Vancouver or Calgary
 

Hello everybody, nice forum!

I hope someone will help us finally decide where to go for a 1 week vacation. I have read trip advisor and other, but still cannot decide, Vancouver or Calgary?.

We live close to Toronto and have never been in that part of the country yet; thought of going to Vancouver for an Alaskan cruise last week of August, but everything is sold out, anyway, we still want to go to that part of the country. From a tourist & budget perspective, which place has more to offer? Given Calgary has lower tax, I'm inclined to believe a holiday there would be cheaper. For 1 week, we cannot spend more than $2,500, flight inclusive.

Is Lake Louise all that people say it is? Fairmont Hotel there is advertising "pay for 4 stay for 7' package at $599 per person, which includes a $350 food credit for the week for both. Sounds like a great deal for a luxury hotel plus its location.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I'm relieved to see that paragraph about Lake Louise. I've been to Calgary and was baffled by the idea of a holiday there.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Lake louise is allright, nice view and all, but outside of ski season I've no idea what I would do there for a week? Id want to take in drumheller and the badlands, and Banff as well as the mountains/ parkway myself, and some of Calgary too. Having to come back to LL each night would be tiresome.

If I had to choose one or the other though I would probably check out Vancouver, but I would expect it to cost more...

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Thanks for your thoughts iaink, I thought the same, that a week might be too long in that specific spot, maybe a couple of nights there would suffice if we end up going to Calgary.

db33, thanks for your response too, though I did not quite understand it.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I think dbd was saying in his own inimitable style that vacationing in Calgary itself would be much like vacationing in missisagua, or any one of hundreds of other similar mid size north american cities without enough compellingly unique things to attract you there...

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Exactement!

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I think you forgot to use the words 'ident-a-kit', and 'mind numbing sprawl' in order to better clarify dbd's comments.:thumbsup:

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

As the others have insinuated, staying within the 'confines' of Calgary for a full week would (possibly) be a little too much.
However, if you were to head to our fair city you COULD check out Drumheller (yawn:p), The Blackfoot interprative centre (cue native bashing), Kananaskis, Banff\LL\Johnsons Canyon, Waterton, Sylvan Lake (woo hoo cue mass hysteria) all from Calgary as a base.

Just my input.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I've got to be honest - that will be tough - but depending on how good a bargain on the flights you get, potentially do-able.

Two days within Calgary itself is more than enough if it needs to be a flying visit. One day potentially, then head out the second afternoon westwards. Banff for a night or two, do a drive-by excursion to Lake Louise, no need to stay there (visit Moraine Lake for pretty pictures).

Then decide if you want more mountains and lakes in which case do as Butch suggested and do some walks or hikes or head further north towards Jasper (more mountains and lakes). I'm not complaining, I just love this landscape, but for some people, ie, my children, it just doesn't float their boat.

Day trips from Calgary could be Drumheller (dinosaurs and weird landscape), Waterton National Park (pretty and more walking, mountains and lakes ;) - consider Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump en route), or drive around south west from Calgary and drive the Kananaskis roads or head towards Fernie-ish and stay overnight.

Personally, if I had a free week, I'd do Vancouver and Van Island. That might also be a bit rushed but I'd want the sea, after being in my chunk of land-locked Canada!

Look for cheap motel chains :p Have fun

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

if anyone is interested my next trip (11 nights) drive straight to SF stay 4 nights then, Fort Bragg CA, Bandon OR, Portland OR, Sandpoint OR and Home.

Wish me luck

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Are you going golfing or is this a more of an alternative holiday? ;)

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Had you considered renting a motor-home and driving from Calgary to Vancouver? A nice weeks jaunt.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I dont Golf (much), I will be calling in at the emerald triangle (assuming thats what you allude to ;)), I have friends heading for SF the same weekend, there's the outdoor fest at GG Park, John Lee Hooker Jr is at Blues and Biscuits, Boy in Static is also Playing SF, the OH wants to see Portland (and the Cali\Oregon Coast).

Enough there for you. :p:sneaky:

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Not for $2500 I suspect, by the time you pay the air fair, rental , and live with the horrendous gas mileage and over-mileage fees... (>100km a day!)

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Way too much.:D

Its just that there are some great golf courses at Bandon Dunes. I lived in Oregon for 8 years before moving up here and played there whenever I had enough spendies.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

It would be tight, but could be close. Otherwise, Vancouver, pretty much most things could be done by using Transit for $9 a day with a trip to Victoria using PCL. In Calgary you'd need a car and have to drive a lot, in Vancouver you would not want a car or to have to drive a lot. Even Whistler can be done by bus, or by train.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

So mean dbd.... You're in Ontario? And you beef about Calgary? I mean the place is a natural jewel compared to 'oot East'. We're an hour from Banff, 90 mins from Lake Louise up on the northwest ridge... 180o views of the Rockies. Like any city there are good and not-so-good bits. As a base for a holiday it's great because there's so much on the doorstep. That said, Vancouver is also brill for a break.... especially if you can take the ferry out to VI too. But Van will be much more expensive.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

For a vacation destination, Vancouver hands down.

