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Downtown Calgary
Joeys Calgary - Chinook Centre
Convention Centre on Stephen's Avenue Mall
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Hi everyone,
I am desperatly missing my sister,brother-in-law,and niece and would love to visit them at christmas. Here is my dilema...I have four children so if we fly it will cost us at least $4000.(2 adults,3 kids and an infant) so I was thinking of driving. Can anyone tell me how long it would take?(honestly) and approx.how much it would cost? I know that it is a long,boring drive but I think we could make it fun.Have any of you made the drive? would you share your stories with me?any info would be great.
Thank you soooo much.
Your profile doesn't say where you live. Your question doesn't say where you are starting from. But you want someone to tell you, honestly, how long it would take to drive to Calgary from wherever you are, and for people who have "made the (same) drive" to share their experiences....
Well, maybe other VT members are more psychic than I am!
Sorry, I guess that I should proof read my questions. Again I am sorry. We live in Calgary and my sister and her family live in Toronto.Any help would be great. Thnx,and again sorry for the miscommunication.
Hi - I have driven across the US a few times including once as a kid with my family. You are looking at probably 35+ hours of driving not including stops - and dependant upon the weather/road conditions. You could be looking at 5 days of driving 9-10 hours (one-way). Any way you look at it, you will be spending alot of time in the car. You can figure out the gas cost based on your car's mileage and then add in for all your meals and hotels. But round-trip might would still be considerably less than $4000.
In all honesty it's really not too fun for kids. You can keep them entertained for a while but they will get bored and uncomfortable. By the time we had reached Death Valley from NY, none of the kids were talking to each other - and we still had to drive back to NY! But then again you'll have alot of stories for years to come. So if you do decide to do it, make sure to bring along your patience and sense of humor! Happy Travels!
A road trip of about 3500 km in winter with four children including an infant - yikes!!!!
Consider that in winter the days are short, so unless you like driving in the dark, it won't be very enjoyable.
Consider also that winter driving conditions are unpredictable at best, travel may be slow, icy roads are a very real threat and hazard, and a sudden snowstorm or blizzard along the way will slow you down or even strand you. There is no way that you will be able to travel as fast or as far each day as you would be able to during summer.
With all those conditions in mind, I would estimate at least 4 days driving each way - so calculate the cost of accommodation for your family, gas for your vehicle, and food (breakfast, lunch and dinner for each of those days) for the total trip of 7 to 8 days, and see how much you would really save in comparison to flying.
Good luck!!!
And have a good Christmas, whatever you decide!!
Go to the Calgary Stampede which takes place every July. The parade is great and there are always free pancake breakfasts downtown! Don't miss the chuck wagon races either. 1988 Winter Olympics. It meant 2 weeks off from University and the chance to see the best athletes in the world compete.
The great contrast betwwen the office towers and the park like setting on Prince's island. The ability of the pathway system to travel all along the rivers.
Photo 1 is taken from the Island and shows many of the high towers in the City Centre to the southof the island.
Photo 2 Taken from almost the same spot as photo 1 shows a stairway used by commuters who walk to work, it is across the Bow river and there is a bike path on the side of the hill as well.
Photos 3, 4 and 5 give some idea of the activities in the Park On Prince's island, close to the City Centre, yet accessible to all. Note in Photo 5 Calgary is noted for the wite hat, a stetson presented to visiting dignataries and often worn during the annual Spampede.
The Chinese Culture Museum is located at 197 1st. Street South West Calgary. The museum has been open since September 1992 and attracts around a quarter of a million visitor per year. A visit here explains the Chinese Culture dating back through six thousand years. The museum is open all year with free admission and is run by a non profit making organisation.
Here in Calgary we say, if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes. As I write, the winter snow is melting and one barely needs a sweater outside. We're having a famous mid-winter 'chinook.' But just a few days ago it was -30 C. It can snow here in July and likewise, last Christmas I was cycling in shorts. Everything is possible -- come prepared. Lots of places to camp!! But this is a high altitude so summer nights can be quite chilly. Most campgrounds these days require pre-registration (a good idea anyway as camping is very popular here).
There are also great opportunities here for mountain backpacking (you need a permit, which can be picked up in Calgary or Banff -- but only if you're backpacking in the National Parks -- to the best of my knowledge, a permit is not necessary in the Kananaskis region).
And if you don't want to carry all that gear (and I don't blame you!!!), the Alpine Club of Canada has fantastic huts throughout the Rockies! Non-members pay a bit more per night and you really have to reserve in advance because they are very popular. But don't let that give you the wrong impression! The Rockies are huge and one can hike for days and not meet another soul (if you want to).
You can get a true feel of Calgary's ranching legacy just south of the city at The Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area. Donated from their land by the historical Cross ranching family, the conservation area's mandate is to protect local wildlife on 4800 acres of rolling foothills, which are the gateway to the Rockies.
With relatively little effort, one can get pretty views of the mountains, ranching country, and the city of Calgary. There are 20 km of hiking trails in the area, with an excellent chance of seeing wildlife. "Wildlife" does include black bears, so be on the lookout and take the necessary precautions. Being a hiker, I would rate the trails from easy to easy-moderate.
To enjoy the conservation area, you must phone ahead, as the administration office does monitor who goes in the area, and the amount of people, all part of the ongoing stewardship of this beautiful land. The office is only open Monday - Friday, and if you want to hike on a weekend, you must call by 3 pm on Friday. The conservation area also runs guided hikes and family programs. See the website below for schedules.
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