Banff Travel Forum

Hi
I am visiting Calgary, Banff and Jasper over the July 4 weekend. First 2 nights in Banff , then 2 nights in jasper and then on the way back last nite stay again in Banff. Can you please let me know which are the MUST SEE places in these 2 areas. IWe plan to see all the famous places/lakes but dont know if will need to hike to get to these places or are they accessible by car. will be coming with a 1 year old and husband and another couple. Can we manage with a stroller or should we get a child carrier instead?Also hows the weather like in July 4th weekendand should we carry clothes for extreme heat- shorts /t shirts etc and a light jacket.Any other tips about visitng that place with a 1 yr old.
Lastly if we have 1 afternoon available for Calgary whats the ebst thing to see in calgary or in the famous stampede.

A quick response will be highly appreciated as I only have few days to plan?
thnaks in advance?

we will be traveling for a week from calgary to vancouver on july 21-28. we will visit banff and jasper. i am asking about the weather condition at these time of the year, so we can decide what kind of clothes we need to bring, for example will we need a hot coat if we go up some mountains like mt edit in jasper etc.
thanks for the answers
giora

We are scheduled to arrive in Calgary on July 3rd afternooon and fly back on July 8th evening from Calgary and will drive to the Rockies and thats all that is planned so far. Can you advise me on the itenary for the 5 days I have...which places should I visit and in what order ...shd I go to Banff first and then Jasper and the must see places, activites..etc etc and which scenic routes do you recommend ...also which cities/towns shd I look for acco in . Its going to be a busy time of the year esp with the Calgary stampede...is that event worth spending time on ..which events are recommended.Also we have a 1 yr old ...so please sugegst activites etc
I am looking at this forum to help me plan my trip and all responses would be highly appreciated

We are arriving in Calgary in May and have 12 nights as we drive to Vancouver.
Would someone who has "been and done it" suggest an itinerary for us please???
I am quite used to a fair bit of driving......so what should we see/do?

Me and some friends are planning on visiting Banff over May long weekend. We were wondering if anybody has any travel tips. We're all young guys with our own vehicle and would love to do some camping and hiking, also river rafting if its available. Fishing would also be a bonus if its open anywhere...Will lake o'hara be frozen? would Moraine or bow be a better choice?

> I am planning a trip to Jasper and Banff from Seattle with my husband
> and my 11 month old baby. I have a few questions and would request
> inputs as I need to figure out my plan in the next day or so
> - Should we go in end of May 2008 or July first week. I know July is
> overall mroe recommended because of warm weather but is Memorial week in
> may end a definite no no. what kind of weather variation can I expect
> and will it prevent us from enjoying our trip/seeing places. Is July a
> compeltley different experience from May and worth delaying the trip
> - we only have 5.5 days max including travel time. Believe that
> vancouver to Banff drive is abt 10 hrs one way and driving so much in
> such a short vacation may not be the best idea. So we were thinking of
> flying to Calgary ( so we could get max time in the rockies) and use
> that as the starting point to go to Lake Louise, jasper and Banff and
> fly back from calgary to seattle. is that recommended Do we miss out on
> any picturesque places
> - recommended cities/hotels to stay ( nothing too cheap not too fancy )
>
> - advise activites with a 11 mth old and must see places

hi have booked a place to stay in jasper for 4 days and i will be hiring a car so i intend to travel to banff i have to return to jasper to catch my train back to vancouver.
my question is do i break my journey and stop off at the icefields if so is there places to saty that dont cost an arm and a leg also as its a long way in betwwen is it best to stop along the icefeilds on my return trip as well.
and lastly can i get on the the glaciers by bus from the parkway or do i need to go to banff and get on there hope someone can sort me out many thanks

Do you make United States Novelty ID cards or do you know where I could get one?

Hi All,

I am heading out to Banff next week (26th March) for two weeks skiing.

Apologies for the typical girly post - but its my first time skiing and whilst i've finally got all my ski gear sorted - i've no idea what people generally wear when going out in the evenings. I imagine its fairly casual - girls wearing jeans and snow boots?? Just wasnt sure if people dressed up at all for the clubs/bars? Do girls wear ugg boots/timberlands to clubs/bars? Or something smarter? Also do most people just wear their ski jacket out in the evenings, or everyday coats?

Any help would be really appreciated!

Thanks. K

We love Banff! My wife and I, along with my 1 year old daughter went last June, and we fell in love with the whole area. We want to go this year, and we are going to take my daughter and father-in-law. March is the only time that will work, so I have booked a room at the new Fox Hotel & Suites from March 20 to March 24. What should we expect as far as weather, and options for things to do. I am the only snowboarder of the group, my wife is going to be 5 months pregnant and we will have our almost 2 yr. old daughter. We really enjoy just driving around, hiking, eating, shopping, etc. I am just not sure what to expect that time of year. Any advice would be most helpful--specifically regarding activities, food, weather conditions, etc.

