Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies For Dummies

Introduction. About This Book. Conventions Used in This Book. Foolish Assumptions. How This Book Is Organized. Part I: Introducing the Canadian Rockies. Part II: Planning Your Trip to the Canadian Rockies. Part III, IV, and V: The Destinations. Part VI: The Part of Tens. Appendix: Quick Concierge. Icons Use in This Book. Where to Go from Here. PART I. INTRODUCING THE CANADIAN ROCKIES. CHAPTER 1. Discovering the Best of the Canadian Rockies. The Best Canadian Rockies Travel Experiences. Best Places to Get Away from It All. Best one-of-a-kind places to stay. Best easy-to-get-to escapes. Best country inns. Best in the backcountry. The Best Dinning Experiences in the Canadian Rockies. Best regional cuisine. Best international flavors. Best for a romantic dinner. Best for wine lovers. The Best Scenic Drives in the Canadian Rockies. The Best Viewpoints in the Canadian Rockies. Chapter 2. Digging Deeper into the Canadian Rockies. History 101: The Main Events. Geology 101: Setting the Scene. Getting to Know the Flora and Fauna. Introducing the life zones. Encountering the animals. Picture Perfect: Painters and Photographers of the Canadian Rockies. Reading Up on the Canadian Rockies. Chapter 3. Deciding Where and When to Go. The Park and Gateway Communities. Calgary. Banff National Park. Canmore. Kananaskis Country. Waterton Lakes National Park. Golden. Yoho National Park. Kootenay National Park. British Columbia Provincial Parks. SchedulingYour Time. Revealing the Secrets of the Seasons. Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter. Hitting the Big Events. January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September. October. November. December. Chapter 4. Following an Itinerary: Four Great Options. Seeing the Canadian Rockies in One Week. Seeing the Canadian Rockies in Two Weeks. Enjoying the Canadian Rockies with Kids. Hitting the Trail in the Canadian Rockies. PART II: PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO THE CANADIAN ROCKIES. Chapter 5. Managing Your Money. Planning Your Budget. Tallying up transportation costs. Estimating lodging costs. Footing the bill for eating out. Keeping track of park fees. Budgeting for attractions. Adding up the fun: activities. Shopping by the loonie. Dancing on the dime: Nightlife. Cutting costs â but Not the fun. Handling Money. Making sense of the â loonieâ. Using ATMs and carrying cash. Charging ahead with credit cards. Paying by debit card. Toting travelerâs checks. Taking Taxes into Account. What to Do If Your Wallet is Stolen. Chapter 6. Getting on the Canadian Rockies. Flying to the Canadian Rockies. Finding out which airline fly there. Getting the best deal on your airfare. Cutting ticket costs by using consolidators. Booking your travel online. Taking Your Car. Arriving by Other Means. Following the Crowd: Escorted and Packaged Tours. Joining an escorted tour. Choosing a package tour. Chapter 7. Getting Around the Canadian Rockies. Getting Around by Car or RV. Getting the best deal on a rental car. Adding up the charges. RVing around the Rockies. Motoring through the mountains. Keeping an eye out for critters. Traveling by Train. Getting Around by Bus. Chapter 8. Booking Your Accommodations. Finding the Place Thatâs Right for You. Bed Down in a B&B. Motoring up to a motel or hotel. Staying at historic and luxury hotels. Choosing a cabin. Discovering backcountry comfort. Pitching a tent (or parking a camper). Finding a bed in a hostel. Hunting for the Best room at the Best Rate. Surfing the Web for Hotel Deals. Reserving the Best room. Chapter 9. Catering to Special Travel Needs or Interests. Bringing Along the Kids. Seeing the Rockies in Senior Style. Traveling without Barriers. Advice for Gay and Lesbian Travelers. Chapter 10. Taking Care of the Remaining Details. Getting Passports and Visas. Applying for a U.S. passport. Applying for other passports. Playing It Safe with Travel and Medical Insurance. Staying Healthy When You Travel. Watching where you walk. Keeping cool (and staying warm). Evading bugs and critters. Packing for the Canadian Rockies. Staying Connected by Cellphone. Accessing the Internet on the Road. Keeping Up with Airline Security Measures. PART III. EXPLORING BANFF AND JASPER NATIONAL PARKS. Chapter 11. Calgary: Gateway to the Rockies. Getting There. Arriving by air. Driving in. Taking the bus. Orienting Yourself in Calgary. Downtown. Near the heart of the city. Getting Information After You Arrive. Getting Around. By Public transit. By Taxi. By car. By bicycle. On foot. Where to Stay. The top hotels. Runner-up hotels. Where to Eat. Exploring Calgary: The Top Attractions. The Calgary Stampede. Stampede parade. Stampede tickets. Suggested Itineraries. Calgary in one day. Calgary in two days. Shopping. Shopping districts. Great stores. Nightlife. Fast Facts: