Travelling west to Vancouver Island

[boo798]

I am travelling west to Vancouver Island leaving Sept 15 and wanted some ideas and routes along the way. We have about 3 weeks to a month to make the journey across from Sarnia On . I would prefer to take a scenic route when it is appropriate, also any ways to get away from Chicago traffic .

[Hutch333id]

We have just done a large part of that journey on our way back home from Toronto. We crossed in to the US at Sarnia and then headed south to Shipshewana, Indiana. Great Amish community here who we found very friendly and made a great job of fixing our 5er. From there were travelled west using US 20 until we hit Joliet in IL and I80. Stopped in the Quad Cities for a couple of days - worth visiting the Isabel Bloom stores there and Whitey's Ice Cream and the John Deer visitor centre. After that not much to see (as far as we were concerned) until we stopped in SD. Here we visited Mt Rushmore, Deadwood and numerous other places in close proximity. Cut diagonally north through MT and in to AB at Cypress Hills Provincial Park.

If you have the time, I'd then come up to Banff NP (Jasper, Icefields Parkway, Lake Louise) and then head down towards Vancouver on the TCH.

If you're looking to stay north on the TCH, not too much to see crossing SK & MB but the same can be said crossing Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.

[fanrgs]

Really depends on whether you are staying in Canada or crossing over to the US. If I were doing your trip, I would take US I-69 to I-75 and Sault Ste. Marie. That avoids Chicago by completely avoiding all of Illinois. If you have traveled west on the Trans-Canada Hwy. before, then take the Michigan Upper Peninsula route south of Lake Superior to International Falls, MN, circle around gorgeous Lake of the Woods, and head to wildlife-rich Riding Mountain National Park NW of Winnipeg. The RMNP campground in Wassagaming has fairly private, long pull-thru, FHU sites, good cell service and the best WiFi we have found in a public campground.

You should get to Banff and Jasper NPs either going to, or coming from, Vancouver if you haven't been there before. However, we were once in a snowstorm in Banff NP in mid-Sept., so it may be a little late by the time you get there. You could also stay farther south and visit Waterton Lakes NP on your way to the glacial lakes, orchards, wineries, and great restaurants of the Okanagan Valley (where we will be on an early Sept. trip!).

[boo798]

Thanks you for the detailed response and ideas. We will be heading through the states as we don,t want to take a chance of a freak snow out west Canada in the mountains. Plan is to cross over by ferry to Victoria

[jaherbst]

Prepare yourself for a large Ferry fee.

Jack

[patchman]

Boo, not trying to be sarcastic here, but if you are trying to avoid possible snow in the mountains on your trip to the west coast, the US northwest has the same mountain ranges that are north of the border!

[boo798]

NP I was aware of the mountains in the states. I am more interested in seeing the northwest states as we have not seen them. We have travelled Alberta and BC and wanted to do something different when we go out to visit our children in Victoria

[ForestWalker]

Check out highway 20 across northern Washington State. West end of it is Anacortes. You can hop the Washington State San Juan ferry to Sidney, BC (Victoria) from there.

[boo798]

Thanks for all your help and input