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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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.

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. 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!

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....??

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

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.

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).

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.

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.