Labor day will certainly be a bit busier on that weekend although in places like Banff you’d probably not notice the difference (it’s always a zoo). It’d be worth booking accommadation in advance for those dates. I actually really like the first few weeks of September. The schools are back (so it’s a bit quieter in general) and it’s often a bit cooler but still stable weather patterns. All the snow has melted from the high trails.

I’ve been sea kayaking off Tofino in mid-september and it was fine. A bit chilly at night but still reasonable.

These photos are mid-September from Tofino.

Personally I’d probably go for the earlier options and just accept it’s going to be busy on the long weekend and so plan accordingly for accommadation etc. You might find though that places won’t take a single night booking for that weekend.

Couple of recommendations for accommadation.

Il Nido near Golden A bit isolated but on the way to Rogers pass. If you ask she’ll cook you a lovely dinner as well.

Valley Retreat Revelstoke The Owner is a mountain biker / skier and will offer loads of advice on what to see / do in the local area. He can also set you up with local guides / shuttles.

stand corrected after looking up their website telegraph cove is now open all year. all the info when i was there suggested otherwise.

I stumbled on a programme about the Freedom Cove floating house guys last night – should whet your appetite if that’s needed. Ben Fogle, Ch5 – guess it’ll be on whatever their iplayer’s called.

More great photo’s and advice, really helps a lot, thanks all 😀

I spent 7 weeks in Alberta and BC a few years ago and support the view that Calgary and Banff are worth a miss if you only have a couple of weeks. Personally I’d rather go for longer, on a tighter budget.
I recommend a book called “Canadian Rockies with kids” by Scott Regehr and Philip Smith which has some great, accessible adventures – climbing, hiking, biking, paddling etc. Its quite pricey at $33 but well worth it. I’d refer to it again even if I was going without kids. ISBN 0-9738947-0-9 . There was a website: http://www.journeyswithkids.com but I haven’t looked at it.
Enjoy Canada, its awesome!

If there’s an option to parachute out of the plane so you don’t have to land in Calgary then go for it. Unless you like big trucks and rodeos….

I think Plumbers list is pretty good.
Personally I love the Icefields Parkway and can’t remember much litter last time I went along it, although it was in March so before all the morons are let out of the city 😉
A highlight for me was being in Drumheller one day (desert) and Athabasca Glacier the next.
Yes, the direct drive from Kamloops to Vancouver sucks ass. Unless you are feeling suicidal, in which case you could stop at Merritt….
If you like being hated, then rent a ‘Canadream’ RV and be the slowest vehicle on the road.
Personally I’d sack off going to the Island, or come over for longer but if you have commitments then I’m sure you’ll have a great time regardless!
As long as you don’t go to Fort St John you can’t go toooo wrong 😉

Most folk in cars wouldn’t notice the litter.

I forgot about saskatchewan junction services those were pretty cool.

If you do go up the park way do not try and eat at the icefields centre. Rip off merchants and purveyors of pish food.

Don’t see why all the hate for Calgary it’s not a bad place. Only city I arrived in by bike and wasn’t nearly wiped out due to their extensive and high quality cycle path network and large green spaces.

Heading there myself next year for honeymoon so reading with interest…

So far the plan is:

Fly to Chicago for a few nights, fly to Calgary and drive straight to Canmore/Banff stay there for 5 days and explore – up the Icefields Parkways to Jasper for another 5 days of exploring – then the long drive to Vancouver to finish off for 3 days.

Just struggling with where to stay around Banff/Canmore/Lake Louise area – people seem to dismiss Banff as touristy but I enjoyed it last time I was there, it’s a good base and nice to come back to in the evening – however, maybe we want something quieter so any ideas?

Ideally we’d have liked to do the route from Banff to Vancouver via Revelstoke and Kelowna but without making it a proper road trip with just a couple of nights in each place I think we’re stuck. So many permutations!

Canmore rather than Banff. If nothing else, it’s outside the national park so you don’t need to buy the permit

Definitely do not stay in the economy section of the Lake Louise Village Inn

Most folk in cars wouldn’t notice the litter.

Re. Icefields Parkway.
Sounds like you rode your bike along it during the height of tourist season? I’ve only ever been along it during the shoulder seasons (Sept/Oct and March) and it’s been half dead….few cars, and presumably there are people are picking up litter which is probably one of the things that the Park passes pay for. The OP is also coming over in shoulder season and driving by the sounds of it. Sure there are a million beautiful spots in AB/BC but for a tourist coming over on a limited time frame, the Icefields Parkway seems like a no-brainer. I’ve lived in Canada for 10 years and I’ve honestly never heard anyone say that they don’t like it before! Calgary on the other hand…..Yeee Haaaaww…. etc….

Watching this with interest – planning my honey moon for next summer at the moment (I say planning – i mean, thinking “I should really plan my honey moon”).

Anyone know the cheapest airport to fly out of / into?

I’ve been to banf before – I can confirm that they have a lovely but expensive hosptial…

Don’t see why all the hate for Calgary it’s not a bad place.

Ah but you (Trailrat) and I are both oil field trash and so according to dogma from everyone in BC should feel perfectly at home…..

