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LodiousLodious Frets: 1942
Looking at taking the family to Canada this year. I've never been, and not sure of what would be a good itinerary and if I should fly to Vancouver first and drive (or internal flight) to Toronto or do the east coast first and fly back from Vancouver. 

Any ideas on whats good to see and how to see it? Rockys and Quebec are def. on the list. We have 3 weeks max.
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  • sev112sev112 Frets: 2739
    We flex to Calgary. Drove to Banff for few days, then drove up the ice fields parkway to jasper for a few days. Then drove back via Lake laouise to Calgary.
    then flew to Vancouver,  drove to whistler, then drove to Vancouver Island and Tofino for a few days, Victoria then Vancouver for 3 days.
    that was 2 weeks. 
    Fabukous country :)

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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    Lodious said:
    Looking at taking the family to Canada this year. I've never been, and not sure of what would be a good itinerary and if I should fly to Vancouver first and drive (or internal flight) to Toronto or do the east coast first and fly back from Vancouver. 

    Any ideas on whats good to see and how to see it? Rockys and Quebec are def. on the list. We have 3 weeks max.
    What time of year?

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  • Flying into Vancouver is stunning! 

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71957
    edited January 2019
    We did something like that twenty years ago. Flew to Toronto, spent a few days there and at Niagara, then took The Canadian train to Jasper, stayed there for a couple of days and went to Banff and the Columbia icefields, then back on the train to Prince Rupert (north of Vancouver Island), boat to Port Hardy on the island, bus to Victoria, a couple more days there, ferry to Vancouver, another few days there, flew back to Toronto and then home - so didn't go to Quebec. Three weeks in all, and an absolutely amazing holiday - but just two of us. It might get expensive and tiring with kids.

    We had also travelled light with the intention of buying clothes there, because they're much cheaper in North America than here - but somehow forgot to in Toronto. I still have the Canadian jacket I bought in a ski shop directly opposite the station in Jasper, having got off the air-conditioned train before realising that Jasper at the start of October is about 3000 ft higher and 30 degrees colder than Toronto .

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

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  • mrkbmrkb Frets: 6637
    sev112 said:
    We flex to Calgary. Drove to Banff for few days, then drove up the ice fields parkway to jasper for a few days. Then drove back via Lake laouise to Calgary.
    then flew to Vancouver,  drove to whistler, then drove to Vancouver Island and Tofino for a few days, Victoria then Vancouver for 3 days.
    that was 2 weeks. 
    Fabukous country :)

    We did very similar and loved it. We went in late Sept, and there was snow in the rockies that limited the scenery. OP When are you thinking of going?
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  • LodiousLodious Frets: 1942
    edited January 2019
    We are going end Jul / Mid August. The train sounds awesome, but I think it's too expensive for the 5 of us :-(
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  • strtdvstrtdv Frets: 2356
    We went to Canada last summer. Flew out to Vancouver, saw the sights for a couple of days and then spent the next 10 days driving over the Rockies (Whistler, Kamloops, Jasper and, Banff). We flew back from Calgary.

    Jasper was the highlight as far as I'm concerned. Lake Louise is overrated, Peyto Lake and Maligne Lake are both nicer.
    Vancouver is a nice city but you don't need to venture far to see some real social problems (heroin in particular). We always felt perfectly safe though.

    If you hire a car get a big SUV, it makes sense over there. Get your own insurance organised in advance though rather than getting it through the hire place

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  • SamgbSamgb Frets: 774
    We moved from Liverpool to BC about 3 and a half years ago. Best thing we ever did.

    I would start east coast if you plan on going there. Its a long 10 hour flight out here and that eats into your trip you may as well break it up. Before i lived here and we used to just come to visit the in-laws and the rest of my wife's family we once took a 3 week trip which consisted of Toronto, Niagara Falls, Quebec City and then Vancouver. That is totally do-able. 

    I would absolutely recommend Quebec City. The old town is a lovely visit for a few days. Toronto is a big city, exciting, plenty to see. Vancouver is also a terrific visit and very beautiful for the mountain backdrop. Worth also considering Whistler or a trip to Vancouver Island or the Okanagan if you want to explore more of BC.

    As someone says above bear in mind that Toronto and Quebec will be, not to put to fine a point on it, cold as fuck in winter. In summer, Toronto will be extremely hot and humid.
    Vancouver and the Lower Mainland of BC will most also be extremely hot in summer (where i live in the Fraser Valley it regularly gets up to 40C in July, August.) The benefit of the West Coast of BC in winter is that it is usually wet but mild. It is currently 8C outside and the odd shower and unless you go up into the mountains we havent had any snow or ice this year.
    One positive about Canada is that unlike Britain they dont shit themselves and call off all the trains, buses and flights every time you get two flakes of snow! They plow, they salt, you buy snow tires and everything goes on as normal!

