Seeing the Rocky Mountains is a bucket-list item for many, and after embarking on a Calgary to Vancouver road trip, it is easy for me to see why. While there are many other wonderful ways to see the mountains, such as by train and plane. There is something special about enjoying the journey on the road.
It lets you see each destination up close and you have the flexibility to design your own route. My road trip from Calgary to Vancouver was an experience I will never forget. The way I made sure it was as successful as possible, was by spending hours researching the route, stops and tips. There were some bumps along the way, which is why the next time I return to Alberta and British Columbia, I will follow my own advice!
It is also possible to do the road trip from Vancouver to Calgary. Since the route I took was the opposite, I will focus on this. However, the majority of advice I share will apply for a Vancouver to Calgary road trip too. Starting to plan a trip of this calibre may seem daunting at first, due to the size of Western Canada.
Therefore, I made a list to break down the task into manageable sections. This is a good starting point because if you have rigid guidelines for your trip, you will need to plan around this. Essentially, it is up to you how long your trip lasts. You may you want to create a 10 day road trip or a 2 week road trip. Although, I would not recommend less than a 7-day itinerary unless you are willing to cut down activities considerably.
An important date to be aware of is the Calgary Stampede a rodeo and festival that usually takes place in Calgary in July. Travelling during this event may cause your flight and hotel costs to significantly increase due to increased demand. So, if you are not interested in attending this event, research the upcoming Stampede dates and try to avoid it.
However, if you want to experience this while you are in Calgary, you could easily add it to the beginning or end of your trip. If you are looking for the best weather, you should visit the Rocky Mountains in July and August.
That said, take into consideration that this will be the busiest time of the year for a road trip. You can also travel to Calgary and Vancouver in June to beat the crowds, but you will likely experience some rain.
Visiting Western Canada in September or October is another agreeable time because there will be less tourists than in July and August. However, it will be colder — a lesson that I learnt while on my trip! Make sure you read to the end of this article to find out what clothing I recommend you bring. Is a visit to Moraine Lake or Lake Louise high on your priority list? Perhaps you are a wine lover and want to visit a vineyard in the Okanagan Valley? Then make sure you firm those sites into your road trip itinerary and fill other activities around it.
Read more : What to see on the drive from Banff to Jasper. I use websites such as Expedia and Hotels. I will touch on the hotels I stayed at and explain some other recommendations later in this article. The first time I checked a quote for the rental for my trip it was half the price compared to when I actually booked it a few weeks later.
If you book with Expedia , you can select this as a criterion. If you are looking to spend time at upscale hotels during your road trip, this will limit your options for part of the journey. You could easily spend the first part of your trips in 5-star hotels, such as the Fairmont properties. There are also some lovely hotels at the tail end of your trip in Vancouver. However, as you cross the province of Alberta into British Columbia, your options diminish because the area is very remote.
Therefore, your expectations for hotel quality may have to be lowered in some of these towns. That being said, it all depends on which route you take. When I left Jasper and headed in the direction of Whistler, I stayed the night in a very rural town midway. Therefore, I knew that accommodation would be extremely limited. However, you will have more luck in bigger towns such as Revelstoke, Kamloops or Kelowna.
Staying in these towns will not necessarily lead to the fastest route from Calgary to Vancouver. Unless, of course, these towns are on your to-do list and the route makes sense to your journey. Check out vacation rentals on VRBO. A large part of this holiday will be the driving from point to point. Therefore, you need to take careful consideration into the actual drive.
Think about how many people in your party will drive during the road trip. Also, decide how far you are willing to drive in a day. You need to know this in order to choose your accommodation for the night.
For example, are you willing to cover a lot of ground in a day with over 4 hours of driving? You have a few different options to travel from Calgary to Vancouver on Canadian highways.
The reason I suggest this is that you can get altitude very quickly through the mountain passes and it helps to have a little extra boost to keep your speed up. Or you can rent an RV or a motorhome or a camper van and camp as you make your way from Calgary to Vancouver. There tons of amazing campgrounds along the way and will allow you to make the most of your Calgary to Vancouver road trip.
