Planning a Alberta/BC RV trip with kids.

[moondog]

morraine lake--kicking horse pass and yoho national park ---you won't be dissappointed !!

[Mike the Pike]

Yup like Cliff said you have to see the Capilano suspention bridge.

 

Go see the Salmon hatchery just outside Vancouver worth it Stan I enjoyed it.

 

Get up to Whistler Blackomb Mountain 7th heaven.

 

Mount Baker in Washington USA worth the Drive.

 

Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.See the huge trees a must.

 

Wax Museum in Victoria.

 

Kitsalano Beach.

 

Have to eat the Ribs at Dem bones Restaurant In Vancouver.

 

Alberta go to see Hoo Doos and Dinasaur museum.

 

Moraine lake

 

Lake Louise a must see.

 

Stan you need 3 weeks Buddy so much to see.

 

Have a good time

[mikeymikey]

Costco.ca have Garmin Nuvi 350 on sale for only $199 !!!

I would buy this in a heart beat if I didn't already own one.

[John]

What Drew said.........

[Tarzan's Jane]

Wow...great family trip you are planning...I agree with taking 3 weeks. Did the drive many years ago...you must see Banff...majestic and awesome are our Rockies....I would also consider a day at the Edmonton Mall (probably cuz I wanna go there Bring lots of movies (hopefully you have a DVD player in the vehicle)...have the kids look for a purple cow, first kid to spot one gets a $1.00....worked on us haha

Safe trip.

[Victor]

I have never done it a trip like that but as others said it seems that 2 weeks is very short considering all the driving that you'll need to do. My family went to Banff national park last year, they flew over there by plane and rented a car to tour around. Just visiting the national park alone they spent about 7 days. Of course you won't be doing as much/going as deep into the park for the purpose of your trip but it seems that there are still lots of "must-visit" places to cover.

 

I agree with Moosebank, missing a few days of school is nothing for the little ones ... i'd say even grade 9-10 it wouldn't be such a big problem.... especially the first week of school ,it's always slow anyway.

[davew3]

I just got back from Banff last week. I was only there for a couple of hours but while there I called my wife and said, "we have to come back here for a weeks holidays".

If you can, take the extra time.

Your children are young and will need breaks out of the van to stay happy.

 

Have fun.

[wuchikubo]

Costco.ca have Garmin Nuvi 350 on sale for only $199 !!!

I would buy this in a heart beat if I didn't already own one.

 

I'm going to use my MS streets and Maps with my laptop, thus I can access the web at some of the places we stay at to make sure all is okay at work too and possibly post along the way.

 

Wow...great family trip you are planning...I agree with taking 3 weeks. Did the drive many years ago...you must see Banff...majestic and awesome are our Rockies....I would also consider a day at the Edmonton Mall (probably cuz I wanna go there Bring lots of movies (hopefully you have a DVD player in the vehicle)...have the kids look for a purple cow, first kid to spot one gets a $1.00....worked on us haha

Safe trip.

 

My wife and I have been to the West Edmonton Mall, big mall but with too many repetitive stores. My wife went through the entire mall in 3/4 of a day while I was booked in for a 3 day conference. I don't think we'll stop at the mall this time but thanks for the idea. I can hook up my laptop and play DVD movies for them.

 

...

Your children are young and will need breaks out of the van to stay happy.

 

Have fun.

 

That and I think I'll borrow my relative's portable camping potty.

[BillM]

I have a Garmin StreetPilot C330 that I'd be more then happy to lend you for the trip if needed. Updated with the latest 2008 maps..

 

Just let me know.

[ffej]

I made the trip a few years back.

 

You may want to start out by taking the Manitoulin ferry across to hook up with the transcanada. that should be fun for the kids.

 

Spend some time in Lake Superior Provincial park as well.

[keram]

What about Banff and Jasper and everything in between.? Type "Banff" in search. If I remember correctly there are three threads with lots of pictures from my trip last year. see if you like it there

[wuchikubo]

I have a Garmin StreetPilot C330 that I'd be more then happy to lend you for the trip if needed. Updated with the latest 2008 maps..

 

Just let me know.

 

Thanks Bill for the offer, however the last thing I need on my mind is worrying about having it lost or damaged. I'll just stick with my laptop and MS Streets and trips.

 

 

I made the trip a few years back.

 

You may want to start out by taking the Manitoulin ferry across to hook up with the transcanada. that should be fun for the kids.

 

Spend some time in Lake Superior Provincial park as well.

 

Marking another one up for the ferry ride, thanks.

