Summer Vacation: Alaska vs Canadian Rockies

[StormHawk42]

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals. My 35th birthday is this summer. Wife and I wanted to do a trip (no kids).

Idea 1: Southern Alaska like Anchorage and Denali. Would likely try to see things by train because it’s just such a massive area. Not really feeling a cruise as I’ve heard Alaskan cruisers are mostly on the older side.

Idea 2: Canadian Rockies. 3 or 4 national parks within short distances of each other, including Banff.

We’re not campers but will do short 2-3 mile hikes; some kayaking. Otherwise, just enjoy the peace and quiet next to a fire pit.

HBOT Thoughts?

 

[The Tradition]

Not Canada. Keep your tourism dollars right here in the USA.

 

[jonesy5960]

I'd recommend British Columbia if you've never been. Gorgeous mountains AND ocean shorelines all in one trip.

 

[Mayland]

Dream trip of mine is Banff in Alberta. That is definitely where I’d go.

 

[IowaMeatMan]

Alaska, rent a car and go see what you want. Been there many times,so much to see.

 

[cfbfan23]

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals. My 35th birthday is this summer. Wife and I wanted to do a trip (no kids).

Idea 1: Southern Alaska like Anchorage and Denali. Would likely try to see things by train because it’s just such a massive area. Not really feeling a cruise as I’ve heard Alaskan cruisers are mostly on the older side.

Idea 2: Canadian Rockies. 3 or 4 national parks within short distances of each other.

We’re not campers but will do short 2-3 mile hikes; some kayaking. Otherwise, just enjoy the peace and quiet next to a fire pit.

HBOT Thoughts?

Both are great choices. I’d choose #1 because it offers more fishing opportunities. I haven’t done it by train, but driving Homer-Anchorage-Denali is very scenic.

 

[Colonoscopy]

Canadian rockies were amazing when I went. Iceberg parkway -- banff to jasper -- was the best mountain drive I've done. The lakes up there are often an amazing shade of turquoise due to mineral composition.

Haven't done Alaska yet. Plan on getting back to Canada this summer.

 

[theiacowtipper]

I spent 18 months at Fort Richardson and I wore that area out. Very scenic and very fun. Having said that Banff is better than anything I saw in Alaska.

 

[Aardvark86]

I’ve not been to Alaska. But Alberta is my favorite place on earth. Unlike the us parks, where the park infrastructure is built as park infrastructure, the Canadian parks have towns that happen to be in parks. So lots to see and do, and the parks are a little wilder.

Enormous variety of hikes. In banff, do the ink pots. In lake Louise, the full tea house hike for a real feel of glacial terrain. And lake moraine is unbelievable. Don’t know how jasper is after the wildfires.

We’ve also been to waterton twice ;(northern half of glacier). They had wildfires a while back and now would be cool to see the regeneration. Good to pair with glacier but probably a little long to pair with bsnff.

 

[Lindemann]

The US dollar is historically strong vs the Canadian dollar. It currently takes only 69¢ US to buy a Canadian dollar.

Canada might be a cheap trip is money matters.