Originally Posted by
laner
Another option would be a loop from Banff south/west on Highway 93 to Radium Hot Springs, then north through Golden and back east on Highway 1 to Lake Louise. You'd go through three national parks in this case (Banff, Kootenay, and Yoho).
Originally Posted by
Jasper2009
I agree driving the Icefield Parkway from Banff/Lake Louise to Jasper is your best bet. (Iīve taken that route a dozen times and itīs always been a fascinating trip)
Because you have a bunch of time, I would recommend combining both options. Day 1 drive to Radium (3 hrs), stay a day or two, then go to Golden (1.5 hrs) for a night, then head to Jasper for a couple nights (3-4 hrs, plus stop at the Columbia Icefield), then head back to Banff/Lake Louise for a couple days (3 hrs), then back to Calgary (1 hr).
You get to see all of the best parts of the Canadian Rockies, with some varying scenery (eg. desert-like in Radium, heavy mountain forest/glacier in Jasper), and go through 4 national parks. There is a ton to see and do, especially if you like outdoorsy stuff.