We are planning to visit the rockies in February. I know its not the best season to visit, but the flights are already confirmed... So we'll like to make the best out of this trip.

We have about 4 days set aside for the rockies. I've looked at several tour operators' itineraries out of Vancouver, but they don't look very good. They have 4D3N trips, with 1 night in Salmon Arm (with stops at a winery and jam factory) and 2 nights in Banff (Gondola ride, hot spring, bow falls, lake louise included). Cost with 10 meals and gratuities come up to CAD 400+ at least.

However, taking such packages mean spending lots of daylight time on the roads, and I am concerned that tour guides usually bring groups shopping and its a waste of precious time.

So I thought it'll be good to plan our own visit (is it advisable anyway?). I've come up with a rough itinerary, and hope those who are familiar with the area can comment and advise.

We are not very into snow sports and would probably just take up a beginner's lesson on our trip to Whistler.

We will travel overnight from Vancouver to Banff by Greyhound. Upon arrival, check into accomodation. Take up an activities package for the first day:

- Hotel Pick up and drop off/all transporation
- Discover Banff Sightseeing Tour (Morning)
- Gondola passes
- 12 Minute Spray Lakes Flightseeing tour (Afternoon)

For the second day:

- Visit the hot spring
- Icewalking OR Snowshoeing
- Visit lake louise
- Take Greyhound overnight back to Vancouver


Some questions:
- Is it easy to get around by walking/transit in Banff?
- Is it advisable at all to do the trip on our own?
- Would the weather in mid Feb be harsh?
- Should we extend another day to visit Jasper?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hi,
I'm a 20 years old student from Québec and I'm planning to go to Banff for 2 months with my boyfriend to improve my english. It will be in March and April 2008 and I want to know wich activities I should do, which type of accommodation should I choose (we have a little budget)and give me any advise that can help me to prepare a great trip.

Thank you, Audrey

My fiance and I have decided that we would come to Banff for our honeymoon. We have found a place called Johnston Canyon Resort about 20minutes outside Banff. Before we book I would like to get some feedback about Johnston Canyon Resort. Is it nice? Easy to get in and out of? How is the food at the restaurant they have there? If you have anything else you would like to add, please feel free. We have also planned to stay our last night at the Fairmont Chateau at Lake Louise. Is this worth the money? Also if anyone has any suggestions on good places to eat, activites for the day, or must see attractions please feel free to give your advice. Thank you!

While in Banff in August we visited a tea shop that sold loose tea from around the world and tea pots. Our tea pot has been much admired and frieds have requested one but I can't remember the name of the dhop or the web site! Can anyone help?
Thank you

me and my husband are avid golfers and we would like to play in banff, any recommendation on where and when is the best time to go and play golf, we dont want to play during the peak season,can we still play during the latter part of september or early october. thanks

Hi!

My girlfriend and i loves skiing, and plan to spend xmas in banff...but since we are students, and doesnt have a whole lot of money, could someone help me out with a not to expensive place to stay?

We were also planning to go to Vancouver maybe for the new years eve, but dont know much about the town...is a good place to go, or should we go to another city?

Thanks so much!

Stian

I would like to know what things there are to do that are not costly, we are spending # nights August long weekend. There are two plus a 4 year old, like the outdoors and seeing things a little different,????

A relative of mine has recently emigrated to canada, and has invited me to stay with her for a week or two in banff, however as she will be at work in the day times, i am looking to see if any one knows of good reputable tour companies i can book day trips with (my relative has only been out there for a couple of months and has not used any of the tour companies herself)
Also do these day trips get full quickly or will i be ok to book when i go to canada (i will be there for a couple of weeks at somepoint between middle september and middle october)

I am working on finalizing honeymoon plans for Banff in early July. We will arrive on Monday and leave the following Monday. What is there that we CANNOT miss while we're there? How long should I plan for various activities and what kind of clothes should we pack and weather to prepare for? I've seen that there is so much to do it's overwhelming. Can anybody help narrow it down?

Hi there. I am from Eastern Canada, never been west, 'til now... driving west from Edmonton, may 27th, at 5:30 a.m. to Banff and area and (have to be back in Edmonton by 9 p.m.) . I want to see the glaciers and I want to see the highest mountains there are...I want to be WOWED lol...i'm an outdoors person and don't want to sit in a living room looking out through the glass while being pampered. I want to EXPERIENCE it!

What should I wear? What should I DO in order to MAXIMIZE my short excursion...suggestions? advice? anything...HELP :-) I'm open and flexible. THANKS!!

