24-day vacation in the Canadian West
6 nights in Vancouver 4 nights in hot springs resorts. (Ainsworth Hot Springs, Fairmont Hot Springs, Canyon Hot Springs) 5 nights in the Canadian Rockies (Banff and Jasper in Alberta, Golden in British Columbia) 5 nights in the cities and prairie of Alberta (Calgary, Drumheller, Edmonton) 3 nights in other towns of British Columbia (Penticton, Kamloops, Victoria) Visits to five hot springs (Ainsworth, Fairmont, Canyon, and Radium in BC; Miette in Alberta)
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Day |
Day
of week |
date |
Activities for the day. |
Sleeping
arrangements. |
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Day 1 |
Tuesday |
July 14 |
Fly to Vancouver |
Vancouver. |
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Day 2 |
Wednesday |
July 15 |
Vancouver |
Vancouver. |
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Day 3 |
Thursday |
July 16 |
Vancouver |
Vancouver. |
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Day 4 |
Friday |
July 17 |
Drive to Penticon, BC (about 4.5 hours, 420
km) with a stop in Manning
Provincial Park for a nature hike about half-way there. If the weather is
hot, stop for some wading or swimming at Bromley
Rock or Stemwinder Park on the Similkameen River. |
Penticton |
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Day 5 |
Saturday |
July 18 |
Drive to Ainsworth Hot Springs (about 5
hours, 373 km). Along the way perhaps stop in Osoyoos, Grand Forks, or Castlegar (where the Zuckerberg Island can be
visited). |
Ainsworth Hot Springs |
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Day 6 |
Sunday |
July 19 |
Drive to Fairmont Hot Springs (5 hours, 320
km). Take the Balfour
Ferry across Kootenay Lake. Stop at the Glass
House and in Creston, BC
(to visit the Creston
Valley Wildlife Management Area). Also stop in Cranbrook, BC where
the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel
is worth a visit. |
Fairmont Hot Springs |
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Day 7 |
Monday |
July 20 |
This is a day to enjoy the hot springs. |
Fairmont Hot Springs |
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Day 8 |
Tuesday |
July 21 |
Kootenay National Park and Banff National
Park. Begin the morning with a dip in the Radium
Hot Springs Pools in Kootenay
National Park. Then go for a hike.
In the afternoon continue up to Banff. (total driving today, about 2 hours,
175 km). |
Banff |
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Day 9 |
Wednesday |
July 22 |
Day in Banff National
Park. |
Banff |
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Day 10 |
Thursday |
July 23 |
Drive to Calgary. Afternoon at the Calgary
Zoo, Botanical Garden, and Prehistoric Park. (1.5 hours of driving, 130 km) |
Calgary |
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Day 11 |
Friday |
July 24 |
Day in Calgary. See The Chinese
Cultural Center, Fort
Calgary Historic Park, and the Glenbow
Museum. |
Calgary |
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Day 12 |
Saturday |
July 25 |
Another day in Calgary, but in the
afternoon drive out to Drumheller
(2 hours, 140 km). |
Drumheller. |
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Day 13 |
Sunday |
July 26 |
Most of the day near Drumheller, at the Royal Tyrell Museum, then itŐs a 4.5
hour (285 km) drive to Edmonton, perhaps stopping in Stettler or Camrose on the way. |
Edmonton. |
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Day 14 |
Monday |
July 27 |
A day in Edmonton. See Fort Edmonton Park and the Provincial Museum of Alberta. |
Edmonton. |
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Day 15 |
Tuesday |
July 28 |
After a morning in Edmonton, drive to Jasper, Alberta (4 hours,
360 km), with a stop at the Miette
Hot Springs. |
Jasper |
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Day 16 |
Wednesday |
July 29 |
Day in Jasper. |
Jasper |
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Day 17 |
Thursday |
July 30 |
This is the day to drive down the Icefields Parkway. Stop all along the way to take short
hikes. In the afternoon stop in Yoho National
Park to learn about the Burgess Shale.
End up in Golden,
BC for the night. (4 hours of driving, 310 km). |
Golden |
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Day 18 |
Friday |
July 31 |
This is a day for hiking in Glacier National Park
and Mount
Revelstoke National Park, both in British Columbia. (2.5 hours of
driving, 170 km) |
Revelstoke |
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Day 19 |
Saturday |
Aug 1 |
After a morning in Revelstoke, drive 200 km
to Kamloops (2.5 hours). |
Kamloops |
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Day 20 |
Sunday |
Aug 2 |
Drive to Vancouver, BC, taking the scenic
route with stops at Hat
Creek Ranch, Nairn
Falls, and Brandywine
Falls (6.5 hours, 420 km). |
Vancouver |
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Day 21 |
Monday |
Aug 3 |
A day in Vancouver |
Vancouver |
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Day 22 |
Tuesday |
Aug 4 |
A trip to Vancouver Island and a visit to
Victoria, with a stop at Butchart
Gardens and the Royal British
Columbia Museum. |
Victoria |
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Day 23 |
Wednesday |
Aug 5 |
Return to Vancouver |
Vancouver (sixth night) |
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Day 24 |
Thursday |
Aug 6 |
Fly back home. |
Return Home. |
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