Looking for help re trip to Canada

[floridahippy]

Hi all

I have posted on the uk board but it was suggested that I also post on here!!

We have at long last booked our long awaited trip to Canada (waiting for the kids to grow up and leave home - they actually have grown up and they did leave home but they returned - the eldest with a baby and the youngest with a dog!!!)
We have booked with Air Canada from Heathrow to Vancouver on the 26th April. We are having a week in Vancouver staying in a hotel and will be relying on public transport to explore - what are the must dos and how easy are they to manage without your own transport?
We then hopefully go on the rockyie mountaineer up to Banff.
Any one any suggestions for a nights stop over in Banff?
We then travel to Canmore to stay at the Sunset Resort for a week - again with no car hire - so does anyone know of any company who does day trips to places like lake louise?

We then need transport to Calgary and a nights stop over in Calgary before our flight home - any ideas?

We are so excited as its a real dream holiday and one with just the two of us - such bliss!!!!

 

[SnowWhite]

Sounds like a great trip! I can't help you as I live in Ontario and haven't even been out west myself. So all I can say is have a great time and enjoy your vacation for two!

Rob (Snowwhite's DH)

 

[Pokemom]

If you would like some detailed information, I would suggest going on www.fodors.com/forums and going on the Canada forum. There is a lady named Judy who will give you very good suggestions for your itinerary. There are also many discussions about this on tripadvisor.com. Go to the TripAdvisor forums and click on the Canada forum and then the forum for Alberta. I would suggest you rent a car in Canmore if you are able to drive. It would be cheaper than trying to arrange bus or taxi transportation and there is so much to see in that area, that a car would be much more convenient. You could then drop the car off at the Calgary airport. One other thing you should be aware of is that at the beginning of May, there may still be snow in the mountain areas and most of the lakes are still frozen over. I'm sure you will have a great trip and enjoy B.C. and Alberta.

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

I'm from Ontario so not a huge help BUT we just went in the middle of May. Stayed in Lake Louise at the Chateau - a definate place to visit - the walk around the lake was beautiful and the kids saw avalanches across the lake. Banff was good but very touristy - however we really enjoyed going up on the banff gondola. Great views.
Next time we go I definatly want to check out the snow coach (I think that's what it's called) and do that tour. I've heard the drive up the glacier parkway from banff to Jasper is a must do.

I agree with fodors.... JudyinCalgary was a great help for us when we went with lots of good info.

Hope you have a great time!

 

[bbangel]

There are lots of wonderful things to do in Vancouver. There is an Aquarium, large parks, museums and on and on. Depends on your interest level and how much you want to spend. Public transportation is great, especially if you are staying downtown. Check out these sites for specifics.

http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/default.htm
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/visitors.htm

Have fun!

 

[donkthemagicllama]

I thought the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver was pretty neat http://www.capbridge.com , and it looks like they've added stuff since I was there a couple years ago.

If you're on your own for dinner in Banff, make a reservation at the Grizzly House http://www.banffgrizzlyhouse.com/index.htm
It's pretty unique and very good!

Either stay at or visit the Banff Springs Hotel http://www.fairmont.com/banffsprings/ I've lived here all my life and it's one of those things that never gets old... it's amazingly beautiful.

As someone else mentioned rent a car if you can in Canmore. It's pretty easy to drive around there (not very busy except on weekends), and it will open up a lot of possibilities. There's tons of walking and hiking trails all over the place that it's unlikely you'd be able to take a bus to.

 

[eleanor]

We went on the Rocky Mountaineer 2 years ago and it was tha most wonderful trip.We went all out and did the dome car,expensive but worth every penny.The gourmet meals and the extra care they took was fantastic. Have a great time.

