Frommer's Banff and the Canadian Rockies Day by Day (Frommer's Day by Day - Pocket)

196 Pages·2010·15.67 MB·English

by  Christie Pashby

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nf SSnn aarriinngg RRiivveerr
25 Self-guided Tours. 32 Maps. One Great Trip. f & 25 Smart Ways to See the Region 40 40

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h 16
At last, a travel guide that tells you how to see e 16
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the best of everything—in the smartest, most a CCaammppggrroouunndd
n
time-efficient way. a MMoooossee PPyyrraammiidd LLaakkee
d LLaakkee PPaattrriicciiaa LLaakkee
ia LLaakkee AAnnnneettttee
• The best of Banff & the Canadian Rockies in three days, n MMoouunntt RRoobbssoonn MMeeddiicciinnee
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I
Banff & the
Canadian Rockies
day day
™
BY
1st Edition
by Christie Pashby
Contents
18 Favorite Moments 1
1 Strategies for Seeing Banff &
the Canadian Rockies 7
Banff & the Canadian Rockies 8
2 The Best Full-Day Tours 11
Banff in Three Days 12
Best in One Week 18
Best in Two Weeks 22
3 The Best Special-Interest Tours 31
Banff for Photographers 32
Banff with Kids 36
Banff in Wintertime 40
Glaciers & Wildlife 44
4 Banff National Park 49
The Town of Banff 50
Lake Minnewanka 56
Bow Valley Parkway 58
Lake Louise 60
The Icefields Parkway 64
Dining in Banff National Park 68
Dining Best Bets 69
Restaurants A to Z 70
Lodging in Banff National Park 76
Lodging Best Bets 77
Lodging A to Z 78
Banff Shopping & Nightlife 84
Shopping & Nightlife Best Bets 85
Shopping, Arts & Nightlife A to Z 86
5 The Canadian Rockies 91
Kananaskis Country 92
Canmore 95
Icefields Parkway (Jasper) 98
Maligne Valley Road 101
Town of Jasper 103
Yoho National Park 106
Golden, British Columbia 110
Kootenay National Park 112
Calgary in One Day 116
Calgary in Two Days 120
Calgary Dining & Lodging 122
Dining & Lodging A to Z 123
Alberta Rockies Dining & Lodging 126
Dining & Lodging A to Z 127
BC Rockies Dining & Lodging 134
Dining & Lodging A to Z 135
6 The Great Outdoors 139
The Best Hiking in Banff 140
Summer Sports 150
Winter Sports 156
The Savvy Traveler 161
Before You Go 162
Getting There 165
Getting Around 166
Fast Facts 167
A Brief History 174
Toll-Free Numbers & Websites 175
Index 177
Published by:
John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
6045 Freemont Blvd.
Mississauga, ON L5R 4J3
Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. All rights reserved. No
part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced or
used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic or mechanical—
without prior written permission of the publisher. Any request for photo-
copying or other reprographic copying of any part of this book shall be
directed in writing to The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access
Copyright). For an Access Copyright license, visit www.accesscopyright.
ca or call toll free, 1-800-893-5777.
Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, and Day by Day are trademarks or regis-
tered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. From-
mer’s is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used
under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or ven-
dor mentioned in this book.
ISBN 978-0-470-73628-9
Editor: Gene Shannon
Production Editor: Pauline Ricablanca
Project Coordinator: Lynsey Stanford
Editorial Assistant: Katie Wolsley
Photo Editor: Photo Affairs, Inc.
Cartographer: Lohnes+Wright
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Manufactured in China
1 2 3 4 5 RRD 14 13 12 11 10
A Note from the Editorial Director
Organizing your time. That’s what this guide is all about.
Other guides give you long lists of things to see and do and then
expect you to fit the pieces together. The Day by Day guides are
different. These guides tell you the best of everything, and then
they show you how to see it in the smartest, most time-efficient
way. Our authors have designed detailed itineraries organized by
time, neighborhood, or special interest. And each tour comes with
a bulleted map that takes you from stop to stop.
Hoping to spot animals in the wild or hike through beautiful alpine
meadows? Planning to stay in an authentic mountain lodge or soak
in an outdoor hot springs? Whatever your interest or schedule, the
Day by Days give you the smartest routes to follow. Not only do
we take you to the top attractions, hotels, and restaurants, but we
also help you access those special moments that locals get to
experience—those “finds” that turn tourists into travelers.
The Day by Days are also your top choice if you’re looking for one
complete guide for all your travel needs. The best hotels and res-
taurants for every budget, the greatest shopping values, the wild-
est nightlife—it’s all here.
Why should you trust our judgment? Because our authors person-
ally visit each place they write about. They’re an independent lot
who say what they think and would never include places they
wouldn’t recommend to their best friends. They’re also open to
suggestions from readers. If you’d like to contact them, please
send your comments our way at [email protected], and
we’ll pass them on.
Enjoy your Day by Day guide—the most helpful travel companion
you can buy. And have the trip of a lifetime.
Warm regards,
Kelly Regan, Editorial Director
Frommer’s Travel Guides
vi
About the Author
Christie Pashby has written for Frommer’s for nearly a decade, contribut-
ing to titles including Frommer’s Argentina, Frommer’s Chile, and Frommer’s
Best Hiking Trips in British Columbia. She divides her time between the
Canadian Rockies and Bariloche, Argentina. A freelance journalist and
translator, she also somehow finds the time to run a small guiding business
with her husband, and cram in two ski seasons a year. Her website is www.
patagonialiving.com.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank my congenial editor Gene Shannon, as well as the staff at
Travel Alberta and the Banff Lake Louise Tourism Bureau.
An Additional Note
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—
and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or
call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans. The authors, edi-
tors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of read-
ers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we
encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings.
Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations
Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked
for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-
rating system. Hotels, restaurants, attractions, shopping, and nightlife are
rated on a scale of zero stars (recommended) to =three stars (exceptional). In
addition to the star-rating system, we also use a icon to point out the
best bets for families. Within each tour, we recommend cafes, bars, or res-
taurants where you can take a break. Each of these sPtops appears in a
shaded box marked with a coffee-cup-shaped bullet .
The following abbreviations are used for credit cards:
AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa
DC Diners Club MC MasterCard
vii
Travel Resources at Frommers.com
Frommer’s travel resources don’t end with this guide. Frommers.com has
travel information on more than 4,000 destinations. We update features
regularly, giving you access to the most current trip-planning information
and the best airfare, lodging, and car-rental bargains. You can also listen to
podcasts, connect with other Frommers.com members through our active-
reader forums, share your travel photos, read blogs from guidebook editors
and fellow travelers, and much more.
A Note on Prices
In the “Take a Break” and “Best Bets” sections of this book, we have used a
system of dollar signs to show a range of costs for 1 night in a hotel (the
price of a double-occupancy room) or the cost of an entree at a restaurant.
Use the following table to decipher the dollar signs:
Cost Hotels Restaurants
$ under $100 under $10
$$ $100–$200 $10–$20
$$$ $200–$300 $20–$30
$$$$ $300–$400 $30–$40
$$$$$ over $400 over $40
How to Contact Us
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels,
restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us
about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in
upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d
love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s Banff & the Canadian Rockies Day by Day, 1st Edition
John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. • 6045 Freemont Blvd. • Mississauga, ON
L5R 4J3