VANCOUVER TO BANFF- advice please!

hello...
my girlfriend and i are visiting vancouver for a couple days and then travelling to banff. we wanted to split the 10 hr drive into 2 days...with an overnight in vernon maybe.
my questions are as follows:
1)we will be travelling on july 1 (canada day)...can anyone suggest a place along the way (besides vernon) that might be exciting to stay the night and enjoy canada day activities? am i going to have a hard time finding vacancies because of the holiday?
2)we are trying to rent a car from vancouver and dropping it off in calgary (where we fly out) but the prices for a 1-way car rental are INSANE!!! around $200/day. does anyone know of a cheaper way to get a rented car, or can anyone suggest a bus or train service that would still let us enjoy the scenery but not cost so much? the drive is supposed to be amazing, and its the main reason we didnt want to fly...id hate to miss it because of price.
3) we are going to stay 1 night in banff/lake louise...any suggestions for a place to stay or a nice meal? i know that asking for a 'nice hotel' recommendation is totally relative...but if anyone has had an exceptional experience with either a hotel or restaurant in that area, please pass it on. the banff springs is ideal but more than a little out of our range, if you know what i mean...

thanks in advance for any advice!!!

If it were my money and time, I'd fly to Calgary, rent a car there, go to Banff for the super Canada Day parade, drive up the amazing Icefields Parkway and stay in Jasper before returning to Calgary. However, accommodation will be tight that weekend, you'd need to book now.

The trip from Vancouver to Banff is scenic and interesting, especially if you can find places to stop away from the highway, but it also includes long boring bits like the interminable suburbs of the Lower Mainland, and the mountains are not as spectacular as on the Icefields Parkway.

I strongly agree with #1. Especially if you can get a good rate on the flight, and then pay for a car rental in Calgary (so, no 0ne-way fare). The drive from Vancouver to Alberta is nice, but pales in comparison to the icefields parkway.

My suggestion: Calgary to Canmore (1 hour drive) (consider staying in Canmore- a bit off the beaten track, cheaper hotels); Canmore to Banff (1/2 hour drive), Banff to Lake Louise (40 min drive), Lake Louise to half way up the icefields parkway (about 2-3 hours, depending on stops). There is a nice place to stay called "the crossing" at about the halfway point, with a great buffet dinner. The crossing to the icefields (about 40 min-1 hour). For $40 each, you can take a trip onto the glacier, or for free you can walk on a bit of it. Nice restuarant here, and interpretive centre.

Depending on your time, Jasper (another 2 hours one way- with great waterfalls on the way). I could take or leave Jasper...not as great as Banff.

I did this trip a couple weeks ago and saw big horn sheep, mountain goats, a wolf, a black bear, a grizzly bear, and a grizzly with cubs. The drive on the icefields is meant to be taken slowly. If you see cars pulled over, pull over too- as there is most likely wildlife to see.

If you have your heart set on driving Vancouver to Banff, consider staying in Kelowna. Alot nicer than Vernon. Tons of accomodations. Eat at Kelly O'Briens and order pacho's.

Oh, and a great restaurant in Canmore that serves fresh pasta is called "Blue Luna" or "Luna Blue". Cute and quaint. The grizzly paw in Banff is apparently good, although expensive.

I love the drive but it is long. Canmore is great and not full of junk souviners like Banff. There are tons of good restaurants- Tapas, Grizzly Paw for a beer on the patio, Communitea for great tea and atmosphere- harvest for breakfast. Accomatadion is a cheaper and so easy to access everything in the town. Rocky Mountain Soap Company has amazing soaps and stuff- so nice and smelly! There is also many hikes to do or walks...
Canada will be at the Centinial park and lots of fun..bands and food, ussually good weather. West Jet often has cheap flights to Calgary.
If you do drive Mara Lake will have a great Canada day party at the beach- Sicamous or Salmon Arm would be good places to stay- big time party area for houseboaters.
Have fun!

Hi...
I'm also heading from Vancouver - Banff in late august. We're planning to head straight there as we are leaving on a trip from Vancouver a week later. I can't find any train routes to Banff on VIA... so are the only ways of going there direct Greyhound and rental car? (I know this sounds like a stupid question)

Also... I'll be travelling with my Dad who's not really done independant travel before and would like recommendations of somewhere to stay in Banff that might suit - are there any personal recomendations for B&B or mid price hotels? He's not one for early nights but also I don't think a youth hostel will be what he's looking for!

Any advice appreciated, cheers, Gina