I need help with my Vacation plans for this July to the Canadian Rockies.
We are planning on visiting Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Yoho,Icefields, etc.
The dates are from July 21st - July 26th. My wife, myself, our 16 year old son.
Leaving from Jfk New York, flying in to Calgary or edmonton.
Our choices so far are ;
# 1-
7/21-Jfk to Calgary non-stop flight (12:05pm arrive calgary)
Rent a car, Driving shortest route from Calgary to Jasper
Overnighting in Jasper
7/22-still in Jasper, sightseeing the area
7/23-leaving Jasper, driving down to Lake Louise/Banff area.
overnighting in either Banff or Lake Louise
7/24-still in Banff or LL, sightseeing surrounding areas,etc
7/25-same as 7/24, sightseeing,etc.
7/26-leaving Banff/LL area, driving to Calgary, fly home to NY

# 2-
7/21-Jfk to edmonton(changeover once)
drive from edmonton to Jasper,overnight in Jasper
7/22-7/26- same as choice # 1

# 3-
7/21-fly from Jfk to Calgary, drive from Calgary to Banff or Lake Louise,
overnight in Banff/LL area
7/22-still in Banff or Lake Louise, sightseeing,etc.
7/23-still in Banff/LL
7/24-leave Banff/LL area, driving up to Jasper, stay overnight in Jasper
7/25-still in Jasper, sightseeing,etc.
7/26-drive to edmonton, fly from edmonton back to Jfk

# 4-
7/21-fly from Jfk to Calgary, drive from Calgary to Banff or Lake Louise,
overnight in Banff
7/22-still in Banff, sightseeing,etc.
7/23-Leave Banff, drive to Jasper,stay in Jasper overnight
7/24-still in Jasper,sightseeing,etc.
7/25-leave Jasper,drive to Lake Louise, overnight in Lake Louise
7/26-leave Lake Louise, drive to Calgary, fly back to NY

My questions are ;
Which itinerary makes the most sense?
which one will be the least amount of driving?
Am i allocating the right amount of days to each area?
We have some ideas on Lodges/Hotels ; Don't need too fancy, or too cheap. rustic/Cabin-like is good, should have Tv in room, maybe fans or Air Cond good also..Updated & Clean is good..Lodging with 3 night min. stay might not work for us. Any ideas of lodging favorites?
We do have a travel agent working the airfare for us now, but I'm really trying to get some opinions from travellers who've already been to the Canadian Rockies before. This is our 1st visit, and we're just trying to get the most helpful hints/ideas/thoughts/suggestions on Banff,Lake Louise,Jasper areas ahead of time if we can.
So any help you can provide would be appreciated..
Thanks very much.....jLockNj23.

We came to Banff in Decemeber for a week, and loved it so much were thinking of coming back for the last week of May.

However, reading the web and this forum, we are a little confused about what it will be like, the weather and what will be open.

We were surprised to see ski packages as late as May 31st - considering the snow this winter, how likely are the resorts to be open by then? Would we get a chance to hit the slopes, and what will the conditions be like? (we were spoilt with fresh powder everyday in Dec).

What about wildlife? Any chance of seeing bears? or is it too early?

How busy? Whats good to go see at this time of year?

Thanks in advance!

Hi one and all,
8 of us are skiing sunshine this easter and are looking for some good ski hire deals. 4 adults, 2 teenagers and 2 little one (7,8). Anyone got any ideas who I may contact? Also looking for a good deal for lift passes for sunshine-are they only available at the mountain (ski'd L/L and Nor before-don't want tri area lift pass). Any help much appreciated. hopefully see you on the slopes!
Many thanks
Phil woodley

Hi Guys

I'm planning a trip to Banff from the 24th Nov - 27th Dec, just wondering if anyone can tell me if there will be any good snow around this time?

Thanks

I have booked a week touring in Banff, Jasper, lake Louise in May but on looking everything up it seems quite a few things are not open until June. Can anyone reassure me that I've not made a mistake. We are thengoing on Rocky Mountaineer and then Alaska Cruise for a week. A real trip of a lifetime (at least thats how long it will take to clear the credit card bill)

Any tips, places not to miss, very welcome

Hello anybody,can anybody give some suggestions or addresses of cheap accomodation in or around Banff mid Aug 2007,cabins, lodges, hotels, guest houses pretty well anywhere with a double bed considered!

How long will it take to drive from Whistler to Banff, we are travelling there in June. Our travel rep told us that is was about 6/7 hours but from reading other mails it seems to be more like 10/12 hrs.
Would just like to clarify what the driving time is?

Who listed thus restaurant as 'Official' Top 5 Small Restaurants in Canada? some agency, or some magazine, or who? Thanks much, I want to mention it in a story for a magazine, but can't find the 'official' groupd that gave this status. Typically you need to do that!

Hello, my name is francois me and I have 26 years old and I am from montreal, I'm going has banff forthe 2th of december, I look for people who could host me they for maximum 1 week:) I am a very quiet and easy of approach

thank you:)

Francois

I will be in Banff from January till May and I would like to find work as a barman. I want to work at the coolest and most popular pub in town. Can anyone suggest which pub they think is the best?