rosiejtt
member
Reged: 08/07/2008
Posts: 11
Loc: Pytchley, Northants
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My OH & I are planning a fly drive trip to the Rockies next year and wonder whether it would be too much to combine with California (Napa Valley & Lake Tahoe particularly). We haven't really any idea of mileage/distances/feasible or best itineraries. Any advice would be welcome. We are quite happy to fly say from Vancouver to San Francisco to pick up another car for the US part. We have about 2 1/2 weeks for this trip.
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Rosie
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Mollymandy
member
Reged: 01/08/2008
Posts: 702
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My sister lives in northern CA and goes to Tahoe regularly (loves it)... Sonoma valley is equally pretty to Napa and the mission town of Sonoma fascinating. Distances are vast though so be prepared for long drives between sites. Would love to go to Vancouver and west coast of Canada - lucky you.
I think it may be pretty full on to do the two countries in 2 1/2 weeks but roads are good and at least petrol is cheap!
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Anne62
member
Reged: 28/05/2007
Posts: 262
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Hi rosiejtt, I am sure that you will fall in love with the Rockies we did the whole lot but it took us about a week and a half to do it,we started in Vancouver and worked our way around and back to Vancouver, it was a wonderful experience,as Mollymandy says the distances are vast although the Highways are good roads to travel on.Vancouver is my second favorite city but,San Francisco is my number 1,but I am lucky my sister lives in Vancouver and my brother lives in Danville CA,I love visiting the missions and Sonoma is lovely as Lake Tahoe is, so good luck and hope that you will be able to visit all the places that you would like to. 
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rosiejtt
member
Reged: 08/07/2008
Posts: 11
Loc: Pytchley, Northants
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Hi all, thanks for your suggestions - I'm beginning to think it is too much to visit both countries - we're bound to miss out on so much if we try to see too much too quickly - think we'll have to have 2 holidays - better start saving hard!!
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Rosie
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moviemaven
member
Reged: 04/10/2008
Posts: 10
Loc: Canadian living in Glasgow
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Hi,
I don't know if you're still considering this trip, but I'm a Vancouverite and have visited both places but honestly feel that you're trying to do too much in one trip - unless of course you plan to devote more than 2 weeks to travelling and covering a LOT of miles.
The drive from Vancouver to the Rockies - Banff, Jasper etc. - is spectacular and worth at least 5 days to get there and back - it's a long stretch of driving that I don't recommend doing in one fell swoop.
Or else you could fly from the UK to Calgary in Alberta and cover a far shorter distance to the Rockies but it's not nearly as picturesque but still worth the visit. There's also the train - travelling from either city and through the mountains.
I am biased however having been born and lived in Vancouver! There is HEAPS to see there and the city is currently in the midst of preparing for the 2010 Winter Olymics so there's a lot of development going on and new infrastructers etc. You could spend a couple of days just touring around there before heading to the Rockies. The Coastal Mountain drive from Vancouver to Whistler is also pretty scenic and would take you less than 2 hours driving time.
Best of luck with whatever you decide!
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AllyMac
member
Reged: 02/04/2007
Posts: 30
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Hi,
OH and I came back from Vancouver and the Rockies just last week. Fabulous. Cold but blue skies and sunshine every day with snow on the mountain tops.
After spending time on Vancouver Island and a couple of nights in Vancouver, we rented a car and drove to Banff via Kamloops. Spent a couple of nights in Banff before driving up the Icefields Parkway - which is spectacular! - then spent two nights in Jasper before driving the same way back down to Banff.
My only observation re travelling is that I regret booking the return journey to the UK via Vancouver. After driving 2000+ miles in 8 days, it would have been better to return to the UK via Calgary. Not that we didn't love Vancouver; I could happily have stayed there forever but flying back from Calgary would have saved on the extra 12 hours of driving back to Vancouver. But at least we got to stay at the best B&B in Kamloops on both journeys!
A wonderful part of the world and can't wait to go back 'cos I know there's a lake / mountain or two that we didn't see.
You'll have a great time.
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