The last time we were in the States we said that Montana would be our next American road trip and as Canada is so close it seemed silly not to venture there too and see the Rockies – I have done some of this trip before but all in the winter so I knew I’d have a completely different experience.

Travel

As always we hired a truck but sadly due to COVID and whatever other excuse people wanted to give, it was a lot more expensive than our previous trips. We even had to travel from the airport to another car hire place as to hire the same truck from the airport was £3,500 extra for 25 days! Errr, I don’t think so!! Yes, it is a pain having to get a taxi/Uber somewhere first but we simply weren’t going to triple our cost.

Typically, fuel is cheaper in the States than in Canada so aim to fill your car where necessary. Food can equally be the same so hit a Walmart before entering Canada – no dairy to cross borders though!

PREBOOK any ferry trips, especially in the holidays as tickets sell out very quickly and we were almost stuck in Nanaimo. Both ferries we took, from Port Angeles, USA to Victoria, Canada, and Nanaimo, Canada to Vancouver, Canada we’re clean and had very smooth sailings. The only downside to the second ferry was that there was no wifi on board (not a life changer but I was a bit bored).

Hotel 

This trip we did a mixture of hotels and Airbnb, whichever worked out cheaper – as always there was a lot of comparing, but even more so this year as post COVID the rates for even crappy motels have tripled if not quadrupled! For 24 nights it cost us over £4k and none were more than 3*!

Special mention needs to go to our Airbnb host Kathee, her husband, and their cats and dogs. We stayed on their farm in Arlee, Montana and it was just the most serene and peaceful place. If you’re looking for somewhere tranquil with such wonderful hosts then this is THE place!!
Also, another Airbnb was Linda who rents out the ground floor of her house in the countryside area around Missoula – beautiful views, lovely quiet neighborhood, and such a lovely warm welcome! Nothing was too much hassle and the booklets and info sheets on the area were beyond anything I’ve ever seen before! Can’t recommend enough!

Places to visit/things to do

Hurricane Ridge – stunning scenery including forests and snow-capped mountains. Can drive to the top but equally there are stop-off points for photo opportunities along the way.

Lake Cresent – nice short stop for some pictures at the boat landing. Super clear and calm huge lake. In summer you can hire a canoe but it was only 15 degrees when we went and we also weren’t sure we’d be able to hire one with Elliot. There is a waterfall a short walk away from the jetty too which is fairly pretty.

First Beach @ La Push – certainly a bit of a trek (and a bit of climbing over driftwood at the end) and the longest walk to get to out of the beaches at La Push but pretty at the end with a small waterfall and great view of the Pacific Ocean.

Forks – a bit of that dedicated to the Twilight saga but sadly a bit anti-climatic – think the town could do more to get people in.

Hoh Rainforest – enchanted-looking forest with moss hanging from huge spruce trees. There are only 3/4 walks – 2 x 1.5-mile walks near the Visitor Centre and a couple of River/Glacier walks which are 12 and 30 miles respectively. We did both smaller ones and part of the River trail. They were all a bit boggy in places but the longer ones were very muddy in places and weren’t for me in the sense that I think when you’re in such a beautiful place you want to be able to look around whilst walking which you just couldn’t do with tree stumps and bogs everywhere. Yes, I know it’s a forest but I got frustrated looking at the floor for about 2hrs!

Port Angeles – a bit of a passing-through kind of town. We were there only to get the ferry to Vancouver Island but the port is pretty for a stroll.

Victoria – The top places to visit are Fisherman’s Wharf, Inner Harbour, Parliament House, Fairmont Empress hotel, and Beacon Hill (Park World’s tallest free-standing totem). I would also recommend doing a whale-watching cruise as it was so amazing to see them in their natural habitat – we were fortunate enough to see a couple up close too! We went with Eagle Tours and they were great (super knowledgeable). In general, Victoria is a pretty city but sadly a lot of poverty and homelessness.

Nanaimo – on the day we visited there was a dragon boat race (we needed to waste a couple of hours before our Airbnb was ready). This was fun and created a real vibe in the port area. The playground here for kids is also one of the best I’ve seen! Tonnes for kids of all ages to do – we spent about 30 minutes going up and down the slide with Mr.

Neighboring areas to Nanaimo – Little Mountain Lookout, Goats on the Roof, and Cathedral Grove are all good recommendations whilst in the area of Nanaimo. Sadly we didn’t have time to do Cathedral Grove but as it is similar to Hoh Forest we didn’t really miss out. On the Mountain Lookout, I have to say that if you have half a day or more to kill this would be a great walk/hike to do, not because it should take that long to get from bottom to top but because the route is so badly signposted you have zero idea if you’re on the right path – I say ‘right’ path, I think all lead to somewhere with a view. The bit we did involved boulders and some areas which hugged the rocky terrain and I didn’t feel comfortable continuing with Elliot so even though we saw some lovely views, we didn’t see everything I think is there.

