Sea to Summit: Vancouver & the Canadian Rockies

Fly into Vancouver International Airport (YVR) by early afternoon, or arrive a day early to rest, explore the waterfront, and adjust to Pacific time. The option to arrive one day early is available in the Add-Ons section. 

Once you touchdown, grab a taxi from the airport and make your way to the 5-star AZUR Legacy Collection Hotel, our home for the next three nights. A chic, newly built hotel, it sits in the heart of the city with museums, cafes, and the iconic Vancouver Lookout just steps away.

Take time to settle in and freshen up. We’ll meet in the early evening for a welcome drink at Lavatine, our hotel's stunning rooftop garden bar. As we enjoy the warm August weather, we'll get to know one another and talk through the week ahead. 

Dinner tonight is at Dahlia, one of Vancouver’s most celebrated tables, right inside the hotel. Contemporary French cuisine and impeccable ambiance make this the perfect way to kick off the trip. 

Start the morning with a delicious breakfast before we take to the air. Harbour Air will whisk us on a scenic seaplane tour over the city, the inlet, and the mountains for a view of Vancouver that most people never get. What better way to introduce us to this beautiful coastal city?  

Back on the ground, we'll head to Granville Island for a guided food tour through one of Canada’s most beloved public markets. Artisan cheese, fresh charcuterie, local pastries, and craft cider will come together for a very delicious lunch. 

The afternoon is yours. Stroll the Coal Harbour seawall with sweeping views of mountains and sea, browse the boutiques on Robson Street, or sip a cocktail on the rooftop bar back at the hotel. Vancouver in August is glorious; just being out and about is a fantastic activity in itself. 

Tonight, we'll dine at Coast Restaurant, a sleek, beautifully designed room in the heart of downtown where the focus is entirely on the Pacific. The seafood here is exceptional, think wild BC salmon, Dungeness crab, and oysters pulled from cold local waters and served with polished, unhurried service that makes our meal feel like an occasion to be savored. 

Fuel up with breakfast before we take some time to connect with the local land. Guided by Talaysay Tours, an indigenous women-owned, mother-and-daughter company, we'll set off on a walk through Stanley Park, one of the world’s great urban forests. Along the way, we'll learn local history, plant knowledge, and stories of the Coast Salish peoples who have called this place home for thousands of years. It’s the kind of experience that changes how you see a city. 

Lunch is at Stanley's Bar & Grill, tucked inside the historic Stanley Park Pavilion just steps from where the morning's tour ends. Featuring West Coast classics made with fresh local ingredients, Ocean Wise seafood, and a setting that feels like dining inside a botanical garden, it's the perfect way to settle in after a morning learning about the land.

In the afternoon, we'll head north over the Lions Gate Bridge to Capilano Suspension Bridge, a beautiful bridge spanning almost 500 feet across a rainforest canyon that is equal parts dizzying and magnificent. We'll wander across before riding the gondola up to Grouse Mountain for a drink and panoramic views over the city and inlet. 

Back in the city, the evening is yours. Opt for a quiet dinner, a spa treatment, or a glass of wine on the terrace with new friends as we prepare to leave the ocean behind and head toward the mountains tomorrow. 

A good breakfast sets us up for a morning of travel. We'll catch a flight from Vancouver to Calgary to begin the second half of our adventure. 

Our private coach will pick us up at the airport and head west toward Canmore. The drive from Calgary into the Rockies is one of those journeys where you begin to understand, quite viscerally, why people fall in love with this country. 

Our home for the next three nights is Everwild Canmore — Nordic Spa & Hotel, a stunning property on Silvertip Trail that opened in late 2025. Think floor-to-ceiling mountain views, Nordic design, and one of the most impressive spa facilities in the Canadian Rockies.

After checking in, we'll sit down for lunch at Rhythm & Howl, Everwild's signature restaurant just steps from the hotel. Take a moment to really soak in the seasonal dishes crafted with Bow Valley ingredients, the warm, beautiful room, and your first proper look at the surrounding peaks.

This afternoon, we've booked access to the spa circuit for our whole group. The Nordic hydrotherapy circuit is a vast, beautifully designed space of hot and cold pools, wood-fired saunas, steam rooms, and outdoor fire gardens, all framed by mountain views. Move through at your own pace, stay as long as you like, and let the Rockies do their thing. 

When you're ready, wander through to Elements Lounge, the spa-side retreat where the evening winds down over light bites, restorative teas, and a well-earned drink. Robes and wet hair welcome. Turn in for an early night tonight, tomorrow starts at 4:30 am, but don't worry, it's completely worth it.

Enjoy breakfast with a view before an early start, which is well worth it once you see where we're headed. 

Our guide will pick us up from the lobby, and we'll head for the mountains. Our first stop is Moraine Lake, an extraordinary turquoise alpine lake cradled by the Valley of the Ten Peaks that you’ve probably seen a thousand times on Instagram, yet it will still somehow take your breath away in person. We’ll climb the Rockpile for the iconic view and take our time soaking in the beauty. 

From there, it’s a quick drive to Lake Louise, known as the Jewel of the Canadian Rockies, yet another lake that looks almost unreal in its splendor. Rent a canoe and paddle out onto the impossibly blue-green water with the Victoria Glacier towering above you. You might need to pinch yourself to remember that this is real life! 

All of this exploring has surely made us hungry. Brunch is at the Trailhead Cafe, a beloved local spot just minutes from the lake, with a menu that punches well above its casual setting. We'll enjoy fresh, thoughtfully prepared food after a long morning in the mountains.

We’ll head back to the hotel by mid-afternoon for free time to book an extra Nordic soak, walk along the Bow River, take a peaceful nap, or simply read a book on your balcony. 

For dinner, we'll meet for a short walk over to The Iron Goat Pub & Grill, a three-story timber frame lodge with floor-to-ceiling windows and two elevated patios looking straight at the Three Sisters peaks. The cuisine is elevated mountain pub: bison sirloin, wild game, and maple salmon. In August, at sunset, the views from that patio are something else entirely. 

Savor a hearty breakfast before our guide picks us up and whisks us away to Johnston Canyon. This is one of the most magical walks in the Rockies, consisting of a narrow limestone canyon where a series of waterfalls cascade through carved rock tunnels, with catwalk bridges right over the rushing water. 

The Lower Falls are spectacular on their own, but if the group has the legs for it, we'll walk up to the Upper Falls, where the views are even better. The whole experience takes about two hours at a relaxed pace, with our guide leading us every step of the way. 

From the canyon, we'll head to the Banff Gondola. Eight minutes in an open cabin up the face of Sulphur Mountain, and suddenly we're above everything with panoramic views of the six Rocky Mountain ranges stretching out in every direction. We'll pause and enjoy lunch at Sky Bistro, perched right at the summit. 

We'll round out the afternoon at Banff Upper Hot Springs, a pool of mineral-rich water on the side of Sulphur Mountain. With the peaks surrounding us as we soak in the warm water, we can't think of a more perfect way to end a full day in the mountains. 

Our farewell dinner tonight is at Crazyweed Kitchen on Railway Avenue back in Canmore, just a short drive from the hotel and one of the best restaurants in the Rockies, full stop. The menu is gloriously eclectic, the room buzzes, and the whole place feels exactly right for our last night together.

A final breakfast, one last look at those peaks, and then leave at your leisure, taking a taxi to Calgary International Airport according to your flight time. Book your flights in the late afternoon to early evening. 

You came for the mountains. You're leaving with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. Until we meet again.