Western Canada Finds
 

Hi there<BR><BR>We would like input from people about interesting sites, towns, restaurants etc in Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC.<BR><BR>We will be driving from Regina to Vancouver in May and want to take our time and find some off the beaten path stuff. So if you know of cool sites/events/places etc please share. Just maybe there is the largest ball of twine that we do not know about.

DRive souyth of the Transcanada highway, west of Moose jaw, down into the badlands and over to Fort Walsh.<BR><BR>From Calgary, head for Banff via Cochrane, rather than on the Transcanada highway. In Cochraqne, you can get excellent ice cream cones at McKay's Dairy.<BR><BR>Check out the newspapers, provincial travel sites, etc., to try to find a small town rodeo,although I think you'll be too early.<BR><BR>You can drive north from Calgary on the main road to Edmonton and then turn left / west and head into the foothills, workingyour way back down south and into Banff.<BR><BR>I don't know about balls of twine, but Vegreville has a giant Easter Egg, I believe.<BR><BR>You've got a choice of various routes from Banff to Vancouver. Ive taken several, and the biggest mistake was always to try to drive too far in a day. Pick a mid-point as an overnight stop, and then relax more as you drive.<BR><BR>BAK

Other then the Icefields Parkway, I have found several little gems in Alberta.<BR>One is the Royal Tyrrell of Palenontology in Drumheller, Alberta. This museum is great if you have any interest at all in the the development of life on earth.<BR><BR>A second great place to visit is the Ukranian Village near Androssen. It is a collection of authentic buildings from the first years of the last century. When I was there the buildings were staffed by actors who played their parts as if they were in 1930. It is interesting, particularly when the food is spread out to buy and the Ukranian style musicians are playing authentic Ukranian folk music.<BR>Great fun, at least for me.<BR><BR>One other little gem is the railway museum in Claresholm south of Calgary toward Fort Mcleod.<BR>

Vancouver to Japser, Japser to Edmonton, Edmonton to Calgary(drumheller) on to Regina?

Sorry, I submitted too soon...Basically the road from Vancouver to Jasper is an easier road to travel. Once in Jasper, you can take the ice fields parkway to Banff and on to Calgary. You would miss out on Edmonton (which is, IMHO a nicer city stop than Calgary) but you could then go to Drumheller on the way to Regina. Another Alternative is to drive Vancouver to Banff (scenic road), Banff to Jasper (icefields parkway), Jasper to Edmonton and take the Yellowhead highway through to Saskatoon. It depends what you like...history, nature, etc.

You could also take the hwy 3, crosnest pass from Lethbridge to Cranbrook then through the southern okanagan and do a wine tour in the southern Okanagan...Ososyoos, Oliver, Penticton..some amazing wineries. Then take the Hope Princeton pass to Vancouver

If you're travelling on the Hwy 16 bet Alberta and Saskatchewan, stop by Lloydminster, Canada's only Border city- Half Alberta, half Saskatchewan. There used to be so called &quot;Border Markers&quot; - huge red poles, indicating the border- along 50th Ave and 44th St. (44 St. is nothing but Hwy 16). It's also exatly midway between Edmonton and Sasaktoon.

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I've said it before but in case you missed it, stop in Hope, BC at the Othello-Quintette Tunnels. Dramatic scenery in a small space, easy access. Pictures don't do justice, but you can get some sense of it at:<BR>http://www.virtualguidebooks.com/BC/VancouverLowerMainBC/Hope/OthelloTunnelsThree.html<BR>