Canada & NW USA (not by bike)

andy tims

andy tims

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Has anyone been to Canada & NW USA?

The wife and I are planning a big trip next year and would welcome any tips.

Very broadly the itinerary is:-

Canada East - Montreal, Quebec, Fredericton (the Tims family ancestral home as far as we can trace back - It has a little residential road called Tims Court) back to Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls then Toronto & fly across to Calgary.

Canada West - Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver, Vancouver Island

NW USA - Seattle then PCH taking a few days to get down to Sacramento, Yosemite, San Francisco then home.

So far including a few full day stays here & there were upto about 34 days. We'd mentally budgeted for 6 weeks so we're well within that.

We''ll hire a car in Montreal & drop it off at Toronto. We'll then hire another car in Calgary & if possible drop it off in San Francisco before flying home.

We'll go early May, back early June.
 
Book your flights asap. We got great deals by booking nearly 12 months in advance.

To get from Calgary Airport to Banff (or vice versa) check out the Banff Airporter bus service. Cheap and efficient but you’ll need to book.

To drive in the National Parks, you’ll need to buy a permit - although it happens to be free this year.

Traffic in and around Toronto is simply dire!

Montreal in May is likely to be cold.
 
andy tims said:
Has anyone been to Canada & NW USA?

The wife and I are planning a big trip next year and would welcome any tips.

Very broadly the itinerary is:-

Canada East - Montreal, Quebec, Fredericton (the Tims family ancestral home as far as we can trace back - It has a little residential road called Tims Court) back to Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls then Toronto & fly across to Calgary.

Canada West - Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver, Vancouver Island

NW USA - Seattle then PCH taking a few days to get down to Sacramento, Yosemite, San Francisco then home.

So far including a few full day stays here & there were upto about 34 days. We'd mentally budgeted for 6 weeks so we're well within that.

We''ll hire a car in Montreal & drop it off at Toronto. We'll then hire another car in Calgary & if possible drop it off in San Francisco before flying home.

We'll go early May, back early June.
Click to expand...
When in the east Canada visit Ottawa,
 
I'm currently on the last leg of a road trip Vancouver, along the US border turning north to Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Whistler and back to Vancouver.
We've driven as opposed to a bike trip but happy to answer any questions you might have. Plan was to drive up to 4 hours per day on the road to leave time for sightseeing and just enjoying the trip, rather than heads down, big miles, stress, just to say we've "done" Canada.
It's a great place, you'll love it and the current exchange rate isn't bad so making it quite affordable.
 
andy tims said:
Has anyone been to Canada & NW USA?

The wife and I are planning a big trip next year and would welcome any tips.

Very broadly the itinerary is:-

Canada East - Montreal, Quebec, Fredericton (the Tims family ancestral home as far as we can trace back - It has a little residential road called Tims Court) back to Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls then Toronto & fly across to Calgary.

Canada West - Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver, Vancouver Island

NW USA - Seattle then PCH taking a few days to get down to Sacramento, Yosemite, San Francisco then home.

So far including a few full day stays here & there were upto about 34 days. We'd mentally budgeted for 6 weeks so we're well within that.

We''ll hire a car in Montreal & drop it off at Toronto. We'll then hire another car in Calgary & if possible drop it off in San Francisco before flying home.

We'll go early May, back early June.
Click to expand...
Hi did Canada in 23 flew into Vancouver fly drive from there to Banf (lovely) lake Louis absolutely stunning, Ice Field good up to Jasper then Kamloops and back to Vancouver over to the Island circular trip very nice the back to Vancouver for a few days, inside Passage cruise then home, loved it
North America Salt Lake, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone and a whole lot more great trip too in 24
Good luck enjoy
 
Just got back from Nova Scotia last week and Prince Edward Island, both of which are great. Son lives in Ottawa so we have visited Montreal and Quebec City en route - both great and good to try Poutine and Beavertails.

Ottawa also good to visit along with Gatineau Park and some interesting museums.

