, depending upon the friend?)
27,28 Banff/Lake Louise,
29,30 Jasper or on the way to it
31,1,2 Edmonton ???
3,4 Calgary

From Jasper, perhaps over for a look at Edmonton (and it might be easier to land rooms there on the big weekend, than in some small, resort-like destination).

Additionally, that would work well with your getting down to Calgary for the last night or two of your trip.

So much of your path will be visually impressive, while Edmonton and Calgary are big enough to warrant future <I>familiarity</I>.

In a perfect world, you wouldn't be moving too much on the holiday weekend (when everybody else IS moving all around).

Hope this helps (or at least inspires somebody more confident of all the answers you need, to post).

You should do the J

Sorry.It's a must to do the Jasper-Banff road.Inmy opinion the greatest scenic road in America.Paul

... and now even the most scenic road <I>in America</I> <b>is in CANADA!</B>


<I>(wonders never cease) </I>

tovarich didn't say in the USA. Believe it or not, Canada is part of the North American continent.

And depending on how you define a continent, it can be argued that there is only one American continent verus North America and South America being separate ones.

There is one "America".


(go and check it out with the Brits, if you are otherwise unaware)


Hawaii is part of "North America" too, and that obviously isn't relevant.