Anyone who knows my husband, Ken, knows what a train-i-ack is. So, it was no surprise that he wanted to go on the Canada Rail Rocky Mountaineer trip across the Canadian Rockies. Not one to pass up a trip, I did a bit of research and found out I could finally get to Lake Louise on this train trip. I’ve heard of the incredible beauty of Lake Louise and the Fairmont Chateau for decades.

We did a few things correctly on the trip, but also had a few screw-ups. Here is our itinerary complete with suggested changes to make for the perfect trip.

We flew from Gainesville on the new American flight to Dallas and changed there for a flight to Seattle. We found the flights quite nice, with plenty of time to grab a bite to eat in Dallas. We stayed two nights in Seattle, but if you have never been there before, I’d suggest at least three nights. We have two favorite hotels there, the Alexis and Inn at the Market, where we stayed on this trip. It is a block away from Pikes Market and an easy four blocks to Nordstrom’s.

We spent the afternoon walking around Pikes, bought some fish to ship home and had a nice lunch at the Athenian in the market.

• 

Tip No. 1: Rent a car to get to Lake Louise

The next morning, we flew to Calgary. We planned to spend three nights at Louise and figured we would avoid a horrendous drive thought the mountains and hire a driver to take us to Lake Louise from the Calgary airport.  Cost was $350. The road was a beautiful 4-lane road and the route so easy a child could drive it. We quickly realized we should have rented a car and driven ourselves for a lot less money.

Tip No. 2: Don’t stay more than one night at Lake Louise.

Not wanting to be stranded for three days, we were lucky to find a Hertz rent-a-car desk at the hotel and arranged to hire a car for a day. We drove to Banff — about 45 minutes away — and had lunch, wandered around the town which is chock full of shops and cafes and visited the Banff Springs hotel. Turns out the Banff Springs hotel— also a Fairmount hotel— is older than the Lake Louise hotel and has a lot more to do. Prices seem about the same. We talked with a number of folks who had spent a few days in Banff and then a day at Lake Louise. That is probably the right choice. Banff seems to be geared more towards tourists and there are galleries, shops, and many restaurant choices.

When we got to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, we found out there wasn’t much to do there other than hiking. With the ground covered with snow and ice, hiking was out.

You really do need to go to Lake Louise to see the lake and the mountains. It is one of those famous geological sites that does not disappoint. All the service people at the hotel are young and 85% are from Ontario — fresh out of school and recruited to work for three months or so. We were told they have a 70% turnover rate. Our trip was in April and we got snow and a frozen lake. But we were told that June, July and August are so busy you can barely see the lake because of the mobs of people. Although it would have been nice to see the lake unfrozen, I don’t think I would have been crazy about being there with the masses. Fall is another good time to visit. When you stay in Lake Louise, you are pretty much stuck with eating all your meals at the hotel, as there is nothing much nearby. Even if you don’t stay at Lake Louise, eat lunch at the lobby-level bar/restaurant – which has amazing views of the lake. An hour or so taking in the scenery should do the trick.

From the Lake Louise hotel we were picked up for the train ride. Luggage had to be transported by truck, as there is no room on the train for luggage. I wanted to sleep in, but had to pull my toilet articles out of my roller bag, so I could get dressed without my bag. This is one of the reasons I generally don’t like group travel. Those early morning calls are a bitch when retirement has gotten you used to sleeping in.

We were bussed to the train station in Lake Louise – a location used in numerous films including Dr. Zhivago — a quaint spot where we wound up spending a couple of hours since the train signal in Banff had frozen over and delayed the train from getting to us.

I must admit the staff was more than accommodating. They had coffee, hot chocolate and pastries laid out to feed us and one of the staff gave a talk about the area, the trains and the wildlife in the national park (this area is all part of the Canadian Park system).

When the train arrived, we were shown to our car and hopped onboard, walking over a red-carpet and greeted by all the team who would serve us throughout the two-day journey.  We had purchased the gold service, which put us on double-decker car. The top of the car was where we sat and it had a huge plastic dome so we could see all the sights. Underneath were the dining room (where we ate breakfast and lunch every day) and washrooms. (Not restrooms in Canada!)

The train trip was spectacular – complete with more food than you could eat. Snacks of wine and cheese and nuts and trail mix were served all day long. The train car was divided into two meal servings. On day one, we were in the second serving. On day two, we were switched to the first serving – so everyone had a chance at both servings. Breakfast offered a choice of six items – the same menu for both days. Lunch was a hot meal and the menu changed from day one to day two. Wine was served throughout the day and a limited cocktail menu was also available. The dining room was beautifully appointed and we sat with several different couples. For train food, it was pretty good.

The days were long on the train. We didn’t get into Kamloops the first day until after 7:30 pm. We had been warned that hotels there were moderate at best. We would up in a Doubletree which was a lot like an old Holiday Inn. Clean and dreary colors, but fine for one night. Nothing you would want to stay in for any length of time, however.

The second day started with bus boarding at 7:15 and ended in Vancouver at 8:00 pm. Since the Rocky Mountaineer travels on tracks owned by the two Canadian rail companies, freight trains have first priority and we often had to wait for another train to pass by. The Rocky Mountaineer travels at about 30 miles per hour, so you are not clipping along. But you do have plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, relax and eat and drink. The staff gives a steady explanation of the sights, locations and general information.

We had booked our own hotel in Vancouver and stayed at the Metropolitan, a small hotel in downtown, where we stayed on our last trip to Vancouver. We liked it and found plenty of shops, museums and restaurants nearby. Vancouver does not have Uber or Lyft, so we used regular taxies to get around.

All in all, a good trip. Ours was 12 days – but you could easily make it more or less – as your schedule dictates. The highlight of the train trip is surely the service and scenery. Be prepared for long days and sit back and take it all in!