Canada Parks: Waterton, Banff, Jasper, Whistler, Vancouver

Crossing the Line

At the border:
“Any alcohol, tobacco, firearms, fireworks, or firewood?”
“No, sir!”
Just like that—we were waved through and cruising into Canada.

Waterton Peace Park Vibes

Waterton Peace Park lived up to its name; serene, scenic, and surprisingly free this summer. We took the dramatic Chief Mountain International Highway in Alberta, winding our way to the iconic Prince of Wales Hotel—a regal, Swiss-style lodge perched high above Upper Waterton Lake. Built by the Great Northern Railway to lure in American tourists during Prohibition (clever, right?), the place still exudes vintage charm.

Inside the Royal Stewart Dining Room, genteel travelers lounged with cocktails, tea, and pastries, framed by floor-to-ceiling glass windows that showcase that ridiculous view. We snapped a ton of pics. Kodi, our adventure pup, was thrilled to hop out of the van and sniff the pastries...briefly. We had places to be.

Cowboy Trail: Real Country

Next up, The Cowboy Trail, where the Chinook winds howled across the grasslands and nearly blew Bessie the Van off the road. This is true rancher-miner territory; wide open ranges, fat and happy cows, and natural gas plants dotting the horizon. We even passed a real-life Dutton Ranch.

Kodi was less impressed. The road’s rumble strips had her on edge—she was ready to protect us from the invisible threat under the tires. Fun fact: parts of Brokeback Mountain and The Unforgiven were filmed out here. “Rugged” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Banff Beauty and Tight Squeezes

We hit Banff National Park just as the sun dipped below the peaks. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel was glowing, wrapped in flowers and overlooking the postcard-perfect Bow River. It was jaw-droppingly beautiful. Unfortunately, everyone else thought so too. The town was booked solid. After a few U-turns, we found a cozy spot in Canmore for the night.

Lake Louise: A Five-Minute Fairy Tale

The next morning we aimed for the Sulphur Mountain Gondola, but by 10 a.m. there were already a hundred people in line. (Pro tip: Reserve tickets in advance.) We pivoted and headed to Lake Louise—again, packed. Thankfully, they let Alan drop me for a five-minute photo op. And wow—it was worth the chaos. That glacier-fed turquoise water doesn’t even look real.

Bonus: I caught a quick chat with performers preparing for a cultural show about the Na Dook people, sharing the deep Indigenous roots of the area. Magic moment.

Icefields Parkway: Canada’s Crown Jewel

Alan’s buddies at Mizner Bark weren’t kidding: if you're in Banff, you have to drive the Icefields Parkway. It’s a nonstop highlight reel: Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, Mistaya Canyon, Athabasca Falls. Glacial ice still clings to the peaks, feeding rivers that run right beside the road.

Rain followed us most of the way, but it only made the Canadian Rockies more dramatic. We were driving through the clouds. By 5:30 p.m., we rolled into Jasper with zero reservations. After a few calls, we scored a room at the welcoming Forest Park Hotel. Dinner at The Hearthstone Lounge hit the spot—cozy, delicious, and full of friendly faces. We stayed an extra night.

Jasper: Lakes, Dogs, and a Deep Breath

With most ski areas closed due to last year's fires, we explored Patricia Lake and Pyramid Lake instead. Ten-plus lakes in this area, and each one is a gem. Dogs are allowed on the trails—so Kodi was in heaven, going off-leash for a chilly splash and a short hike.

Back in town, we grabbed a tasty lunch at Mad Grizzly Bear (get the burger), then chilled at the hotel and even knocked out some laundry. Finally, a breather.

On the Road Again – Week 3 Begins

Week three of our Rugged Pacific Northwest Adventure kicked off with a “wrong turn” that turned out very right. Instead of Clearwater, we rolled through Cache Creek, Kamloops, and Lillooet, discovering local favorites like Horsteins Market—hello, maple syrup, honey, fresh cookies, and coffee strong enough to raise the dead.

