Traveling Across Central Canada

[BirdingRVer]

We are planning to leave Prince George today to head for Jasper Alberta; from our stop there in June we will only be able to get Internet at the local library. So, it may be awhile until I can catch-up on postings.

We are planning to follow the Yellowhead highway from here to Winnipeg Manitoba then drop down to the Chicago area to see our son.
Anyone have any advice on things to see and do this time of year on the way or places to stay?

[rogue]

Grant, Here is a link that may help.
http://www.yellowheadit.com/

We took Hwy 3 to Hwy 1 at Medicine Hat, then one on to Moose Jaw (recommend taking the trolley tour from the visitors center), then on to Portage Le Prairie. We headed back to the states at International falls and took the boat tours at Voyager National Park. Then down Rt53 into Wisconsin.

Jasper, Lake Louise, Columbian Ice Fields, and Banff, Yolo, and Kootney are all worth seeing. you will need more than a week to see it all. Sunday Brunch at Lake Louise Lodge, or Banff Lodge is expensive, but suggest doing one once for the view and enjoyment.

Enjoy the trip. We found the roads to be very good, and traffic light, and fuel expensive.
Bob

[HamRad]

Grant and Kathy,

Well of course there is the Jasper area itself! From what I've heard it is beautiful! But what isn't up that way?! Doug and his group just visited that area and maybe will drop by and give some details. In Edmonton there is some sort of World Class Mall! I guess it is a MUST see. South of you down toward Calgary.... actually a bit north and east of Calgary is the town of Drumheller. What? You may ask is important about Drumheller. Well it has a perhaps THE best museum of dinosaurs in the entire world! It is also a MUST see. If you decide to go that direction you may want to check and see what their schedule is. They may close down during the winter. I don't know.

That is the extent of my knowledge in that part of the world. Enjoy your trip and we'll see you on down the road.

Dennis and Mary Kay

[adelmoll]

You might want to continue on to Thunder Bay and then Down Hwy 61 in Minnesota. It will be beautiful following Lake Superior at this time of the year.

If you do come through Minnesota before Oct 5th be sure to let us know. We would love to meet you and Cathy.

Helen

[bruiser]

HamRad had some great suggestions. The mall in Edmonton is called the West Edmonton Mall. As you come in from Jasper, the roads have good signs directing you to the mall. If your intended route is to continue East on the Yellowhead you will go through Saskatoon, the only large city between Edmonton and Regina where you will then head East on the Trans Canada Highway (#1). Not much to see on this route. An alternate route would be to head South on the Queen Elizabeth Highway (#2) towards Calgary. HamRad is correct when he says the Dinosaur Museum in Drumheller (Tyrell Museum of Paleontology) is a must see. You will turn East before getting to Calgary - again the highway signs will direct you there. From there it is a short drive to the #1 where you will head East to Regina and on to Winnipeg. If you decide to stop in Calgary, there are many attractions - Heritage Park Historical Village - A world Class Zoo - Fort Calgary Historical Park - Museum of the Regiments - Aero Space Museum - to name a few. Then just straight East on the #1 to Winnipeg.

[BirdingRVer]

quote:Originally posted by adelmoll

You might want to continue on to Thunder Bay and then Down Hwy 61 in Minnesota. It will be beautiful following Lake Superior at this time of the year.

If you do come through Minnesota before Oct 5th be sure to let us know. We would love to meet you and Cathy.

Helen

Helen, I read your blog daily while I was still working and still try to keep up with it. If we even get close I will let you know. Right now I don't think we will be moving fast enough to be there by the 5th.

Grant & Kathy aka BirdingRVers

[BirdingRVer]

The Trailer Life CD shows a lot of RV Park closures along the Yellowhead Highway this time of year.

We have decided to drop south to Trans Canada 1 and follow it east.

Our first stop will be as Dennis suggest at the Dinosaur Museum in Drumheller.

Grant aka BirdingRVer

[BirdingRVer]

quote:Originally posted by HamRad

Grant and Kathy,

Well of course there is the Jasper area itself! From what I've heard it is beautiful! But what isn't up that way?! Doug and his group just visited that area and maybe will drop by and give some details. In Edmonton there is some sort of World Class Mall! I guess it is a MUST see. South of you down toward Calgary.... actually a bit north and east of Calgary is the town of Drumheller. What? You may ask is important about Drumheller. Well it has a perhaps THE best museum of dinosaurs in the entire world! It is also a MUST see. If you decide to go that direction you may want to check and see what their schedule is. They may close down during the winter. I don't know.

That is the extent of my knowledge in that part of the world. Enjoy your trip and we'll see you on down the road.

Dennis and Mary Kay

Dennis,

We did the Royal Tyrrell Museum here in Drumheller yesterday http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/. They claim to have "the world's most extensive collection of dinosaur fossils and exhibits on prehistoric life". What a marvelous museum. Not only are the exhibits extensive but, the museum is well laid out. There is one place where you look into their work area and actually watch the technicians separate the fossils from the stone. At one exhibit they talk about a technician taking an entire year to separate one skull from the attached rock. I know I don't have that kind of patience.

With Banff, Jasper and the Tyrrell Museum all here in Southern Alberta, I recommend that you put a visit up here at the top of your To Do List when you are well enough to travel again.

[HamRad]

Grant and Kathy,

I'm happy you got a chance to visit the museum. When we visited it was the height of the vacation time and every school kid in Canada must have been there that day! It is a world class operation. Something like 75% of their exhibits are the real thing not replicas! That is a huge number and makes it that much more interesting. I hope you rented one of the little listening devices. That makes it even more informative.

We spent a week in the Calgary area. We spent a week in the Banff area. We did NOT make it up to Jasper.... only got as far as the Columbia Ice Field. But we have heard that we must make it up to Jasper. So next time we head that way we will certainly make Jasper our starting point.

Have a great trip on home.

Dennis and Mary Kay