Travel Answers

Hi all
We're travelling from New Zealand to Calgary for the stampede, arrive 1st July/depart 8th. We're two couples and one of us has bad knees so we thought that we'd try to avoid public transport for him and opt for a rental car.
We've arranged parking in the grounds and seating for the parade;so far so good. The big question is parking for the parade. We're staying on 16th Ave NW and the parade breakfast is 7am at the corner of 8th Ave SW & 7th St SW. The plan is to leave early and drive to the 24 hour parkade at 722 8th Ave SW and be there by 6am.
No idea what traffic will be like then or how long to get to the parkade so any advice would be really helpful.
Also as our car rental is costing a hair raising $1883 CAD for 8 days (although this includes $199 one way drop off fee to Edmonton) we'd heard that some car sales will sell a car and then buy it back after a short term visit and pay approx $1000 less. Anyone know anything of this?
I know the sensible and cheaper option is to use the train but we're catering to our friend who can't stand for too long. Thanks for any advice.

Hey, My bf and I (28 and 24 years old) are planning to spend a week visiting Banff around this mid August (Aug 17-27 as planned for now). We will be flying from Montreal to Calgary and we plan to rent a car in there. We would like to have some recommendations on what the must-see places in there are that we could go in 1 week and the suggested route? We want to spend some time walking, not staying in the car all the time. Also we want to spend at least 1 day in Calgary city (we plan to do this before we fly from Calgary back to Montreal at the end of our trip). What do you suggest to do in Calgary within 1-2 days? Thanks in advance for any recommendation! 

Where is the nearest RV campground to Moraine Lake?

Hello there,
My husband and I are flying into Calgary on a Sunday in June and spending the next 7 days in the Banff area. We would like to see Lake Louise and possibly Jasper on top of Banff. Should we base our trip out of Banff (stay at the same place throughout the trip) and do day trips to these places? Or should we move around? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Hi..We 8 friends are planning to give our first tour to Vancouver through rocky in Last week of April. We have total 8 days for the tour. We live at Winnipeg and we gonna take two cars and drive to Banff first then Jasper and finally to Vancouver. But we are not sure where should we stay more. We are planning to give 3 days in Vancouver and 3 days in Banff+Jasper. Some of us think that Vancouver is better than rocky and some of us think just the opposite. Can anybody help us to suggest about it? Since we, nobody, ever visited these area, we are confused about. We want to use our time and money efficiently as well.

If I have only 1 or 2 days to visit Banff then which attractions, park or lakes are best to visit in Banff

Hi folks,
I will be moving to Calgary at the end of next month, I just want to know whats the best place to live in terms of transport etc. I have not been there before so any tips are welcome.

what is the average price of a beer

We will be in Banff for 2 nights, what suggestions would anyone have to do around Banff. We will be in Lake Louise for 2 nights as well.

My husband and I are planning an anniversary trip to Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper in mid-September. My husband wants to add a day to the trip. I'm willing to do so if necessary but 9 days away from my 2 year old is already a lot to ask! :) I've read a lot of posts on your Forum as well as Frommer's guide book. I've put together a potential itinerary but want to ensure that I'm not leaving something important out or that we aren't trying to do too much in one day. A little background...we are in our early 40's and pre-baby (3 years ago) we did a good amount of backpacking on the Appalachian Trail in TN and NC. We aren't in the shape we were then but from what I read I don't think I've picked any hikes that are out of our comfort zone. I would greatly appreciate any tips or insight you can offer. Thank you so much!

Sat arrive in Calgary ~ noon, drive to Banff / relax / Lodging in Banff

Sunday am leave early & drive to Lake Louise / hike Plain of 6 glaciers / Lake Moraine / Lodging in Banff

Monday am drive the Icefield Parkway to Jasper / Crowfoot Glacier / Bow Summit & Peto Lake / Sunwapta Pass / Athabasca Glacier (snow bus) / Tangle Falls / Lodging in Jasper

Tuesday am Wilcox Pass / Mt. Edith Cavell time permitting / Lodging in Jasper

Wednesday am Parker Ridge / Maline Lake / Lodging in jasper

Thursday am drive Icefield Parkway back to Banff / Johnston Canyon / Lake Minnewanka / Stewart Canyon / Lodging in Banff

Friday hit anything we missed around Banff / drive to Calgary for Lodging

Saturday depart Calgary for Tennessee

What indoor activities are available for young children the week of March 1 to 10?

I am interested in a 4 night say in the Canadian Rockies. Fly into Calgary, then spend 4 nights in the mountains, then return to Calgary for a day at the Calgary Stampede. Traveling the first weekend in July. I am uncertain on how to spread out my 4 nights. I am interested in visiting Banff, Lake Louise, Banff, and all the attractions and sights in between. With 4 nights, where should we stay to maximize our visit? i.e. one night Banff, one night Jasper, one night Lake Lousie, one night back at one of the previous locations? Basically just doing a sighteseeing roadtrip, but want to be sure to see all the sights. What's the best itinerary to place ourselves each night in order to maximize our short visit and see as much as possible? Thanks for your itinerary suggestions.

