Canada - Ideas for a next trip ?

Hello,

I'm new here, I hope I'm not asking too stupid questions.

I just got back from Canada - this is my third trip in a year. So I've discovered Toronto, Niagara, Kingston (ON), Montreal and Quebec (ville).

For my next trip, I would like to go west: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC... It doesn't matter, I just want to discover this wonderful country more deeply.

I just don't have a car (I know this is an issue), I can only get around by plane and train. Also, I would like to avoid big cities, I feel like they all look the same now (whether in Europe or North America). I much prefer medium or small-sized cities, I feel like I can better immerse myself in Canadian culture.

Do you have any suggestions for this next trip that could take place next spring ? I've heard of Jasper or Edmonton, in Alberta? Saskatoon?

All suggestions and advices are most welcomed.

Thank you very much !

I've visited Edmonton, Jasper, Banff.

Don't have a car, or don't drive? We hired a car; I don't know how you would get around the national parks without one.

Edmonton was just a city, though we stopped in at it's renowned mall briefly and enjoyed the galleon and dolphins. We routed through Edmonton because of cheaper flights, pure and simple.

Jasper was our favourite, a great base for hiking the surrounding area. Sadly a lot of it was destroyed in a forest fire a couple of months ago, so I don't know how the recovery will go and how much tourism infrastructure was hit.

We enjoyed the icefields parkway and the Athabasca Glacier.

Lake Louise was full, it was like the car park for Disneyland; we went off to find a quieter hike then went back very early the next morning to Lake Louise to do the Lake Agnes / Big Beehive walk, which was brilliant, but the return was busy once the world woke up.

Banff is the main hub for the Canadian Rockies but it was a bit brash and commercial for us, we preferred Jasper as a base.

We did the Canadian Rockies in September, and luckily this was just after forest fire smoke season and before the first snows. I don't know how things go in spring; I'd try to check out when the snows clear and things open, and when it gets busy during the summer.

[ Edit: Edited on 21 Sep 2024, 11:00 GMT by AndyF ]

Travelling between Alberta and British Columbia (or vice versa) is interesting. It's harder without a car, but Banff, Kelowna in between Calgary and Vancouver would be interesting.

Definitely visit the Rockie Mountains. They are quite spectacular and something to see. You can hike and you can also take the train between Banff and Jaspar. Lake Louise is very touristy but it's still very beautiful and there is also Morraine Lake. You can also hike on the Athabasca Glaciers with a tour group. I have not been to Manitoba or Saskatchewan so am unable to help there.

Good Evening and thank you very much AndyF, GregW and traveller for your detailed answers ! I hope you won't mind if I make a collective response.

I understood from your answers that it is very difficult to travel into "deep" Canada without a car - which, after 3 trips in Canada, I know now.

As I don't drive in France, I can not see myself driving in a foreign country. So for the moment, I would prefer to reach destinations that would allow me to travel between cities by train / plane. Traveller gave me some hope speaking about train connections between Banff and Jasper and also mentionning some tour group for special hiking trails.

Greg, you mentionned Calgary and Vancouver - how long would you suggest to stay in each of those large cities ? Is it worth visiting ? No offense there - it is just that after visiting Toronto, Montréal, knowing almost all the largest european cities, I can not see to much differences between thoses cities now (same shops, same shows, same kind of "restaurants"...).

But I know the equation is difficult to resolve - "feel" Canada without without the possibility to get really "deep" (... no car...).

Thank you again GregW, traveller and AndyF for your answers. If you have other ideas, please don't hesitate to share. Now that you know that I want to avoid touristic places and have no car, it would be so easier

Have a good day / evening / night.

Claire.

For the Jasper and Banff parks, the towns themselves are small and serve as bases for exploring their areas. On foot without a car I don't know how you would get to the hikes and viewpoints. Maybe there are buses, I don't know. The towns themselves are not the interesting bit. I'd do some searching of the national park websites to see what access is suggested.

Thank you Andy ! That is exactly what I would like to know, if a city is worth visiting by itself (for some days) or if it is just a "base" for hikes or other touristic attractions.

For example when I was in Kingston, ON, it takes I would say two days to visit the city itself but after some point, you need to find a way to get out so that you can visit other places (fortunately there was a trail - "Rideau Trail" - that I was able to reach on foot as well as other beautiful parks outside the city that I could also reached without any car).

So thank you again and if you have any further recommandations and ideas, please don't hesitate to share !

Claire.

Banff does have bus service - https://roamtransit.com/. You could plan hikes from there. Kelowna has bus service as well (though the BC Transit site is down at the moment) - https://www.kelowna.ca/roads-transportation/public-transit/transit-service.

For visiting the cities of Vancouver and Calgary, if you aren't really interested in seeing the cities, then 2 or 3 days each. Vancouver is pretty varied, and maybe could deserve more time. If you like hiking, you might want to think about doing the Grouse Grind (https://www.grousemountain.com/grousegrind).

All that said, it depends when in spring you are thinking of going. As these are all mountain places, a lot of hiking trails will only be open later in the spring as earlier the snow will still be prevalent.

Quoting GregW

a lot of hiking trails will only be open later in the spring as earlier the snow will still be prevalent.

Excellent info.

When you say later in spring, which month is safely after the snow clears, normally?