Sounds like you have a great trip ahead of you!
 
@andy tims
Sounds like a bold adventure!
As a former long-time resident of Vancouver (and 2 years in Calgary) I'd suggest that you are in for a substantial shock if you wish to undertake a 1-way vehicle rental Calgary-Vancouver-San Francisco (US car rental agency not likely to be having a Canadian regustered car on their rental inventory as the ultimate ownownership, insurance, etc. is with the Canadian corporate office).

(I realise that with some deals, you may avoid these complications and wish you luck in that.)

You might consider taking the QuickShuttle service from Vancouver-Seattle (see: https://quickcoach.com/) and then renting your US vehicle from downtown or SeaTac airport...you will likely still have 1-way drop-off fees but these will be more affordable.

In terms of your coastal route south, you could consider dropping your Calgary-originating rental car in Victoria (Vancouver Island) and taking the Blackball ferry service ( https://www.cohoferry.com/schedule-fares ) to Port Angeles in Washington state (an overnight stay may be required, depending on ferry schedule) picking-up a US elrental car there and then taking Highway 101 all the way to San Francisco. (Canon Beach is a recommended overnight, similarly Surfside, if that looks like the end of a day; Crescent City likewise on another day, as you enter Redwoods Highway). Taking this route saves you the inevitable journey from US I5 somewhere south of Seattle, across to the coast.

I just drove from I5 at Grants Pass (Oregon) on US199, to join US101 at Crescent City. In doing this you will miss a great deal of magnificent coast through Washington and northern Oregon.

Try and take some time for at least coffee beside the ocean at Trinidad, northern California.

Hope this is of some help.

Happy planning!
 
Kitsilano said:
@andy tims

As a former long-time resident of Vancouver (and 2 years in Calgary) I'd suggest that you are in for a substantial shock if you wish to undertake a 1-way vehicle rental Calgary-Vancouver-San Francisco (US car rental agency not likely to be having a Canadian regustered car on their rental inventory as the ultimate ownownership, insurance, etc. is with the Canadian corporate office).
Click to expand...
I have a confirmed one-way reservation with National Car Rental - collection in Toronto; return in New York State.
 
Look like a nice trip.
As the man from Kitt's said cross border rentals can be expensive. As can be one way rentals.
Round trip rental's are usually much cheaper with better mileage. Particularly unlimited mileage options. Most of the one way rentals I have used. The mileage charges are the killer. often have a low daily limit which is easy to excede.

Contemplate flying west to Vancouver or Victoria. Rent a Car in Vancouver, Or Victoria. Do a circle up through Banff, Jasper, Apart from probably being cheaper.
The real advantage is getting two different routes through the Interior of BC and the Rockies. Which is the best? They are all good.

The Icefields Parkway is probably the one must see road in Canada. It can be quite busy in Summer. Spectacular.
If starting in Calgary the Ice Field Parkway is a must do. The Yellowhead route to Vancouver from Jasper is the most likely. Its a good route.
Unfortunately. You miss other great routes. Even though I live here I haven't had time to do them all.

The Yellowhead and Highway 16. From Jasper, Not quite as Busy, Hwy 1. Possibly Just as spectacular as the Trans Canada Through Golden and Revelstoke.
There are 3 options from the Yellowhead to Van.
Hwy 97 down though the Okanagan. But HW1 also does Okanagan
Prince George then turn south with options of Fraser Canyon or The Sea to Sky Through Lillooet Pemberton Whistler to Van both Spectacular.
3rd option Hwy 16 to Prince Rupert and ferry to North End Vancouver Island Spectacular Scenery. The Ferry is expensive. possible one of the most scenic in the world. 273 miles of the inside passage. lots of wildlife. North End of Vancouver Island again Spectacular.
3rd A is still on my to do list. Instead of the ferry from Prince Rupert, Take the Bella Coola Port Hardy Ferry, I have heard its good.

