Planning a holiday to Canada.
Discussion
Good evening all.
I am planning a holiday to Canada for July this year with my wife and 11 yr old daughter.
Does anyone have any suggestions on places to visit?
We are looking at Banff as the scenery looks breathtaking, would love to visit Toronto, Vancouver etc but obviously we may not be able to visit everywhere during 1 trip.
I am looking at hiring a car so happy to drive from place to place as well as internal flights if necessary.
Any recommendations welcome.
Thanks in advance
Ashley
I am planning a holiday to Canada for July this year with my wife and 11 yr old daughter.
Does anyone have any suggestions on places to visit?
We are looking at Banff as the scenery looks breathtaking, would love to visit Toronto, Vancouver etc but obviously we may not be able to visit everywhere during 1 trip.
I am looking at hiring a car so happy to drive from place to place as well as internal flights if necessary.
Any recommendations welcome.
Thanks in advance
Ashley
I’ve been several times, plus spent 9 weeks in Vancouver with Work, and a month working in Ottawa (although I had more days off than I worked).
It is a fabulous place if you like the outdoors.
A good start would be Calgary, to Banff, jasper, then come down the other side to Vancouver.
We landed in Calgary just as the annual Stampede got under way. That was fun, you don’t have to be into the cowboy scene to enjoy it, but it’s an experience worth having.
I’ve also done Quebec, Nova Scotia and the Toronto area. All were fab in their own way.
It’s a big country though, pick a province, or maybe two and just go and explore. Canadians are generally nice and hospitable people.
It is a fabulous place if you like the outdoors.
A good start would be Calgary, to Banff, jasper, then come down the other side to Vancouver.
We landed in Calgary just as the annual Stampede got under way. That was fun, you don’t have to be into the cowboy scene to enjoy it, but it’s an experience worth having.
I’ve also done Quebec, Nova Scotia and the Toronto area. All were fab in their own way.
It’s a big country though, pick a province, or maybe two and just go and explore. Canadians are generally nice and hospitable people.
Did a 2 week roadtrip starting and finishing in Vancouver last September:
Route was Vancover - Kelowna (1 night) - Banff (stayed in Canmore 2 nights) - Jasper (2 nights) - Yoho NP (stayed in Field 2 nights) - Revelstoke (1 night) - Vancouver (2 nights) - Vancouver Island (stayed Ucluelet 2 nights and Parksville 1 night) - Squamish - Vancouver.
Did about 4000km, a couple of long drives, but spaced out so didn't feel like 2 weeks all in the car. Really enjoyed the whole trip, recommend doing the Icefields Parkway in both directions as good chance of poor weather at some point at which point the mountains can disappear into the clouds. Lake Louise is very pretty but very busy - other lakes in same area almost as stunning but you can actually look at them without getting knocked over by somebody taking photos! We took ferry over to Vancouver Island, and kept same car for whole trip, you can fly and save a little bit of time, equally could fly between Vancouver and Banff (Calgary airport) but I like driving! Saw more bears on Vancouver Island than around Banff & Jasper. Book accomm in the national parks very early or you can struggle.
Also, much better beer than most of the States (lots of microbreweries), and ate pretty well everywhere, without touching a fast food place. Poutine (Chips in gravy with cheese curds) is rather good.
Route was Vancover - Kelowna (1 night) - Banff (stayed in Canmore 2 nights) - Jasper (2 nights) - Yoho NP (stayed in Field 2 nights) - Revelstoke (1 night) - Vancouver (2 nights) - Vancouver Island (stayed Ucluelet 2 nights and Parksville 1 night) - Squamish - Vancouver.
Did about 4000km, a couple of long drives, but spaced out so didn't feel like 2 weeks all in the car. Really enjoyed the whole trip, recommend doing the Icefields Parkway in both directions as good chance of poor weather at some point at which point the mountains can disappear into the clouds. Lake Louise is very pretty but very busy - other lakes in same area almost as stunning but you can actually look at them without getting knocked over by somebody taking photos! We took ferry over to Vancouver Island, and kept same car for whole trip, you can fly and save a little bit of time, equally could fly between Vancouver and Banff (Calgary airport) but I like driving! Saw more bears on Vancouver Island than around Banff & Jasper. Book accomm in the national parks very early or you can struggle.
Also, much better beer than most of the States (lots of microbreweries), and ate pretty well everywhere, without touching a fast food place. Poutine (Chips in gravy with cheese curds) is rather good.
We go every year and we love it, Banff & Jasper being our favourite. Whistler in BC another favourite.
Drove to Mount Robson, BC from Jasper, AB last year for a hike and 1km into the hike a fooking big bear walked towards us before running off. We did have bear spray but fook did I want him that close to spray him.
Anyway we carried on our hike. We also scared one during a 3 hour hike on Mount Washington which is on Vancouver island.
This year we are doing a motorhome road trip.
In this - http://www.canadream.com/rv-rentals/maxi-motorhome...
And this is our route - https://tinyurl.com/yb53a6t7
We have done the Calgary to Vancouver drive and it is great. Done the Vancouver to Calgary lower route as well roughly following the US border and didn't like that until we started heading into the mountains. (Canadians and Americans sharing a border and fighting a lot was our experience)
The park pass is I think $140 to allow entry to all national parks but if you go to Banff from Calgary as you hit Banff nation park there is a place to buy it. last year it was free to celebrate their 150th year anniversary.
If you want to see all the photo's from all the years we have been going then pm me.
Drove to Mount Robson, BC from Jasper, AB last year for a hike and 1km into the hike a fooking big bear walked towards us before running off. We did have bear spray but fook did I want him that close to spray him.
