Weddingbee boards

Hey!
I think I replied to a post of yours about Canada a while ago...

BC and the Rockies won't be so bad for the weather... but what are you planning on doing when you get here? Just driving around and sight-seeing? More outdoorsy stuff like skiing? (too early for most hikes or camping.. some ski hills might still be open though) .

Things will definitely be open, except for campgrounds and trails most things never really close. And you likely won't have to worry about road closures in April. There are some hot springs that would be great that time of year, Radium hot springs are awesome, although there isn't much else to do in that area in April except drive through Kootenay Nat'l park and see the views. If you go through Banff, they have hot springs as well (although I like Radium springs better - they're bigger). If you stay in Banff, the Fox Hotel is really great. There's lots of cute little shops and restaurants in Banff as well. Can check out the Fairmont Hotel, it's beautiful. Take a gondola to the top of Sulphur mountain for some great views.   You can drive up the Icefields Parkway, this is supposedly one of the most beautiful drives in the world... it is pretty amazing. Takes about a 3/4 day to get from Lake Louise (start of the Parkway) to Jasper (at the end). Jasper is a cute town in the mountains, very outdoorsy.

As for more on the BC side, if you are looking for more of a "city based" honeymoon, Victoria is really pretty although I don't know how nice it would be in April. The Okanagan is great in the summer when the fruit is growing (you can ride bikes to various wineries and do wine tastings), you might have to check if that stuff is open in April though.

I lived in the Rockies for 3 years and did lots of travelling around Alberta and BC, so if you have more specific questions, just ask! Basically, I think if you are hoping to have a sunny vacation checking out big cities and shopping, you might be dissapointed. But if you're interested in seeing lots of big mountains, wilderness, getting away from the hustle and bustle, and don't mind rain/snow (it can be really magical in the moutnains when it's raining!) I think you'll have a good time! 

Oohh... when I refer to campsites I automatically think of tent camping (I'm not much of an RV'er), so there is the possibilty that they would be open for RV's. It's just too cold to sleep in a tent. You should call Parks Canada and ask them what they think (National Information Line is 1-888-773-8888) http://www.pccamping.ca/parkscanada/en/  . Most of the area you'll be driving through is within National Parks, so they are your best source of information and what's open and what would be good that time of year. Don't forget you'll have to get a park pass too for your trip. You can buy it when you get there but it's something to keep in mind. 

It's interesting - it seems Europeans more commonly tend to rent RV's to travel around Canada, I wonder if our tourism board promotes it a lot out there? Within Canada, people either own RV's, or they travel by car and then sleep in tents, or hotels/hostels. We don't rent RV's that often, that I know of at least! One tip - if you are renting an RV, the roads can be VERY steep, you're travelling in mountain territory. It always seems like such a pain to be driving those things because they aren't as manouverable and take a lot of chugging to get up the hills. You'll also have to factor in gas as I imagine they'd take a lot more gas. Plus you will have to get used to driving on the opposite side of the road... combine that with the sharp mountains turns and the potential for some snow on the roads that time of the year and you are increasing your chances for a honeymoon disaster.  BUT, on the other hand, they would be more convenient in that you can eat and sleep right in there.

How long are you staying for? If I were planning a honeymoon in the Rockies, I would rent a car, get a cooler and stock up on snacks for the road, but stay at hostels/hotels along the way. Some places (like Jasper) you could stay at for 2 or 3nights and just do activities in the area from a home base (it's nice to not always be moving the whole time).

One other thing to keep in mind is the scale of the map you are looking at - BC and the Rocky Mountains are HUGE and often times when you look at a map you forget just how far apart things are. You start driving and realize you're not really moving very far on the map! If you are an avid traveller you know what I mean, but it's just something to keep in mind b/c people (especially Europeans who are used to small countries) often forget this.

Sorry I don't have more specific info, I really haven't spent a lot of time there in April so I'm a bit hesitant to recommend specific things, and like I said it's in-between ski and hiking season. Do be prepared for rain, I'm not sure of exactly how much rain they get but b/c of the mountainous geography, the amount of rain can vary dramatically. (i.e. east side of the mountains = less rain, west side of the mountains = more rain). 

Oh if you do drive up the Icefields Parkway, there's several stops on the way of things to check out, like the Athabasca Glacier. You can do a tour where they drive you right on top of it.