Western Canada: Need help on trip planning.
 

Working on a trip from Dallas to Seattle to Vancouver, BC, then using Rocky Mountaineer tour train. Need car (possibly at Jasper) to drive to Edmonton and Calgary. Return on regular train from Jasper and back to Dallas. <BR> <BR>We're wide open on this trip and need lots of advice. Thanks for all the help you can give.

Not sure if your trip from Dalls to Seattle is by car? but I guess I should assume by plane. Are you looking for places to visit in Seattle and Vancouver? Or do you want info for Edmonton Jasper - to see? Rocky Mountain Rail tours pass through our city and stay overnight in Kamloops, BC. I have heard great reviews from people taking this tour. If you can be a little more specific about what you are loooking for maybe I could help. What time of the year are you going on your trip?

Thanks for the reply. <BR> <BR>Would like to do the following in May: <BR>Vancouver and Victoria <BR>Tour train (one way) <BR>Edmonton and Calgary for old times' sake <BR>Air travel from and return to Dallas <BR> <BR>It's an interesting problem in juggling but should make a great trip.

A couple of informative sites for you. <BR>http://www.victoriahotelsmotels.com/ <BR>www.discoverbanff.com <BR>Surfing and planning is half the fun I think. <BR>You don't have to have a car if you don't want to. If you are training to Banff, you can bus to Jasper and bus or train to Edmonton and bus to Calgary. I always think you see more on your own though and if you drive in Dallas, then the driving would be a dawdle for you.

You don't need a car any where if you don't mind paying for bus tours. If you have a car in Van/Vic you will have to pay for gas and ferry tolls round trip to Vancouver Island (BC Ferries has a web site). Bus service from Dwtn Van to Dtwn Vic by bus, leaves usally on the hour to meet the ferry crossings. Count on about 3 to 3.5 hours one way. Same goes for the Cdn rockies once you get off the train in Jasper. Brewster's offers many bus trips through the Rockies and will show you every thing you need. Depending on your timing I would forget Edmonton, to far out of the way from Jasper, and just see the rockies and fly out of Calgary. American has direct service to Dallas. To much to see in the Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper area. Not sure if you can rent cars in Jasper and drive them to the airport in Calgary. Having the car will give you the freedom to do what you wnat when you want. Many things on the drive between Jasper and Banff that the buses don't stop at and are worth the time and are some nice short hikes to take. Good luck

Check out these sites <BR>http://www.tourism-vancouver.org <BR>official home page of Vancouver Tourism <BR> also try the B.C. Web home page lots of <BR>information about current events. You may want to check this site out closer to the time you leave This is <BR>our service providers home page in B.C. <BR>http://www.mybc.com/ <BR> <BR>May is a good time to visit.But it does rain in Van. and Victoria. Rent a car if you are going to Victoria. You can take the Grayline bus over to Victoria but you really need a car to the Butchart Gradends.The Government Guildings and fabulous BC Museum are right in the inner harbour. Beautiful Harbour and of course the Butchart Garden. You can also take a Grayline bus tour to Butchart Gardens. If you want to stay near the inner Harbour in Victoria and don't mind spending a little more money on a Hotel room. Treat yourselves to the Ocean Point Resort. Do a search and check out their web page. They are right on the inner harbour and there is a long beautiful sea walk, that you can stroll on. There are also little tiny passenger ferries that you can ride in the inner harbour. <BR>There is also a horse and buggy ride that will take you on a tour of the downtown historic homes area. You can also wait for the "big wagon" that is horse drawn which holds more people and is a little cheaper. <BR>Things to see and do in Vancouver are endless. Just have a look at some of the comments in the BC section. Hotels? there are some average priced hotels in downtown Vancouver, but most are pricey. Again check out the comments. Prices usually go up in the Spring - anticpating the tourist season. If you are looking for reasonable prices stay near Broadway and Granville, North Vancouver, West Vancouver., Don't stay at a hotel right on Granville street. There are a number of newer hotels on Grnaville, but I personally do not like the area. Off Granville, on Burrard, or Robson would be much better. <BR>I have been to Edmonton and Calgary, Jasper and Banff, but I am really just an armchair tour guide. Any other questions just ask......have a good trip <BR> <BR>

We took the Rocky Mountain railtour from Vancouver to Banff last june and had a great time. I would suggest you spring for the observation car(Gold Leaf service)...pricey, but worth the stunning view since you will be able to look straight up through the glass top at the mountains. WE also visited Victoria, but didn;t feel you neede a car there...there is public bus service very frequently to Butchart Gardens, and most downtown places are within walking distance. The websites mentioned are very good, we used these to plan last year's. we stayed at a very nice bed and breakfast called Spinnaker's Guest House, owned by the same folks who run Spinnaker's brewpub. it is a short walk(10-15 minutes from downtown Victoria) on the seawalk(paved walkway running beside the bay) and full breakfast at the Spinnakers restuarant was included. I think they have a website...trywww.Spinnakers.com and see if that might be it. We stayed at the Wedgewood in Vancouver and also liked it.