I’m going to pipe up and say I don’t like Icefields. Especially the Northern half (the endless ridge or similar) as it just goes on and on (which is perhaps the point). The first part heading North is okay but touristy. If people are limited in time then the views / mountains are almost as spectacular on Highway 1 etc and you’re not doing an out / back (from Highway 1) or heading North and having to loop around the top. If people have the time to really explore the icefields it can be good but otherwise you’re likely to be stuck behind an RV watching the trees go past…..

Taken on Icefields…..

For balance so was this but after a 4 hour climb.

thinking “I should really plan my honey moon”

Have you asked yet? 🙂

Air Transat seemed reasonable in the broader sense. I believe Icelandic do some cheap flights via Reykjavik.

Canmore rather than Banff. If nothing else, it’s outside the national park so you don’t need to buy the permit

If you’re driving to / from the National park everyday you’ll need a permit anyway.

people seem to dismiss Banff as touristy but I enjoyed it last time I was there, it’s a good base and nice to come back to in the evening

Banff is busy with all that entails. Hard to find parking, crowded streets but that does mean it has a good choice of restaurants etc.

For a Honeymoon though what about a few of the mountain lodges…

http://www.stormmountainlodge.com/

Emerald lake lodge

https://www.cathedralmountainlodge.com/

http://www.mountengadine.com/ (Okay so this one is a bit out of the way but if hiking is your thing…)

And then if you really want to push the boat out how about helicopter access lodges…

http://assiniboinelodge.com/ Pricy but oh so good from a location perspective…

Mistaya lodge

sweaman2 – you’ve just blown our budget! They look pretty stunning – back to the drawing board, that dress budget is getting slashed!

Sorry. You can actually take the helicopter and then camp in Assiniboine park or stay at the Naiset huts. It’s fantastic scenery if hiking is your thing.. this is one of my favorite photos from the past few years (even if Sweajnr isn’t really appreciating the view).

We stayed at cathedral mountain lodge, nice enough cabins and good restaurant but I found I preferred something in a small town / village tbh and there was a fair bit of road noise surprisingly.

Can add inns of Banff to the list of places not to stay in Banff.

To be fair we booked last minute* and it was the cheapest thing on the menu. Was still 250 bucks for a night. At least they were not too posh /clean to let us keep the bikes in the room.

*Had planned to stay at lake Louise campground for an extra day but bailed on it as it wasn’t very nice.

Banff as a town i found quite nice – which is odd as I did not like Jasper.

Been forwarded to this thread as we are looking at a 3 week break this coming summer

I have found this place

http://grizzlybearranch.ca/wilderness-packages/summer-wilderness-adventures/ which looks ideal for Mrs FD, Jnr FD (8) and myself.

Does anyone know of similar type lodges that offer similar type of packages ie rafting/assisted walking/chilled out etc.

Would love something like this perhaps more coastal.

It’s in the Rockies but http://nipika.com/adventurecamps/ might fit the bill? Not been there in summer but sweamrs has done Nordic camps there in winter and had fun.

With Google you’d probably find a few sea kayak lodges on the island

We have an vague route starting to form.

Fly to Vancouver – Fly to Port Hardy Vancouver Island – Back to Vancouver – Hire car – Whistler –

It is at this point where we can’t decide whether to head towards the Wells Gray Park or head east to the Glacier National Park

Before north to Jasper – then south to Banff area – Calgary

Any tips appreciated.

Pick up hire car at Vancouver airport and drive to either Tsawassen or Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. Ferry from Tsawassen can take you to either Victoria or Nanaimo; Horseshoe Bay ferry just goes to Nanaimo iirc.
You will need the car while on the Island unless you’re staying in Victoria. Grab a bite to eat on the ferry, you’re on it for an hour or so.
Butchart Gardens is worth a visit if you’re in Victoria but tbh I wouldn’t bother if you’ve been to Harlow Carr.

Whale watching trips typically from Tofino (west coast) or Campbell River (east coast)

Can’t help re Whistler to Jasper but I’d recommend going via Kelowna Valley if you can, pick up some local wines direct from the winery (plenty of wineries on the Island too, especially around Duncan; Blue Grouse winery is worth a visit)
If you go via Kamloops you’ll drive through Canada’s only desert. Yes, desert. No, I wasn’t expecting that either.

Lake Louise is very touristy, Moraine Lake less so, but both spectacular. Lake Louise Village Inn has an economy section which looks like Stalag Luft III. Not recommended, really not. The hotel on the lake itself looks nice though.

Banff is nice but again, touristy. Watch out for trains though, they take forever to pass through the town. Very very long and they travel about 3mph so you could be stuck at a level crossing for quite some time.
Canmore is nice, less touristy than Banff and close enough to Calgary to use for a base; Calgary itself isn’t especially nice – or horrible either – typical North American city. Traffic east-west on highway one can be a PITA

Thanks for the info JD.

The Vancouver Island bit is the only bit that’s sorted. Fly in to Vancouver and then out again up to the far north of Vancouver Island. Then 4 days at a lodge in the middle of no where kayaking/walking/fishing/private use of a boat. 🙂

I would rather stay in Canmore or Revelstoke than Banff