TONYMCROSS

We are off on a family holiday at the end of July for 3 weeks in 2 large mobile homes. We are travelling with our 3 kids (10, 8 and 3) and our parents :scared: We land in Calgary and fly home from Vancouver. At the moment we are trying to sort out an itinerary for the journey and need help from anyone out there who can advise on some MUST SEE SIGHTS or 'TO-DO' experiences while we are there. This is our first trip to Canada so really want to make the most of it especially as we are considering 'THE MOVE'
thanks TONY

Judy in Calgary

Hello Tony,

The Open Roads Forum is a fabulous source of iinformation about the logistics of travelling in a recreational vehicle (RV), about specific campgrounds, about specific roads, etc. I highly recommend that you visit that forum.

I can think of some questions, and perhaps you'll be able to get them answered at the Open Roads Forum. For example, how do you get around in a city like Vancouver? Do you have to wash and dry your breakfast dishes and stow everything away before you set out for your day's sight seeing? I suspect the answer to this is, "Yes," and I suspect that's why I see so many motor homes pulling cars on their way to the Canadian Rockies. Once they get to their destination, they detach their car and use it for sightseeing.

In the meantime, think about this itinerary. (In case of a disagreement between my advice and the advice you may receive on the Open Roads Forum, I suggest you listen to the folks on the Open Roads Forum.)

Day 1 - Land in Calgary. Take delivery of RVs. Drive to a campground just outside of Calgary for the night.

Day 2 - Drive to Banff. Consider staying at Tunnel Mountain Campground. Look around Banff townsite and its environs.

Day 3 - Drive to Lake Louise via the Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy #1A) so that you can walk in Johnston Canyon, at least to the Lower Falls. Johnston Canyon is popular, and its parking lot fills up on a summer's day, so try to go early in the day. Camp in the Lake Louise / Yoho area.

Day 4 - Visit Moraine Lake. This is another parking lot that fills up, so it's worth making this your first stop. Next visit Lake Louise. After that, drive to Yoho National Park. At a minimum visit Emerald Lake. If your RV can negotiate the tight bends on the road leading to it, visit Takakkaw Falls.

Day 5 - Drive north along the Icefields Parkway (Hwy #93) to Jasper. Stop at Peyto Lake Lookout, Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls. Consider riding a Snocoach on the Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefields. Having made prior reservations, stay at Whistlers Campground just outside of Jasper townsite.

Day 6 - Explore Jasper's environs. Walk in Maligne Canyon. Consider doing the cruise across Maligne Lake to Spirit Island.

Day 7 - Drive to Clearwater. Visit Wells Gray Provincial Park to see Helmcken Falls.

Day 8 - Drive to the Okanagan Valley. Stay somewhere around Kelowna or Penticton.

Days 9 & 10 - Let your kids play on the beach and enjoy other amusements.

Day 11 - Drive to Vancouver.

Days 12, 13, 14, 15 - Explore Vancouver. Visit Stanley Park. That alone could keep you going for a day. Visit Granville Island Market. Your kids may enjoy Storyeum and Science World. Cross to the north shore to visit Grouse Mountain and Lynne Canyon. My suggested timetable allows for a day or two of fact finding.

Day 16 - Having made prior reservations with BC Ferries, cross from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver to Departure Bay on Vancouver Island. Stay in the vicinity of Departure Bay / Nanaimo.

Day 17 - Explore Nanaimo's environs.

Day 18 - Drive to Victoria. Visit Butchart Gardens.

Days 19 & 20 - Explore Victoria and its environs.

Day 21 - In my experience, flights destined for the UK depart from Western Canada in the evening, so I imagine you'll be able to return to Vancouver at a leisurely pace. Again with prior ferry reservations in hand, cross from Swartz Bay outside of Victoria to Tsawwassen to the south of Vancouver. Return the RVs to the rental company. Make your way to the airport (by taxi? by way of the rental company's courtesy shuttle?). Fly home.

Hope that helps.

TONYMCROSS

JUDY,

THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU
What a fantastic and wonderful response - just what we were hoping to get but never thought we would on this forum!!

Once again thank-you - you've made us think of one problem we may encounter already..... We have hired a HUGE RV and our parents have hired a four birth RV. Although we need the HUGE one for our family, maybe it would be better for our parents to hire a '5th'-wheel which has the option of detatching the 4 x4 vehicle

What do you think??

thanks

Tony

Judy in Calgary

You're most welcome.

Yes, I think that would be an excellent idea. In the case of the road to Takakkaw Falls, for example, there is a parking lot near the TransCanada Highway in which RVers can leave behind the trailer sections of their RVs while they visit the Falls.

Biiiiink

Wow, what a great post. Can't seem to give you karma, just wanted to say thanks from me too! I have enjoyed a virtual journey from the comfort of my armchair this morning reading that. Bookmarked for future reference should I have the chance to take the trip in the real world

Biiiiink