Tour of Canada and Alaska Cruise: information needed

[mjkStirling]

Looking for information on a tour of Canada with Alaska cruise. As a school teacher needs to be in Scottish holidays, considering month of July 2016, and between 3 - 4 weeks in total. Would like to include Banff and Jasper and any other places that come recommended. Have you done something similar and can offer me advice?

[mapleleaves]

look in the 2014 Trip Report list (STICKY above), and on the last page you'll find a report from Cornishpastyman who visited Banff, etc . I believe they rented a car so that they could travel around freely.

In that link you'll also find video from his Alaska cruise

 

Perhaps look at the BC forum of tripadvisor.

[cruiseryyc]

Fly to Calgary, hire a car and do Banff/Lake Louise/Jasper area, realistically you need 10 days for this. Then either continue the drive through to Vancouver or back to Calgary, drop the car off and fly to Vancouver to catch the cruise.

 

Agree with previous poster, go to Trip Advisor - lots of good advice available there.

Edited April 30, 2015 by cruiseryyc

[xlxo]

Here's a variation....

1. Fly to Vancouver...
   
2. Get on Alaska round-trip cruise for a week
   HAL Alaska
   
   Princess Alaska
   
   DCL Alaska https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0dplvMRQHQ
   
3. Get on one of the Key West one-way tours through the Rockys and into Calgary. Some may choose to go on the train.
   http://keywesttravelandtours.com/
   
4. Fly to Toronto to check out the East Coast on some tours...
   http://www.supervacation.ca/en/content/caneast/cec05e.pdf
   

[cruiseonecer]

Self drive, as recommended by cruiseryyc, is without doubt far superior than doing a packaged tour.

[Cornishpastyman1]

look in the 2014 Trip Report list (STICKY above), and on the last page you'll find a report from Cornishpastyman who visited Banff, etc . I believe they rented a car so that they could travel around freely.

In that link you'll also find video from his Alaska cruise

 

Thanks mapeleaves This is that link

We did the road trip first, then the cruise. To drive the Rockies requires a National Parks ticket, which you buy at a booth when entering one of the parks (Banff in our case). It cost $Canadian 100 for a 5-day ticket, and there is plenty of parking at all the major 'attractions.'

[mcgratru]

The Calgary Stampede is usually in July if you are interested.

 

Also check out Brewster Tours in Banff area for activities.

 

I agree with renting a car and driving the Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise, Columbia Icefield and Golden Triangle over a 5-6 day period.

 

Consider lodging in Canmore. Only 15 minutes from Banff and more reasonably priced.

Edited May 2, 2015 by mcgratru

[CowPrincess]

The Calgary Stampede is usually in July if you are interested.

 

Also check out Brewster Tours in Banff area for activities.

 

I agree with renting a car and driving the Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise, Columbia Icefield and Golden Triangle over a 5-6 day period.

 

Consider lodging in Canmore. Only 15 minutes from Banff and more reasonably priced.

 

All very good points.

 

Two things about accommodation:

 

If you are in Calgary during the Calgary Stampede you need to secure hotel rooms as soon as possible, and you will pay a premium for hotel rooms during the Stampede.

 

Canmore is nice but Banff is spectacular. IMHO worth the extra money for a couple of days accommodation, unless you need a self catering style of place, then Canmore would have more choices.

[Coral]

I would also suggest you look at Whistler, north of Vancouver. Beautiful place!

[mjkStirling]

Thanks for all the posts. Away for the weekend and no internet access, sorry for the delay in replying. Will take a look and see what is on offer. My daughter informed me airfare to Canada cheaper apparently if I fly via Iceland from Scotland and never been there so going to look into that too. Self drive seems one of the better options for choice and price. Plenty of time to plan anyway!:)

[Coral]

Thanks for all the posts. Away for the weekend and no internet access, sorry for the delay in replying. Will take a look and see what is on offer. My daughter informed me airfare to Canada cheaper apparently if I fly via Iceland from Scotland and never been there so going to look into that too. Self drive seems one of the better options for choice and price. Plenty of time to plan anyway!:)

 

Definitely look into the Iceland Air option. They have an option that allows you to spend your layover over several days and doesn't charge extra for it! Brilliant idea on the airline's policy as many people can see Iceland this way.

[xlxo]

One warning about driving from Banff to Vancouver.... it can snow in the summer for a few hours/days. Hardly anyone has snow tires in the summer.

[kazu]

One warning about driving from Banff to Vancouver.... it can snow in the summer for a few hours/days. Hardly anyone has snow tires in the summer.

 

 

seriously??? snow???

 

hmmm..........I don't think it snows in July in Canada :)

[Lizzie68]

One warning about driving from Banff to Vancouver.... it can snow in the summer for a few hours/days. Hardly anyone has snow tires in the summer.