 

[smiley_face2]

There are so many wonderful things to do in and around Vancouver! when you get to your hotel, there should be a conceirge to help you plan day trips. We live just a short ferry ride outside of Vancouver and our dream when the kids leave is to go to England!! ( I even pay to have BBC Canada to watch British programs! lol..) anyway here is something you should definitely do even having been born and raised here, my hubby and I were very impressed with this, and learned a few things too!! It really is special! It's located in an area called Gastown, and is a very interesting area, the oldest part of Vancouver. you can go on day tours there, but stay away from it during the evening and night, there are a lot of panhandlers and unsavory people who come out at night! It really is a neat area to visit though, so don't miss it.
The Capilano suspension bridge is really amazing, and a ride up Grouse Mountain in the gondola is a must do as well. there is an amazing restaurant you can have dinner in up there with an outstanding view of the city, ocean, all the way to Vancouver Island (which you will see there are also tours to go and see, most 2 day) The area called Vanier Park has a few things all together, a museum, planetarium (space center) and a maritime museum, and a really nice beach!
Do you know the name of the hotel you are staying at in Vancouver? Hubby and I go over and stay overnight quite frequently to go to shows, concerts etc. (Phantom of the Opera in August!!) and I can maybe let you know what I think about it, if I've stayed there.
You are going to LOVE the train to Banff, goes right through my child hood birth town of Revelstoke right in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Positively breathtaking scenery!!
It's really easy to get around Vancouver without your own car! lot's of public transportatiion, and like I said tours going to all the major spots.
Can't help you out at all with Canmore! never even been there!!
p.s. I had included links to pages about these places, but I am new here and am not allowed to post links yet so I will try to pm you with them!

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Another BC'er here.... if they want to shop, tell them to take the skytrain from downtown out to Metrotown. It is about a 20 min ride. Metrotown is the biggest mall in Vancouver and quite fun! Has a build a bear, big movie theater,etc... It used to have a rainforest cafe and a disney store, but they are gone now
But if they are into 'mall shopping', this is the place to go.
Also, Granville Island is a fun place to go for the afternoon. Great food in the market!
If you have any questions on anything, feel free to pm me.

 

[floridahippy]

Smiley face 2 - you wouldnt like to come housesit for us would you?
Thank you so much for all your input - I am just so excited about it all
We are stopping at Residence Inn Vancouver Downtown for a week then have exchanged into Sunset Resorts in Canmore for our 2nd week. I must save harder but we are going to Florida in November with our girls and our grandson so thats exciting too!!!
Please keep those ideas coming
Any suggestions for a stop over in Calgary. We leave Canmore around 10am on 12th and then need somewhere to stay before flying at 10pm on Sunday - shall I go for an airport hotel or for a downtown hotel and then up to the airport!!!!
Thought i was being clever and squeezing more holiday out of the time but hope I havent spoilt it? What do you think - its our wedding anniversary on the Saturday so would love to do something special (12th May)
Any ideas?

 

[Pokemom]

For your anniversary, you might want to have dinner at the top of the Calgary Tower. There is a revolving restaurant at the top that will provide a great view of Calgary and the mountains.

 

[Jax]

Hello,

As for the hotel in Calgary it all depends on what you are looking for.

If you have time I would recommend staying at a hotel right downtown as it will be much easier to get to food, shopping etc.

There are quiet a few really nice hotels in Downtown Calgary, but the best one would be the Fairmont Palliser (owned by the same people as the Chateau Lake Louise and the Banff Springs Hotel). Another really nice hotel is the Sheraton at Eau Claire (it is also right downtown).

If you would prefer to stay at the airport, there is a Delta hotel (really nice) that is directly attached to the Calgary airport, walk right out the front door of the hotel, cross the street and there is the airport. But if you have time to do stuff during the day a downtown hotel will probably be better for you.

Fairmont Palliser Website: www. fairmont . com / palliser /
Sheraton Suites Website: www . sheratonsuites . com

Note: I can't post links yet so just remove the spaces

If you stay downtown there are a lot of really unique restaurants within walking distance, or a short taxi ride. For dinner one night (if you have time) I would recommend restaurant called Japanese Village (it has been my families favorite and always will be). I think this is a similar restaurant to the Tepanyaki House in Epcot (at least I think it is similar). The chefs cook your meal right in front of you while entertaining you at the same time. They also serve lunch if you are unable to make it for dinner (dinner menu just has more food options and more food for your dollar).

Listing of Calgary Downtown Restaurants:
http://www . tourismcalgary . com - You can click the Dining option on the left hand side of the screen and then search for restaurants in certain areas (downtown, south west, etc).

