Hi all!
This is my first post on Fodor's
My husband, 19 year old stepson and 8 year old daughter want to travel to the Banff area next August for 6-8 days. We are planning to fly into Calgary,but after that, I am stuck! Every picture I look at looks gorgeous and every activity sounds cool. So I need some help.
-Hiking--we are all in pretty good shape, but would like a variety of hiking possibilities. Probably, my daughter and I would go off on an easy or moderate one and my hubs and stepson would head off for something super challenging.
--Whitewater Rafting--would really like to take a trip that we can all do
--Hotels--can't afford the most spendy, but don't want to stay in a hostel either. Would really love something kid friendly and with a bedroom/loft or some such situation that would allow us to have some privacy and space. In other words, I'd prefer that all of us aren't sleeping in one hotel room. No camping ![]()
--Pace--the hubs doesn't like to move too terribly quickly or often, so I'm thinking 3 days in one place and 3 days in another, or something like that.
Suggestions??
Banff/Jasper/Yoho--where to start??
Recent Activity
View all Canada activity »
- 1 Canadian Rodeo in early to mid July --- somewhere near Montreal or Ontario?
- 2 Nova Scotia in 10 days - Roundtrip from Bangor, ME
- 3 Montreal-NB-PEI by car for a 7 day trip
- 4 First time trip to Montreal for senior couple (late sixties)
- 5 Huge British Columbia roadtrip
- 6 Reservations needed for BC ferries between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay?
- 7 Calgary - Things to Do
- 8 Transportation from Toronto to Niagara Falls
- 9 Need help, can't decide
- 10 Accommodation in Kelowna area
- 11 Canadian SIM card options (in Nova Scotia)?
- 12 NIAGARA FALLS TO RAPID CITY MOST SCENIC ROUTE PLEASE
- 13 Two weeks in Quebec with kids.
- 14 Preclearing US customs in Canada
- 15 Vancouver + Vancouver Island August Trip
- 16 Hike/Trail recommendations in Banff?
- 17 Parksville Or Nanaimo
- 18 Info about Visiting Yoho's Lake O'Hara, please!
- 19 2 weeks in vancouver with small baby
- 20 How similar are the Tofino area of B.C. and the San Juan Islands of WA state?
- 21 help! quebec city with a toddler.
- 22 Sidney, Pender, Galiano, Saturna - best route?
- 23 Brier Island versus Digby (or Annapolis Royal)
- 24 Road Trip from Montreal to PEI to Cape Breton
- 25 Hotel or B and B in Halifax



Welcome to Fodors! If you do a forums search, you will find all kinds of information.
A couple of thoughts:
- August is going to be a busy time, so rates and availability will reflect that. You might look at Baker Creek Chalets; they are nice cabins situated between Lake Louise and Banff. http://www.bakercreek.com/
- You might stay 3-4 days in that area, and 3 days in Jasper.
- Plan on a day's drive up the Icefields Parkway to get to Jasper. You will stop along the way for pictures and there are some nice easy hikes as well. You might stop and take a ride on the glacier, so that would be a couple of hours stop.
Lodging is expensive in the area but I do think Banff has some suite options. We have also stayed at Baker Creek (in the jacuzzi room for 2) and they may also have a loft or second bedroom option. Use kayak (or other hotel search option) to search for lodging for 4. I know you say you don't want to stay in hostels but I have actually heard that the Lake Louise hostel is very nice as long as you don't stay there during ski season.
For hiking you may want to pick up the Bob Brown book The Canadian Rockies Trail Guide--it is an excellent hiking guide that gives you elevation gain, trailheads, length of trail. At Lake Louise, we like the hike to Lake Agnes Teahouse. You could all do that trail and then those who wanted to hike further, could go over the Beehives and down to the Plain of Six Glaciers--we have done the entire loop.
You may have already read my trip report from our last visit but here is if you missed it. It might help get you started.
http://www.fodors.com/community/canada/canadian-rockies-trip-report.cfm?23