Vancouver – Gastown (trendy/hip area with boutique shops), Canada Place (port area where big cruise liners dock), Stanley Park (hire a bike here and tour it this way). Didn’t have time to do the Capilano suspension bridge or Grouse Mountain but these are also worthwhile activities if spending more than 2 days there.

Kamloops – just a stopover but still things to do. We visited the Big Little Science Centre and it was small but very cool. If you have kids under 10 I’d highly recommend passing an hour or two here.
Scoops ice cream parlor is also a HUGE YES from me. Enormous portion sizes and tonnes of flavor choices.

Revelstoke – Again a stopover but even more to do here than in Kamloops if you can make the 6.5hr drive in one go (personally I wouldn’t, at least with kids). A superb first glimpse of what type of views you’ll be having on your way towards the Rockies. You will pass the Meadows in the Sky Parkway on your way to Mount Revelstoke National Park and it is a definite YES from me view-wise. Even in mid-July when we went there was still snow on the ground at the top car park and therefore cars weren’t allowed up that far so we walked (sadly on the road) the last 6km up to the top and apart from the snow at the very top we managed to get to the summit. Views on the way down are MUCH better than views on the way up! 13.8km done in about 2hrs40 – we were all buggered by the end.

Kicking Horse/Golden – this was just a night’s sleep before hitting the Rockies. Again views are the main attraction. Very little else here in summer – in winter there’d be skidoos and skiing and all that kind of thing.

Lake Emerald – A MUST!! We got there fairly early around 9.15 am and there were only a few cars and RVs in the car park compared to about 60-70 when we left at 10.40 am. The lake loop (easiest ‘hike’) is very easy to start (could be done with a buggy) and even at the end (more sling than buggy needed due to roots and muddy parts) it isn’t strenuous – I had Elliot in a sling and it was fine for the hour and 20 it took to get round – most of that was also stopping every minute or so for him to grab a snack from my hand and then eat it. Views from here of the Lake and mountains are just gorgeous, and the reason for the name of the lake becomes very obvious.

Lake Louise – is a must but sadly it is for everyone else too and therefore is packed even from very early in the morning to late at night so be prepared for hordes of people no matter when you get there. The lake loop (not really a loop as you can only go halfway round to the glacier point and then have to come back again) can be done with a buggy and that’s how we did it as Elliot napped as we walked. Views again are stunning but the crowds at the start are a bit off-putting – luckily the further you go around the loop the fewer people there are so stick with it (it’s only about 5km round trip)

Icefield Parkway (on the way to Jasper) – takes just over an hour and a half to get there from Lake Louise and the road is just beautiful. So many stop-offs for photo opportunities but please stop at a designated place NOT just pull over on the hard shoulder – a few people each year die getting a picture.

We paid to do the Athabasca Glacier bus tour and this included access to the Skywalk too. This was something Steve wanted to do but for me, heights and the possibility of slipping and falling to my death, I’m good thanks! I literally got off, took about 5 steps for a picture, and then got back on the bus – yes judge away people! Lol. In all seriousness though it is a cool thing to do and in about 60 years it’ll all be gone so do it whilst you can!

Banff – expensive for everything but pretty. I think Lake Louise, even though just as expensive m, has more things to do in the vicinity. We went to Lake Minnewanka one morning for breakfast and then walked it off wandering around the lake which was lovely – views here are pretty, but repetitive as we’ve seen a lot of lakes and the same scenery recently.

Cardston – nothing to do, DEFINITELY a stopover but be careful if you want to cross the border back into the States from here as the border control only opens from 8 am-6 pm. This was a HUGE pain for us as we got up early especially to get to Logan Pass before 8 am when we knew the parking lot would be full of tourists.

