Oh Canada

 A few years ago we decided to do a family trip to Canada in June. We actually drove up through Oregon and Washington and into British Columbia and began with visiting Vancouver. 

In Vancouver, we roamed a huge street fair, visited the sea wall, and tackled a very cool (and kind of scary!) suspension bridge (Capilano Suspension Bridge). Then we flew from Vancouver to Calgary and spent the rest of the time visiting the areas around Banff National Park. Barrett had been as a kid and was in awe of the beautiful mountain scenery. 

We stayed at Airbnb rentals with the kids and even did some cooking there to save on food costs. We rented a car in the Banff area and toured through Banff and Jasper National Parks. The scenery was gorgeous, and we did a few hikes, went to the top of Mount Norquay (elevation 6,998 ft) via chairlift which afforded amazing views, hiked to glaciers in Jasper National Park, and visited Lake Louise and Moraine Lake with a hike at Grassi Lakes actually being my favorite as it was the least crowded and oh so clear and beautiful. Some areas were packed, especially iconic Lake Louise, and that did detract from the experience in my opinion. We also spent a lot of time in the car, which is typically not my favorite.  

During our last few days there we stayed in a small hamlet called Fort Bragg in a modern-log cabin in the woods and visited a local river and a kitschy coffee shop. This was my favorite place we stayed, serene and peaceful. 

The border crossing took a few hours (at the actual border) on top of the drive, and was not great. 

Canadians were friendly, and we found we loved a treat called Canadian Birthday Cookies which are quite delicious and we jokingly say are worth importing! 

All in all, the trip was pretty budget friendly and my mountain-loving husband (I am more of an ocean gal myself) loved it. Canada was not my absolute favorite country we have traveled so I am sure my rating reflects that more. I know there are so many more areas of the country to see and believe me, it is definitely on my list to see more of them, especially Quebec City which is thought to have an entirely European feel.

Ratings: 18/25 for a somewhat mediocre 72%

Natural Beauty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ This area of Canada really delivers natural beauty!

Comfort: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I felt very safe in Canada, and it was easy to navigate and find necessities.

Sights: ⭐⭐ The glaciers, lakes, and mountains were incredibly beautiful but many of them took a long time to get to and some you had to hike to be able to see. For sheer ease and plentitude of various sights, this country, or at least the area of this country, does not get a very high rating from me.

Relaxation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lodging was comfortable, especially in the small hamlet we stayed in. The small area also enhanced relaxation with the small population, natural setting, and cute selection of shops and diners.

Affordability: ⭐⭐⭐ I remember this being a fairly expensive area to visit, much, much like visiting Bend or Sisters in Oregon. I am sure it is due to the high tourist traffic. Vancouver was not as expensive as the area surrounding Banff. Traveling by car did make part of the trip, especially for a family of four, much more affordable.

Would I return: YES. There are other areas of this country that I would like to see but I do not think I would drive it again. The border crossing was slow and inefficient which I remember being very aggravating.

Trip Cost: For 1 week for a family of 4, we spent $3,000-3,500. Not bad, but I will warn you this was not the most pleasant trip with a lot of driving and moderate places to stay with the exception of the log cabin. The kids were younger and we were all pretty worn out.