| I just got back to work from a four week vacation, two weeks spent in Alberta
and B.C. I wouldn't say one province's scenery was any better than the other,
just different. Alberta probably has the taller peaks, more glaciers and snow,
but B.C. has more mountain ranges, each one with its own character. The most
interesting vegetation is probably out towards the coast in the rain forests.
One part of our trip that was particularly enjoyable was the two days we spent
in the Okanagan Valley (about halfway across B.C.) touring wineries and tasting
wine. The Okanagan is one of Canada's most famous fruit growing areas and has a
wine industry that is about twenty years old. Some of the estate wineries
(smaller than the commercial ones) are producing some very good wines and the
tours are quite interesting. We could have spent a whole week there. This area
has gorgeous scenery, a good climate and plenty of lakes. It is definitely
tourist country.
My family has visited the mountains several times, and still enjoys the strip
between Banff and Jasper. Some of the most spectacular scenery, especially
glaciers, are found there. We have become a little disenchanted with Lake
Louise though. We've decided its only worth a couple of hours visit. We camped
there this trip, but were much happier with Jasper.
Both Banff and Jasper are larger than Lake Louise and have much more to offer.
All three have horse back riding, but Jasper and Banff have better tram or
gondola rides, hot springs near by, better shopping, more choice of
accommodation and so on. Lake Louise is close enough to Banff for a day trip.
Both Banff and Jasper are in National Parks, but have every kind of imaginable
accommodation. The Alberta travel kit should include a book about
accommodations. (By the way, I found B.C's accommodations book near impossible
to use, unless you knew the highways you were going to be travelling quite
well.)
It's only a couple of hundred kilometers from Banff to Jasper, but don't expect
to drive it in a couple of hours, there is too much to stop and see along the
way. The most popular stop is probably the Athabasca glacier at the Columbia
Icefields. Definitely interesting. Definitiely touristy (very expensive
cafeteria). Lot's of picnic sites along the way though. Plenty of wildlife.
Plenty of view points, most with interesting signs pointing out and explaining
the highlights of geography and vegetation. Another stop we enjoyed was Peyto
Lake at the Bow Summit. Also, if you are not going into B.C., at least take the
turn off towards Field (near Lake Louise) and visit the Spiral Tunnels. Its
only about ten minutes out of the way and is quite interesting. If you are
spending any time in Lake Louise, drive down 1A towards Field and see the
Continental Divide. There is a creek which splits at that point, with half
going to the Atlantic Ocean, and half to the Pacific.
Places nearby in B.C. worth investigating are Radium Hot Springs (less country
clubbish than Fairmont Hot Springs which is nearby), and Fort Steele (further
south, near Cranbrook and Kimberley).
Now, on the other hand, if this is one of those honeymoons where you expect to
be indoors most of the time ;-), maybe Lake Louise is the place to be. Millions
of tourists (about half are Japanese), but one of the most beautiful lakes in
the world.
The advice on what to see and do really depends on what you want to do. I guess
the best advice I could give is to pick a few places to visit, and spend some
time at them. There is too much to do in one visit, so you can either do a
whirlwind tour, like I did this time, just to see what there is to see, or you
can sit in one or two places for a couple of weeks and enjoy more of what they
have to offer. From Banff and Jasper, there are plenty of day trips to keep you
busy.
Have a good trip,
Tom
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