The Amazing Rockies
Arriving in Calgary fully relaxed after our British Airways flight we travelled to our hotel about 25mins drive from the airport to City Centre. We got through emigration smoothly with their new ETA system. off to bed for our full packed day ahead.
The following day we had a jammed packed itinerary visiting Calgary Zoo, Calgary Tower, Heritage Park and Winsport. First thing that morning, we headed off on our bus in the snow to Calgary Zoo. We enjoyed breakfast in the zoo followed by a lovely tour of the grounds where we saw the polar bears, owls, penguins and lots more animals. This is a most see for families and zoo lovers.
We later headed to Calgary Tower where we viewed the city from a height. They also have restaurant in the tower with a rotation glass. Don't think this is for me but it’s a special treat if anyone likes this experience. Next on our itinerary was a beautiful local restaurant call Rouge. This was a real treat where they grew their own vegetables in their garden and the food was amazing. The Heritage Centre was the next stop which is a large area where you can experience the great history. This is a really nice place in good weather to spend the day with your family.
On route to Banff we stopped in Winsport, a multi-purpose winter facility who hosted the winter Olympic in 1988 where the famous Eddie the Eagle made his big ski jump. They have lots of winter sport facilities and a sports hall of fame.
Our next stop was Banff for 2 nights. First impressions were amazing, I loved this little town that was between the beautiful Rockies. It’s a nice small town but with lots of character with many bars, restaurants and shops. The following day we were treated to a day bus tour to the national parks, the famous Lake Louise and Emerald Lake (which was my favourite) with lots of other scenic stops on route.
The next day was the day I was most looking forward to- boarding the Rocky Mountaineer Train. It was an early start, but we were buzzing. We were picked up bright and early at the reception of our hotel, our bags were taken by Rocky Mountaineer staff and we jumped on the bus to the Banff train station, a 5-minute journey. We were treated to 2 days on their Gold Leaf Service on First Passage to the West and 1 night in Kamloops. All I can say is I was treated like a queen. The comfort of the reclining, heated seats with lots of space around them and you also had blanket if you needed it. The staff were exceptional nothing was too big, they were super helpful and so friendly. The food was first class service and so much choice that you could sit all day and eat!
The scenery was more amazing every time I looked out the window, we went through the famous Rockies on day one and with the snow on top of the mountains it was picturesque. When we arrived in Kamloops, Rocky Mountaineer already had our suitcases transferred to our hotel rooms so all we had to do was hop on the bus and be transferred to our hotel in Kamloops, approx. 5 minutes journey.
On the 2nd morning of the Rocky Mountaineer experience again our bags were transferred to our next hotel in Vancouver, so we were ready for another day of luxury and adventure. We travelled through the forests, lakes and Fraser Valley which with the autumn colours were stunning.
We arrived in Vancouver late evening to our stunning hotel Fairmont Waterfront. This hotel is directly across the road from where the cruise ships dock, so perfect for someone departing on an Alaskan cruise. Definitely luxury and great location overlooking the waterfront in Vancouver.
I think Vancouver has been one of the nicest cities I have been to. Clean, beautiful and lots to do, the people are also lovely and so friendly. We packed in lots again today with a tour of Stanley Park, Gas Town, Yale Town and a food tour of Granville island. Granville island is busy but I really loved it. A must see. One of our stops was to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park a really nice place to spend the day with the family with lots to see and do from Suspension Bridge, Cliffwalk, Treetop adventures and lots more. We finished off our day with a trip on "Fly over Canada". This is a flight simulator from East to West of Canada flying over the famous sights. Definitely recommend it to finish off your trip to Canada.
So, as you can see it was a busy week but one of the best experiences I have ever been on and the nicest countries I have been to. It’s a once in a lifetime trip and Canada I can’t wait to return.
Hope you enjoyed my Blog. Please feel free to ask me any questions.