The sweeping grandeur of some scenery is best experienced from above and from afar. Let’s face it, standing a foot from a glacier is not as impressive as standing 50 feet from a glacier and seeing the gigantic span of multi-colored ice. So it makes a lot of sense to take in mountains, valleys, waterfalls and rock formations from a glass-enclosed rail car to get the full majesty of panoramic views. GetAway Travel invites you to adventure in the Canadian Rockies with us in 2015. Journey through the clouds starting in Vancouver…

Vancouver and Kamloops

 

 You might say, “hey, Vancouver looks familiar…” And, you would be right. This bustling Canadian city is the darling of TV and film producers. It provided a backdrop for, to name a few TV shows: The Good Doctor, MacGyver, Battlestar Galactica, Alcatraz, Riverdale and the X-Files. And the city played a big part in these movies: Deadpool 2, Star Trek, Godzilla, Twilight Saga, The A Team, X-Men, Elf, Ghost Rider, Happy Gilmour and many more.

Get the full impact of the mountains on one side, the ocean on one side and the city on the other, by taking a walk on the Capilano Suspension Bridge. A wooden walking suspension bridge perched 230-feet above ground offers fabulous views.

One of the city’s coolest landmarks is the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. Bing Thom designed it to create an awesome acoustical experience. The concert hall, with its curved maple walls, is shaped like the inside of a cello. There’s a 25-ton acoustic canopy over the concert stage and the glass-to-ceiling walls in the lobby, are breathtaking.

“Where the rivers meet” is the English translation of Kamloops which became somewhat of a boom town with fur trading as well as the gold rush. Well-known now for hosting a myriad of  sports tournaments, Kamloops also boasts a number of world-class wineries.

Privato Vineyard and Winery is a family-run boutique winery. It produces Burgundian style wines including small batches of pinot noir and chardonnay. It also has a nice line of sparkling wines.

Monte Creek Winery is the largest winery in Kamloops. In addition to the great wine, the store also sells local farm products, books, honey, gift items and, of course, wine! Enjoy the stunning views of the river valley from the winery while tasting French-oak fermented chardonnays, cabernets and merlots.

Kamloops has something called the Back Alley Art Gallery tour, but visitors can experience all or just a bit of what the tour offers walking around the city. There are 30 outdoor murals, the majority in city alleyways, that offer a unique art adventure.

Jasper and Banff

 Jasper offers visitors some of the most awe-inspiring scenery found anywhere. Take the Jasper Sky Tram to the summit of Whistlers Mountain for grand views, but its the dark and ice that people remember about Jasper.

Jasper is one of 17 dark sky preserves recognized by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. Light pollution is limited there, making for ideal conditions for star gazing. Jasper National Park is the largest accessible Dark Sky Preserve in Canada. The Jasper Planetarium is great for star gazing any time of the day.

The Maligne Canyon Icewalk is the deepest canyon in the park. Watch the more adventurous visitors climb huge vertical sheets of ice.

Oh, don’t leave the park without checking out Canada’s first national park brewery. Jasper Brewing Company produces six signature brews on site.

Sightseeing around Jasper will take you to Maligne Lake, the largest glacier-fed lake in the Canadian Rockies as well as the Columbia Icefields. The Icefields are one of the largest non-polar Icefields in the world! The gigantic ice explorer is the best way to explore the Athabasca Glacier. The Glacier Skywalk gives you a 360-degree view of the giant glacier and the valley below.

Banff is a resort town, but it’s the surrounding area that makes visitors sit up and take notice. Banff National Park is Canada’s first national park, the world’s third national park and part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Banff Gondola goes to the summit of Sulphur Mountain and offers 360-degree views of the area from the observation deck. Check out the park center, and also the Banff Park Museum.

Built in 1903, it is the oldest natural history museum in Western Canada. Also the oldest surviving federal building in Canada’s national parks, it houses 5,000 vintage botanical and zoological specimens.

You can learn more about the history of the area at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies or the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum. The Historic Luxton Museum offers a different twist on history. It is the former home of a wealthy family credited with shaping the history of Banff. The walls of the home are covered with photos, artwork, beadwork and paintings.

Take a dip in the Banff Upper Hot Springs with snow-topped mountains offering a fabulous backdrop.

Nearby, lovely Lake Louise is a real-life postcard scene with a gorgeous lake surrounded by towering mountain peaks and glaciers. See if you can get into the Lake Agnes Tea House. Located in the mountains above Lake Louise, it has been in operation since 1905. It operates with no electricity or running water. Supplies are flown or hiked in.

Calgary: beer, music and science

 Calgary, known for its craft beer scene, is the home of one of Western Canada’s best known breweries, Big Rock Brewery. Take a tour of the bottling facility and enjoy a big selection of samples and snacks including English-style brown ales and light carb ales.

At more than 600 feet high, Calgary Tower offers great views of the area. There’s a revolving bar and restaurant at the top of the tower.

Fort Calgary is a 40-acre site with a wooden fort with interactive exhibits and information about the North West Mounted Police.

Studio Bell is the Canadian National Music Center. Its an entertaining, interactive museum with information about the history of musical instruments as well as a collection of pop and rock memorabilia.The musical Canadian Hall of Fame has musical artifacts and unique memorabilia as well as tribute information about inductees including Bryan Adams, Buffy Sainte-Maria and Neil Young.

Telus Spark is the 15-acre Calgary Science Center. Take an immersive journey into space and to the moon as well as experience creative encounters involving science, technology, engineering, math and art.

Wine, beer, gorgeous scenery everywhere and world-class accommodations — what’s not to like? Join GetAway Travel on our Canadian Rockies getaway! We can be reached at:  (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel