Canada - Coast to Coast - Niagara Falls To Vancouver and The Rocky Mountaineer
The drive to the lake is littered with wineries that you can go visit and tour if you like. It is a very picture postcard town with plenty of good restaurants to choose from so don’t just go in the first one you see. Walk down the Main St. then back up the other side before you decide where to go for lunch/dinner. Maybe even stroll to the lakeside and have a picnic as many people did.
I can also recommend a stopover in Toronto for a few days as well, having been before, but we were expected over in Vancouver where we had six nights in three different hotels. The first was the Four Seasons.
True to the brand this is a lovely hotel and the pool area was a great chill out zone. I have to say the beds are some of the comfiest I have ever slept in. Good choice at breakfast but pricey if not in your room rate.
J W Marriott Parq Vancouver was hotel two. It only opened in Oct 2017 so it’s shiny and new. We were upgraded to a waterfront view and club room access which we were most impressed with, the staff really could not do anymore for us at all. The hotel incorporates a casino and five restaurants, one of which has a happy hour on food and drink from 9pm ‘til midnight which is exceptional value.
Finally, we moved to the Sheraton Wall Centre and again were upgraded as we are members of their rewards scheme. They gave us a corner room with a balcony which, although small, was a little sun trap come the afternoon and with floor to ceiling windows we had a great panoramic view of mountains.
Most people who visit Vancouver do so as part of a cruise or land tour package. It is a very busy port for sailings up to Alaska and a starting point for the famous Rocky Mountaineer train journeys. We were there for the latter but first I want to tell you all about what you can see/do in this fabulous city. As with most big cities there is the hop on hop off bus circuits and for here there are two routes: the City Route and the Park Route. Utilising these gives you your bearings as well as allowing you to explore various areas as you see fit.
Canada Place is by the cruise port and is a hub of activity. Here you can admire the ships in dock, stroll along the promenade and maybe try Flyover Canada, an immersive ride that takes you on a journey from coast to coast. Try a horse drawn carriage ride around Stanley Park (pic 2) or maybe get an aerial 360-degree view from Vancouver Tower. However, don’t pay the entrance fee just go up to the restaurant and grab a drink or a bite to eat as you get to see just as much. You can try out a seaplane ride or get on a free shuttle coach that takes you to the Capilano Suspension Bridge then up to Grouse Mountain for a truly fabulous view of the city and mountains beyond.
Every city has a Chinatown but our guided tour from Bob Sung (pic 3) of A Wok Around Chinatown was fantastic, truly an in-depth insight into the history and culture. It starts out in the beautiful Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (pic 4), built only by artisans from China and with only Chinese materials. The tour takes in culinary aspects as well as culture, visiting various food and alternative medicine stores (pic 5), a fascinating tea shop (pic 6) where Daniel Lui taught us how to make and taste tea. This is a must visit as is the whole tour which culminates with a traditional Dim Sum Lunch. Bob also gave us a two-hour tour the following day around Granville island which is another must do whilst in this vibrant city. It’s not just a market place, it’s an entertainment centre as well as having lots of artisan shops to discover not to mention the places to eat and drink. You could spend a full day here and still want to return.
Finally came the day we boarded the famous Rocky Mountaineer. Our trip was called ‘First Passage to the West’ and we were lucky enough to travel in their Gold Leaf carriage from its very own station (pic 7) in Vancouver to Banff in Alberta with a night’s stopover in Kamloops. Interestingly every member of staff from the station lined up and waved you off. The train itself was very comfortable with glass domed windows that allow you to view the splendour of the Canadian Rockies without straining (pic 8). The staff were exceptional not just in their service, but they were constantly on the lookout for wildlife and yes, we did see a bear briefly, but you need to have your cameras ready constantly if you are to get that shot. The food was remarkable and served in the carriage below over two sittings. In the seat pocket was a kind of newspaper called the Mile Post which details some of the historic points along the route as well as letting you know where the good photo opportunities are, so you are well prepared although the train does slow down usually at these points.
From the moment you check in you do not touch your luggage as it travels separately and just appears in your rooms in both Kamloops and your final destination, which for us was Banff where we stayed at the Moose Suites. This is a very central hotel with a great feature – two large Jacuzzi pools and a sauna on the roof (pic 9) which I am sure after a hard day skiing you would just love. Not being ski season we just did the touristy stuff and had a good walk around the town. There are hiking trails, you can go canoeing or take the free shuttle bus up to the Banff Gondola and ride up to Sulphur Mountain and view six stunning mountain ranges which is breath-taking. I am left with a lot of memories from this trip and do not have the space to go into more detail. However, if you want more details about anything I have mentioned just drop me a line and I will be in touch.
Thanks for reading my Canadian blog. Roll on my next adventure: a Mediterranean cruise.
P.s. we did spot a moose and a bear (pic 10)