Family adventures in Western Canada
I last visited Western Canada 8 years ago as part of a group tour, so this trip in October was to put one of the world's most beautiful destinations to the Andrews family road trip test! Our kids are great travellers and although this trip was different in nearly every aspect to what our normal family holidays entail (heat, beach, stay in one place!), they savoured every single aspect. Canada was brilliant for them. We found great food, brilliant hotels, indoor swimming pools, hot tubs, lots of (very) fresh air, world class museums and jaw dropping scenery. They had their first snow experience in the Rockies; the silent white stuff turning the fir trees along the Icefields Parkway into an enchanted forest. Needless to say, snowball fights ensued, and a few slips and slides ensured new found respect for this particular form of precipitation.
We began our journey in Vancouver. Our hotel was in the central downtown area, only a few blocks from Canada Place cruise terminal and walkable to restaurants, shops and my favourite local deli. To get us further afield we decided to try the Vancouver Trolley - a great way to get around and learn about the city at the same time. Stops included Stanley Park, the Aquarium and Granville Island, all of which are must-see's when in the city, whether you are travelling with children or not. The markets stalls, fresh food stands, restaurants, bars and buskers at Granville island make for a great afternoon & evening out. We had beautiful clear, sunny, crisp autumn days - perfect for a wonderfully strong Blue Parrot coffee and fresh oatmeal cookie to watch the world go by.
Our final day in Vancouver was grey and drizzly so we took the False Creek ferry up to Science World where we spent hours doing puzzles, water, sound and light experiments, played musical instruments, learned about the human body and challenged each other to save the planet!
Before commencing the leisurely scenic drive up to the village of Whistler, we stopped at Grouse Mountain and Capilano suspension bridge. The treetop experience here had us feeling like we were in a Robin Hood movie with wooden walkways built into the trees and swinging bridges decked out with lanterns and pumpkins. It was Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and the build up to Halloween, on a scale I had never experienced before. There were pumpkins and straw scarecrows, turkey dinners and propped up skeletons galore. Whistler village was also gearing up for the ski season, with fairy lights in the trees and a feint dusting of snow on the ground. Market day was just wonderful - fresh fruit, jams, baked delights, home made candles, buskers and fairy floss for the kids. Wonderful friendly locals and visitors alike, drinking cinnamon lattes and having pumpkin carving contests.
From Whistler, we had our marathon drive of the holiday - all the way through to Jasper. This meant a pre dawn start with very welcome early morning tea and coffee provided by the wonderful Fairmont Chateau Whistler and bikkies and warm milk for the kids. We arrived in Lillooet as the sun peeped over the horizon, had a feast of a breakfast in a family run diner in the tiny hamlet of Cache Creek and arrived into Jasper just before darkness fell.
We booked a cosy 2 bedroom log cabin here, surrounded by acres of pine forest and plenty of friendly squirrels and elk. That night, after a glass of red in front of the fire, we slept like babies!
After morning chores of laundry and finding a decent coffee for mum, we headed off for our Harley Ride through the surrounding mountains. The kids each in a side car, complete with heated vests , bikers leathers, bandannas, goggles and groovy helmets and my husband and I perched on the back as pillion passengers. What a great way to see the beauty of this area; crystal clear streams and ice blue lakes, snow capped mountain tops, colour changing leaves and local wildlife, all with the freshest of fresh air blowing through your hair!
In a more subdued and leisurely afternoon drive to the Athabasca Falls, Maligne Canyon and Maligne lake, there was much excitement as we encountered our first bears. A mum and baby crossing the road directly in front of our car and foraging away in the roadside vegetation whilst our camera clicked on endlessly. Filling up for the big sleep, content and free, as all wildlife should be.
Our next stop was Lake Louise via the magnificent Icefields Parkway; every bend in the road yielding more breath taking scenery - wild rivers and quiet forest paths, majestic mountains and mirrored lakes. The weather was closing in as we arrived at the Colombian Icefields so we decided against going onto Athabasca Glacier and opted for the Glacier Skywalk instead. A very surreal feeling walking across this glass overhang and peering into the endless valley below, all the while, nature reminding you who's boss as we were gently pelted with fresh snow and icy gusts of wind.
We spent three nights at the Chateau Lake Louise for a bit of rest and recuperation. We climbed up to the Chateau lookout, drank copious amounts of delicious hot chocolate and watched Ice Hockey games from the warming surrounds of the Glacier Saloon. One of my lasting impressions of our stays at the Fairmont hotels; was the attention to detail for families. The kids had their own check in desk where they signed the register and received a gift to use during their stay; the children's menus were filled with healthy, fresh options and the humble french fry took a back seat; there were planned children's activities and access to a play room for wet and wild days. We used the pool and hot tub and nearly every hotel and never had to ask for extra towels!
The only thing left to do, before we flew East was head to Banff. We took a leisurely walk around the busy town centre before taking the gondola up Sulphur Mountain for a bird's eye view of the ski fields and Bow Valley below. After having the wind whistling around my years, the hot springs were calling my name, but sadly we had run out of time and headed back to the Chateau to pack and get ready for our drive to Calgary where we would fly east to the second part of our road trip starting in the French city of Quebec.