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10 days in Vancouver/BC/Alberta

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  • 13-09-2017 9:54pm
    #1
    Rashers72
    Registered Users Posts: 1,207 ✭✭✭


    Planning a 10-12 day trip, 2 adults, one 14 year old, one 19 year old (maybe).
    Flying Dub - SFO - Seattle start of June 2018 (25% more expensive then direct). Hire a car for the period. Already have ESTA for US side of things.
    Planning to do 1 night near airport, then a day at Seattle Premium Outlets to get all the shopping/retail sorted. After that I am open to all suggestions for next 9-10 days. Love outdoors, scenery (both mountains and lakes/beaches). Fly back out of Seattle 11 days later. Want to include 1 day in Vancouver city.
    Also wondering what weather will be like then?
    Did a bit of research and 1 suggestion was Vancouver --> jasper --> Banff --> kelowna --> Vancouver. Seems like a lot of driving, but would appreciate any advice on how long I would spend at each town.
    All feedback welcome! Thanks in advance.


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    #2
    circular flexing
    Registered Users Posts: 2,587 ✭✭✭circular flexing


    That's a good route - plenty of driving but also plenty of places to see a long the way and some amazing scenery (nothing like passing over the Rockies. We did this route in 6 days https://goo.gl/maps/Q491rsSNVRt . Didn't stop off anywhere for too long but it still felt like we had time to do everything we wanted.


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    #3
    crimon222
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭crimon222


    I agree with your route, which is absolutely beautiful. I would highly recommend the following itinerary:
    Vancouver to Jasper: This will probably be the least exciting leg of your trip. The drive is approx 8-9 hours of highway driving (via Highway 5) with not much to see. You could drive straight through from Vancouver to Jasper non-stop, but if you are interested in stopping anywhere (perhaps overnight), I would recommend Clearwater. The Wells Gray Provincial Park is nearby and they have beautiful lakes, rivers and waterfalls. You will leave Clearwater by driving northbound on Highway 5 and turning east on Highway 16. This will take you to Mt Robson Provincial Park which is directly west of Jasper which is absolutely gorgeous and a must-see. 
    Jasper: This is a small town which is a primarily a tourist destination. I highly recommend booking your accommodations early, especially if your stay is over a weekend. I had to book my hotels last summer in another nearby town because were were no vacancies for over 3-4 months. Some tourist destinations nearby includes Athabasca Falls, Miette Hot Springs and Maligne Canyon. There are also some fantastic hikes (albeit challenging) around the area if you are an avid hiker. I would recommend minimum 1-2 night stay. 
    Jasper to Banff: This is about a 3-4 hour drive if you go straight through. However, there are many stops along the way so the journey will likely take a full day. There are many spots along the road where you can pull over and take photos. Absolutely beautiful drive. Some stops include Columbia Ice Fields, Peyto Lake, Bow Lake, Glacier Sky Walk and Helen Lake. 
    Banff: Once you arrive in Banff, you will notice there are plenty of tourists. Banff has become a very commercial town with many delicious restaurants and small shops on the main street. I would spend 1-2 nights in the area. Some stops nearby includes Johnston Canyon, Lake Minnewaka, Banff Gondola, Sunshine Meadows and Banff Hot Springs. 
    Banff to Kelowna: This will be another fantastic drive (5-6 hours non-stop). The first stop should definitely be Lake Louise/Moraine Lake. I recommend going early in the morning because there lots of people on the trail. After, you'll continue westbound on TransCanada into Yoho National Park which has Takakkaw Falls and Twin Falls. After this, you will continue long the TransCanada highway into Glacier National Park. This park has many beautiful hikes and less tourists, which means more wildlife. There are some beautiful hikes in the area, but they tend to be on the more difficult side with a higher chance you'll see bears (but still rare). After this, you'll drive through Revelstoke which is also a great little town and then Kelowna. 
    Kelowna: I recommend staying in Kelowna for 1-2 nights at least. Attractions include wine tours and boating on the Okanagan lake. Kelowna is a city of over 100,000 people so plenty of services. 
    Kelowna to Vancouver: This is about 3-4 hour drive. The BC tourism site recommends the following: http://blog.hellobc.com/your-top-5-places-to-stop-between-vancouver-and-kelowna/
    When I did a similar trip, I never stayed anywhere for more than 1 night. There was a lot to see, especially between Banff and Kelowna. I did a few challenging hikes along the way which took up lots of time, but well worth it. I'd be happy to recommend specific hikes based on your skill level.


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