Summer in Canada: 4 week roadtrip from Vancouver to Jasper

If your working holiday in Canada vision board involves a whole lot of lakes, hiking scenes, canoes and snowy peaked mountain scenes – I’m here to tell you Canada in summer will not disappoint.

Prepare to have your jaw to the floor as you cruise the Icefields Parkway, spot bears munching on dandelions (from the car, thank f*) and see turquoise lakes so bright it looks like your eyes are playing tricks. So, let’s kick things off, shall we? As I take you on a four-week road trip from the outdoorsy city of Vancouver all the way to the Canadian Rockies of Jasper.

Stop 1 | Vancouver (3-4days)

If you’d never heard of ‘Gorpcore’ before, we’re pretty sure Vancouver invented it. It’s all about stylish locals looking decked out in branded outdoor wear that could take them from the city streets of Downtown to nearby Cypress Mountain in a flash.

The highlights | Trying all the food at Granville Island Public Market, walking the Stanley Park Seawall, embracing the coffee culture in Gastown (Timbertain and Nemesis were personal faves) , vintage browsing and foodie crawls in Mount Pleasant, walking the Lynn Valley Suspension bridge (it’s free!), the healthy yogi vibe of Kitsilano and those dreamy English Bay sunsets.

Stop 2 | Vancouver Island (2-3days)

Now this is an optional add-on, and truth be told, we wished we had longer to explore this beautiful part of Canada (FYI, Vancouver Island is about the size of the UK). If you’ve got the extra time, Tofino is an amazing spot to hang out in summer, get some beach time and lap up the island life. We had a lot to pack in and with seeing orcas on the brain, we got the incredibly scenic ferry from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay where we stayed in a ‘Cabin Porn’ style AirBnB near Sidney.

The highlights | Whale watching tour (yep, we saw four orcas!), loaded arepas at Sidney’s Thursday night food/craft market, walking amongst the flowers at Butchart Gardens, spotting seals and bald eagles from Sidney boardwalk, the tasty lunches at Gray’s Café.

Stop 3 | Squamish (2 days)

Okay, now here’s where the roadie truly begins. We picked up our campervan and headed north from Vancouver on the scenic Sea to Sky road that winds around the mountains with the sea along the side of you. Like a lot of drives in Canada, time flies as the outrageously beautiful views from every angle are a good distraction.

With a low-key vibe, mountain views, independent food spots, craft breweries and boutiques – Squamish is also a well-known spot for rock climbing and hiking trails with the most popular (and challenging) one known as ‘The Chief’. This is also where we spotted our first bear and got to know the importance of carrying bear spray and a bear bell as a precautionary measure when hiking in bear country.

The highlights | The Sea to Sky Gondola and hikes at the top, the achievement of Stawamus Chief Hike Trail, embracing jet lag and going to Shannon Falls at 6am, Creole feasts and mountain patio views at The Copper Coil, lake hopping at Alice Lake Provincial Park, local ales at Howe Sound & Inn Brewing.

Stop 4 | Whistler (3-4 days)

Chances are you’ve heard of Whistler – and it really is as idyllic as you’ve been told, no matter the season. So much so, the black bears love it too (particularly the golf course). Known as an outdoors activity, food and party hub there’s plenty to see and do in and around the village depending on how much time you have and how much you like an adrenaline pump.

The highlights | Zip-lining across the mountain valleys, kitting yourself out in the shops of picture-perfect Whistler Village, cycling the Valley Trail (look out for bears), mountain biking is huge here but definitely for the more experienced rider, sipping on froths and Caesars (like a Bloody May, but with clamato juice for the un-initiated!) in the sun at Garibaldi Lift Co., paddle boarding at Alta Lake, learning about the First Nations communities at Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, and the Peak to Peak Gondola.

As for hikes? Well, this is Canada so there are heaps of epic ones to enjoy in the Whistler area (sneak peek here), just be aware some of the ones that involve higher peaks will still have snow on them until July, so check the BC parks website for updates or the most recent reviews on apps like AllTrails.

Stop 5 | Cache Creek (1 night)

As we headed on from British Columbia to Alberta, we drove through forest and mountain landscapes winding around up past Joffres Lake (must book ahead to access this hike) and into Gold Rush land that looked straight out of a Western. With a pitstop at the quirky town of Lilloet, the blueberry scones from Abundance bakery were worth it alone, we set up camp for the night in Cache Creek deliberating walking back into town for tacos and got an early night ready for the drive to Revelstoke.

Stop 6 | Revelstoke (3 days)

One of our favourite places on our roadie was Revelstoke, or ‘Revvy’ to some, with its cool coffee shops (hey, we’re Melbournians), craft breweries, independent stores, colourful shop frontages and mountains and rivers that hug the town. There was a friendly local vibe to this place that we fell for.

The highlights | Bar chats with the team at The Village Idiot, window shopping the local boutiques, beer flights at Rumpus Brewing, poutine at The Big Eddy, brunch and a brew at Dose Coffee, hiking in Mount Revelstoke National Park, Begbie Falls and for some relaxation there’s Halycon Springs or Canyon Springs close by too.

Stop 7 | Yoho National Park (stop along the drive)

Other than having a really cool name, Yoho National Park deserves a day or two on its own if you have the time. We got some hectic rainy spells the day we drove through, so had to get creative on where to go.

