Trip to Banff and Calgary
 

Hey guys, I am planning a trip to Banff and Calgary for a week near the end of August. I would like your input on where to stay and see during our time there. We are planning to drive .

- Where would be a good place to stay in Banff and Calgary?
- Is 3 days enough in Banff and Lake Louise?
- Which routes would you recommend to take to go and come back home? (preferably scenic)
- Are there any Point of Interests along the way from Van to Calgary? Any notable Wine Cellars to visit in BC or Alberta?

Any other suggestions are welcome. I will add more questions as it appears in my mind.

The only tip I have is bring lots of money when you hit up Banff because everything is stupid expensive.

-are you looking for something fancy or cheap for your stay? budget?
-depends what you'll be doing but 3 days will be enough. Banff is usually just a daytrip for me..
-never cared for the scenic drive but Hwy 1 will take you straight there and back
-not sure if there's any other interesting spots to hit up along the way (I usually don't have enough time).. but I went through Kelowna last time and did some cherry picking on a farm lol and picked up some local ice wine as well!
-if there's kids with you, you could hit up the Enchanted Forest (near Revelstoke I think?)

I am looking for something as cheap as possible. I don't mind staying in hostels, but even hostels during this time of the year is expensive in that area.

We're just gonna be checking Banff and Lake Louise out, none of us are photographers or hikers, we just want the experience of being there. I am planning to stay overnight, so it would be at least a 2 day trip for us.

Do you know which routes are the scenic routes?

I just went on a roadtrip with my boyfriend, we drove from Vancouver to Kamloops, stayed with a friend. Then Kamloops to Jasper, to Banff, back to Kamloops then home.


If you pass by Salmon Arm, go to the Barley Station Brewpub right on the highway, I was there for their $16 Prime rib special and OMG it was better than the Keg.

Banff hotels were $200-$300/night in July, if the weather is good most campgrounds would be taken up as well, but it doesn't seem like you guys are the camping types.

I suggest checking out some Japanese cuisine since most of them are pretty authentic. For dining check out this site, it should help: http://www.taximike.com/

Hot springs is a must, other than that Banff is just another resort town, you walk around the strip, take pictures.

I personally liked Jasper a lot better in terms of scenic, it was breathtaking, and we hiked up the Icefields. Once you've seen Jasper National Park, everythign else seems dull. Great if you're into photography.

Here's another site that might help you out: http://www.banff-on-a-budget.com/banff-restaurants.html

Banff is a tourist trap... everything is always expensive lol
For a cheap hotel, I'd say The Driftwood Inn which has everything within walking distance or Arrow Motel but I've never stayed at either so can't give any reviews.. I've always stayed at the RimRock, but it's pricey.

I would say you can't go wrong with either routes.. they are all scenic in their own sense. Option A) Hwy 1... the fastest route, drive along Fraser canyon, Shuswap lake, and Kamloops. Option B) Hwy 3/Hwy 97 (from Hope)... smaller lanes, go through Okanagan valley, Kelowna, but have to get back on Hwy 1 through Revelstoke. Both routes you will end up on Hwy 1 anyways, and go through Golden, Louise, then Banff..

Some suggestions on things to do if you're not hiking... roam the streets of downtown Banff, Banff hot springs, Moraine Lake, sunday brunch at either RimRock or Banff Springs Hotel, and Aurora if you're looking for nightlife. If you want to go shopping, don't.. lol everything is way overpriced.

Hope this helps. :thumbsup: