Canada West Coast road trip

[gw57]

Having recently done the San Francisco to San Diego road trip back in October am energised to venture to Vancouver/Seattle and put together a 8-10 day trip for myself and the wife.

Have not decided whether to take just do the coast road down to SF or take in what Canadian vistas and locations we can enjoy.

My timing is dictated by school holidays (Easter, Summer or October half term) as the wife still works so all our travels are in the expensive window

So would appreciate any recommendations suggestions (places, routes, best time of the year to go) from anyone who may have already undertaken a similar trip

[Jerseylou]

I have done a few of these trips and happy to impart my wisdom on condition that you refer to your wife as “ my wife “ ( yours not mine ) and not “ the wife “ 😬
Challenge accepted ?

[degsy]

We’re just planning/tweaking similar this summer. 15 nights in total, flying in and out of Seattle but 11 of those in Canada, including the Rockies (near Lake Louise).
First leg will be train ride to Bellingham (there’s a very nice looking Curio hotel there), before picking up a car and heading into Canada. Finishing with 5 nights in Vancouver (Residence Inn).
Will revert post trip with some hints & tips.

[qc]

I’m watching this with interest as we have flights booked to Vancouver for 3 weeks in June early July. We may drive to Seattle as part of the trip but definitely want to go to Vancouver Island and Whistler.

My initial thoughts are that hotels in Canada are expensive!

[gw57]

Jerseylou thanks but if my grammar offends you then happy to pass and read what others have to offer

[strickers]

Are you following us around the world QC? We head to Vancouver in Sept, have a couple of nights then head up to Alaska on a cruise. Then driving from Vancouver to Calgary which will take a bout a week, stops in Whistler, Revelstoke, Jasper, Banff and at the Fairmont Lake Louise if the rate drops down from the current £800 a night. From there it’s Toronto, Niagara and Boston before flying home. It allowed us to use a Barclays voucher one-way and to fly back in economy on the shorter flight from Boston. Tips are, use AutoSlash for hire cars prices which are dropping nicely now, Windscribe works great as a plugin for Chrome to give US hire car prices through PriceLine and AutoSlash. If you want to stay at either of the Hilton properties in Whistler then book them as soon as you have an idea, they sell out very quickly. It’s a requirement if you do head over the Rockies that cars have winter or all season tires (sic) but I’ve been informed that any car rented in Canada should be OK. The other reason for Boston at the end was to allow us to do interview on arrival for global entry when we clear US CBP in Toronto.

[RRSport7]

Been looking at Vancouver for some time – last trip got cancelled in 2020!
Can someone advise regarding the US/Canada border crossing – how best to do it and is it possible/advisable to take a Canadian rental car into the US or vice versa?
Thanks.

[1958]

RRSport7 wrote:

Been looking at Vancouver for some time – last trip got cancelled in 2020!
Can someone advise regarding the US/Canada border crossing – how best to do it and is it possible/advisable to take a Canadian rental car into the US or vice versa?
Thanks.

My experience (from 5 year ago) is that you can take a Canada-registered car into USA and return, without any problem. However, the US Border guards were very difficult. The guards took the attitude, “We’re here to stop people crossing, not to facilitate crossing.” All passengers need to get out the car, and all told the crossing took over an hour. The return crossing took less than 5 minutes, with no one leaving the car. If I were to revisit, I would take the train between Vancouver and Seattle.

[qc]

No @strickers in this case you’re following us as we’re going in June😂 – are you going to CPT by any chance😉?

Thar sounds like an epic trip – how long are you away for? Thanks for the tips on car hire.

[strickers]

For some odd reason @qc I’d assumed that was June next year, CPT was last December, it’s great for winter sun.

[RRSport7]

1958 wrote:

RRSport7 wrote:

Been looking at Vancouver for some time – last trip got cancelled in 2020!
Can someone advise regarding the US/Canada border crossing – how best to do it and is it possible/advisable to take a Canadian rental car into the US or vice versa?
Thanks.

My experience (from 5 year ago) is that you can take a Canada-registered car into USA and return, without any problem. However, the US Border guards were very difficult. The guards took the attitude, “We’re here to stop people crossing, not to facilitate crossing.” All passengers need to get out the car, and all told the crossing took over an hour. The return crossing took less than 5 minutes, with no one leaving the car. If I were to revisit, I would take the train between Vancouver and Seattle.

That’s very helpful – thanks!

[aseftel]

1958 wrote:

RRSport7 wrote:

Been looking at Vancouver for some time – last trip got cancelled in 2020!
Can someone advise regarding the US/Canada border crossing – how best to do it and is it possible/advisable to take a Canadian rental car into the US or vice versa?
Thanks.

My experience (from 5 year ago) is that you can take a Canada-registered car into USA and return, without any problem. However, the US Border guards were very difficult. The guards took the attitude, “We’re here to stop people crossing, not to facilitate crossing.” All passengers need to get out the car, and all told the crossing took over an hour. The return crossing took less than 5 minutes, with no one leaving the car. If I were to revisit, I would take the train between Vancouver and Seattle.

I did it a similar while ago (Peace Arch I think). This issue is that the US border is mainly set up for US/Canadians, so you need to queue all the way to the front, only to be sent off to park outside a building to queue up to talk to someone inside (for all the nonstandard passports). There isn’t a separate ‘all passports’ line. It also took about an hour but I don’t really remember the staff being any more ‘difficult’ than I’d expect from US CBP at an airport.

