Canada - YVR/CGY + Rockies advice

Hi all,

I am in the process of planning our trip to The Canadian Rockies in December. Flights are booked to YVR, arrive Tuesday December 2nd, leave Sunday 14th Dec.


The schedule so far is as follows:
2 nights in YVR. Arrive 2nd Dec. Lodging at Pinnacle Marriott Down Town. We would like to take in the sights of YVR, are there any half day cruises or similar we should hop on for the views? Like they do in NYC on the Waterway.

There is a suspension bridge and a peak close to each other with great sights which we will visit. Other than this, anything else we should see/do? Wife is a shopaholic (so am I...). Other than Holt Renfrew, any other upmarket stores/malls to check out?

Dec. 4th fly to CGY late afternoon with immediate transport to Banff. The plan is to stay in the area untill late afternoon Thursday Dec. 11th, and then head back to CGY. Flames are playing Friday 12th. Gotta see them.

As for Banff, we are leaning towards Sunshine Village Resort since it is ski in-ski out. We will make the most of the skiing and hence be tired in the evenings, so not too fussed about staying in central Banff for the night-life.
I read Sunshine Village is the largest and has the longest runs out of the Big3?
We would like to try the skiing in Lake Louise too, and check out the lake and any other must see's. Can it be done when lodging at Sunshine, or is it recommended we book a night or two at Lake Louise?
We're both intermediate to good skiiers. Not extreme by any means :)

I was thinking: 2 days skiing in Banff, with Sunshine as our base. Head up to LL 3rd morning, visit the lake, perhaps have lunch at the Fairmont, try some vinter activites such as snowmobile/dogsledding/whatever fun you recommend. We don't mind going up on high peaks/look-outs if available, for the views.
Head back to Banff/Sunshine late afternoon day 3.
Day 4 open to any other sights we should do around the park/alt. skiing.
Day 5 and 6 is skiing in Banff and LL if possible with Sunshine as base.
Day 7, December 11th head back to CGY when slopes close for the day.
Check-in hotel, currently leaning towards Marriott due to Gold member status. However, I heard there are better hotels around the same price bracket. Late dinner, then either drinks or bed :)

Fri 12th Dec, day is wide open, the firm target is Saddledome 7pm to see The Flames take on the Panthers. Any suggestions on CGY; what to see, what to do? Shopping is obviously of importance. Again, anything other than Holt Renfrew we should look out for?
Dec. sat 13th fly back to YVR late afternoon, so the day is open for activites in CGY.
Fly back to London Dec 14th on the 8.45PM, meaning we have the entire day in YVR.

Hope anything of the above makes sense. I tried to give you an idea of the schedule, so hopefully your suggestions can fit in and make it a memorable trip to what I understand is one of the prettiest place on our planet ^

As europeans, with the Alps around the corner, we rarely visit The Rockies.

YVR restaurants are covered in the other thread, but tips on CGY would be appreciated. ^


/Petrus

Hey,

Sounds like you have a fun trip planned. I will answer in parts. I cant help with the Vancouver portion, besides telling you that near the Holt are the Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel (only standalone Chanel store besides Toronto in Canada) Boss, Coach etc..

First, Staying up at Sunshine is GREAT for skiing. You can't beat the ski in/ski out location. The food in the hotel is great. The hot tub is breathtaking, and huge. A great place to stay. However, you are out there. Not only do you take the long road up to the hill, you also have to take the Gondola up to the hotel. So don't expect to be able to buy any groceries/booze (plan ahead). It is not ideal to take the gondola down (30 mins ish if no line), and then have to drive into banff or Lake louise etc..

If you really like the Sunshine Inn, then it wouldn't be the end of the world to stay there and do a day trip to LL, as there would be no line to get down the Gondola, but it would still be 30 minutes down the gondola, and a 40 minute drive to Louise, so tack on an extra hour on each end of your day, which can be tiring after a hard day.

I personally love both Louise and Sunshine. IMO, if the area has no snow, Louise is way better, but on a powder day, Sunshine is better. Sunshine has lots of open faces and can be icy with no snow. If there is snow at Sunshine, get over to Goats Eye before it gets skiid out - Epic! (this opinion is different for every Albertan).

I don't have much advice for what to do in Lake Louise on a non-ski day, as I never do that, but I believe you can skate on the lake (rent from Chateau LL) and some other stuff. Keep in mind that Lake Louise is 45 mins from Banff, so its not a quick jaunt.

A day in Banff can be really fun. I suggest driving the Minnewanka loop. There are 3 beautiful and extremely pituresque lakes along this drive. You can often see animals as well. If you are looking for a serene experience, you can do some fairly backcountry snowshoeing or x-country skiing. Also, taking a day tour on the icefields is very fun.