Outdoorsy has one of the largest selections of RVs and campers to rent. Taking 2 full weeks and slowly meandering your way from Calgary to Vancouver would be the ultimate experience.
This will allow you to spend a couple of nights in each point of interest. You can still see so many things in 10 days or even a week. Looking for Alberta specific road trips?
The nice thing about this wide open road trip itinerary is that you can experience this trip on a variety of budgets. The cheapest way to do this road trip would be to drive in your own vehicle or a rental and tent camp the entire way. As Canadian road trips are a popular summer travel activity, fuel costs seem to be higher in the summer. Websites like Gasbuddy.
Since there are so many awesome things to do as you make your way from Calgary to Vancouver, you can pick and choose your own adventures! While there are a few different route variations to take on your road trip, the most direct is the Trans Canada Highway, which is Highway 1.
And of course, if your starting point is Vancouver, you can follow this exact itinerary in reverse for an equally awesome Vancouver to Calgary road trip!
Whether you fly into Calgary and rent a car or RV, there are some great things to check out in the city. The Calgary Zoo has pandas from China right now! Spend a sunny afternoon walking around the funky neighborhood of Inglewood.
There are tons of cute coffee shops and great local artisan shopping. Try the Kensington and East Village neighborhoods for breweries, urban architecture and artsy vibes. Another beautiful spot for an outdoor stroll is the Eau Claire neighborhood alongside the Bow River.
The Peace Bridge is a beautiful spot for photos and amazing views of the downtown skyline and the river grounds are perfect for a mid-afternoon picnic or walk through the market. This is the site that hosted the Winter Olympics and is now a summer outdoor adventure playground!
Try the summer Bobsleigh ride yes-ride down a track on a real bobsled , get big air on the zipline or try an eight story platform! Downtown Calgary has lots of great restaurants, patios and shops. Stephen Avenue is the pedestrian only street that features free live music in the summer. And for the best rooftop patio in town, check out National on 8th. For a great dinner, walk over to the Last Best and try the smoked bone marrow. Ask the server for the traditional luge shot! Sound weird and messy?
But the sweetness of the bourbon mixed with the salty bone marrow juice will definitely please your taste buds. Take a side road to explore the rolling countryside or stop for a lakeside picnic along the way. Be sure to check Drive BC before passing this rather treacherous pass. Weather and road conditions can change quickly.
Witness the unique formations in the walls of Windy Canyon created by thousands of years of wind erosion, as well as the ancient shorelines of 10,year-old glacial lakes in the grasslands where cattle graze peacefully.
An hour and ten minutes later, Kamloops looms in the distance. Kamloops is a buzzing town with endless opportunities for outdoor adventure in every season. With more than lakes and two major rivers for kayaking, rafting, and fishing, as well as sandstone canyons, and nearby Sun Peaks resort , with its world-class mountain trails for skiing, hiking, and biking. This eclectic, progressive town has an arty vibe with great options for cuisine of all kinds.
About 40 minutes later, you arrive at the tiny town of Chase, on the Shuswap Lake system in the mountainous South Thompson River Valley.
Each room at the Quaaout Lodge has its own patio overlooking Little Shuswap Lake, framed by magnificent mountain ranges. There are hundreds of fish to be seen every year, but did you know the sockeye run works in a four-year cycle? That means every fourth year the river runs red with the struggling bodies of over two million fish.
The open road beckons once more as you edge closer to the border of British Columbia and Alberta. Just kilometres from Chase lies the stunning mountain township of Revelstoke. Famous for its epic ski fields, Revelstoke is every bit as exciting during the warmer months. Think hiking and mountain biking in summer, and skiing, heli-skiing, and snowmobiling in winter. EN - Travel. Grab the car snacks! April 11, , AM. Via Google Maps islandlakelodge embedded via.
Via Google Maps thebeautyanddesign embedded via. Via Google Maps kaleighbruijns embedded via. Time: 12h 34m Highlights: Canmore, Banff, Golden, Revelstoke, Kamloops, Whistler, Squamish If your dream road trip through the west coast includes a couple days hitting up the mountain biking trails and spas in Whistler, this is the one for you. Calgary Travel Travel Canada. Discover Calgary.
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