Glacier National Park – ok so I’m trying to be objective here but it’s very hard to be. We arrive and miss the entrance fee as we’ve gotten there early (BONUS) but then, after driving a good 10-15miles we get stopped by a park ranger and told without a car reservation to simply drive along the road we cannot continue and have to go back to St Mary’s. Already a bit low on fuel (100miles is low in this country) this was a bummer but we accepted we’d have to go back. Then when we got to St.Mary’s Visitor Centre we were told that there were no more passes available for today and tomorrow! WTF?!! We were told we could use the free shuttle service to see the various places in the park – great, but still didn’t solve the problem of OUR HOTEL IS JUST AT THE OTHER END OF THE PARK!!! Looking at the map we’d have to go 100 miles out of our way to get to our hotel for tonight – no choice. So after that hurdle, we decided to use the shuttle bus/ice box (the air con was on high and it wasn’t exactly warm outside). We got to the first stop on the road and the bus driver said everyone had to get off! ????! We’d have to get off and then in a while, they’re be another bus to take us to the next stop. ?????!!!! We got off the bus and a queue had already formed to the right of a park ranger who was directing people. I asked how long it would take to get to Logan Pass (one of the top areas according to research I’d done) and she was so vague it hurt ‘Well buses come every 15-30mins and they have anywhere between 0-11 spaces available on each so it depends’. Seeing as we’d been held up 1)at the border to the States 2)messing around trying to get a car pass 3)waiting for a shuttle, we only had about an hour and a half before we’d need to get Elliot back for food and a nap. Then an LFT said she’d waited over an hr to get on a bus due to infrequency and the number of people waiting to get on the bus. We just didn’t have that time to get to the Logan Pass and back again so had to settle with where we were – Sun Point. We looked at the information re hikes in the area we could do and saw a 1-2mile one to a waterfall. I asked the ranger there how long the walk would take and again a vague answer ‘Well, it depends. Not too long.’ I mean really l, what kind of answer is that!

Anyway, after a mini meltdown due to stupidity and the rest of the evening chuntering we made a new battle plan to go into the park early the next morning to do Avalanche Creek Trail. A moderate trail with some ups and downs but nothing strenuous at all. You end up at the Lake and we stopped there for about 20 minutes for Mr to play with stone and splash about in the water – it was lovely!

As we were in the park we decided to take the opportunity to do the famous ‘Going-to-the-Sun Highway which you ABSOLUTELY have to do whilst here. The part from Logan’s Pass to Apgar definitely has the best views in the park.

Arlee, Montana – quiet, full of farms, and has just some lovely scenery. Close by there is also the Garden of 1,000 Buddhas which is worth half an hour’s wander round. Finally, round the same area is the Bison Range. Picturesque views, the opportunity to see bison, elk, mountain goats, etc on a one-two hour self-drive ride.

Helena, Montana – capital of Montana and definitely worth a full-day visit. In the morning got the ‘last chance’ train tour – not so much of a train though than a big car designed like a train with carriages being towed. Matt was our ‘conductor’ and he was very knowledgeable about the area and as he took us around the city he told us stories of famous people in Helena’s history. This is a great way to see the best parts of the city without walking too far and not knowing what to visit in a short space of time.
In the afternoon we drove to the ‘Gates to the Mountains’ which is on the Missouri River. The two-hour boat tour talks of the first sailings up the river by Lewis and Clark and various cool rock formations eg how an inlet and a spike create the formation of a rhino. Brian, our tour guide was very good at giving stories of his experiences too on the river and answering any questions we had.

Elkhorn State Park – we had planned to do a 5/6-mile walk here but after almost an hr and a half on dicey gravel rounds getting to the trailhead we gave up. We were driving at 3/4mph at points as it was so rocky and uneven – and we were in a truck! Do NOT attempt the Crow Creek hike in a car!

Bozeman – quaint little town with some quirky buildings and an awesome Grizzly Bear Encounter. When you buy tickets, they stay for two days so if you don’t get to see all the bears or just want to see them again, you can! The people there are very knowledgeable and not only can tell you about the bears they have at the rescue, but also how to avoid/deal with bears if you see them on a hike (obviously NOT info the average UK citizen but still, good to know!).
If you are a museum person then the Museum of the Rockies is an absolute must! Steve and I normally aren’t into them but this was quite good for the price (18$ per adult). They have a planetarium too which Elliot sat through, with a bit of food bribery.

Butte – on our way to Butte from our accommodation we were passing Lewis and Clark caverns which are huge caves you can enter. Sadly, due to COVID reservations, they were booked up months in advance and therefore we had to give it a miss – if you are planning to be in the area make sure you book these ASAP!
From there we went to Ringing Rocks – exactly what they sound like although a bit anticlimactic after another horrible gravel road with a of near punctures and bumpiness. Basically, once you get up to the top (an iffy drive and a three-quarter mile walk after) you take one of the hammers (there’s about 6/7 there permanently) and tap the rocks and they ‘ring’. A lot don’t make much of a sound though so after a lot of effort in actually getting there we were a little disappointed.
Berkeley pit is a good 10-15 minute stop gap. A former open pit copper mine is now filled with highly acidic water even containing arsenic!!
If you have children then Stodden Park/ Ridge Waters is a HUGE YES!! There a cluster of small play areas, specific to certain age groups, and next to it is a super water park – and it only costs 6$ per adult!! There are two sessions a day 12-3 pm and 4-7 pm. Inside there are a few tube slides, a lazy river, a swimming area, and a baby/toddler area with bucket drops and smaller baby slides. It was PERFECT!