Calgary. Chapter 12. Banff National Park. Planning Ahead. Getting There. Flying in. Driving in. Orienting Yourself in Banff National Park. Figuring out the lay of the land. Finding information. Paying fees. Getting Around Banff national Park. Enjoying the Park. Exploring the top attractions. Taking a hike. Venturing into the backcountry. Staying active. Letting it snow. Where to Stay. Luxury in the wilderness. Campground. Where to Eat. Fast Facts: Banff National Park. Chapter 13. The Town of Banff. Getting There. Driving in. Busing in. Orienting Yourself and Getting Around. Where to Stay. Great B&Bs. Runner-up lodging. Where to Eat. Exploring Banff Townsite. Shopping. Nightlife. Fast Facts: Town of Banff. Chapter 14. Jasper National Park. Planning Ahead. Getting There. Flying in. Driving in. Riding the rails. Orienting Yourself in Jasper National Park. Figuring out the lay of the land. Finding information. Paying fees. Getting around Jasper National Park. Enjoying the Park. Exploring the top attractions. Icefields Parkway. Maligne Lake. Miette Hot Springs. Mount Edith Cavell. The Whistlers. Taking a hike. Tamer treks. Backcountry adventures. Staying active. Where to Stay. In and around Jasper Townsite. Lodging with the locals. Campgrounds. Where to Eat. Fast Facts: Jasper. PART IV. SOUTHWESTERN ALBERTA ROCKIES. Chapter 15. Canmore. Getting There. Driving in. Busing in. Orienting Yourself and Getting Around. Where to Stay in Canmore. Exploring Canmore. Attractions. Ways to relish the great outdoors. Shopping. Nightlife. Fast Facts: Canmore. Chapter 16. Kananaskis Country. Planning Ahead. Getting There and Getting Around. Orienting Yourself in Kananaskis Country. Figuring out the lay of the land. Finding information. Paying fees. Bow Valley Provincial Park. Getting there. Finding information. Where to stay. Exploring the park. Kananaskis Valley. Getting there. Finding information. Where to stay. Where to eat. Exploring the park. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Getting there. Finding information. Where to stay. Exploring the park. Fast Facts: Kananaskis Country. Chapter 17. Waterton Lake National Park. Planning Ahead. Getting There. Flying in. Driving in. Orienting Yourself in Waterton Lakes National Park. Figuring out the lay of the land. Finding information. Paying fees. Getting around Waterton lakes national Park. Enjoying the Park. Exploring the top attractions. Taking a hike. Following family-friendly trails. Adventuring in the backcountry. Staying active. Where to Stay. Campgrounds. Where to Eat. Fast Facts: Waterton Lakes National Park. PART V. ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE: THE BRITISH COLUMBIA ROCKIES. Chapter 18. Golden. Getting There. Driving in. Busing in. Orienting Yourself and Getting Around Golden. Where to Stay. Where to Eat. Exploring Golden. Outdoor adventure and spine-tingling sports. Nightlife. Fast Facts: Golden. Chapter 19. Yoho National Park. Planning Ahead. Getting There. Driving in. Busing in. Orienting Yourself in Yoho National Park. Figuring out the lay of the land. Finding information. Paying fees. Getting around Yoho National Park. Enjoying the Park. Exploring the top attractions. Taking a hike. Backcountry adventures. Staying active. Where to Stay. Campgrounds. Where to eat. Fast Facts: Yoho National Park. Chapter 20. Kootenay national Park. Planning Ahead. Getting Thre. Flying in. Riving in. Orienting Yourself in Kootenay national Park. Figuring out the lay of the land. Finding information. Paying fees. Getting around. Enjoying the Park. Exploring the top attractions. Taking a hike. Backcountry adventures. Staying Active. Where to Stay. Where to eat. Fast Facts: Kootenay national Park. Chapter 21. British Columbia Provincial Parks. Hamber Provincial Park. Heavenly Heli-Fishing. Roughing it (backpacking). Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. Planning Ahead. Getting There. Paying fees. Where to stay. Hitting the trails. Mount Robson Provincial Park. Planning ahead. Getting there. Orienting Yourself in Mount Robson Provincial Park. Figuring out the lay of the land. Finding information. Paying fees. Exploring the Park. Where to stay. Where to eat. Fast facts: British Columbia provincial Parks. PART VI. PART OF TENS. Chapter 22. Top Ten Souvenirs of Banff for $10 or Less. Serving Game. Counting the Days (to Your Next Vacation). Lathering Up. Painting the Town. Dressing (Rover) to the Nines. Paying by the Pound. Investing Ethically. Getting in the Spirit. Jingling All the Way. Smelling the Forests. Chapter 23. Ten Treats to Take on a Day Hike. Beef Jerky. Chocolate from Banff. Energy Bars. Fruit Leather. Gourmet GORP. Hummus. Maple Bears. Pea Butter. Sesame Seed Bagels. Smoked Salmon with Lime Wasabi Mustard on Rye Crisps. Appendix: Quick Concierge. Fast Facts. Tool-Free Numbers and Web Sites. Where to Get More Information. Index.