Whistler: Wild Rides & Fine Dining

The Sea-to-Sky Highway (Route 99) was an adrenaline rush—think steep 15% grades, gravel roads, winding cliffside turns. At one point I joked that if we got lost, someone would need to call “Tracker” to come find us.

By nightfall, we made it to Whistler Blackcomb, one of the most iconic ski resorts in the world. Camping was out (fully booked), but we scored a room at Blackcomb Lodge—right in Whistler Village and surprisingly affordable.

Whistler in summer is alive with mountain bikers, hikers, and outdoor vibes. After dodging loud crowds and rowdy burger joints, we landed at Araxi, a quiet, upscale spot connected to our hotel. We devoured tuna tataki, salmon crudo, prawn risotto, and filet mignon—one of the best meals of the trip.

Vancouver Vibes

We ditched the straight highway and took the scenic backdoor into Vancouver. First stop: Brandywine Falls — a thunderous sheet of water plunging into a misty canyon, like nature showing off. Then the Tantalus Range, those sharp, snow-dusted peaks that look like they belong on an album cover. We cruised into Squamish, an old mining town that’s morphed into an outdoor-junkie hotspot, and grabbed lunch at Copper Kettle. Let me just say: best brisket & pulled pork ever. Smoky, tender, dripping with flavor. The patio looked straight up at The Chief — that giant granite dome locals are obsessed with scaling. Chains, ladders, sheer drops — the kind of hike where you question your life choices halfway up, but the climbers here treat it like a gym workout.

From there, we checked off Shannon Falls (cascading elegance) and wound our way through Horseshoe Bay, all sailboats and sparkling blue water, before crashing for the night at an airport hotel. But the real magic of Vancouver was still ahead.

Enter Murph

Alan’s old tour buddy. His rock-and-roll partner-in-crime. Back in the day, they crisscrossed South America and Europe with Saga (yes, that Saga- with Huey Lewis and the News and Foreigner). Murph was tour manager, Alan the so-called “guitar tech” — except his role went way beyond tuning strings. Eight electrics, three acoustics, endless guitar swaps mid-show. Plus, since Alan spoke Spanish, he was roped in as translator, negotiator, and all-around fixer. He earned the nickname “Al Does” because, well… he just did it all. Caracas to Berlin, he was the guy who kept the wheels from falling off.

Fast-forward thirty years: Murph now lives on Vancouver Island. We couldn’t snag ferry tickets, so this legend literally hopped a seaplane to meet us. He strolled into the terminal like no time had passed, and over a huge breakfast we filled in the last three decades since Miami Beach.

Vancouver in a Day

Murph climbed into Bessie’s passenger seat and instantly became our tour guide. We cruised the Stanley Park seawall, rolled past downtown glass towers, waved at the quirky globe of Expo ’86 Science World, and let Kodi run leash-free at Ambleside Beach with a pack of local pups. Then we swung through Chinatown (epic food, but sketchy corners — Murph called it “cultural gold wrapped in crack alley”), bounced across the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge, and finally landed in Granville Island’s arts district. Cute shops, buzzing harbor, street performers — the whole place hums.

Lunch was upstairs at Sandbar, where the views were as tasty as the food. We basically ordered the entire appetizer menu: spicy Thai green beans, shrimp dumplings, happy-hour oysters, hummus with olives and pistachios, a tuna tower that looked like sushi Jenga. I sipped two local Chardonnays, crisp and perfect. Alan and Murph traded old tour war stories, Kodi snuggled under the table, and the harbor glittered outside.

By sunset we were happily stuffed, a little tipsy, and ready for the next leg. Bags packed, playlists loaded — time to point Bessie south. Next stop: North Cascades National Park.

#Canadaparks #WatertonPeacePark #BanffNationalPark #Lakelouise #JasperNationalPark #MadGrizzlyBear #BessieTheVan #HorsteinsMarket #BlackcombLodge #Whistler #PacificNorthwestAdventure #Canadianwilderness #Araxirestaurantandbar