Now for entertainment, there are a lot of shops right in the heart of downtown. If you are in the mood to shop then you can go to Bankers Hall and TD Square (both of these buildings are attached to one another). It the top floor of TD Square there is a place called Devonian Gardens. It is a gorgeous inside garden, with ponds and waterfalls, fish and turtles. It you like plants or just want a serene and relaxing place to go then it is worth it to stop by. You can also go to the Calgary Tower and tour around there (also a very unique, but expensive dining experience). The Calgary Zoo is fairly close to downtown, it is a quick train ride or taxi away.

I hope that this has given you a few ideas on how to spend your time in Calgary. If you have any further questions feel free to PM me and I will help you out however I can.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[donkthemagicllama]

Heritage Park is pretty fun in Calgary if you're into historical things http://heritagepark.ca/ Calgary also has a pretty decent Zoo http://www.calgaryzoo.org/ if that sort of thing turns your crank. The downtown Hyatt is also quite nice in Calgary http://calgary.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp
Hope you have a great trip!

 

[calgarygary]

For your stop over in Banff I would recommend either the Banff Springs Hotel or for a bit of luxury and views to match The Rimrock. I can not recommend strongly enough (as others already have) rent a car in Canmore. You will enjoy the experience much more if you have access to a car. Do you golf? If so there are several amazing courses in the area. A trip to Lake Louise is a must do whether the lake is still frozen or not. I would also suggest experiencing a little of the Icefields Parkway (highway between Lake Louise and Jasper). Near the Banff townsite is a road called the Minnewanka Loop that I have never driven without seeing Big Horn Sheep grazing by the side of the road. Here is the Parks Canada website for Banff that is full of ideas to do. For your stay in Calgary I strongly recommend staying in a downtown hotel like those already mentioned or the Hyatt. Although the Calgary Tower is not a must do in my eyes it is in others. I would suggest dinner in the Rimrock Room of the Palliser or if you are in the mood for something very casual, put on the jeans and try a night out at the Ranchman's or Cowboys. For me, the one must do tourist item in the immediate Calgary area is our zoo but the very best thing to do is The Royal Tyrell Museum but it is a couple hours drive.

 

[smiley_face2]

Another BC'er here.... if they want to shop, tell them to take the skytrain from downtown out to Metrotown. It is about a 20 min ride. Metrotown is the biggest mall in Vancouver and quite fun! Has a build a bear, big movie theater,etc... It used to have a rainforest cafe and a disney store, but they are gone now
But if they are into 'mall shopping', this is the place to go.
Also, Granville Island is a fun place to go for the afternoon. Great food in the market!
If you have any questions on anything, feel free to pm me.

I'm certain the Disney store is still in Metro town, unless they have closed in the last month or so?? I know they closed the one out in Park Royal about 2 years ago now

 

[smiley_face2]

Smiley face 2 - you wouldnt like to come housesit for us would you?
Thank you so much for all your input - I am just so excited about it all
We are stopping at Residence Inn Vancouver Downtown for a week then have exchanged into Sunset Resorts in Canmore for our 2nd week.

You are in a very nice part of the city! easy walking distance to lot's of very nice shops and restaurants, and very easy commuting distance to lot's of the places I mentioned, including just taking a fairly inexpensive cab ride! There is also the museum of anthropology at the University of British Columbia, Definitely worth a visit!! there is also Vancouver Aquarium at Stanly Park. oops forgot to add:....would love to house sit for you!! lol...

 

[disneyfreak75]

The Disney store in Metrotown did close for renovations but is open again.

Granville Island is nice.
White Rock is beautiful and you can get some great Fish and chips
Steveston is also nice to visit but is small. Another good place for excellent fish and chips.
Stanley park is a must. can rent a bike or rollerskates or just walk around. visit the aquarium.
Capillano suspension bridge was recently renovated and is supposed to be very cool
Go whale watching (granville island or steveston) if you can.
Robson street is great for shopping
Whistler is very lovely. Hear the Rocky Mountaineer train there is very scenic but is about $200 return.

So much to see here but not much to do at night..

You'll have a great time.