We are in Seattle on July 3 on business but finishing up there late afternoon (Gig Harbor to be exact) and we need to be in Calgary by Saturday night, July 5.

Can anyone advise the best route to drive; how long is it likely to take; is there anything along the way to see?

Now before you think, "ya gotta be kidding, what a question" I know I am asking for a tall order! we want to see as much as we can in the little time we have! We are not into restaurants (I see so many threads recommending eating houses!), but we LOVE scenery. So, knock yourselves out and let me have your ideas please.

Driving is slow going in Canada. Even major highways go through towns and cities.

There are several scenic options.

You could drive Kelowna, Revelstoke NP, Glacier National Park (Canada), Banff NP, Canmere, Calgary. This is about 700 miles and 14 hours of driving.

Another good option would be to go through Glacier NP in Montana and then up to Banff NP, Canmere, and Calgary. This is about 900 miles and 16 hours of driving.

Take HWY 2 over through Stevens Pass over to Wenatchee and then up HWY 97 through the Oakanagon. When we did this route, we stayed in Penticton for the night. The route is very pretty and you see a bit of everything.

Driving is slow going in Canada. Even major highways go through towns and cities.

There are several scenic options.

You could drive Kelowna, Revelstoke NP, Glacier National Park (Canada), Banff NP, Canmere, Calgary. This is about 700 miles and 14 hours of driving.

Another good option would be to go through Glacier NP in Montana and then up to Banff NP, Canmere, and Calgary. This is about 900 miles and 17-18 hours of driving.

Thanks for the responses. Decisions, decisions!

I like the route mms outlined. However, I would spend the night in Vernon, BC, to get more of the driving out of the way and to have more time to enjoy Banff and the other parks through which you will drive on your way to Calgary.

If you take this route, when you approach Wenatchee, watch for signs to 97A which goes up the west side of the Columbia River and gives better views of the gorge than does 97 (which goes up the east side of the river).

I should have reread your original post before commenting again.

Since you are in Gig Harbor, on July 3 I would drive I-90 and 97 to the Wenatchee area to get some of the driving out of the way.

Then, on the 4th, I would proceed up 97A and drive as far as Revelstoke, BC.

Suggestion: Whichever route you decide, book your rooms for the 3rd and 4th today.

I'd stay with the plan I mentioned in your original thread (about the 4th of July.)

Gig Harbor east to Interstate 5, north to State Route 18, north-east to Interstate 90. Follow I-90 east as far as you can given your fatigue levels, daylight, etc. If you can make it as far as Spokane or Coeur d'Alene, great.

Spend the 4th in Coeur d'Alene for a good and fairly traditional holiday, with excellent activities and fireworks around the lake.

The morning of the 5th, head north on US 95 to the Canadian border, then keep north on BC 3/95 to the junction with the TCH (near Banff) and into Calgary on the freeway from there. Allow around 7-8 driving hours from Coeur d'Alene to Calgary, so with stops it's a full day, thus you should get an early start. Note there's also a one-hour timezone change (loss) between Idaho and Alberta.

We did it by taking the interstate to get a fast start over to Spokane (maybe get a head start and do that and even spend the night at Spokane after your meetings on July 3), and then we spent 2 nights at Coeur d'Alene (1 is plenty or 0 is OK too), then slightly north to Sandpoint and took a scenic route over to Kalispell and up through Glacier National Park. I think that's overall your best bet with two days (one of them being the Fourth of July-- which actually may mean LESS traffic in the US.

Hey people, what fantastic information. Thanks so much.

Now another question - re July 4 in Coeur d'Alene. I note the comments re a great day there for Independence Day. Is it better than Seattle? This is fairly important for me since July 4 is my birthday and this would just be a blast - a great parade on the day! Fireworks are not a major issue since coming from Sydney, we pretty much put on a huge show every New Years' Eve anyway. (You may have noticed perhaps?) But we are keen to see a good parade and perhaps participate in some activities. Big town vs little town? Help!

There are those who are enthusiastic about Coeur d'Alene and those who aren't. I'm not.

You could spend your birthday there and find out for yourself, but I don't encourage that.

Seattle doesn't have a parade on the 4th, and it sometimes rains here on that day. The weather is likely to be sunnier east of the Cascade Mountains.

The fireworks in Seattle on the 4th are great; however if you want to see the fireworks (end around 11 PM) and be in Calgary the next night, you'd have to drive all night and most of the day.

I only suggested Cd'A because it's around halfway, and has some "small town" feelings not shared by Spokane, the only real alternative.

Funny, but now that you mention it our trip to Coeur d'Alene was over the 4th of July (but at least 10 years ago. They had one of the largest fireworks displays I've ever seen -- pretty spectacular over the lake. They do cruises on the lake to see them, but we stayed on our resort hotel balcony for a front row seat.

There was also a parade in town during the day. We didn't go, so I'm not sure what it was like or even if they still do it. I'd google and see what events they have planned -- probably on a chamber of commerce or similar website. But I think it would make a great stop for a 4th of July -- especially since it's half way there!

Chalclear, Please go to maps.google.com, or a similar site, and compute driving distances and times.

Seattle to Coeur d'Alene is 312 miles and about 5 hours of driving. Coeur d'Alene to Calgary is 412 miles and about 9 hours of driving. (Driving is slow going in Canada.)

I would rather be at leisure in Banff than in Coeur d'Alene, but I am obviously in a minority.

That's gold! Happytrailstoyou - I have not seen that google maps before. Thanks - it is proving invaluable already.