Vancouver is a destination city, whereas Calgary's a gateway city. By that I mean, Calgary's not the attraction, but you fly into Calgary to immediately drive out... to the Rockies. But then stay put in the Rockies, not Calgary.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Can't argue with that. I adore Vancouver... but it's not an inexpensive place to visit.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I didn't think that was mean. Yes, if you like mountains Calgary has an airport near mountains, flying into Calgary and driving up a mountain might make sense. But Calgary itself, for a holiday, why?

I am. It's also somewhere people go on holiday from and not to.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Thanks everyone for your comments! Seems that maybe Halifax might offer something different, would you agree db33?!

Vancouver is stunning, but trouble vacationing in this country is that it is more expensive than travelling abroad; either is too expensive or unless booked months in advance, is sold out, can you believe all cruise lines are fully booked to Alaska until May/2010? Only suites are left at $10,000+ per person, lol, I'll have to be older than 22 to afford this!

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I love the dunes in Oregon. My OH's sister lives in Eugene so we nip down quite a bit.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Flights can be expensive. When I was in Regina for training, it would have been cheaper for me to fly home to Blighty than a lad who was from New Foundland.

Not sure where this recession went - I was in Seattle last week and could n't find a decent hotel (on short notice) for less than 180 US a night - drove back to Vancouver instead - it was only Seattle after all and Vancouver is much nicer.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Actually, WestJet has good specials, if their sale dates suits one's travelling schedule. Yesterday I could have booked a flight to Vancouver for 2 for $700, taxes inclusive, but I could not find reasonable hotel rates. WestJet also advertised a week vacation in Vancouver, flight & hotel for $1,500 each. :D Not sure how they went from $700 flight for 2, to $3,000 flight/hotel for 2.

I thought the same as you, recession, what recession?!! Seems everyone is travelling....good for them!

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I find these comments odd, bearing in mind I do not live in Canada, but north of Manchester. Having just been to Vancouver for 4 days and travelled across to Calgary, I found Vancouver really reasonable to eat out, to travel, to buy stuff etc. (we are a family of 6), and when I hear of people say that Vancouver is expensive, I am a little unsure of what they are comparing it with? Would someone help me out here? Are the wages tremendously lower than UK wages, cause I found Vancouver really reasonable for everything. Also we hired a 7 berth RV from Vancouver and dropped off to Calgary and it cost us no more for 18 days(including gas and RV parks) than two weeks self catering in the Med would cost us....?? :blink:

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I also loved Calgary to visit and spent a lovely couple of days there...;)

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Just re-read my post and thought perhaps it actually wasn't that relevant to maybe what the OP was asking, so I apologise.

Mel.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I'm from Manchester and agree that it's reasonable over all over here. Only thing that is truly extortionate here is buying homes and insuring vehicles. Wages here are much the same I think, perhaps a little lower (45000 is apparently an average - for what averages are worth).

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

I think though that buying homes in UK is extortionate at the moment also...;)
though the property prices are dropping..... is this happening in Vancouver also do you think??

Mel.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Yes. One of my daughters was at university there, I visited often and greatly enjoyed it. Alas, she didn't and switched to a school in Montreal and that was the end of my excuse to go there.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Think Vancouver prices are on there way back up again, they were down for a while...................

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

The OP is already in Canada and so would be less excited by malls and Tim Hortons.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

just a little 'bubblette' my dear, nothing to fret about.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

the upswing or the downturn? dear..............;)

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

we just did this to death on here over the last week or so:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=624448

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Am I bovvered?

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

No idea, don't really care - you asked i delivered. ;)

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

No thats about right for the criuses, they are very popular and need to booked far in advance.

I probably will never see most of Canada due to the cost factor, even when westjet is having a sale the taxes add so much most of the time its still cheaper to just hop across the border and go somewhere in the US.

North Americans by and large like to plan trips in advance as this is the best way to save money for the most part.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

Hey, I don't like malls - blimey I have the Trafford Centre and Manchester for those and as for Tim Hortons, Ive never been....:D but I did think the lovely river and parks were great considering they were in the middle of a City.

Mel.

Re: Vancouver or Calgary
 

You're right, Canada is inexpensive for Europeans, especially given the exchange rates, however, it is NOT cheap for those living in Canada and especially not for grad students like I am. A semi comfortable vacation in Vancouver for a week (flight, hotel, food, transportation & the odd tour) cost $4K, I can do many vacations abroad for 1/2 that, but this time around, I wanted to tour this beautiful country.