 

What about Banff and Jasper and everything in between.? Type "Banff" in search. If I remember correctly there are three threads with lots of pictures from my trip last year. see if you like it there

 

Thanks Keram,

I did a shorter edmonton via jasper-banff to calgary trip 5 years ago. Banff to Jasper was a beautiful drive I did 5 years ago with my wife and then 3 year son too. If time permits, I'll have it in the plans as well. Missed the Dino park last time, and will have to do it this time around.

[ccmtcanada]

Hey Stan....with all these great ideas, you may want to leave a few weeks early and make it a month...LOL.

 

At any rate, looks like a fantastic trip!!!

[wuchikubo]

BTW anyone know about the regs to fishing BC or the prairie provinces? And how I may be able to obtain a fishing license for those provinces?

[ccmtcanada]

BTW anyone know about the regs to fishing BC or the prairie provinces? And how I may be able to obtain a fishing license for those provinces?

 

Here are the regs for freshwater fishing.

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/regulations/#Synopsis

 

Looks like you can get a freshwater license online....so you can have it in hand before you leave....

http://www.fishing.gov.bc.ca/

[bpsbassman]

I'd pull my kids out of elementary school for 3 weeks for a trip like this with them

 

Totally agree with MB. My son has taken his kids out of school for up to two weeks to Florida every year. They always have the teachers blessing saying they will learn more on their trip than in school......and that's for Florida!! Take it while you can Stan, they don't give those years back.

[suds]

BC has a lot of different fishing licences: Tidal, non-tidal and then species stamps for Chinook, Steelhead, or tidal species in Non-Tidal waters ( i.e. salmon fishing in the Fraser ). So make sure you get the right one and don't buy ones you may not need. The whole package to be 100% covered is over $100 bucks.

 

AB has one licence that you can pick up at Wal-Mart, but you need a WIN ( Wildlife ID number) card as well. You buy them both at the same time and when you get back in Ontario you will get the plastic card lol (it is good for life though). But you are good to fish right away.

 

Expect to pay a non resident premium for fresh water. Tidal is DFO controlled and is the same price for CDN citizens wherever they are.

 

PM me if you want more specific fishy info.

 

suds

[wuchikubo]

from July 23:

Thanks everyone for the input, it looks like we'll put the trip on hold for a year or two so we can plan out a more not-so-rushed trip.

 

 

I guess we'll do an Ontario mini-trip instead. Or a few mini trips.

 

Thanks to everyone again,

Stan

[SlowPoke]

Stan, if you want a shorter trip and all Canadian, take your family to the east coast!

-Brian

[JohnF]

Stan, if you want a shorter trip and all Canadian, take your family to the east coast!

-Brian

 

Great idea. That can be a really nice trip. Lots to see and not an horrifically long drive. Take the boat to Newfoundland and drive the causeway to PEI. Drive through the Gaspe. See the tides on the Bay of Fundy. Do some shore fishing and jigging. My wife's family did it for a number of summers when the kids were little, before the days of minivans. My wife still has great memories.

 

JF

[MrMike]

Wow, not a big fan of well we will do it in a couple of years, kids are young for only so long and they remember the disappointments forever, esepcialy when you already said you havent taken a vaction with your family for years already maybe you should get a copy of Cats Stevens CATS IN THE CRADLE

[JohnF]

Wow, not a big fan of well we will do it in a couple of years, kids are young for only so long and they remember the disappointments forever, esepcialy when you already said you havent taken a vaction with your family for years already maybe you should get a copy of Cats Stevens CATS IN THE CRADLE

 

My experience was always more along the lines of the kids not really giving a damn, unless it was Disney World, and me being the one who was let down.

 

As for tear jerker songs, I like Harry Chapin's better.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlHdjjHNEC8

 

JF

[wuchikubo]

Stan, if you want a shorter trip and all Canadian, take your family to the east coast!

-Brian

 

I actually mentioned that to the Misses but she doesn't want to do it either as we used to live in Moncton, NB and did some trips about 9 years ago. So I'm thinking of a Northern Ontario trip for a week or so at the moment. Especially after seeing what Moosebunk posted :woot:

 

Also on the agenda are:

 

Rock hound event in Bancroft on Sunday Aug 3rd.

 

2 night stay at either Fallsview Waterpark or Great Wolf lodge in Niagara Falls. Coupled with Marineland and African Lion Safari.

Edited July 23, 2008 by HearingFish

[Dozer]

Done it, lots of fun! Ontario is awesome, Manitoba and Sask. are boring. Calgary is nice because the mountains start.

 

In BC - Sturgeon fish the Fraser, see the Columbia glacier, Hells gate I tihnk its called?... theres many more but I forgot...

[wuchikubo]

New trip planned!!! And confirmed dates too!