Advice over trip to Canada - Vancouver

isplumm

Hi

Next summer I am planning a trip to Canada to see the Calgary Stampede - need some help with schedule.

I have BC flights booked from UK to Seattle & back from Vancouver (reward flights, so no real choice).

My thoughts are do the following:

1. Seattle 2 nights,
2. Vancouver 3 nights (fly)
3. Drive to Whistler stay 2 nights.
4. Drive to Su Peaks stay 1 night.
5. Drive to Revelstoke stay 2 nights.
6. Drive to Banff stay 5 nights.
7. Drive to Calgary stay 3 nights.
8. Fly back to Vancouver for flight home.

OR

After Sun Peaks, drive to Jasper stay 6 or 7 nights (add night in Seattle), then direct to Calgary.

My preference is not to spend 1 night or 2 nights in lots of places - but also not doing 400 miles in one day.

Which is better Jasper or Banff - we like scenery etc.

Thanks Mark

northwest1965

Hi. We have just booked our Canada holiday for next year too.

We have nights in Jasper and Banff. Apparently you have to drive up the Ice parkway and also down it, hence staying at Jasper.

Who are you flying with?

We are getting the train to Vancouver from Seattle. (4hrs)

Have you thought about flying home from Calgary? (Ah I see you have already booked flights)

John259

Check whether you can rent a car from the US and return it in Canada - could be tricky. You might need to consider using the train from Seattle to Vancouver and pick the car up there.

The most scenic drive in the Canadian Rockies is the Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper. This spectacularly excellent road can be driven in one day, but it's better to take two days to give you time for stops, short walks, etc. From Saskatchewan River Crossing (roughly half way) you can take the David Thompson Highway eastwards to Rocky Mountain House for an overnight motel.

Banff and Jasper are tourist towns. There are more pleasant and less expensive towns such as Golden at the southern end and Hinton at the northern end.

northwest1965

John259 wrote: »

Check whether you can rent a car from the US and return it in Canada - could be tricky. You might need to consider using the train from Seattle to Vancouver and pick the car up there.

.

Think OP is flying Seattle to Vancouver. However, if Alamo car hire, yes you can take over the border. One way fees would be incurred though

John259

northwest1965 wrote: »

Apparently you have to drive up the Ice parkway and also down it

The Icefields Parkway has connections at both ends and in the middle. You can drive any route you wish along it, just like any road. For example: https://goo.gl/maps/pPJdW4qVdqu

It is a great drive, so you might want to drive it in both directions. But you don't have to.

John259

There's no problem taking a car rented in the USA into Canada and then back to the USA.

There might be a problem taking a car rented in the USA into Canada and dropping it in Canada.

John259

northwest1965 wrote: »

Think OP is flying Seattle to Vancouver.

Yes. Sorry, I missed that.

northwest1965

John259 wrote: »

The Icefields Parkway has connections at both ends and in the middle. You can drive any route you wish along it, just like any road. For example: https://goo.gl/maps/pPJdW4qVdqu

It is a great drive, so you might want to drive it in both directions. But you don't have to.

Yeah, sorry that is what I meant. According to the experts on TA, it has to be done both ways.

isplumm

northwest1965 wrote: »

Hi. We have just booked our Canada holiday for next year too.

We have nights in Jasper and Banff. Apparently you have to drive up the Ice parkway and also down it, hence staying at Jasper.

Who are you flying with?

We are getting the train to Vancouver from Seattle. (4hrs)

Have you thought about flying home from Calgary? (Ah I see you have already booked flights)

Flying with BA in business class using avois - which is why we are flying into Seattle and back from Vancouver. We will need to book a flight from Calgary to Vancouver on the day we are due to fly home.

I looked at the train - but you either leave early in the morning or arrive late in Vancouver - so I plan on flying - there was also the fast ferry to Victoria - but that puts us on the wrong side of Vancouver.

Mark

isplumm

northwest1965 wrote: »

Think OP is flying Seattle to Vancouver. However, if Alamo car hire, yes you can take over the border. One way fees would be incurred though

Definitely flying.

I plan on renting a car from Vancouver Airport & dropping it off at Calgary airport - I understand this means no one way drop off charge.

Mark

northwest1965

isplumm wrote: »

Definitely flying.

I plan on renting a car from Vancouver Airport & dropping it off at Calgary airport - I understand this means no one way drop off charge.

Mark

Who are you booking that with. We haven't found one yet with no one way