I'm flying into Vancouver on 10 June and flying out of Calgary on 27 June, which gives me two and a half weeks to travel in between. Does anyone have a suggested itinery? We're hoping to rent a car for the whole time, apart from when we're in Vancouver and Calgary themselves, as I find having a car in cities is a pain.
I'd like to do a mix of things. See some sea/beach, some cities, some mountains and then wineries. Any chance of seeing Prairies/nice flowers in BC? I don't want to be moving around too much as I like to be able to enjoy and relax in each place I visit.
So for example, I was wondering, is Vancouver Island unmissable? I've read some mixed reviews about it in the guide books. I'm not a real beachy person, but my boyfriend who I'm travelling with is whale mad so whale-watching could be good. However, if the scenary is nicer on the mainland, I think the trip might be a waste of precious time! If we go, are we better to rent a car there?
Is Whistler unmissable, or would the scenary in the Rockies be far more impressive?
Anyone have any idea on whether a trip to Seattle would be worth it?
With regard to National Parks, if we're going to Banff, Yoho and Jasper, is there any point in also going to the parks on Vancouver Island and Wells Grey? I don't really like hiking, but I'm capable of doing long walks and love mountian/lake scenary (I love flowers which is why I'd thought of Well's Grey!).
The Okangan sounds nice and I've read great things about Nelson.
Basically, I'd love to go everywhere, but would rather really appreciate the places I do go than try to fit in too much.
Any suggestions of places to stay would be great too. We don't have money to burn, but I don't want to stay in dorms in hostels either. If we stay in hostels, we normally get a double room.
Thanks!
I can't help with all your questions, but have a couple of comments.
1) I have no idea where you'd find prairies in BC. It's mountains. Saskatchewan is praries.
2) Okanagan is wonderful. Maybe consider the Shushwap area.
3) Banff and Jasper are beautiful. If you're looking for scenery, you'll find it here. A neat side trip, depending on the route West you take is Franks Slide in the Crowsnest Pass. Lots of history.
That's all I have!
I think the Tofino area is definitely worth it if you have the time - nothing on the mainland is comparable.
I would skip Whistler if I was going to the Rockies, and Seattle if I was going to be visiting Vancouver. The Okanagan would be a good place to stop between Vancouver and the Rockies to do a winery tour, the fruit trees might still be in bloom.
There would be wildflowers at the lower elevations in the Rockies in mid- late June (depending on the weather) - Emerald Lake is good, and on any of the other short walks in Yoho, Jasper and Banff if you keep your eyes open you will find flowers, though they are not always showy or prolific. Ask at the information centres about where to go. If the glacier lilies are out, it is worth the 2 hour hike up to Healy Pass to see acres of brilliant yellow lilies in magnificent scenery.
On the way to Calgary, Bow Valley Provincial Park has short walks with foothill/prairie type wildflowers, I would also recommend at least the first part of the nearby trail up Yamnuska, ask for directions on how to get there.
Having grown up in Alberta and spending the last 13 years in Vancouver, here's my two cents, keeping in mind that BC and Alberta are very large and have wide variety of climates and scenery ... driving across the two will give you ocean, desert, forest, old mountains, new mountains, cold lakes, foothills, and everything in between!
- Definitely do a few days on an island (such as a gulf island) but skip Vancouver Island. Tofino and VI are wonderful but you're packing too much in and it's too far for the time you have allotted. VI is huge ... You'd be better of going to Saltspring or Pender for a night or two -- you'll have a much better island experience, and your time would mean you'd only see one very small area of VI. Make that another trip in itself. If you take the car on the ferry don't forget the reservation. If you really want to spend the day in Victoria arrange your ferries as such for a stop off.
- Go the Okanagan route to the Rockies. Nelson is too far out of your way and sorry, as nice as it is, is a long way out of your way for not a lot of payoff. (See my comment above about the Gulf Islands -- closer and equally as nice.) Spend some time exploring the wineries, swimming in the lakes. etc. Skip Kamloops but hang out in a small resort town like Penticton for a few days. It's really a tourist place but I like it nonetheless.
- On your way to Banff, the Golden/Revelstoke route is quite fast and somewhat scenic, but if you want hotsprings or slightly different scenerey you'll need to cut down to Invermere/Nakusp area. Very nice but may be out of your way. Remember, Canada's distances are vast!
- Go up to Banff and Yoho. You don't have time for Wells Gray. Focus on the rockies. If you're interested in a little prairie experience, when you go from Jasper to Calgary, go through Rocky Mountain House, across the province to Red Deer, and then down through to Calgary that way.
- I would agree that Frank Slide and the crowsnest is interesting but as a stop off to have lunch or stretch your legs or to make the long drive more interesting. It's not really a destination in itself unless you're a real fan of that kind of thing.
- Accommodations -- I like bed & breakfasts. I find that for 2 people they can be quite affordable and usually include fantastic breakfasts you'd pay big money for at a restaurants, and can be quite nice too. Canadian bed & breakfasts You're also supporting small business. In Banff, if you're finding it too pricey, stay in Canmore instead.
Canmore is only a 20 min drive from Banff and in my opinion is nicer. It has a more local feel about the place and is surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. As for accommodation, even B&B's can be expensive. I am aware of private rooms available in a nice friendly house not so far from Downtown owned by ex travellers, they rent out on a short term basis at a more than reasonable price. This would be a better option and value than a private room in a hostel around Banff & Canmore for sure. If you need further info, then email them directly on kish31@msn.com
Hi. One option you should consider is taking a night in Victoria. You can get a bus/ferry ride and hotel room tour for about $150 each. Then in Victoria you can visit Buchart Gardens (nice flowers) and go on a whale watching tour from the inner harbour. Victoria is nice, but you can enjoy it in just a day (imo). Plus, the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria can be worth a trip in itself. It winds through the gulf islands and can be a very pretty trip. Saltspring Island is worth a visit as well, but you'll need your car. There are galleries all over the island and in the day you can do a very nice tour of the wineries and galleries. I find the scenery around the islands unique from the mainland, and well worth seeing (actually I find the gulf islands paradise). I rank the gulf islands as unmissable, even if they aren't really well known (yet).
Seattle is worth it as a day trip. Easily done in a day with a car. You can also take a ferry from downtown Victoria to Seattle and back. But you'll just get a taste of it in a day.
If you go to Calgary via the Yellowhead instead of the Transcanada, you'll approach Calgary from the south, and it's all prairie around there. But the drive from Banff through the foothills to Calgary is nice too. Calgary is all prairie on the east side, so you'll definitely see some (if only from the airport). You might consider keeping the car in Calgary. It's a large, spread out city and the public transit is not that great. Consider a day trip to Drumheller while you're there. Then you'll have seen ocean, mountain, desert, and prairie...quite a few different sceneries!
tonylasagna's advice above is excellent, btw.
"my boyfriend who I'm travelling with is whale mad so whale-watching could be good."
If so then This is a must.
The only Whales in Alberta are found @ shopping malls.
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