OK I'll admit I'm too cheap to pay for a hotel for a few hours, I much rather prop up a bar somewhere. Is there anywhere at the airport or not too far away that can keep us amused during our layover? Az..

I'm thinking of going to Jasper for Easter. Does anyone know what the average weather is and will it impact on the views or me getting about. Thanks

fancy going to calgar stampede inb 2013. not on my husbands bucket list but deffo on mine. Which hotel are close to the transportation and how long should we stay. My other half thinks a couple of days will be more than enough so would appreciate any help from residents. Cheers Pat

Hi everyone, I'm strongly considering going to Banff for some work and I was wondering what the age group is there? I'll be 26 by the time I go and I'm wondering if I'll feel older with all the younger (18-21, 22) people working there? Is it more of a mixed crowd with the age groups because I have heard that Banff is mostly a young person town. I'm extremely interested in the life style that Banff has to offer with all the outdoor adventure and activities but don't really care to be hanging out with people 8 years younger than me. Thanks in advance.

Dear All, I am looking at driving from Calgary to Yellowstone and back. I have 7 nights only. Can anyone tell me if they think this is realistic (I am looking at 3 nights in Yellowstone) and also if there are some nice scenic drives with some small towns etc to look at. Also, can I go back a different way and is the border crossing ok? Many thanks, PB Dancing

I will be traveling july 28-aug.9 2012 Flying into Calgary. I will post my itinerary and if anyone can give me some help on what to see and do within the time frame I would much appreciate it. July 28- fly into Calgary and drive to Lake Louise-after arriving mid afternoon possibly take a Gondola ride. July 29 - (Staying in Lake Louise)canoe at Chateu LL,walk around lake at Chateu LL,hike to tea house NOT SURE WHAT ELSE I CAN FIT INTO THIS DAY?? July 30- (staying in Lake Louise)go to YoHo to takkawaka falls,Emerald lake,Morraine Lake and Lake Ohara CAN THIS BE DONE ALL IN ONE DAY?? OR AM I MISSING SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD?? July 31- (Drive to Jasper) along the way stop at Bow Lake,Peyto Lake,Icefields Aug.1-(JASPER) Boat trip on Maligne Lake/Spirit Island,walk on trails around Maligne Lake-ARE THERE ANY SPESIFIC EAST TRAILS TO CONSIDER?? Aug.2-(JASPER)Go to MT.Edith Cravel,Tram Ride,Athabasca Falls DON'T KNOW IF THESE THINGS ARE CLOSE BY TO EACH OTHER AND IF THEY CAN ALL BE DONE IN ONE DAY?? Aug.3-(JASPER)Sunwapta Falls,Horseback ride or take a Athabasca river raft trip? ANY OPINIONS?? Aug.4 (Leave Jasper drive to Banff) Go on tram ride in Banff,go into town. Aug.5-8 (BANFF) I NEED SUGGESTIONS FOR 3 1/2 FULL DAYS IN BANFF. These are some options that I was told- Waterfalls(but I don't know where or the names),Spray River loop hike,Bow Valley Float trip (in evening),hoodoos,Johnston Canyon,any small easy walks/hikes (I am afraid of the bears,is there a guide that I could hire?) Aug.8-Leave Banff in afternoon and drive to Calgary Airport Aug.9- fly home

Not exactly sure where to post this, so trying the Alberta Forum. Going to be arriving in Jasper by the train, then picking up a rental car the next day. We will be driving about Jasper National Park, and also into Yoho, Banff and Kootenay, and perhaps others. Do we need a Parks Canada Pass? Is that something that the rental agency would already have for the car? We're booked at hotels in Jasper and Banff, so not camping. It's been a long time since I was in the parks, so don't remember what was required. Suggestions please.

We are coming from Michigan to get married at Moraine Lake this September and are starting to line up hotels in the Canmore, Banff and Jasper areas as we want to drive each day to see something new. We will be in the area for one week. I have a few questions for everyone: 1) What are must sees in each of these areas? 2) Which places would you recommend staying in each of these areas? We tend to like unique, funky types of places to stay such as treehouses, igloos, etc. Is there anything like this there? If not unique, other gorgeous places to stay? 3) Best places to see wildlife??? Thank you SO much everyone! We are really hoping to make this honeymoon/wedding beyond memorable!

Hi all, My family (of 4 inc. myself) are in Canada in Sept/Oct. We have a 7 hour wait until our connecting flight to Saskatoon. Does anyone know if it would be possible to hop on the shuttle bus from the airport and explore Calgary a little? How long does the shuttle bus take? Has anybody done this? What did you get up to? Thanks, look forward to hearing from you! Hayley :)

After getting a better idea of trip duration from my dad and taking advice from my earlier thread into consideration, I think I know what I want to fit into two days, but I'm not exactly sure how to do it and where to stay. That's where I need some recommendations. We're departing from North Dakota probably on July 8 and driving up to Regina for a Roughriders game. After staying the night there, we plan on driving to Calgary (or Cochrane because hotel rates seem to be high because of the Calgary Stampede). From Calgary/Cochrane we would head into Banff National Park and spend two nights in the area. After the second night, we would drive to Waterton National Park, which leaves a bit of time that day to either do a couple more things in Banff or do something in Waterton. The following are the things I want to see in Banff (and Yoho): Banff area Johnston Canyon Takkakaw Falls (Yoho) Lake Louise Moraine Lake Peyto Lake Icefields Parkway up to Athabasca Glacier How would I best fit this into two full days plus maybe part of a third? And where should I stay the two nights in the park?