Missoula–Caras Park was on the top of the ‘to-do’ list here including Brennan’s Wave, Carousel, and the Riverfront Trail. Just a pleasant wander more than anything else (nothing exceptional) but it was cool to go on the carousel as a family.
Again (the day before) I found yet another water park called ‘Splash Montana’. This time 8$ and two sessions (11-3 & 3.30-7.30 pm) but this time the baby/toddler section only had one slide so of course it got incredibly busy…and pushy! Elliot is a bit of a wallflower at the mo so other kids kept on pushing in front of him in the slide queue – he is so painfully British! Ha!

Coeur d’Alene – this was an impromptu stop for an hour as Elliot was beside himself with the heat and Steve needed a break but it worked really well. A lovely beachfront area with tonnes of water activities and, even though a little stoney/pebbley (like some of the UK beaches) it was a super way to cool down in the river – even if we had literally just put a fresh nappy on Mr!

Moses Lake – we needed a halfway point to take a break being Spokane and Leavenworth and once I’d researched the area (the day before) the first thing that came up was a water park! DONE!

Leavenworth – so this would be cool if it was winter and there was snow and you didn’t live in Europe. Very expensive quirky place based on a Bavarian town and good if you’ve never been to the German mountains but not really for us. We spent about an hour just wandering around before the shops opened as we were on a tight schedule that day.

Seattle – when doing my research the top things that most people recommended were pioneer square (a tiny triangular space that was overgrown – definitely NOT worth the extra 20mins walk we did, pike market (a fun place to grab a bite and wander), gum wall (honestly, only Americans can take littering a walk with gum and make it a tourist attraction), Great Wheel and Space Needle (nice to do but I wouldn’t pay to do-just look at) and Kerry park (this is a STEEP walk, especially on a hot ass day pushing a toddler in a stroller but does have a lovely view of the Space Needle and downtown).

Food

As stated in other blogs on the US, Steve and I normally use Walmart as a go-to for snacks and lunch ideas as to eat out for every meal would be VERY unhealthy and even more expensive! We get yogurts, granola, and croissants for breakfasts as these are easy to store in a cool box and to eat without needing a kitchen. Walmart also does good pre-made salad boxes and sandwiches which are reasonably priced. Then we normally eat out for dinner.

Sully’s Burgers in Forks – small burger place (wouldn’t say restaurant, more self-service cafe). Would highly recommend the milkshakes and tater tots!

Downriggers – Port Angeles. Lovely restaurant on the water (as for a water seat). I’d recommend the chowder and the shrimp – just yummy.

Currently, you cannot bring any meat or dairy from the USA into Canada – sadly we learned the hard way when our eggs were confiscated after literally just buying them.

Cora, Victoria + Vancouver – a chain of restaurants with fancy-cut fruit accompanying most dishes. We are here on two separate occasions – food is good and very filling, if slightly on the expensive side.

Montana’s, Nanaimo – a traditional steakhouse with awesome ribs and meatloaf. Would recommend it!

Jam café, Vancouver – I searched for good breakfasts in the area and this came up as one of the best…it certainly did not disappoint. I had the avocado Benny and Steve had the pork one. Best breakfast I’ve had in a decade or two!

Deer Lodge Lounge, Lake Louise – as we hadn’t eaten any ‘proper’ cooked food for a few days we decided to splurge a little and eat at the hotel lounge bar. It was really yummy, not expensive but totally worth it – recommend the bison burger!

Eddie’s burgers – good burger joint with a range of scrummy burgers and fries. On par with other prices in the area, which is more expensive than back home.

Huckleberry Patch, West Glacier – an absolute MUST! Great food and a million times cheaper than inside the National Park or at the Glacier Village which is just outside the park. They make their own jam and seems to be a famous thing in the area/in the States as Huckleberry pie seems to be a thing. We had a Huckleberry milkshake and ice cream and have to admit it was VERY yummy.

Big Dipper ice cream, Missoula – sadly we had to miss it but research was that it is superb – check it out for me and leave me a note in the comments/email me.

Flying Goat, Spokane – awesome pizza place with craft beers and unique pizza concoctions. Not bad prices too which was nice!

Final thoughts

All in all a long trip and we were all definitely ready to come home to our home comforts (big ass comfy bed with Yorkshire tea whenever we want!). We did have a great time though as saw a LOT! 3,400miles worth!!