Agree it’s a breeze getting back into Canada.

[ExpatInBerlin]

@strickers very interested to hear your trip report once completed as we are doing pretty much the same route as you in January! Four of us flying into Vancouver and having 3 nights for sightseeing, then onto Whistler for 5 nights and skiing, then Revelstoke for 1 night, Banff for 3 nights and skiing and finishing up in Calgary for 4 nights (close friend live there). We’ve opted for one night in Revelstoke purely to go dog sledding!

@qc FYI in terms of accommodation prices I think my travel group has been fortunate on that front as we’re going in low season after the Christmas holiday period. We are staying in hotels everywhere bar Whistler when an AirBnB worked out far cheaper for 5 of us there purely for skiing in terms of what we wanted for accommodation purposes.

[strickers]

@ExpatinBerlin Will do but I think we are there at very different times of year? I picked up this website which gives a real time idea of the weather, should be useful before you set out each day.

[ExpatInBerlin]

@strickers – ah so you are! And you are probably the wiser for it, we’ll likely be freezing most of the time! If you don’t yet have firm plans betweeen Banff and Calgary we have had recommendations from local friends to stop over at Kananaskis Mountain Lodge (Marriott Autograph Collection) for the spa, it’s about an hour’s drive from Banff and just over an hour onwards to Calgary. Hope you have good fortune with securing a more palatable rate at Fairmont Lake Louise – would love to stay there on a future trip, the views look incredible.

[qc]

Those going to Canada – are you watching Race across the World – the current series is set there?

[ExpatInBerlin]

@qc yes I am! Particularly enjoyed the leg where they finished at the top of the gondola in Banff. The scenery looks absolutely breathtaking. Though I’m sure I speak for all of us here when I say I’m looking forward to a much more leisurely (and planned!) travel experience!

[strickers]

Yes, watching and it’s generally pretty fun. Wouldn’t be for me though, not having everything organised in advance with multiple contingency plans would drive me nuts.

@ExpatinBerlin Thanks for the hotel tip, that looks like a really good alternative.

[qc]

Yes – not for me either though I’m enjoying seeing the scenery!

[qc]

Any advice on an area to visit with wineries.

[StaggerLee]

We did a trip a few years ago and I’ll put together some of our highlight. for you but a quick suggestion. A few people have mentioned the Fairmont Lake Louise. We stayed there for two night as part of a Rock Mountaineer package that we started the holiday with. The views are amazing but the area and hotel are , unsurprisingly, massively busy.

About 10 miles away is Moraine Lake Lodge which is just as beautiful but a lot less busy when we were there – https://morainelake.com/accommodation/

[gw57]

For any of you that have completed a trip over the past few months I would really appreciate your views and suggestions

[AndyGWP]

qc wrote:

Any advice on an area to visit with wineries.

Kelowna

[Sobeboy15]

Currently sitting in the Plaza Premium Lounge if you can call it a lounge. Having spent the last 18 days in Vancouver and the Rockies. Had an amazing time the scenery and vistas are breathtaking.

Vancouver what an amazing city apart from China Town !! We spent 6 days here flew on a seaplane to Vancouver Island and went to Butchart Gardens that was a stunning day with the most amazing weather. Cycled around Stanley Park and then departed the glorious city to Banff on the Rocky Mountineer Gold Leaf which exceeded our expectations.

Three nights in Banff before picking up a car in Calgary and driving through the Rocky Mountains along the Bow Valley parkway to Lake Louise breathtaking but very busy even in October. We then hired EBikes and cycled to Lake Moraine as it was closed to all traffic. Cycling along with bear spray and singing at the top of our voices to scare any bears was magical, but the reward Lake Moraine with only 20 other people was a sight I will never forget.

We then drove the Icefield Parkway to Jasper through glacier fields and mountain passes hoping to see an elusive bear when we only saw chipmunks 🐿️, deer 🦌, squirrels 🐿️, and moose 🫎.

We spent a couple of days in Jasper National park and drove the Maligne Lake Road to Maligne Canyon, Medicine Lake and Maligne Lake still no bears but some bighorn sheep 🐑.

Our next drive took us to Revelstoke which wasn’t anything to get excited about but a really lovely scenic drive.

We then drove to Whistler via the Duffy Lake Road which again was stunning and we were treated to a Canadian Lynx. This drive was quite hairaising but doable in the inclement weather.

Whistler we loved great vibe around the place and cool restaurants.

The drive to the airport today was challenging in the pouring rain ☔️ but we did it.

Driving in Canada has been a breeze lovely wide roads not too much traffic.

A fabulous place to visit and some bucket list items ticked off, some amazing photos and stunning memories.

Just waiting to board BA0084 back to LHR in the new club suites but I don’t understand them serving bread selection with a sandwich as your second meal!

Happy to answer any questions.

[gw57]

degsy wrote:

We’re just planning/tweaking similar this summer. 15 nights in total, flying in and out of Seattle but 11 of those in Canada, including the Rockies (near Lake Louise).
First leg will be train ride to Bellingham (there’s a very nice looking Curio hotel there), before picking up a car and heading into Canada. Finishing with 5 nights in Vancouver (Residence Inn).
Will revert post trip with some hints & tips.

How did your summer trip pan out ?