Let's Take the Train

Planning a vacation is sometimes just throwing a dart at a map and seeing where it lands. But planning an international trip for my best friend’s birthday—after I insisted she finally get her passport—included some challenging caveats.

First, it had to be somewhere I had never been. Second, since we only had a short window to be away, it needed to be within a couple time zones of our SoCal home to insure shorter travel times. Third, she insisted that there be no camp without glamp: “I’m too old to be sleeping on the ground and drinking my wine out of paper cups.” (To be fair, I think she also might have said something similar when we were 22 and 24 years old after spending a day trip together at Lake Isabella.) Finally, if we were going to be traveling in tourism luxury, I needed there to be a local and/or sustainable component as a balance. Good luck Googling the perfect vacation with all those parameters!

After countless discussions, and ruling out anywhere particularly warm, I came across a print ad for Canada and remembered that I had seen one of the traveling YouTubers I follow take a train ride through the Canadian Rockies. “Let’s take the train!” Sold.

TIP: A bonus while traveling in Canada was that we didn’t need electric plug converters or international cell phone plans. However, they do have different cash, so be sure to do a currency trade at your bank ahead of time so you have some for tips and trinkets.

After working around event schedules, summer pricing, magazine deadlines and a wedding, we settled on early October as the perfect timetable and made reservations with the Rocky Mountaineer train. After a long hot summer, we delighted in the idea of sweater weather. And maybe we’d get to see some fall colors.

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL TIP:
According to Climate Action Accelerator, if a flight is necessary, choosing direct over connecting flights greatly reduces emissions.

FIRST STOP: VANCOUVER

The first step to keeping our carbon footprint lower was to find direct flights to Vancouver—the starting point on our transcontinental train trip. With travel times and traffic to LAX in mind, we chose very early flights on Air Canada that were so inexpensive, we were able to upgrade to Business Class for the cost of a regular flight. Luxury, check. More sustainable, check.

The short three-hour flight also afforded us an entire day to explore Vancouver, though that was not nearly enough time. (In hindsight, I recommend planning for a couple days on either end of the train ride to fully enjoy the regions.) The city is only about 45 square miles (relatively compact but too big to walk everywhere), is densely populated, has excellent transportation options and is packed with things to see. Our hotel on the Vancouver Harbour allowed us an early check-in and offered views of the seaplanes regularly taking off and landing, as well as easy access to the walking path along Coal Harbour. After enjoying locally roasted coffee and lunch in a waterfront shop, we found no fewer than three art installations along that path.

Later, though there were highly rated restaurants on nearly every corner, we took a taxi to HYDE on Main, a little hole-in-the-wall bar three miles from our hotel (enthusiastically recommended by the doorman at the hotel)—owned by my cousin, who is a chef (and who I hadn’t seen in nearly 20 years). The drinks, food and conversation were all lovely and definitely gave us a non-tourist local vibe. (You won’t get a discount for mentioning this article, but if you ask for Rick and tell him his cousin sent you, you might get to feel like family!)

SUSTAINABILITY TIP:
When traveling, try to use public transportation or walk as much as possible. This can help offset the carbon footprint of travel, and the physical effects of lengthy sitting

Chef-made locally focused breakfast (left) and lunch on the train were served in a communal dining style where we made friends and shared pictures.

THE TRAIN: DAY 1 TO KAMLOOPS

Our two-day train trip on the Rocky Mountaineer Gold Leaf included breakfast, lunch, snacks, drinks and a mediocre hotel room in Kamloops—the midway point with a population the size of Ventura—with an option to allow them to book hotels the nights before and after the ride as well.

We were seated in a glass-domed double-decker coach equipped with cozy warmed seats, USB and electric plugs and our very own attendants (four per car), who doubled as docents, sharing history and fun facts about the landmarks we passed. The lower level was the dining car and a small platform for open-air viewing. Our meals, served at communal tables, were chef-made dishes sourced directly from the regions we traveled through, including maple syrups from Quebec, wild salmon from British Columbia, wine from Thompson Okanagan (a wine region near Kamloops) and beef, chicken and pork that were labeled by province and farm.