My family is considering heading up to the Canadian Rockies after spending time in Glacier (the American one)/Waterton. We'd probably spend a night at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton and then head up to Banff. I need more details from my dad, but I'm assuming we'd spend about two days in the area. If that's the case, what's the best way to spend two days? Is it best to just stay in Banff National Park since it's a short amount of time, or would visiting Jasper, Yoho, or Kootenay be a good idea? What are some things that are must-see or must-do? No long, less-frequented trails because my dad freaks out about bears and refuses to allow it. Any shorter and more popular trails that we should take? Anything worth our time in Calgary? Sorry for all the questions. I'm pretty much researching this myself, and there is so much information to sort through.

My wife and I will be in Jackson, WY in mid-July to visit Yellowstone, and wanted to rent a car and drive up to Glacier NP and then to the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Jasper), and return the car and fly back to NY from Calgary. I know it’s a bit of a drive to get all the way up there but we like driving! The problem is when I searched for rental cars (on hotwire.com etc) the prices they quote for a one-way between Jackson and Calgary are400 per *day* for the smallest car... I was hoping someone could perhaps offer advice on reasonable alternatives to get from Jackson to Banff… is the only way really to fly? Thanks!

We will be exploring the Banff and Jasper NP area for 8 days, from June 26 through July 3. We are hoping to tent/car camp each night and are wondering how crowded the campgrounds are during this time. We really prefer to travel with as open an itinerary as possible and so we would like to avoid making any reservations. Is this possible? We are not picky and are willing to stay at the less scenic/popular/serviced camgrounds if needed. Our concern is mainly that we'll end up either wasting far too many hours driving around trying to find an open camp site each day, or we'll get skunked and end up having to fork over alot of money for an expensive hotel room. We do know that showing up early before check-out time is the best strategy. Just looking for a little persepective from someone who's actually been there camping during this time. oh- also just relized we booked during Canada Day! How much does this affect the campgrounds in the area? Thanks!

Hi Everyone, I have been reading through the posts on here, very useful info! I am in the UK and I've signed up with an agency called Smaller Earth so I can work and travel in Canada. Basically, they gaurentee me a job in a ski resort for the first 6/7 months of my stay then I can travel the rest of the country. If I get my first choice, I'll be doing bar work at sunshine village and living in Banff...or one of the cheaper towns near by. Is anyone on here heading out a similar time? I plan to stay at Samesun Hostel for the first couple of weeks til I can find people to live with. Bit scary as I'm going alone and am a little concerned as to whether I will be able to handle the extreme cold but I'm really looking forward to the adventure! Anyone who's in the same boat then message back :) Also any tips from the pros would be most useful.

Hi I'm travelling to Banff on the train from Vancouver and will be staying in Banff for a few nights. I'm hiring a car (probably drive up to Lake Louise) in Banff and then will drive down to Calgary airport. Do I need to buy a national park pass only when I pick the hire car up in Banff and have it for the number of days I have the car? And if so, where can I buy one? Very confused - my travel agent doesn't seem to know!! Thanks!

I apologize if this question has been asked before - didn't see it in my searches. Is it better to go to the Columbia Icefields from Jasper or from Banff? It will be, I know, a day trip to do either but wondering which is closer. Will have a couple of days in both places, but our trip plan doesn't take us all the way between the two (we're doing a long drive around through Alberta from Jasper to Edmonton to Drumheller to Banff and down to Radium). I'm thinking it would be better from Banff but wondering if I'm right, and use our time in Jasper for other exploring.

My wife and I are planning a trip by car to the Canadian Rockies in mid-June (hopefully to beat some of the summer rush) and would like advice as to how to do this in the most logical manner (geographically speaking) on an east to west basis. SPecifically we want to know where the best "sumping off" airport would be to start the car trip; a suggested route and stopping off points; and where to wind up so that we can catch a flight to Seattle. How many days would we need for this (we're not hikers)? Any advice will be appreciated.

Hello, Recently posted on Vancouver forum, about living and working there for summer. We are 4 Irish friends (age 21/22) wanting to come out at the start of May to live and work in Canada. Was told about option of Banff, and its something ive definitely warmed to, but friends are still unconvinced and think vancouver would be better. What would peopl advise? Obviously good nightlife/party vibe is very important - (friends werent convinced banff had enough bars/clubs) Job market - Ease of getting a good servers job in vancouver ( i know itll be relatively easy in banff) Things to do during day - (Friends were worried Banff is too small and we'd end up bored if we were there for 11/12 weeks) Weather - they think being in rockies, the weather wont be as good as in vancouver. Any help anyone could provide would be much appreciated. Basically im all for banff, but friends need more convincing on its party-credentials