Arrive in Vancouver, a haven for sports enthusiasts and keen history buffs alike. This unique city offers something for everyone. From its striking mountains to the bustle of the city’s art and music scene, this British Columbia seaport does not disappoint. Join your Travel Director for a dinner and an opportunity to mingle with fellow guests over wine.
This morning, enjoy a visit to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park - home to Vancouver's first visitor attraction, the original suspension bridge built in 1889. Today, the park also includes Cliffwalk, a cantilevered walkway clinging to the granite cliff, and Treetops Adventure, seven suspension bridges through the evergreens taking you over 100ft above the forest floor. After your visit, head out on an orientation tour of Vancouver, including Gastown, Canada Place and Stanley Park, home to a collection of First Nations totem poles. This afternoon board a ferry and sail through the beautiful Gulf Islands to Vancouver Island, and idyllic place known for its fishing and art communities. You’ll end your day here in British Columbia’s stunning capital city, Victoria.
Begin your morning exploring the world-renowned Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site known for its intricate design and seasonal floral displays. Then join your Travel Director for an orientation tour, with panoramic views from Mount Tolmie and stops at the Inner Harbor, the Parliament Buildings and Canada’s oldest Chinatown. See the last remaining traces of Fort Victoria before enjoying a free afternoon. For a closer look at local wildlife, consider an Optional Experience whale watching cruise along Victoria’s coastal waters.
This morning, ferry across the Strait of Georgia and continue your scenic journey through British Columbia. Travel along Coquihalla highway and climb the summit of Coquihalla Pass and cross Thompson Plateau, passing along forests of Engelmann spruce, lodgepole pine, Douglas firs and ponderosa pines. Continue to Sun Peaks where you'll end a day of unbelievably scenic travel with dinner.
After breakfast, your journey takes you along the legendary Yellowhead Highway towards Jasper National Park, part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enroute, a stop will be made at the Mount Robson Visitor Center in Mount Robson Provincial Park, the second oldest park in British Columbia's park system and truly one of the world’s crown jewels. Enjoy the best views of Mount Robson, which at 12,972 ft (3,954 meters) is the most prominent mountain in North America's Rocky Mountain range and the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. Arrive in the wonderland of Jasper National Park with its soothing mineral hot springs, rugged glaciers, colorful meadows, and majestic mountain. After a brief orientation tour through town, you'll have the option to explore on our own or book onto an optional Float Trip.
Start the day on a narrated cruise across the serene waters of the iconic Maligne Lake (seasonal), one of the jewels of the Canadian Rockies. Stop at Spirit Island, one of the most photographed sites in the Canadian Rockies. Travel along the majestic Icefields Parkway and arrive at the Columbia Icefield for your stay at the Glacier View Lodge, the first and only glacier-view resort in Canada. Venture out onto the amazing Glacier Skywalk where you will be treated to an after-hours visit onto the cliff-edged glass-floored walkway. After enjoying a gourmet dinner with wine, you can step out onto the Viewing Deck, sip a drink in the library or relax inside the Moraine Lounge.
Following a hearty breakfast, your Local Expert will escort you to a special before-hours glacier tour. Venture out onto Athabasca Glacier in an Ice Explorer. Then, join your guide for a stroll atop the ice and discover the beauty and immensity of the glacier. Learn about the history and geology of the region. After this morning's icy adventure, continue south to Lake Louise and admire its blue waters and Victoria Glacier. You'll have the opportunity to feel truly immersed in nature as you spend a portion of your afternoon here. Journey on to the resort town of Banff, your home for the next two nights. This evening, dine in town and unwind in your stunning natural surroundings.
This morning, join your Travel Director on a Banff Orientation Tour covering Bow Falls, Surprise Corner and a few other local sights. The rest of the day is yours to spend exploring the rugged charms of the park. Choose from several optional experiences, including a once in a lifetime helicopter flight over the magnificent Canadian Rockies, or a ride onboard the Banff Gondola, a scenic cableway that can take you to the summit of Sulfur Mountain.
From craggy plains to mountainous landscapes, today you’ll cross the U.S. border into Montana to Glacier National Park. Revel in your first encounter with the park, a region encompassing over 1 million acres -- including parts of two mountain ranges, over 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants and hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem," a region of protected land encompassing 16,000 square miles. Settle in for the evening and look forward to tomorrow’s day of exploration.
This morning, depart your lodge on the east side of Glacier National Park and join Mariah Gladstone for your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Your Local Expert, Mariah, shares stories of Blackfeet resilience, cultural revitalization and ancestral foodways as you visit the Blackfeet Indian Memorial. Later, travel through the park aboard a privately chartered 1930s Red Jammer bus—named for the sound of double-clutching gears. With roll-back tops for panoramic views of towering peaks and Montana’s legendary Big Sky, and commentary from seasoned guides who know and love the park, this is an unforgettable way to explore. Climbing to 6,646 feet at Logan Pass, cross the Continental Divide with views of glacially carved valleys and wildflower-draped meadows. Disembark at the Swiss-style Lake McDonald Lodge, built in 1913, where you’ll stay tonight on the park’s largest lake.
Today, you'll continue on to the beautiful shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene, one of America's most beautiful lakes, and then arrive in Spokane to stay at The Historic Davenport, Autograph Collection hotel. This is Washington State's grandest hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has welcomed a number of famous faces including Amelia Earhart and Clark Gable. End the night with dinner at your hotel.
Wine connoisseurs rejoice. Today, you'll head through the wide, endless horizons of the wine-producing area of Washington State. Visit Friends Riviera Catering and Events, a local favorite, where you'll enjoy lunch focusing on fresh, local and artisanal ingredients. Then it's on to Seattle for an evening of leisure at your hotel.
This morning head out on a Seattle Orientation tour where you'll see Puget Sound, Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market, where you should watch out for flying fish! The afternoon brings you an Insight Choice. Either head to the Space Needle, with its jaw-dropping panoramic views of the unique skyline or the Chihuly Gardens and Glass exhibit, where the work of world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly is housed. In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow guests for a dinner with wine at Ivar's Salmon House. Here you'll find the Northwest's best dining, as you take in the views on Seattle's waterfront.
Travel to Seattle SeaTac International Airport at your leisure.
