May 1-8 a good time to visit Vancouver?

[bdurstta]

Is May a good time to visit Vancouver? We figure start in Vancouver beginning of May before it gets too crowded, then drive to Jasper, Lake Louse and Banff. Any suggestions?

Barbara

 

[echino]

May is OK for Vancouver, but it's definitely a bad time to be in the mountains, like Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff.

 

[bdurstta]

o dang. What is a better time for jasper, lake louise and banff?

Thank you,
Barbara

 

[echino]

o dang. What is a better time for jasper, lake louise and banff?

Thank you,
Barbara

Winter if you ski: December to March. Summer if you hike: July to September.

 

[marmite]

Echino is right, Summer is really nice in Alberta (and BC for that matter), but it is our high-season. If you can leave your trip until June, the weather will be a bit warmer as it gets closer to July (but still cool compared to your home). Kids are still in school for most of June, so it's not that crowded. When cruise ships are in port (for the Alaska itineraries), it is busier downtown near the terminal but not the whole city. If you haven't been to Vancouver Island, Victoria is always a big draw for visitors and a nice ferry ride across (with your car).

When you drive between Vancouver and Alberta, depending how long you want to drive you could stop in Revelstoke for a meal or an overnight.

 

[sue1947]

Winter if you ski: December to March. Summer if you hike: July to September.

These are high seasons. May can be nice and a good option, but you have to manage expectations. Many come north expecting May and June to be summer in the mountains. It's not. The snow won't melt off many of the most popular trails until July, and late July at that. In May, Lake Louise will be frozen over with some water showing mid month. Some of the path around the lake; near the lodge, MIGHT be melted out, but you would need to be prepared to hike on snow or snowshoe for the trails. Same thing, with more snow, as you move north along the Icefields Parkway up to Jasper. The road to Moraine Lake probably won't be melted out yet. The few trails that are open, like the Johnston Canyon hike , will be packed like a conga line both coming and going. All the crowds are condensed into the few areas that are open.
On the other hand, it is all gorgeous and the critters are out and about and easier to see. You can get some good bargains in timeshares especially on the west side. The Columbia Valley from Fairmont Hot springs north is green with lots water and full of birds migrating. There's a bird festival in early May. The drive from Radium Hot Springs through Kootenay NP is prime for being able to see bears etc out filling up after hibernating; they are all down low where the snow has melted off.
So it really depends on the individual. If you haven't been before and want to see the iconic stuff, wait until July-Sept. If you've been there multiple times in the summer, then a shoulder season trip might work.

Sue

 

[bdurstta]

So much to process! Been to Vancouver and Victoria, but not the others! Yes, I was planning on Revelstoke. Would the beginning of September be better choice? Schools back in sesson by then?

Barbara

 

[echino]

So much to process! Been to Vancouver and Victoria, but not the others! Yes, I was planning on Revelstoke. Would the beginning of September be better choice? Schools back in sesson by then?

Barbara

Yes, beginning of September is a great time!

 

[bizaro86]

So much to process! Been to Vancouver and Victoria, but not the others! Yes, I was planning on Revelstoke. Would the beginning of September be better choice? Schools back in sesson by then?

Barbara

Yes, beginning of September would be a great time to come. The weather is still good but crowds are way down. Schools in Western Canada go back right after Labour Day or maybe a few days prior.

If picking between May and September I'd definitely pick September.

 

[sue1947]

Early Sept is ideal.

 

[Laurie]

Even in July/Aug/early Sept, you may hit some snow. We did, on the road from Banff to Jasper - nothing too serious - unless climate has changed that much, this was about 10 years ago.

 

[CanuckTravlr]

Even in July/Aug/early Sept, you may hit some snow. We did, on the road from Banff to Jasper - nothing too serious - unless climate has changed that much, this was about 10 years ago.

Just for clarification for anyone not familiar with weather patterns in the Rockies, snow is always possible at any time, particularly at higher elevations. However, snow in July and August is pretty rare, tends to be brief and mostly fall as wet flakes, and usually melts fairly quickly, so it doesn't accumulate.

Snow in September, even early September, is not as unusual as the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are starting to fall. The trick is to always have clothing available that you can layer, since weather conditions, even in mid-summer, can change quickly.

 

[bdurstta]

This is what I love about Tug...I get really good advice!!!!! Its helped me so much with timesharing. Any suggestions for any time shares in Banff (I saw a few), Lake Louise or Jasper?

 

[echino]

This is what I love about Tug...I get really good advice!!!!! Its helped me so much with timesharing. Any suggestions for any time shares in Banff (I saw a few), Lake Louise or Jasper?

Nothing near Lake Louise or Jasper. There is only one in Banff, it's called Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. Units are very small and somewhat dated. Much more choice in nearby Canmore.

 

[sue1947]

This is what I love about Tug...I get really good advice!!!!! Its helped me so much with timesharing. Any suggestions for any time shares in Banff (I saw a few), Lake Louise or Jasper?

There are lodging limitations within the park boundaries. As a result, most of the newer lodging, including timeshares, are outside the park, specifically Canmore, AB. For Lake Louise or Jasper, it's typical motels/lodges or cabins and they get pretty spendy.
Look for a week in a timeshare in Canmore. Then add on a few days in Jasper before or after (weather wise, before is better for Sept). If you want to splurge on one of the lodges, I'd go for the one in Jasper. The drive from Canmore to Banff is about half an hour, then another half hour or so to Lake Louise. You can do the drive along Icefields Parkway in a day trip from Canmore, but it's a long day. Better to stay overnight and do it as a one way trip. Even better, if you can beat out the bus tours, is to get a room at the Glacier Lodge. It is upstairs in the Visitor Center at the Icefields. The rooms go quickly so you have to be quick and very lucky. I tried a few times and I think the bus tours buy them all out. It also closes early due to weather. Sept at that elevation and in the middle of the glaciers can turn into winter very quickly. It's also very expensive.

