Driving between the Pacific Coast and the Rockies
旅遊行程
There are a number of different options when driving between the British Columbia coast and the Canadian Rockies (or the reverse). Which one you take will depend on how much time you have and what you like to do. There are three routes that head directly for the Rockies, and then a number of deviations from the main routes are possible, allowing you to customize the route to your personal schedule and interests. Keep in mind that if you add in the suggested sightseeing stops, you are adding overnight stops to the journey. Do not expect to travel from Vancouver to Banff in one day and actually have time to do more than wolf down some fast food and fill the tank with gas. The primary choices to get to the Rockies from Vancouver, from shortest to longest, are:
How to choose?
This region has a lot to offer, and most vacationers simply do not have time to see everything, meaning some difficult choices are ahead. You need to do some reading and research, set some clear and firm priorities about what you are going to see, and then build your route around your available time and your top priority destinations. Some top planning mistakes are:
trying to do this as a loop from Vancouver without enough time. Switching to a start or finish from Calgary often makes more sense. trying to plan this trip much much too late. For the Canadian Rockies, you want to be booking your accommodation between September and the end of the year, with all bookings confirmed no later than the end of February to ensure maximum flexibility with dates and best options for value accommodations. People who try to put this trip together in April or May for the same calendar year find they can't get the dates, locations and prices they need to have a good trip. assuming that camping is somehow going to improve flexibility or cost. It does neither. Camp because you want to camp, but know that you have to book your campgrounds just as early as you have to book your hotels.
Why drive the Icefields Parkway twice?
People are generally pretty torn about how to organize their route, and the idea of driving the same piece of road twice is something that often puts people off. It is worth seriously considering that you drive the route to Jasper and back along the Icefields Parkway in both directions. Here's the reasons for it:
It is one of the most scenic, spectacular drives anywhere in the world. Like a really good movie, you need to see it twice. There are lots of stops on the Parkway and its quite a long way. You most likely will run out of time and energy before you get through all the features and attractions on the Parkway. You'll need a second day on the Parkway to finish it off. The views are different southbound. If you don't drive it in both directions, you've only seen half of it! What if you plan this magnificent, expensive holiday and you allow one day - only a single day - on what is arguably the highlight of the entire trip... and it's raining. Low clouds, rain... you see nothing. Those magnificent mountain peaks are hidden. You have to come back another time and try again! Or you can put some insurance in your plan and make sure to allow a second day on the Parkway after 2-3 days in Jasper. It's worth planning your route to come at the Rockies via Banff, head up to Jasper and back down again, and then continue with your itinerary from there.
Final considerations
The usual recommendation for a reasonably paced trip is something like:
2-4 days Vancouver 2-5 days crossing BC in each direction 5-7 days in the Canadian Rockies split between Banff and Jasper If you want to tack on time on Vancouver Island, then you should allow 5-10 days. Anything less than that and you should just pop over to Victoria for a couple of nights, no more. Jasper fills first, so it is recommended you book your Jasper accommodations, then get your Banff accommodations on dates on either side of Jasper. There are no reasonable alternatives to staying in Jasper. Hinton is the act of a desperate person and not recommended. Banff, Lake Louise and Canmore are fairly interchangeable as a base for Banff, and it's worth considering the tiny village of Field as well. It's possible to get to an afternoon flight out of Calgary if you leave Banff that morning.
本指南改寫自 Wikivoyage （CC BY-SA）