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Vancouver ↔ Edmonton Road Trip Guide

  • Timing
    • Leave early in the morning, arrive at dinner/evening
      • Good default option
      • Very doable with several stops to stretch
    • Leave in afternoon/evening, arrive at breakfast or early morning
      • Good for rush option with few stops and no sightseeing
      • Sleep for the morning upon arrival
    • Leave after early dinner, stop half way
      • Relaxing option
  • Routes
    • Eastern leg
      • Via Jasper
        • Nicest drive
        • More driving in BC on rural highways
        • More gradual inclines
        • Town of Jasper
          • is more "authentic" than Banff
          • 8:30 am Sunday Mass is a nice break on a westward drive
          • Bear's Paw Bakery is a nice coffee/pastry place
        • Valemount
          • About half way
          • Best Western has pool and included breakfast buffet
        • Mt Terry Fox Rest Area
          • Has playground and a few short walks to viewpoints
        • Portal Lake
      • Via Banff
        • Not recommended in winter due to...
          • Higher of whole highway being closed for hours at a time after accidents
          • More wear on breaks due to steeper inclines
          • More stressful drive
        • Town of Banff
          • is more "touristy" than Jasper
        • Going via Banff allows a stop in Calgary
        • More driving in Alberta on busy highways
    • Kamloops
      • Crossroads point to choice which of each leg you want
      • Hello Toast is a nice brunch spot
    • Western leg
      • Coquihalla pass
        • Quick
        • High altitude—potential for sudden harsh weather
      • Hwy 1/Lytton/Cache Creek alternate 
        • 90 minutes longer
        • More curvy
        • More little settlements to stop in/tourist moments
  • Camping as a stop en-route
    • Lucerne Campground
      • 👍 decent availability
      • 👍 swimmable lake
      • 👍 4:30 from Edmonton (38% of drive)
      • 👍 0 detour
    • Robson River
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👎 no swimming
      • 👍 5 hours from Edmonton (41% of drive)
      • 👍 0 detour
    • Robson Meadows Campground
      • 👍 good availability
      • 👎 no swimming
      • 👍 5 hours from Edmonton (41% of drive)
      • 👍 0 detour
    • Wells Gray (Clearwater Lake, Mahood Lake, Falls Creek)
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 cold lake swimming
      • 👍 9 hours from Edmonton (60% of drive)
      • 👎 1:30 off of route
    • North Thompson River
      • 👍 decent availability
      • 👎 no swimming
      • 👍 7:30 from Edmonton (62% of drive)
      • 👍 0 detour
    • Juniper Beach Park
      • 👍 decent availability
      • 👍 river swimming hole
      • 👎 9:30 from Edmonton (73% of drive)
      • 👎 35 minutes off of route
    • Paul Lake Park
      • 👍 good availability
      • 👍 lake swimming
      • 👍 9 hours from Edmonton (75% of drive)
      • 👍 20 minutes off of route
      • 👎 close-ish to 2023 fire
    • Lac Le Jeune
      • 👍 decent availability
      • 👍 lake swimming
      • 👍 9:20 from Edmonton (76% of drive)
      • 👍 10 minutes off of route
    • Kentucky-Alleyne
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 lake swimming, no beach
      • 👎 10 hours from Edmonton (78% of drive)
      • 👍 25 minutes off of route
    • Monck
      • 👍 good availability
      • 👍 lake swimming with beach
      • 👎 10 hours from Edmonton (80% of drive)
      • 👍 15 minutes off of route
    • Otter Lake
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 small beach lake swimming
      • 👎 11 hours from Edmonton ()
      • 👎 2:15 off of route
    • Lightning Lake (Manning)
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 cold lake swimming
      • 👎 11:30 from Edmonton (85% of drive)
      • 👎 45 minutes off of route
    • Coldspring Campground (Manning)
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👎 no swimming
      • 👎 11:15 from Edmonton (85% of drive)
      • 👎 45 minutes off of route
    • Hampton Campground (Manning)
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👎 no swimming
      • 👎 11:30 from Edmonton (85% of drive)
      • 👎 45 minutes off of route
    • Mule Deer (Manning)
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👎 no swimming
      • 👎 11:15 from Edmonton (84% of drive)
      • 👎 40 minutes off of route
    • Birkenhead Lake
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 cold lake sandy beach swimming
      • 👎 13 hours from Edmonton (78% of drive)
      • 👎 4.5 hours off of route
    • Silver Lake
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 lake swimming
    • Gold Creek
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 lake swimming
    • Cultus
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 lake swimming
      • 👎 11:30 from Edmonton (85% of route)
      • 👎 45 minutes off of route
    • Chiliwack Lake
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 lake swimming
      • 👎 12 hours from Edmonton (88% of drive)
      • 👎 45 minutes off of route
    • Alouette
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 lake swimming
      • 👎 12:30 from Edmonton (94% of route)
      • 👍 30 minutes off of route
    • Sasquatch Park
      • 👎 bad availability
      • 👍 lake swimming
  • When in Vancouver, here's some things to do

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