 

[jabberwocky]

This is why you don’t plant your garden or put patio furniture out before Victoria Day in Alberta.

May 18, 2021 in our backyard:

Thankfully it was melted off a few hours later. But anything can happen weather wise in Alberta in May and we’re not close to the mountains.

 

[Laurie]

Nothing near Lake Louise or Jasper. There is only one in Banff, it's called Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. Units are very small and somewhat dated. Much more choice in nearby Canmore.

The 2-BR at Banff Rocky Mt Resort was fine for 2 people, it was clean and decent, and we liked it a lot for location, since most of our outings were in that direction, so it saved some drive time as opposed to Canmore. The restaurant was pretty good at the time, which was at least a decade ago. You probably won't spend much time indoors, there's so much to see and do. Current tripadvisor reviews for this resort aren't great tho.

We also drove up to the one in Canmore which consisted of free-standing A-frames, Banff Gate? (there are 2 with similar names as I recall, this one's up a gravel road, the other along the main road) -- the setting was really spectacular, the interiors not so great, aside from the view -- at the time. Lots of potential, needed TLC. I've always wanted to go back there if it were to get a refurbishment, but didn't want to spend vacation time windex-ing the big picture windows.

 

[beejaybee]

Fingers crossed we will be in the Canadian Rockies mid-September 2022!
We forwent trying for a timeshare week and instead have 3 nights in the Maple cabin at Patricia Lake Bungalows in Jasper and 4 nights in a VRBO in Canmore traveling with another couple. We will likely meet them In Vancouver since they will be ending an Alaska cruise there and overnight in Kamloops enroute to Jasper.

Hoping for an ongoing search for select northern WA timeshares comes thru for the week prior!

 

[abbekit]

We love Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. Yes, it's older and the timeshare exchange units aren't refurbished. But clean and comfortable (including the beds). Have exchanged into there three times, twice with our dogs. The most recent was last month just after Canada reopened the border to car based travel. The location to everything is closer than Canmore but not as close as being in downtown Banff. Still we like being a bit out of town (just a few miles drive) to get out of the crowds (and be aware that Banff can get very crowded even in off season on the weekends, Canadian Thanksgiving, events like the marathon that was going on when we were there).

We've always traveled to Banff in late Sept, early Oct. Twice we had warm sunny days, once in 2019 there was a heavy early season snowstorm that shut things down for a couple of days. Nice to have a cozy condo with a fireplace! And of course the best part for us is that it is one of the few timeshares that are dog friendly (and a very reasonable pet fee). Other guests around us had dogs too so if you don't like that I wouldn't recommend it.

Also two bedroom units are upstairs, one bedroom units are downstairs (and pretty tiny).

2021

Banff Rocky Mountain, Sept 2021, unit 1606, 2br/2ba · Sep 10âââ12, 2021 ð¸

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2018

Banff Rocky Mountain Resort, Oct 2019, Unit 1603, 1BR/1BA, Pet Friendly Unit · Oct 6âââ13, 2019 ð¸

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2008

Banff Rocky Mountain Resort, Oct 2008, Unit 1507, 2BR/2BA · Oct 5âââ11, 2008 ð¸

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[djyamyam]

This is what I love about Tug...I get really good advice!!!!! Its helped me so much with timesharing. Any suggestions for any time shares in Banff (I saw a few), Lake Louise or Jasper?

I just posted a sighting for early Sep in Canmore that should fit your needs quite well.

 

[goaliedave]

I live in the Squamish-Whistler BC area, we are inundated with tourists 12 months 24/7 due to world class mountain activities. It's not for beginners though, most months tourists die skiing or hiking or climbing or biking.

You can choose your drive from Vancouver to Banff to be on the breathtaking (beauty wise but also literally as a tourist dies on the hwy most months) "Sea to Sky" highway 99. If you're coming through msg me I'll show you around.

 

[beejaybee]

I live in the Squamish-Whistler BC area, we are inundated with tourists 12 months 24/7 due to world class mountain activities. It's not for beginners though, most months tourists die skiing or hiking or climbing or biking.

You can choose your drive from Vancouver to Banff to be on the breathtaking (beauty wise but also literally as a tourist dies on the hwy most months) "Sea to Sky" highway 99. If you're coming through msg me I'll show you around.

Whew! So far so good as we've skied Whistler twice and ziplined there once. Drove the Sea to Sky highway in the dark while it was being widened for better access to the 2010 Winter Olympics!

But now we have to face our drive from Vancouver via Kamloops to Jasper and down the Icefields Pkwy to Canmore with lots of hiking planned during our September visit! Danger! Danger!

 

[goaliedave]

Whew! So far so good as we've skied Whistler twice and ziplined there once. Drove the Sea to Sky highway in the dark while it was being widened for better access to the 2010 Winter Olympics!

But now we have to face our drive from Vancouver via Kamloops to Jasper and down the Icefields Pkwy to Canmore with lots of hiking planned during our September visit! Danger! Danger!

You probably know this, but you have a choice of both ways to get from Vancouver to Kamloops both same distance. I think the mountain is more scenic with more to do but I'm biased.