    Anyway, whatever you choose to do i'm sure you'll have a great time    
          
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  • strtdv said:
    We went to Canada last summer. Flew out to Vancouver, saw the sights for a couple of days and then spent the next 10 days driving over the Rockies (Whistler, Kamloops, Jasper and, Banff). We flew back from Calgary.

    Jasper was the highlight as far as I'm concerned. Lake Louise is overrated, Peyto Lake and Maligne Lake are both nicer.
    Vancouver is a nice city but you don't need to venture far to see some real social problems (heroin in particular). We always felt perfectly safe though.

    If you hire a car get a big SUV, it makes sense over there. Get your own insurance organised in advance though rather than getting it through the hire place

    We did something similar to this, although we did take the ferry to Victoria and do some Orca watching whilst in Vancouver.
    You can go white water rafting in Jasper also and strangely like @ICBM i also bought a warmer coat in Jasper which I still have many years later.
    Anyway it's a lovely place with very friendly and polite people and I'm sure you will enjoy yourself wherever you go.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71957
    BigLicks67 said:

    strangely like @ICBM i also bought a warmer coat in Jasper which I still have many years later.
    From the Totem Ski Shop? That would be a very strange coincidence! Mine still has the little label the shop sewed on, although it’s a bit frayed now - the coat itself is in great shape despite being worn a lot, Canadians really know how to do winter clothing :).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBM said:
    BigLicks67 said:

    strangely like @ICBM i also bought a warmer coat in Jasper which I still have many years later.
    From the Totem Ski Shop? That would be a very strange coincidence! Mine still has the little label the shop sewed on, although it’s a bit frayed now - the coat itself is in great shape despite being worn a lot, Canadians really know how to do winter clothing :).
    Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name of the shop, it was on the main street though. Mine is in great shape also.
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    Take a look at these previous posts and comments (mainly for British Columbia & Alberta) and you'll love it out there 

    http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/82567/

    http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/104946/

    All the best


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  • boogiemanboogieman Frets: 12314
    edited January 2019
    We spent a few days in Vancouver in May 2017, we took a cruise up to Alaska from there. Vancouver is a lovely city. Go to Stanley Park, it’s a massive forested park on a peninsula at one end of town and there’s lots to do there. Great views from the top. You can hire bikes or tandems to get around.

    Granville Island is good too, it’s a boho area full of art shops and restaurants, easy to get to via the water bus service (which is a great way of getting round the city) 

    Seattle is just down the coast from Vancouver too. Jimi’s grave and museum. Just sayin’  ;)
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    boogieman said:
    We spent a few days in Vancouver in May 2017, we took a cruise up to Alaska from there. Vancouver is a lovely city. Go to Stanley Park, it’s a massive park on a peninsula at one end of town and there’s lots to do there. You can hire bikes or tandems to get around. Granville Island is good too, it’s a boho area full of art shops and restaurants, easy to get to via the water bus service (which is a great way of getting round the city) 
    @boogieman ; - your previous comments from a similar subject are in the links I included :)
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  • boogiemanboogieman Frets: 12314
    Kebabkid said:
    boogieman said:
    We spent a few days in Vancouver in May 2017, we took a cruise up to Alaska from there. Vancouver is a lovely city. Go to Stanley Park, it’s a massive park on a peninsula at one end of town and there’s lots to do there. You can hire bikes or tandems to get around. Granville Island is good too, it’s a boho area full of art shops and restaurants, easy to get to via the water bus service (which is a great way of getting round the city) 
    @boogieman ; - your previous comments from a similar subject are in the links I included :)
    D’oh!  =)
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  • HAL9000HAL9000 Frets: 9551
    Interested in this as we're currently planning going to Canada in July/August (having never been there before). Early days but currently our plan is to fly into Calgary, then drive Banff, Jasper, Wells Grey, etc and end up in Vancouver. Everything we've read so far has photos of stunning scenery. Can't wait.
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  • I was in Sault Ste. Marie on the shores of Lake Superior, Ontario via Toronto a few years back, utterly stunning so if the rest of Canadiania is similar you could pretty much stick a pin in the map and not go far wrong.


    Temperatures there in late August were high 20's every day, and that's in a town where it's in the -20's all winter!

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  • Lovely country, personally I didn't need too long in Toronto as it hasn't got a much rich culture/heritage as somewhere like London or NY. It was really nice but you could probably do everything you wanted to in a couple of days. We did this as we flew into YYZ but spent the rest of the holiday a few hours north in the more rural areas exploring the lakes etc.
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16253
    If you go can you say hello to my uncle Cliff and aunt Brenda please? 
    I can't remember the exact address but he's a retired Methodist minister with a black country accent so I'm sure you'll find them easy enough from that description. 
    Ta. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    edited February 2019
    I stumbled across the Greek community whilst in Vancouver and was temporarily adopted for a couple of hours and showered with freebies, mainly food!
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