Rocky Mountains Travel Forum

Hi everybody, I am considering going with the family (5) renting an RV and going from Vancouver to Calgary, via the rocky mountains and back to Vancouver this approx 2 weeks. Does anybody have some comments? i.e campgrounds, special excursions with/for children (10 to 14 yrs)etc.
Is it worth going with an RV or do you recommend an mini van and sleep in hotels?
Thanks

I don't have too many specifics, other than having made the trip 2-3 times, once when my children were young and enjoyed the trip. If you don't mind the cost of gas doing the RV sounds fine. There is no shortage of Rv parks along the way as the highway is very busy, particularly during the summer months when this is a very popular trip. Hotels can be expensive in the summer months (if that is when you are going) so the Rv might be a better option. For excursions the main ones seem to be close to the Rockies (COlumbia ice fields near Jasper; Lake Louise; Banff). The wonderful Royal Tyrell museum (dinosaur) in Drumheller (1.5 hours east of Calgary) is really a must if you have the time. Kids will love it. Good Luck.

the rv is a great idea but be prepared for gas prices and there are some high passes so some parts will be slow. with kids your age, you'd need to be renting suites or hotel rooms with a couple of bedrooms so that would be expensive. plus with an rv, you can enjoy sitting around a fire at night which most kids love. check out http://www.rv.net/forum/
great way to travel but it won't be cheap.
you can make reservations in jasper at whistler's or in banff at tunnel mountain (the full service sites are the most unattractive. if you can manage a few days without service, stay in the unserviced areas. there is also a bus that stops outside of the campground so you could go to town without taking out the rv.)

Hi,

We travel a lot with our RV, and we think it's the only way to make a long trip with our three kids. It's so comfortable for everybody. No one is crowded, if the kids are hungry or thirsty they can grab a snack, if they are full of energy they can walk around a bit, if they need the washroom it's right there..... We have found that as long as you keep the speed at about 90 kmph you will generally get a fuel mileage you can live with. And I doubt very much that you will pay more than $35 a night for a site with full services, and you can find a spot as low as $15 if you rent a non-serviced site. So, I don't know how you could save money by renting hotels and eating in restaurants for three meals a day.

If you check out the transcanada website, you will find a mile-by-mile listing of everything there is to see and do along the way. One thing that hasn't been mentioned to you yet is the Hell's Gate Tramway, in the Fraser Canyon of BC. You take a tram down into the canyon, across the river. You can check out the fish ladder, have a picnic lunch or even pan for gold. It is on the #1 highway north of Hope, BC. You will find a link to this and many other sites on the transcanada website. Here's the address:

http://www.transcanadahighway.com/BC/index.htm

Another thing that interests me, which I haven't seen yet, is the wolf sanctuary at Golden, BC. I have read some positive comments about this place on another travel forum.

You may want to check out my homepage, as I have a whole page dedicated to RV'ing, it may answer some of your questions.

A nice campground a little ways east of Banff is Bow Valley Prov Park. It's about 15 minutes east of the park gates.

I hope this info helps a bit.