Not sure what price your looking for in Calgary but the Sheraton Eau Claire is definately the nicest hotel in cagary, with easy access to the Saddledome. If you are looking for cheaper, and considering you are going to be tired after a day of skiing and driving to Calgary, the Sheraton 4 points on the western edge of the city (accross from Calgary Olympic Park) is alot closer to banff. You can also ride a luge or bobsled at COP which is pretty fun.

For shopping in Calgary, besides downtown, I would suggest Kensington area. Has lots of cool and trendy upscale stores. Its the trendiest area in Calgary. If you go there, go to Crave Cupcakes. Best cupcakes in Canada in my opinion. There is usually a line, but it moves pretty fast.

The biggest mall in Calgary is called the Shinook Center. Thats a good way to kill some time. Other suggestions would be COP, or head up the Calgary Tour on a clear day for a beautiful view of the mountains.

Can't help on Dining options for Calgary, as I am from Edmonton, however I know there are tons of good places to eat. A favorite breakfast joint in Calgary is called Nellie's. There are a few locations, and the food is amazing.. although sometimes the lines can be long.

Hope this helps!

Just got an email with this deal, if you are interested

http://ca.deals.travelzoo.com/hotels/476596?utm_source=top20_ca&utm_medium=email_top20

an FYI, the above deal in Canmore is certainly not Banff. Big difference from ski-in/ski-out.

Sounds likea great holiday! ^

We would like to take in the sights of YVR, are there any half day cruises or similar we should hop on for the views? Like they do in NYC on the Waterway.


The Carol Ship season will have just started so that's a nice thing to do (evening) - Dress warmly:

http://www.boatcruises.com/carolship.html

The daytime cruises are largely a Spring/Summer/Fall thing.


There is a suspension bridge and a peak close to each other with great sights which we will visit.


The 'peak' you have in mind is likely Grouse Mountain. This is a great thing to do, but only if it's clear, so plan accordingly - If it's overcast I'd save your money.


Other than this, anything else we should see/do? Wife is a shopaholic (so am I...). Other than Holt Renfrew, any other upmarket stores/malls to check out?


The 'upmarket' Mall is Oakridge Centre, although it's not as upmarket as it used to be:

http://oakridge.shopping.ca

These probably aren't the best nor most detailed suggestions for Vancouver but maybe they can get other ideas rolling from others...

From a cruise perspective, around that time of year is the Christmas Carol Ship Parade festival in the evenings. I think they do a route east into Burrard Inlet or to False Creek. We attended a dinner cruise for my wife's company Christmas party a few years back. As expected, the food was nothing special but the cruise itself was quite nice.

To keep it simple for the few days you are here, you might want to check out:
- Granville Island if you're interested in its food market and crafts.
- People usually check out Stanley Park, walk its seawall, etc.
- You'll find some high end shops on the mall side of Holt Renfrew like Harry Rosen, Ermenegildo Zegna, and Hugo Boss.
- Birks is Canadian jewelry shop a short walk away on the north end of Granville Street.

This is all really helpful :) Thank you!

Will start planning the YVR and CGY days in detail.

Looks like we'll drop staying at Sunshine after all. Seems tedious being stuck and dependant on the gondola. Shame Buffalo Mountain Lodge is full some of the days. Time to check out Banff hotels. Recommendations welcome.

Currently planning to pick up a rental car at CGY and keep it for the week while in and around Banff. Then we have more freedom and can do some of the scenic drives recommended. ^

Back in CGY the COP sounds like good fun and Calgary Tour is a good suggestion. Thanks again for all the good advice.

Really looking forward to this trip. :)

Trip report will be in order for my fellow FT:ers.


Cheers,


Petrus

Couple other tips:

Check out ebay for a national park entry pass. You will save alot of money from buying one at the gate.

I wouldnt necesarrily negate Sunshine Inn if you are going to ski, like you said. Maybe just stay there a few nights. There is nothing like being on the hill 30 minutes before everyone else when a foot of powder just dropped!!

If you are planning on skiing lake louise, it would be wise to stay there. Chateau lake louise, and deer lodge are both amazing places!! If you want to stay at one place the whole time, then banff will work. Depending on price, there is the Banff Springs (you pay alot for the building - as the rooms are quite small unless you get a suite in the roof). The Rimrock is also very nice. Im also a big fan of Juniper Lodge which is alot cheaper. Check out Kayak.com as they often find good Banff hotel deals.

You can also check out ebay for 2 for 1 or other discount lift ticket options.