Anyway we carried on our hike. We also scared one during a 3 hour hike on Mount Washington which is on Vancouver island.
This year we are doing a motorhome road trip.
In this - http://www.canadream.com/rv-rentals/maxi-motorhome...
And this is our route - https://tinyurl.com/yb53a6t7
We have done the Calgary to Vancouver drive and it is great. Done the Vancouver to Calgary lower route as well roughly following the US border and didn't like that until we started heading into the mountains. (Canadians and Americans sharing a border and fighting a lot was our experience)
The park pass is I think $140 to allow entry to all national parks but if you go to Banff from Calgary as you hit Banff nation park there is a place to buy it. last year it was free to celebrate their 150th year anniversary.
If you want to see all the photo's from all the years we have been going then pm me.
Edited by Allanv on Thursday 18th January 16:40
We did a six week holiday. Amazing.
We flew to Vancouver, boarded a 7 night Alaska cruise to Seward, got off and spent two weeks adriving around Alaska. Stayed in the Princess Lodges. Very nice and cheap too.
Then boarded the same cruise ship at Seward back to Vancouver and drove around the Rockies for two weeks before flying home from Vancouver.
Jasper etc was stunning. We managed a couple of nights at the Chateau on Lake Louise! Nice.
I’d say if you want to do the Rockies then fly to Calgary. Much easier than Vancouver.
Vancouver is fine but it’s a city. Our highlight was the countryside.
Amazing trip. One of the best we’ve ever done.
We flew to Vancouver, boarded a 7 night Alaska cruise to Seward, got off and spent two weeks adriving around Alaska. Stayed in the Princess Lodges. Very nice and cheap too.
Then boarded the same cruise ship at Seward back to Vancouver and drove around the Rockies for two weeks before flying home from Vancouver.
Jasper etc was stunning. We managed a couple of nights at the Chateau on Lake Louise! Nice.
I’d say if you want to do the Rockies then fly to Calgary. Much easier than Vancouver.
Vancouver is fine but it’s a city. Our highlight was the countryside.
Amazing trip. One of the best we’ve ever done.
Sorry to jump on someone else's thread but we're also going to do Canada this year for Mrs Toon's 40th. I prefer the thought of a nice log cabin in the Vancouver area but she's set on Toronto and doing Niagara while we're there. We're taking the kids (17 and 2) so I think we'll need to be more in the city that a scenic wilderness experience.
I presume a hire car a must. Anyway, I'll follow the thread with interest...
I presume a hire car a must. Anyway, I'll follow the thread with interest...
toon10 said:
Sorry to jump on someone else's thread but we're also going to do Canada this year for Mrs Toon's 40th. I prefer the thought of a nice log cabin in the Vancouver area but she's set on Toronto and doing Niagara while we're there. We're taking the kids (17 and 2) so I think we'll need to be more in the city that a scenic wilderness experience.
I presume a hire car a must. Anyway, I'll follow the thread with interest...
Hire car = depends if you want to travel around. Toronto / Niagara, not really needed, BUT, I'd recommend it! I presume a hire car a must. Anyway, I'll follow the thread with interest...
Niagara's impressive, but also like Blaockpool with more impressive water surroundings.
Don't forget, there's a hell of a lot of flight difference between Toronto and Vancouve - with a 2 year old. Eek!
Great choice.
Lived in Toronto for 3 years, great city. Pick your time of year, it's very humid in summer and bitterly cold in winter. The spring and fall are beautiful, amazing colours. Very flat landscape though so if the great outdoors is your thing look west or further east.
We did a 3 week holiday there before moving over. Toronto for few days, calgary for 2 days then drove to vancouver through the rockies. Breathtaking. Then flew back via toronto. Very doable, would do it again.
Lived in Toronto for 3 years, great city. Pick your time of year, it's very humid in summer and bitterly cold in winter. The spring and fall are beautiful, amazing colours. Very flat landscape though so if the great outdoors is your thing look west or further east.
We did a 3 week holiday there before moving over. Toronto for few days, calgary for 2 days then drove to vancouver through the rockies. Breathtaking. Then flew back via toronto. Very doable, would do it again.
If you are on the Vancouver side, I would thoroughly recommend Vancouver island for 3 or 4 days, Tofino would be especially nice as a destination, very laid back but some activities to do as well in a beachy environment. Victoria on the island is about the geographical size of Bournemouth, very welcoming locals and a vibrant European feel. It's a doddle to get a ferry there from Vancouver.
Going inland from Vancouver is indeed very nice, but you would need a bit of time and willingness to drive (albeit it is easy driving) if you want to tour and there are a lot of lakes, rivers and mountains and then lots more lakes rivers and mountains and then even more lakes rivers and mountains if you get my drift......
I would call it a day at Banff if you go inland, Calgary is a bit dull
Great place, generally very welcoming to us Brits
Have fun!
Going inland from Vancouver is indeed very nice, but you would need a bit of time and willingness to drive (albeit it is easy driving) if you want to tour and there are a lot of lakes, rivers and mountains and then lots more lakes rivers and mountains and then even more lakes rivers and mountains if you get my drift......
I would call it a day at Banff if you go inland, Calgary is a bit dull
Great place, generally very welcoming to us Brits
Have fun!
You'll struggle to combine Toronto with the West coast really , either go for Toronto Ottawa Montreal then further East to New Brunswick and the Rock , which is fairly stunning with it's Celtic culture , or do the West Calgary Banff Lake Louise Rocky Mountains Vancouver and then the island (where my eldest son lives) , maybe even a cruise or whale watching . Either way this country is vast whilst also stunningly beautiful so which ever direction you choose you'll be pleased . Enjoy the best place on earth .
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