Calgary to Vancouver

The Trans Canada Highway from Calgary to Vancouver is as beautiful as any drive, anywhere!

Drive west on Canada 1, or look at a map for alternative routes.
Depends on how much time you have. Driving through the Rockies should present you with plenty to see and you can choose what to do, based on your preferences.

We spent four days on a Canadian Rocky Mountains tour in 2016. Go to Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff. You will need 2-3 days to see everything.

There are two main routes through the Rockies, the No. 1 Highway and the No. 3 which is more southerly. No. 1 is the main route across Canada, and there is a lot of truck traffic. Unlike the States much of the route is dual carriageway - definitely not interstate like. But great scenery as it travels through a series if National Parks. Note you must purchase a Parks pass If you intend stopping in the Park - even if it is just for a meal, to visit a tourist office or stretching your legs. A pass is good for all the Parks you will pass through. Read up about the Parks on the web to find out more about costs, the Parks etc.

No 3 is just as scenic and passes some interesting and scenic spots. Truck traffic here as well.

Email me if you want suggestions of places to stop or that might be of interest.

Oh, you had asked about dude ranches in an earlier post; you might check out Rafter Six at Exshaw en route to Banff. Not really a dude ranch, but a mountain resort that specializes in Trail rides. Also check out this web site www.duderanch.com - it has a list of guest ranches in BC.

Visit the Columbia Icefield and join a tour for a walk on the glacier.

Spend time at Lake Louise -- exquisitely beautiful lake (turquoise in color) and so much to do including hiking, horseback riding, cycling, canoeing, etc.

Visit Banff.

Yes, the Rocky Mountains National Parks fall into the must visit category. Banff NP and the smaller Yoho and Glacier NPs are on Highway 1 towards Vancouver. The Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper NP is a scenic drive and even better as a bike ride. Lake Louise Chateau is worth a stop for a pastry and coffee and the views from the Chateau. Emerald Lake Lodge (Yoho NP) is a scenic overnight stop.

If you are into cultural museums, consider the Glenbow Museum in Calgary. The Glenbow has a nice exhibit/collection telling a story of Canada's First Peoples and history of the region.

One route that you could consider would be to travel Calgary > Banff > Revelstoke and then down through the Okanagan Valley (Vernon and Kelowna). While there you could enjoy not only the incredible scenery but also a few of the local wineries, some of which have gourmet restaurants. This is one example.

Spend a night or two in Kelowna, perhaps at the Grand Okanagan Resort which is right in the downtown area and within easy walking distance to many restaurants, stores, etc. You may also find THIS website helpful. You could also spend a night at the luxury Sparkling Hill Resort just south of Vernon, which is just above the Predator Ridge Golf Resort. Sparkling Hill is owned by the Svarovski family of Austria, and glass crystal is featured extensively in the design.

THIS winery (which resembles a Tuscan Villa) has an incredible summer concert series, but I'm not sure which acts have been booked this year. In the past they've had artists like Tony Bennet, Jewel, Gypsy Kings, Chris Botti, Chris Isaack and Michael Bolton. There's also a restaurant there with fantastic views.

From Kelowna you would head south to Peachland and the Okanagan Connector, which connects with the Coquihalla at Merritt and leads directly to Vancouver through the Fraser Valley.

Enjoy your trip!

We are watching this topic with interest as we are planning a somewhat similar 14 night trip in August. Our plan includes a visit with family in Fort St. John for 3 nights or so We are thinking to fly into Edmonton or Calgary and maybe out of Vancouver or Calgary/Edmonton. A road trip to Ft. St. John, maybe visit Jasper and/or Banff, loop towards Vancouver or Kamloops or Calgary. We have not visited this part of the country before and can possibly do the trip in early July if it makes better sense. Any suggestions on how best to accomplish this?

Thanks

We did a wonderful Canadian Rockies Tour in 2016 from Vancouver to Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff. It was four days and very reasonably priced. The company Key West Tours, had a tour of those places leaving from Calgary. Recommend you check out the tour. You could take the train on your own, but there are many places to see that you would need to rent a car or take a bus tour to see.

David,

Whichever route you choose, be sure to allow for lots of driving time in B.C., as trips by road tend to take longer than expected. Don't trust the online websites to accurately predict driving time, as they are rarely accurate.

If you are into hiking or other outdoorsy activities, read the blog at hikebiketravel.com. We road trip almost yearly to BC to visit family and have taken many of her suggestions for things to see and do along the way.