SJWarrior

My SO loves the outdoors. Looking to spend a few days in Banff next summer. Then a couple in YVR. Have to get the time off as we have to put our request in by Oct. 1, for next year.

any suggestions on Banff? Best way to get from there to YVR?

TechnoTourist

Go to Jasper if you only have a few days. Better views and less people than Banff.

I'd fly in to YYC (for Banff) or YEG (for Jasper) and then drive. Much quicker than driving from YVR which is a full day of driving (800+ kms)

Mwenenzi

Or take the train to/from Vancouver

TechnoTourist

The train from Vancouver to Jasper offers spectacular scenery. You'd have to book a tour bus to get south to Banff.

eigenvector

If you want to go to Banff/Jasper and Vancouver, I'd suggest flying to Edmonton, driving to Jasper, then driving the Icefields Parkway (one of the most scenic drives in the world), then driving to Vancouver. The drive from Jasper to Vancouver via Lake Louise is about 12 hours (a 2 day affair for sure), but traveling Jasper to Vancouver by air burns up a whole day anyway and isn't very interesting. The train is also an option but: it's almost always delayed, it's extremely expensive, and in a car you can stop where ever you want and actually walk around, take a photo that isn't through a window, etc. I love long haul train travel, but I wouldn't bother with it in Canada.

Hiking is the main thing to do throughout the region although Banff has quite a few contraptions for seeing the mountains without actually walking anywhere and Jasper is becoming like that too. If you want to see the best scenery and are fit and willing I'd suggest doing some of the longer, harder day hikes off the Icefields Parkway like Wilcox Pass. The Parks Canada websites have abundant details on all of the hiking trails.

SJWarrior

Appreciate the information. But I’m not in the shape for a rough hike. I like the drive idea. We are going pretty much for the amazing views and some mild hiking at best.
Thanks everyone

pauq

The drive between the Rockies and Vancouver is indeed spectacular. However, there are spectacular views everywhere around the Rockies and driving 10+ hours straight can be very tiresome. As for flying into YEG, that is debatable if it is a better option as opposed to YYC considering it is only an extra 40 km between YYC and Jasper (city) vs YEG and Jasper.

If it was me I'd fly into YEG or YYC (depending on flights available) and spend a couple of nights in each Jasper and Banff but staying the last night at Banff area and then fly out of YYC to YVR. Since Banff is relatively close to YYC, flying will be faster and less tiresome than driving in this case.

Besides Banff and Jasper parks there are also the Yoho, Kootenay and Glacier parks which are worth the visit if there is time. There are plenty of lakes to visit, trails to hike and mountains to hike and climb in all of them. Not to mention the great vistas to behold.

Another possibility is taking a bus tour to the Rockies from either Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton if you are so inclined. That might be a great option if you don't mind group travelling and all what that entails

Finally, Vancouver also has many attractions as well and if your SO like outdoors you might consider visiting Vancouver Island as well.

Antonio8069

Banff can be very crowded in the summer. I recommend visiting the town site and staying elsewhere. My PF is the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Another option (Marriott Gold) is Canmore.

SJWarrior

I cannot find a Marriott in Canmore. Are you referring to the Autograph Collection In Kananaskis? Thanks

milepig

I'm glad I found this thread.

In June, we will be going to the general area from Vancouver. (No choice, this is a replacement for a cancelled cruise and we decided to keep the air reservations to avoid penalties.)

tWe looked at the train to Banff, but it is ghastly expensive, and the reviews are so-so at best. Also the though of being on a train for 2 long days is not appealing, as we're the "oh, look, that seems interesting, let's stop and look" type.

We have 6 nights total and so far I've laid out:

Day 1 - fairly easy drive to Kamloops and overnight there.

Day 2/3- a bit longer drive to Banff 2 nights at the Fairmont (booked) and tour from there, Lake Louise, etc.

I'm less sure about days 4 and 5 - one route is to overnight in Cranbrook and Osoyoos to do wine country, etc. But I'm not sure this is the best plan. I guess one option would be to stay one more night in Banff and just sort of reverse our course back to Vancouver - day 4 remaining in Banff (or somewhere else not to far away,) and then spending the night of day 5 back in Kamloops or somewhere else on the way to Vancouver, but that seems like sort of the same thing twice.

We'll spend day 6 driving to Vancouver and then will overnight there before our flight out the next morning.

Adding - Another option with doable driving times would be Banff to Jasper and then Jasper to Kamloops (or something else in the general area) and then from there back to Vancouver.

Thoughts?

YVR Cockroach

IMO it's a bit rushed for 6 days and, depending on what you enjoy or like to do, I would advise sticking closer to the coast. It's a 1,700 KM r/t drive between Vancouver and Banff, and about 300 KM extra for either of the alternate returns.

Driving in the south is fairly slow due to almost-exclusively single-lane roads. It'll take a lot longer to travel than what you expect (I'd say averaging 80 KM/h is pushing it).

I'd change the 1st overnight to Revelstoke instead of Kamloops if Banff is set. Well worth the extra 2-3 hr driving time (216 KM) on the 1st day and it's also more scenic and gives you more time to stop on the way to Banff.

The alternate of going north to Jasper, then south to Kamloops and Vancouver would be good too.

milepig

Thanks!!

Banff is set - not only because we want to go there, but also because my TA will set a hit man after me if I change certain things one my time. (The TA is useful for all this mainly for his access to travel sites like Signature Travel.) I'm going to look at Revelstoke as an alternative place to stop since we'll be fresh on the first day. Kamloops arose mainly since it was where the train option I looked at broke the trip - really, no other reason.

YVR Cockroach

No way you can change the airport to YYC?

The drive up Mt Revelstoke NP is worth doing IMO (only did a half-way drive at sunset).

On your way back (and/or there), you can always stop at wineries in the Okanagan (wineries stretch all the way from Vernon to Osoyoos though the bulk are south of Kelowna). There are 3-4 in the Kamloops area though one of the two I really like (for product) was way off the highway to the north (o.k.ish if you're coming down from Valemount) and I believe has been sold since.

FWIW, Kamloops must be chosen because it is the only large town with sufficient hotel accommodation capacity on the rail line for RME pax.

milepig

No change without huge fees. We're actually arriving in Vancouver by SHIP and then returning to Chicago from there.

BYW - Google is giving random travel times today as Highway 1 is littered with road closings that weren't there a couple days ago - I'm guessing this all related to a storm - when I called a Banff hotel the person answered the phone "hello from snowy Banff."

YVR Cockroach

Yes, been lots of snow the past weelk and highways closed for avalanche control as well as the regular traffic accidents.

Arriving on a repo cruise? Details might help as a stop in Victoria could mean there's next to no clearance procedures in Vancouver.

If you can get a rental car in town and leave early enough, you can make a lot of headway the first day as you won't be driving with commuter traffic.