The journey to get out of the city is fairly flat but skirts and crosses the Fraser River, and even in the cloudy, drizzly weather we experienced, is beautiful. I spent nearly as much time outside on the platform as upstairs in my seat and the views from both were serene.

Kamloops was underwhelming, but mainly because we arrived late and didn’t have time to explore the farm-to-table local food scene. We did meet a very nice bartender at the hotel restaurant who had an amazing immigration story. Adding to the list for a possible road trip in the future!

TRAVEL COMMUNITY TIP:
Be ready to chat with those you meet and don’t be scared to ask questions. We met so many people with interesting stories, as well as a couple who felt like family by Day 2 on the train. A main point of travel is to see the beauty in people outside of your circle, to expand your understanding of and compassion for the world.

THE TRAIN: DAY 2 TO BANFF

But can we talk about the views? Rivers changing color, waterfalls, bridges, tunnels, narrow canyons, bald eagles, black bears, osprey, bighorn sheep, pristine lakes, snow-capped mountains, bright yellow aspen and larch trees, bright blue glacial water and even a glacier: We saw it all.

A good portion of the trip was without phone service and, by necessity, harkens back to a time when travel was slower. Coupled with the stunning landscapes, the train allowed a different sort of relaxation, a time of releasing daily worries and striving. I could feel my shoulders relaxing, my breath deepening and my laugh becoming more hearty. By the time we arrived in Banff National Park, I was ready to do all the crazy touristy things I would never normally do.

The glass-domed train car allowed full views of the stunning landscapes (left) and gave plenty of light for comparing photos of wildlife. (right) The 8-minute Banff Gondola ride was a quick way up Sulphur Mountain, but allowed us to take in the epic views of the valley.

NEXT STOP: BANFF

As a bonus—or an upsell, if you will—the Rocky Mountaineer has partnered with multiple excursion companies in scenic Banff, Whistler, Lake Louise and Jasper. Since there is no time limit on add-ons, we were able to decide at the last minute what we wanted to do with our full day in Banff.

After figuring out the bus schedule ($2 for the whole day if you show a local hotel key), we rode up to Sulphur Mountain to take the Banff Gondola to the summit. We timed it so that we could stroll the self-guided interpretive boardwalk to the true peak, take in the interpretive exhibits in the summit building and eat lunch with breathtaking views at the Sky Bistro, an upscale noshery located 7,486 feet (2,281 meters) above sea level, with a noted commitment to local producers in both their cuisine and cocktails. (On vacation, we decided, cocktails can start at lunchtime.)

After lunch, we went straight back down the mountain for our Open Top car adventure, which was a nice icing on the local lore tour. Had we more time, I would have liked to adventure out to Lake Louise, do some additional hikes surrounded by the surreal vistas and eat at more of the incredible eateries. I wanted to try Farm & Fire, Farm Table, The Bison Restaurant & Patio and Chuck’s Steakhouse & Patio. Next time.

An early flight the next morning left us both satisfied and wanting more, but also ready to be home. We are now working on my birthday trip. Any suggestions?

The photos of this trip barely scratch the surface of the beauty of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Consider travel at the end of September to early October to see the brief fall colors below the snow-capped peaks. Check out this story on our website for more images.

FARM-TO-TABLE FOOD: When visiting a new area, my go-to Google tip is to look for “farm to table food in [location].” It will generally give you several interesting choices and a quick look at the menus will tell you where you want to eat.

• SOMETHING TO NOTE: Both on the train and in Banff, we noticed that many of the mountains, passes and towns were named for the men who “discovered” them. Canada, much like the States, has had some shameful history of mistreating both the Indigenous people of the land and the Chinese workers who built the railroads. In 2006, the Canadian government formally apologized to the Chinese Canadians and now seems to be working hard to recognize and honor the 203 different First Nations and 30 Indigenous languages of British Columbia and Alberta. In fact, at least near Banff, some of the mountain names are being changed back to the original Indigenous names. It is a start. It is also worth looking into Indigenous Tourism, particularly in these ancient lands. Visit IndigenousTourism.ca for more.