The highlights | Emerald Lake was still a stunner even in the drizzle. If you get some better weather, take your time there, walk around the water's edge, take a red canoe on the lake and exhale in disbelief at the 360° epic views. As far as waterfalls go, Takkakaw Falls was an impressively tall display (second tallest in Canada) of water pouring down the rockface surrounded by Canadian forest and cool blue rivers.

Stop 8 | Lake Louise (2 days)

We were blessed with some extra special mountain weather when we made it to Lake Louise – snow in June. Turning the forests to a black and white snowy scape that we weren’t expecting at all on this trip. Plus, one of us was an Aussie and they’d never seen fluffy snow fall before which made it extra magical. Believe the hype of popular Lake Louise and Moraine Lake as they are just as incredible in real life as the photos. If you can brave the early starts, I’d recommend getting to these spots before 9am as the crowds start to roll in after.

The highlights | Day trip to Lake Louise including a hike up to the Little Beehive lookout for sweeping views of that blue water from above. Hot tip you can drive there yourself without a shuttle bus but you’ll need to get there very early before the car park fills up. For Moraine Lake, you’ll need to book a shuttle bus as the road is closed to the public. Starting the day with a sunrise shuttle and watching the lake transform in colour is otherworldly. For both lakes, bear in mind that the blue tone is most popping on a sunny day so plan accordingly – we saw Moraine Lake in the snow and it still had that turquoise tone though, especially when seen from higher up!

Stop 9 | Banff (3-4 days)

Banff town looks like something straight out of an Alpine fairytale with rows of chalet-like buildings lining the main strip and large mountain peak views as you stroll along. As a tourist hot-spot the food and drink scene is pretty vibrant with lots of yum places to try and rooftop bars to make the most of those long summer nights.

The highlights | Explore Banff village, indulge in a maple syrup ice cream from COWS, take your pick of delish restaurants and grab a pint at Three Bears Brewery. Hit Banff Upper Hot Springs and take a ride on the Summer Gondola. Take a day trip to nearby Canmore for even more small town mountain charm and vintage shopping. Grab a bus ticket and head off to Lake Minnewanka, Two Jack Lake, walk around Johnson Canyon or check out Grassi Lakes. This is an adventure mecca, so you’ll struggle to get bored with so many outdoor activities to enjoy.

Stop 10 | Icefields Parkways (2 days)

This iconic drive is famous for a reason, prepare to exclaim ‘How is this REAL?’ at least 100 times as you cruise along with towering Rocky Mountains on either side of you, outrageously beautiful lakes and thundering waterfalls to hike to and even a glacier to marvel at. We took our time as there is so much to see and pulled up overnight at one of the campsites en route.

The highlights | Spotting black bears and elk along Bow Valley Parkway (just before Icefields begins), the glassy Bow Lake, shockingly blue Peyto Lake (seriously it looks photoshopped), walk to Althabasca Glacier's tip or take a tour where you can drive on it, the impressive gorges and waterfalls at Athabasca Falls and Goats and Glacier lookout (yep, there were a whole lot of mountain goats there). Most importantly sit back and enjoy the drive as it might just be one of the best you’ve ever been on.

Stop 11 | Jasper (3-4 days)

Jasper town is like Banff’s younger more chill sibling with equally beautiful scenes surrounding it, but a lot less busy. Like a lot of the mountain towns there’s a great selection of souvenir shops, outdoor clothing stores, cosy cafés (the coffee at Andromeda Coffee and cookies at Bear’s Paw bakery are delish) breweries and restaurants to spend your down time in. And when you want to get your adventure mode on, of course, there are plenty of nature activities to lap up here too.

The highlights | Grab dinner and a honey beer at Jasper Brewing Co, get wet and wild on a white water rafting trip, wildlife spot on your way to Maligne Lake (we saw two grizzlies), canoe and camp overnight in Maligne Lake or for a more chill option take the river cruise to peaceful Spirit Island which to be quite honest looks like a painting that you have suddenly become a part of. Take the Sky Tram for amazing views of Jasper town and hike to the summit for a feeling of being fulling surrounded by snowy peaks in every direction – there may have been tears here because it really is SO beautiful. Another special shout out to apps like AllTrails that will show you the best hikes in the area as well as park ranger info for what hikes are currently open.

On the road again...

Now to scoot on back to Vancouver. Along the way we skipped among the purple flowers in front of Mount Robson and chased waterfalls with stops at Helmcken Falls, Dawson Falls (like a mini Niagra) and Spahats Creek Falls. Depending on how much time you have, there are plenty of campsite options on the drive back to Vancouver, we stayed overnight in a place called Pine Creek to break up the drive before dropping our van off and spending a few days back in Vancouver.

Hopefully I’ve successfully done my job and made you want to grab a bunch of your working holiday mates and start planning an epic summer roadtrip through British Columbia to Alberta. Because my friends, through all the nature and wildlife we saw and people we met along the way, this is a trip I won’t be forgetting any time soon (hence the tears at the top of the mountain in Jasper). Thank gosh I have the 1,000,000 photos and videos to reminisce about it.

If you’re feeling inspired to kickstart your Canada working holiday next summer, head over to our Work Canada page for all the info on how to nab your IEC visa and get hired.