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.

 

[StormHawk42]

Shameless bump. Feel like others might want to chime in.

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

I've heard Banff is amazing so I'll vote for it.


My 2 cents: focus on amenities. If you are a non outdoors person wanting to enjoy the outdoors, when it's time to go "home" make sure home is nice and warm and comfy. You will appreciate the time outdoors more when you get a decent coffee/breakfast in the morning and what might be considered decent by bush standards.


If you were a "I camp in 20 degrees" type guy Banff by a mile. I wouldn't touch Anchorage.

 

[peacehawk]

Been to both several times. Both great, but the Canadian Rockies combined with the exchange rate makes Canada the winner.

 

[hawkeyez]

I did the Canadian Rockies in October and it was great. We got lucky with the weather, with highs still in the 60's. We joked often about the exchange rate making stuff like an $8 beer "basically free".

Day 1: Blackhawks vs Oilers in Edmonton
Day 2: BANFF sightseeing and hiking
Day 3: Golf @ Silvertip in Canmore
Day 4: Blackhawks vs Flames in Calgary

 

[goldmom]

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

I’ve never been but my hubby loved BC - his company had an office there.
I’ve also heard the Canadian Railway trip through their Rockies is spectacular.

 

[Rifler]

Canadian Railway trip through their Rockies

^^^THIS^^^

 

[jonesy5960]

I’ve never been but my hubby loved BC - his company had an office there.
I’ve also heard the Canadian Railway trip through their Rockies is spectacular.

I was born in Victoria BC, but the family moved when I was still a toddler. We were just visiting this past Summer. Vancouver is a large beautiful city wedged between the mountains and the Strait of Georgia in the Pacific. It is a beautiful 1 hour and 45 minute drive from Vancouver up to Whistler which is the largest ski resort in North America.

Victoria is the provincial capitital and a gorgeous city located on Vancouver Island which is basically just mountains, rivers and Ocean. Has a distinctive British feel to it and from a visit perspective has the best of urban and adventure travel.

 

[Aardvark86]

I've heard Banff is amazing so I'll vote for it.


My 2 cents: focus on amenities. If you are a non outdoors person wanting to enjoy the outdoors, when it's time to go "home" make sure home is nice and warm and comfy. You will appreciate the time outdoors more when you get a decent coffee/breakfast in the morning and what might be considered decent by bush standards.


If you were a "I camp in 20 degrees" type guy Banff by a mile. I wouldn't touch Anchorage.

per my earlier post, that's the thing about banff. it's actually a town, and with a ski resort, so there's lots to see, lots to do, good stuff to eat (the swiss fondue place with the elk), and of course...the Fairmont Springs Banff Hotel, one of the truly great railway hotels.

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

per my earlier post, that's the thing about banff. it's actually a town, and with a ski resort, so there's lots to see, lots to do, good stuff to eat (the swiss fondue place with the elk), and of course...the Fairmont Springs Banff Hotel, one of the truly great railway hotels.

I'm not running the polls.

Somebody else can do that. but we need final nominations for POTY, WPOTY, MPOTY. I'd say they need to be in close of business tomorrow

iowa.forums.rivals.com

"I use a simple scoring system prioritizing Intelligence, ability to communicate rationale, topic diversity, and mammories."

 

[Aardvark86]

I'm not running the polls.

Somebody else can do that. but we need final nominations for POTY, WPOTY, MPOTY. I'd say they need to be in close of business tomorrow

iowa.forums.rivals.com

"I use a simple scoring system prioritizing Intelligence, ability to communicate rationale, topic diversity, and mammories."

so you're saying i need more mammaries in my posts?

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

so you're saying i need more mammaries in my posts?

#lifemotto

 

[ICWestfan]

 

[theiacowtipper]

I've heard Banff is amazing so I'll vote for it.


My 2 cents: focus on amenities. If you are a non outdoors person wanting to enjoy the outdoors, when it's time to go "home" make sure home is nice and warm and comfy. You will appreciate the time outdoors more when you get a decent coffee/breakfast in the morning and what might be considered decent by bush standards.


If you were a "I camp in 20 degrees" type guy Banff by a mile. I wouldn't touch Anchorage.

Anchorage sucks but there’s so much to do within a days drive.