Posted On : 19 December, 2017 | Posted By : Rent A Car
Vancouver is the perfect destination for anyone seeking spectacular outdoor views on Canada’s West Coast. Venture just a few hundred kilometers inland, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by ancient glacial beauty full of snow-capped peaks and pockets of electric blue lakes that will take your breath away.
It’s never been easier to unlock this adventurer’s dream, just rent a car in Vancouver and hit the Trans-Canada Highway. In this article, we take you through 4 hotspots that might take a little longer to get to, but are worth every moment of the trip.
Wells Grey Provincial Park
One of the most easily accessible outdoor parks from Vancouver is Wells Gray Provincial Park. This entire park can be enjoyed in a day or two, and takes about 5 hours to reach from where you rent a car in Vancouver.
Wells Gray Provincial Park is teeming with iconic waterfalls, including Helmcken Falls, the fourth largest in Canada. At 141m high, this waterfall is even more incredible to experience in the winter, when ice freezes to form sparkling crystals in the air, and a frozen cone appears at the base where the free-flowing water is stopped in its tracks.
Late summer visitors should head to Bailey’s Chute, where the River Chinook salmon go to make their last leap – and hungry bears wait to dine on a good meal.
Banff and Jasper National Parks
Cross over from beautiful BC to Alberta and you’ll be treated to two of Canada’s most impressive protected areas: Banff and Jasper National Parks. Separated by a crossing, Jasper sits just above Banff, and tends to be slightly quieter in the summer months, as it’s a little bit harder to reach.
In Jasper, you’ll experience the Rockies at their most majestic – just driving through the mountain range will dwarf you with its sheer size. Must-see sights include Maligne Lake, a glacially-formed site still held sacred by the First Nations people, and the Columbia Ice Fields, where you can take a tour on a real glacier.
Banff National Park is a popular stop for photographers– the pristine blue waters at Moraine Lake and Lake Louise will have to be seen to be believed, though.Make sure to take your car rental early, as parking lots tend to fill up fast during busy periods. With so many hikes to enjoy, you could spend weeks in these two national parks which will never cease to aweand inspire.
Okanagan Valley
If you’re searching for a stop on the way back from your travels eastward, don’t miss the wineries of the Okanagan Valley. This sunny valley is fast becoming famous for its award-winning wines, and there is a variety to match every palate. You could spend as much time here as you like, as many wine-lovers do,sipping away on the terraces, soaking up the heat, surveying the fruit orchards folded out across the Okanagan Lake area. It’s a perfect way to wrap up a vacation in Canada’s beautiful outdoors.