 

You're kidding, right? As a regular driver between both places (without snow tires in the summer) any snow during July is very rare.

[CowPrincess]

One warning about driving from Banff to Vancouver.... it can snow in the summer for a few hours/days. Hardly anyone has snow tires in the summer.

 

What part of Canada do you live in? Have you actually seen snow accumulations in July? If so, where and when? And I'm curious about your comment regarding snow tires, do you have personal experience with snow tires?

[xlxo]

What part of Canada do you live in? Have you actually seen snow accumulations in July? If so, where and when? And I'm curious about your comment regarding snow tires, do you have personal experience with snow tires?

I remember seeing a few TV stories of surprise snow on the Coquihalla in the summer that causes traffic to be messed up for a few hours.

 

On a July bus tour through Banff several years ago, I remember seeing snow going through the mountain passes.

 

I agree they are rare.... but it can happen with the high altitude passes.

 

I know rental cars only come with all-seasons tires around Vancouver. I wouldn't want to be with all-seasons if conditons get slippery.

 

In this Parks Canada link.... you can see some snow can be expected in Banff in June... which in my case had some some falling in July when I was in the area.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/meteo-weather.aspx

Edited May 4, 2015 by xlxo

[Coral]

I know rental cars only come with all-seasons tires around Vancouver. I wouldn't want to be with all-seasons if conditons get slippery.

 

 

I live where it snows a lot in the winter (though, nothing compared to where BQ lives). I don't know anyone who changes to snow tires for the winter. We use all-seasons all year here.

[4774Papa]

Here's a variation....

1. Fly to Vancouver...
   
2. Get on Alaska round-trip cruise for a week
   HAL Alaska
   
   Princess Alaska
   
   DCL Alaska https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0dplvMRQHQ
   
3. Get on one of the Key West one-way tours through the Rockys and into Calgary. Some may choose to go on the train.
   http://keywesttravelandtours.com/
   
4. Fly to Toronto to check out the East Coast on some tours...
   http://www.supervacation.ca/en/content/caneast/cec05e.pdf
   

Thanks for the info on Key West tours. We have been considering a Rocky Mountaineer trip to the Canadian Rockies, but KW tours has some very affordable bus trips.

[xlxo]

I live where it snows a lot in the winter (though, nothing compared to where BQ lives). I don't know anyone who changes to snow tires for the winter. We use all-seasons all year here.

Good point.... there's the dry stuff and then there's the wet stuff that falls on the West Coast. Just a few mm and everyone panics to call in a snow day as chaos builds on the road.

[Lizzie68]

I remember seeing a few TV stories of surprise snow on the Coquihalla in the summer that causes traffic to be messed up for a few hours.

 

On a July bus tour through Banff several years ago, I remember seeing snow going through the mountain passes.

 

I agree they are rare.... but it can happen with the high altitude passes.

 

I know rental cars only come with all-seasons tires around Vancouver. I wouldn't want to be with all-seasons if conditons get slippery.

 

In this Parks Canada link.... you can see some snow can be expected in Banff in June... which in my case had some some falling in July when I was in the area.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/meteo-weather.aspx

 

 

So you are definitely not speaking from experience with driving, just seeing some snow at the top of the Coq from a bus.:) ("One warning about driving from Banff to Vancouver.... it can snow in the summer for a few hours/days. Hardly anyone has snow tires in the summer").

 

The top of the Coq can hardly be taken as typical and as someone who drives this journey frequently throughout the year but especially in the summer, I would be astonished to find snow for any length of time through the Coquihalla in July. Let's not mislead our tourists or scare them away from doing such an awesome drive.

[CowPrincess]

So you are definitely not speaking from experience with driving, just seeing some snow at the top of the Coq from a bus.:) ("One warning about driving from Banff to Vancouver.... it can snow in the summer for a few hours/days. Hardly anyone has snow tires in the summer").

 

The top of the Coq can hardly be taken as typical and as someone who drives this journey frequently throughout the year but especially in the summer, I would be astonished to find snow for any length of time through the Coquihalla in July. Let's not mislead our tourists or scare them away from doing such an awesome drive.

 

Thanks for that post, Lizzie68. I live along the route being discussed. While we frequently get snow in early June (which melts soon after it falls) I cannot remember having snow in July (the month the OP was asking about).

 

As for snow tires, I would hope no one would be driving on them in the summer. At temperatures over 7C, the tread wears out very quickly. Snow tires do not function properly in summer weather, making them hazardous to drive on at highway speeds. I live in a very snowy area and use all season tires year round.

 

I wouldn't personally drive the Coq in winter. Ever. With or without snow tires. But summer? Heck yes :D

 

I agree it is an awesome drive that is well worth doing in the summer months.