Hwy 1 or the Trans Canada. Between Vancouver and Banff is the most famous route. It can be busy and there are side options. Highlights include, Fraser Canyon, Revelstoke through Golden to Banff are all spectacular.
If you are only going to do it once take this road. Hard to choose between Yellow head and and the Trans Canada.
Which is why renting in Vancouver or Calgary and doing a circle is so popular.

The Coquihalla Hwy is shorter, faster than the Fraser Canyon. More or less scenic? Different. High mountain I've had snow in June and July.

If you do a Circle. You can do both. Particularly if this is a once in a lifetime trip. You wont regret it.

The PCH is technically just the California Coast. The 101 starts up in The Olympic Peninsula. The Suggestion to Take the Ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles is a good one still on my to do list. Cape Flattery Neah Bay area very nice. If you watched the Twilight movies( I had a teenage daughter at the time). This area became very popular.
or
If you wanted to organise two seperate rentals there is a fast passenger only (Victoria Clipper) Down Town Victoria to Seattle Ferry again very scenic.

I usually go down through Seattle and then head over to join the 101. Near Gays Harbour. Then South to San Francisco.
Cape Disappointment, Long Beach WA not CA. (Long Beaches everywhere) Are good stops great camping and reasonable motels.
Astoria Bridge over to Oregon Coast. Portland is a Nice city if you choose to go inland.
Any number of places on the Oregon coast. Depot Bay for Whale watching.
Then across into California and the Redwoods ect.
PCH is worth it.
Hard to do both the PCH and the mountains on a one way.
Yosemite is again spectacular.

I did a really nice road trip a couple of years ago. With my wife and daughter. unfortunately not my bike.
Vancouver, Hwy 20 to Leavenworth then Spokane.
Spokane to Butte Montana via Glacier Park May to early for the Road to the Sun.
Butte Montana to Yellowstone. Beginning of May, Most of the Park Still closed. But we Stayed at 2 Nights Yellowstone Winter Lodge. Near Old Faithfull. It Snowed.
We saw lots of Wild life My Daughter and I went out early just after sunrise. Saw a Bison Calf get born a bit to National Geographic for me.
Grizzlies Elk ect .
After a couple of days exploring Yellowstone.
We crossed the Rockies twice to get to Jackson and Grand Teton due to roads still closed.
Really nice. Definitely recommend Jackson.
From there Salt Lake city. It was a ways and we had to stop somewhere. The road down was nice but Saltlake not so much.
Next day long highway miles to
Zion Canyon. Bucket list Place. Busy but amazing. Dint have time to do Bryce or North Rim (id done before)
Navaho Motel Near Grand Canyon.
Next day Drove the South Rim. I've seen it a couple of times. the Grand Canyon is worth seeing.
From there tro LA.
Tour LA Mhee. Its Famous.
PCH to San Francisco it got dar so missed a lot.
San Francisco to Oregon. Again after touring SF missed quite a bit getting to Orgon quite late.
Oregon back to Vancouver.
10 days. Ran out of time.
Last year just did a week going shorter daily distances down to SF and back on the Coast walked on beaches hiked in redwoods ect was probably a better trip.
Yosemite is about a days drive inland from SF. Very very busy.
If you are doing a one way.
Go down the 101 to SF turn inland go through Yosemite, Death Valley to Las Vegas. fly home Grand Canyon, Zion Canyon Bryce Canyon. all within a long day trip from Vegas.

Unfortunately for every thing you see, There is always something else you just cant get to.

What are the best. To many are just to good to pick any one or ten.
 
richardbd said:
If you’re going to do Canada, ride across it. Why stay on one side or the other - and why on earth would you fly across when you could ride?
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Time (it's a long way) + the middle is comparatively flat & dull + the wife doesn't like going pillion.
 
Andy, personally, I'd say you're taking too much on with that lot but I suppose it depends how you go about a trip/holiday. If one day in each of the big cities is sufficient, it'd probably work but if you want to spend a bit more time exploring these cities, I'd cut one of the 4 obvious sections.
 
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