Coming to Canada next year

[JudgeDredd]

I was there, CFB Wainwright, back in 1989 for a couple months and it left a huge mark on me in such a short space of time - I loved the place. We visited Edmonton fairly regularly.

Anyway - next year I'll be 51, the wife will be 50 and it'll be our 25th wedding anniversary and so we've decided - or I've persuaded her - to go to Canada.

It's going to be expensive - and probably once in a lifetime...I can't imagine we'd have the money in the future...and we're having to go in school holidays because the wife works at a mental health education facility. Also - with one kid at home (16 and going to 6th form (college)) and my daughter due to finish uni next July, it seems like it'll be a family event - with my uni daughters boyfriend coming along also.

We're looking to fly drive.

1 night Calgary
3 nights Banff (unfortunately our contracts for Kananaskis are sold out)
2 nights Jasper
1 night Sun Peaks
2 nights Harrison Hot Springs
1 night Victoria
3 nights Vancouver (to give you more time to see this fabulous city)

All in it's about £8k. We'll need spending money as well. Food and drink for 5 (and my uni daughter and her boyfriend can EAT!) and petrol, parking fees at hotels etc.


So - the point of the post. Does anyone come from this neck of the woods? Got any ideas as we're not doing a toured trip. We'll obviously pick up brochures later and get tips on what to do and where to go.

What about costs? How expensive is Canada? I see alot of people mentioning how the Canadian Dollar affects their gaming - what about food? Currency at present is 1GBP picks us up 1CAD.

Thanks.

[bayonetbrant]

That's Windigo, Jack Nastyface, and Silent Disapproval Robot out in those areas.

[Staggerwing]

Isn't Arctic Blast a little north of the Banff area as well?

[Barthheart]

First your conversion rate of GBP to CAD is off or you are getting ripped off. Current posted exchange is 1 GBP = 1.70 CAD.

Food in Canada is not that expensive, but it's not as cheap as the US.
Gas(petrol) is currently about ~$1.00(Alberta) to ~$1.30(BC)/litre =~ $4 to $5/gal.

Are you planning to return to Calgary to fly home or fly home from Vancouver? I ask becasue it's really expensive to do one-way car rentals. And you'll need a fairly large vehicle with 5 people plus luggage.

[JudgeDredd]

Thanks Barth. I didn't complete the conversion value. Google actually returns 1GBP = 1.69CAD - my bad.  O0

Well it's been planned - it's an itinerary from a  travel company and vehicle drop off is in Vancouver.

We might be looking at booking all this ourselves - but that's been a headache at the moment because some hotels are not providing dates that far in advance so it's becoming a slog to do it ourselves. I imagine we may be able to bring it down by £1k or more by doing it ourselves - if we can.

[Con]

Did my honeymoon in banff. We loved the glacier hike (on the glacier not the tour bus). One word of advice pee before you go there are no trees or bushes to go behind up there and it is a constant sound of dripping and running water

Eat once at the post hotel. Their restaurant was fabulous when we were there 11 years ago.

Con

[Arctic Blast]

I'm a couple hours East of Banff and Jasper. Banff is a total tourist town and can get quite expensive, depending on what time of year you're heading out there. Maybe check out Canmore. It's a bit south of Banff and tends to be cheaper.

As for what to check out, that depends on what you like to do. If you're hikers, there's a ton of options in the Jasper and Banff area.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I'm in Vancouver.  Happy to meet up for a pint or two while you're in town and answer any questions you might have about the city.

[Zonso]

oops ...

[Barthheart]

If yer up in the hills anyway try to get over and see Lake Louise. It is an incredible site.

[mirth]

Ah Louise....

[Staggerwing]

Ah Louise....

You swam in her lake?

[Sir Slash]

Sounds more like a religious experience than a recreational one.  :dreamer:

[JudgeDredd]

Thanks very much everyone.

11 days in August next year. Can't wait  O0