From Colorado to coastal Maine, the US has a lot to see during leaf-viewing season. But here's a secret: our northern neighbor is just as colorful in autumn.
Undulating alpine scenery draped in burgundy, creamy yellow and orange stands out, especially on Rocky Mountaineer. First route westward. Traveling through Banff, Alberta, you'll experience Western Canada from the train's large windows, accompanied by a glass of local wine or a hearty breakfast – lemon and honey buttermilk pancakes or smoked salmon avocado toast – prepared by the on-board chef.
It’s a journey designed to keep the good times going and to ward off that nagging question: “Are we there yet?”
National Benefits
Banff is known for its gorgeous mountains and bluer-than-blue lakes (especially Caribbean Sea-colored Lake Louise).
The last two weeks of September and the first week of October are the best times to see peak foliage in the national park. Leaf watchers can watch the alpine (tamarack larch) trees blossom in all their beauty as they turn from lush green to a glowing gold.
This needle-like tree, which is found in abundance in Banff National Park, can also be seen from a bird’s eye view on the Banff Gondola, one of the additional activities offered by Rocky Mountaineer.
Picture train
Are you fascinated by the charm of train travel but want to avoid the hassle of being crammed into a sleeper car? You're in luck.
The Rocky Mountaineer is a daylight-only rail travel experience, so you'll be on the tracks by day and relaxing in beautiful hotels each night. To keep the choo-choo friendly throughout, entertaining onboard hosts help you illustrate your time on the tracks with information about wildlife and geography and campfire-worthy stories about historic sites and notable people.
When booking, select either the GoldLeaf or SilverLeaf service options. With the GoldLeaf tier, you'll get cinematic views from a bi-level, glass-dome coach, the lower portion of which is dedicated to dining – you'll also get access to a special outdoor viewing platform. Meanwhile, SilverLeaf service takes place on a single-level train car, and you can enjoy a delicious meal while sitting in your seat.
Rates vary by service level and package (e.g., short trip, Rockies Highlights or circle trip).
on the right track
Vancouver, Kamloops and Banff are three of the destinations highlighted on the famous “First Route to the West”—and it's a pretty spectacular trio. Find everything Hollywood North has to offer, with glamorous restaurants and retail shops paired with equally glamorous Mother Nature (snow-capped mountains, coastal tides, you know).
From Vancouver you'll head to Kamloops, where lush landscapes, coastal mountain peaks, and the foamy white waters of the Fraser River and Hells Gate will dazzle you along the way and in town.
Next, you'll head east through the Shuswap region, where there are views of endless lakes. As your caboose gains elevation, you'll see mountains all the way to Banff.
For railroad lovers, the real scene-stealer may be the engineering feats of the Spiral Tunnels, unveiled in 1909, which snake through Mount Ogden (lower tunnel) and Cathedral Mountain (upper tunnel) up the steep climb to Kicking Horse Pass.
Geology nerds will most enjoy crossing the Continental Divide. And nearly everyone will be curious to retrace the route of 19th-century explorers who linked Canada's east and west when the railroad was completed in 1885.
This year, “First Passage West” package rates start at $1,720 for a two-day rail trip from Vancouver to Banff, including two breakfasts and two lunches on the train, luggage handling and train station transfers in Kamloops, and an overnight hotel stay in Kamloops.
The “First Passage to the West” exploration package starts at $4,140 and includes two days of Rocky Mountaineer rail service and meals, plus eight nights’ hotel accommodations, luggage handling and transfers to several rail stations, a national park pass and a Banff gondola ride.
But the best part is that the First Passage to the West package goes in both directions. This means you can start in the Rockies (Banff) and head to Vancouver, or vice versa.
