Are the Canadian Rockies worth a visit? Oh yeah! It was about time we discovered the splendors of Western Canada!

We live in Quebec, and we already had the chance to visit the eastern provinces, but the budget required for a trip to the west had so far discouraged us. With the pandemic, the west has suddenly become more affordable and simpler than the rest of the world.

A trip full of wonderful memories, and breathtaking vistas more than a hundred times, how about this? Follow our 19-day itinerary in the Canadian Rockies with your kids!

You will see below, the first few days are quite busy. We planned more relaxed days at the end of the trip, to rest

Be warned that the road is in many places the attraction itself. The landscapes are breathtaking!

Our RV Road Trip

In the summer of 2020, we were charmed by the RV road trip that we did with Canadream. We really enjoy having all of our stuff with us all the time, including a toilet and shower lol!

We, therefore, booked a second time with them a “Saver 4” (large enough for 2 adults and 2 young children). We never know in advance exactly what model we will have, but we save a good amount of money. And again, we weren’t disappointed: our RV was super clean, the beds comfortable, fully equipped with bedding and kitchenware. Our RV was even “winterized”, or adapted to the colder temperatures of fall/winter (our trip was from September 29th to October 17th).

So you will see in the itinerary below that we slept mainly at campsites, or free safe places. We also bought our annual pass to visit the national parks (with this pass we were able to access all the parks that required an entrance fee).

Day 1: Flight Montréal-Calgary

Our direct flight with Air Canada from Montreal to Calgary, Alberta went perfectly. We love to fly! It was our first flight in a long time: we were so excited lol

We slept that night at the Comfort Inn & Suites Airport North, located near the airport because we landed late at night.

Day 2: RV Pick-up and Calgary

We took possession of our RV in the early afternoon, and it all went like a charm. We decided to take their “Gold Package” insurance plan to have windshield protection. We knew we were going to be driving over 2,100 km, so we might as well not take a chance.

Then we toured Calgary a bit, and noticed that the people are REALLY friendly! People were saying hello to us on the street!

Night: We slept in the parking lot of a Walmart in Calgary, located near Highway 1A, which we were going to take the next day.

Day 3: 3 Sisters Mountain, Lake Minnewanka, Banff Upper Hot Springs

Early in the morning, we went shopping for groceries at Walmart and then left. Please take note that the refrigerator in our RV was large enough to store all the items purchased, and the freezer is large too.

Then we took Highway 1A to get to the 3 Sisters Mountain (about 1 hour 40 minutes drive).

We did a short hike to see the 3 Sister Mountain: a very pretty mountain, and the creek was crystal clear… and freezing! It allowed us to split the driving, stretch our legs, and give us our first glimpse of the landscapes that awaited us.

Then we went for a boat trip on Lake Minnewanka (1h30 drive): magnificent! We loved it! The motorboat we rented cost us 125$CAD for 1 hour, and we had it to ourselves.

Then we went to the Banff Upper Hot Springs where we relaxed for an hour in 40°C (or 104°F) water.

Night: Trailer Court Campsite, with lots of trees, full hook-ups, quiet

Day 4: Banff Gondola and Johnston Canyon

We had pre-booked for the Gondola ride in Banff. The view going up is magnificent, as it is on top of the mountain! There are activities for the kids to do. The walk on the boardwalk is superb. Note that at the top of the mountain, it is 10 ° C colder than at the bottom, and it was very windy. Plan a good 2 hours at the top of the mountain.

Then we drove about 40 minutes to get to Johnston Canyon, which is awesome! The very easy hike, which runs along the canyon and its turquoise river, takes around 2.5 hours round trip to get to the high fall. That’s wonderful!

Banff is a very pretty town with lots of restaurants and shops. It reminded me of the village of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec.

Night: again at Trailer Court Campsite

Day 5: Lake Louise, Moraine, Bow and Abraham

Ah, the famous Lake Louise! Yes, it is really turquoise! Why is the water in lakes and rivers in the Canadian Rockies so often turquoise?

When the meltwater from a glacier begins to flow in the spring, it carries glacial silt or rock meal with it. Rock flour is very light and stays in suspension for a long time in the water of lakes and rivers. The sunlight reflecting off these particles is what gives lakes and rivers their spectacular turquoise blue or green color!

These 4 lakes are gorgeous. Lake Louise is magnificent, very touristy, unfortunately. But most people stay close to the Fairmont Hotel to take their photos. We walked a little further along the lake, and then we were alone.

Moraine Lake is almost more popular than Lake Louise, and it’s also breathtaking. The parking lot was full at 6AM because everyone goes there to see the sunrise which is spectacular. There is a shuttle that can take you to Moraine Lake. You must reserve your place beforehand by phone or on the internet (8$CAD per person, 6 years old and over). The shuttle ride takes 20 minutes.

Bow Lake definitely charmed us! Emma-Kate played on the beach for a long time, it was sweet and peaceful.