Our first significant travel north by northwest to the Canadian Rockies and beyond didn’t disappoint.
The 2016 theme for my annual trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show: Explore America: 100 Years of National Parks. That show sparked my interest in exploring national parks in the United States and Canadian Rockies.
For most of our vacations, I plan and explore possible vacation sites; this year, the hubster was responsible for finding experiences with natural beauty. So we embarked on a ten-day, nine-night trip to the Canadian Rockies, Vancouver, and Victoria through Holiday Vacations last month.
Hubby is all about someone else planning every intimate detail, from flights to hotels to excursions. I’m also on board with the planning aspects and worked out the details for our trips to Paris, Portugal, and Spain.
When I travel, I seek out museums, exhibitions, and visions of places and spaces. Don’t we want to see these places we read and heard about? This vacation focused on beautiful landscapes with natural beauty.
Calgary
Accommodations: The Westin Hotel
Activities: City tour of clean Calgary and lunch at Sky 360 atop the Calgary Tower,
a visit to Stampede Rodeo Park, Winsport Canada Olympic Park, and Bow River
Banff
Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park, established in 1885. Canada followed the lead of the United States in preserving its glorious scenery and historic sites. Did you know Banff is a resort town and Canada’s most popular tourist destination?
Banff National Park
Accommodations: Rundle Stone Lodge
Activities: Lake Minnewanka, Lunch at the historic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, a gondola ride to the mountaintop (nearly 8,00 feet), Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Columbia Icefields, Athabasca Waterfalls, and dinner at Maple Leaf Inn in Banff.
We’ve all read about the Rocky Mountains’ spectacular scenery on the North American continent, which I’ve not experienced. Nevertheless, the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise, and Peyto Lakes are magnificent wonders. Why? Their turquoise water and the backdrop of snow-capped mountains among the low-hanging clouds that early morning.
Jasper
Accommodations: The Whistlers Inn
Activities: A cancellation of a two-day via rail tour due to visibility issues from the nearby western Canadian fires. We took a four-hour tour bus ride to our next destination.
Where the Wild Things Are? During the long drive, we saw sheep, elk, and a Momma bear along the roadside with her three cubs.
Vancouver
Accommodations: Radisson Blu
Activities: Stanley Park, Lunch at Granville Market, Capilano Suspension Bridge, dinner at Steamworks Brew Pub, another ferry ride, this time to Vancouver Island.
The Butchart Gardens
In 1904, Jennie Butchart’s love of gardening planted rose bushes and sweet pea seeds to elevate her new home’s curbside appearance. Now, over 100 years later, Butchart Gardens is a national historic site of Canada with over 55 – acres of lush gardens. Her husband’s successful cement business allowed Jenny to delight in leafy greens and colorful blooms with Japanese, Sunken, Italian Gardens, Ponds, and Fountains.
I purchased seeds for the Himalayan blue poppy with the origins of the first plantings in the 1920s by Mrs. Butchart. Poppies attract bees, butterflies, and birds. The package says seeds must first germinate. Then grow in your perennial garden. It looks like I have a project for spring 2024.
Ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, British Columbia
Accommodations: Chateau Victoria Hotel in their marvelous suites
Activities: Tour the beautiful historic city, Oak Bay Marina, Afternoon Tea, dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf, and Inner Harbor water taxi ride.
Ferry from Victoria and scenic drive to Washington to Seattle Tacoma airport to travel home
Interestingly, the Canadian Pacific Railway lured wealthy customers to the Canadian Rockies. How? Building grand luxury railway hotels, such as the Banff Springs Hotel, the Chateau Lake Louise, and The Empress in Victoria. All these Canadian Rockies Fairmont hotels are still elegant and luxurious today.
The only negative aspect of the Canadian Rockies trip was the cancellation of the two-day Via Rail ride. The smoke from the western Canadian wildfires caused a visibility issue for the train.
Have you traveled to the Canadian Rockies? How about National parks in the United States? Do share
As always, thank you for stopping by The Age of Grace.
