BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi, Friends,

I am planning a trip which looks like this:

-Fly to Vancouver
-Take ferryboat around Vancouver Island
-Take a train from Vancouver to Banff area
-Hang out in Banff area for a few days. maybe start with a bus tour of one sort or another so that I can get my bearings, then spend a few days exploring the parts I saw in that bus tour overview.
-Take a grain back to Vancouver
-Fly home

I have found the via rail website to be helpful.

My questions so far are thusly:

1. Does it ever make since to do group bus tours or is it always possible to see the same stuff on ones own (presumably, more cheaply).


2. Would you do any part of my proposed trip differently?

3. What times of the year would be the off season to visit there? I imagine that June and July and August are the busy months. Anybody know?

I appreciate any and all input.

Hello Lorena!

Thanks for the response to my NO post.

As for your trip, it sounds great!
I am not sure about the bus tour, what we normally do is drive around, check things out on our own. Are you planning on renting a car?


June, July and August are busy months. but it's still a good time to go.

From what I can see, April offers the lowest rates. However, if you are looking for reasonable accomodation, I do know of a place that is $75 a night, it's a bed and breakfast. The most that we have paid is $95 on new years. I can send you the phone number if you are interested.

Sounds like a great plan so far. (I lived in Banff town for 20+ years before deciding to head for warmer climes. ) April/May should be nice if they don't have too heavy a snowfall this winter. It is possible that the ski hills will still be open up to the middle of May and snow squalls are not unheard of in April. My personal fav time of year was always September as all the tourists had gone home but the weather was still great.

A bus trip will give you a nice overview of what's out there and should not be all that expensive, although I've no idea what is actually available. Mmmm . . sec . . . Remember too that it is a very, VERY big area and getting around will entail having a car or going by bus anyway.

http://www.sightseeingtourscanada.ca/

These guys have a good reputation in town and at the very least can give you an idea what is available. And there is lots available. Banff and area are absolutely spectacular!

I've done your trip in reverse, although it was a long time ago. I left Banff by train for Vancouver and took a ferry to Vancouver Island. We had a swell time to our 3 day trip.

Hey good point about it being a big area. I guess I was just thinkig about it being the size of a small metropolitan area, but it is probably closer to the size of a New England state when I think about it.

Thanks for your feedback.

It is a very big place. The park alone, most of it virgin wilderness, is 6,641 km2 or 2,564 SQ MI.

Lake Louise town and ski area is almost an hour by highway from Banff Townsite. Canmore, just outside the park, is about 25 minutes away. Calgary, the closest metropolitan centre with about 1 million people, is about an hour and 20 minutes.

If you have Google Earth installed on your computer, http://earth.google.com , you can get a real good overview of distance and size.


That said, there is lots to do nearer Banff Town. Lots of hikes, rent a bicycle and go up the Johnston's Canyon highway to the canyon for a great day trip. Buy the book - Hikes in the Canadian Rockies - for some truly awesome day hiks and longer. Canoing on the Bow River, spend a day at the amazing Banff Springs Hotel (bring money), see a concert or play at the world-renowned Banff Centre for the arts.

Raffi

Thank you for your advice, Raffi. That really does help me get some perspective. Let me to do the math: 2, 564 sq. miles means like 100 miles by 25 miles. Wow, okay, that is really, really big. I won't be upsetting any virgin wilderness on this trip, this will be more like looking at the beautiful scenery. Sounds as though I will have to rent an automobile in order to get around. That is a good thing for me to know in advance.

Which month should I go? June, July or August?
Any suggestions?

Hi Lorena,

All 3 months are good, However, there is a long weekend in July and August, so those might be busy times.

June might be more quieter, but still lively and warm.

I agree with Suzanne_B. All 3 months are great. If you want really hot it can get up to the high 80's F(30's C) in July and August. Rarely in June. Long weekends can be fun as there is always something going on but they tend to be crowded, as Suzanne_B noted, as well so if you like that sort of celebration . . . why not?

I don't like crowds so much so I would choose June, if I can't have September. But Banff Townsite - you can always find a quiet place by the Bow River or up at the Banff Centre for the Arts, or even in the Central Park sometimes. Or a not so quiet place at any of the bars and clubs that line Banff Ave.

My heart is not really there anymore but it is truly a magical place. Do try to get in some day hikes into the wilderness. It'll be good for your consciousness or your soul or whatever you want to call that place inside.

Thank you for your advice! I would like to do some camping, perhaps. Not any kind of dangerous or hard-to-do stuff, but just sleeping outdoors in a tent camping. Any tips on that? I do appreciate the tips on the hostel. Those prices look nicer than the hotels I had found. Any thoughts on camping there?

Hi!

I'm currently living in the Banff National Park, in Lake Louise but I do make regular trips into Banff and believe me there are plenty of things to do around here.

About Camping I know for sure there is a camp ground here in Lake Louise but am not 100% sure about Banff but I would think there would be though hostels in both places are nice.

Some other things that you may want to consider doing are the Banff Gondola, the Banff Hot Spring or just spending the day in Banff there are lots of interesting things to see and do that don't cost the earth.

Or if you are planning to head up this way to Lake Louise about a 55 min bus ride on Brewster or Greyhound though I recomend Brewster because often the Drivers in Summer give a guided tour on the way to and from Banff often you just need to ask and it doesn't cost extra. A return Banff - Lake Louise ticket costs around $32 and would drop you of at one of three Locations in Lake Louise ( the Mall, the Inn or the Chateau right beside the lake) and picks up from these locations as well you would just need to tell the clerk where you wanted to be dropped off and picked up from when buying the ticket. And there are some great hikes to do around the Lake and its is stunningly beautiful as is Moraine Lake about and 14km hike (or bike which you can hire from the mall) from the centre of town.

Hope this helps, if you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask

Thank you! That bus tour looks amazing.

tinybluefishy,
Why do you live there? Do you have a seasonal job?

Do you have any other "locals" tips for me? As far as restaurants and pubs and places to hang out?

There is camping right in Banff townsite up at Tunnel Mountain. It's a very nice place and close to the townsite. Well, a long walk but they have transport.

Google Parks Canada and Banff to get more info. I know you need reservations for particular months but I'm not sure when. There are also several hostels in Banff. Google those as well I guess.

Wild Bill's Pub used to be THE place to go for live music and a good time. But Banff Ave. has plenty of places to party. Just listen for the noise on a Friday evening or follow the crowds.

i really think you should rent a car to drive around banff national park.............that way you could also explore jasper which is near by and if you were to drive from Vancouver to Banff, you'd see even better mountains - the kicking horse pass through to revelstoke.
taking a train from vancouver to banff won't work
i note a train station in jasper though

however you get from vancouver to Banff i hope you have a car in/around Banff...it would make seeing stuff so much easier

Yeah i definately agree, rent a car!

I have vacationed there a few times and there is a TON to see and do.

If you want to save money with accomodation, just camp! There are campsites everywhere and some even have internet access oddly enough.

There are so many hiking trails and the best ones are off the beaten track, so having a car to go to the places that are of interest to you is definately an advantage.

I would also recommend doing a glacier tour. I did one on the Athabasca glacier in the Columbia Icefield in Jasper N.P. and it was unforgettable.

Summer is tourist season so things will be more expensive, on top of the already high prices Banff and area charges for food, lodging etc.

Also, when you're on Vancouver Island be sure to check out Tofino. Surfing is great there and whale watching. (You can also whale watch in Victoria easily)