Flydrive: Hoogtepunten West Canada

About the destination: Calgary, Alberta's largest city, is a product of oil culture, and is situated where the prairies end and the foothills begin. Calgary is located about an hour’s drive east of the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains. And, despite the fact that Alberta is considered a prairie province, the city is moderately hilly. Boasting a modern skyline with diverse architecture, Calgary is a great urban city with opportunities for dining, shopping and entertainment. Considered to be a national historic site, the City Hall, a magnificent sandstone structure, was constructed in 1911, in place of an earlier wooden structure. Constructed in 1968, the iconic Calgary Tower is one of the tallest structures in Canada. At the top, you are treated to an excellent view of Calgary. Located outside of Calgary, Banff National Park is spread over a massive area, and offers spectacular mountain scenery. Friendly, relaxed, bustling and laid back, Calgary balances the modern and the traditional with pioneer charm.

About the destination: Banff is the gateway to the National Park of the same name, holding some of Canada's most beautiful natural jewels. The town itself is fairly small and touristy. There are a ton of places to eat and shop, similar to any resort town. The town is located in the Bow River valley and is the perfect base to explore the great outdoors. With spectacular mountains, glaciers and moraine lakes, you will have scenery like few other places. Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 km west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses 6,641 km2 of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes. The Icefields Parkway extends from Lake Louise, connecting to Jasper National Park in the north. Provincial forests and Yoho National Park are neighbours to the west, while Kootenay National Park is located to the south and Kananaskis Country to the southeast. Come to Banff in winter to enjoy the skiing and at other times of the year to revel in the grandeur of its magnificent surroundings. The hiking around Banff is wonderful, but if you don't want to go hiking, you could also just sit in the hot springs and relax.

About the destination: Jasper is a town in Jasper National Park in the Alberta Rockies region of Alberta, Canada. Jasper National Park is part of a Canada wide system of National Parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. Jasper along with Banff, Kootenay, and Yoho national parks and Mount Robson, Hamber and Assiniboine provincial parks in B.C form the world-renowned Canadian Rockies World Heritage Site Jasper is known for its magnificent glaciers, including North America's most accessible glacier, the Athabasca. You will also come across smaller glaciers while hiking in the mountains. Jasper has over 1000kms of hiking trails and some are quite easily accessible from the town centre.

About the destination: Sun Peaks used to be called Tod Mountain. The ski area's owners, who purchased it in 1992, have invested over $375 million and they are set to invest another $70 million. Their goal is to position Sun Peaks as a four-season destination resort. You will find 122 runs on an average snowfall of around 220 inches. They have 12 lifts (chair and surface). The area has plenty of open bowl skiing. Off the slopes at Sun Peaks, seven on-mountain hotels with many condominiums and chalets providing 3,000 beds. Additional lodging is in Kamloops, 45 minutes from the area. The addition of 522 acres of new terrain, in time for the 2014/15 season, will take the ski area to 4,200 acres, second only in size, in Canada, to Whistler. The current domain of 3,678 acres will be augmented by 110 acres of trails on West Morrisey (between the Back in Time and Static Cling trails) and 412 acres of runs on the current back-country area of Gil’s, atop Mt. Tod. At this point Gil’s will remain hike in (from 5 Mile trail accessed via the Burfield chairlift) /ski out, with an outrun at the bottom increasing the current vertical.

About the destination: Vernon is a city in the Okanagan region of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Vernon is the largest city in the North Okanagan Regional District. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS - Allan Brooks Nature centre. - Arrowleaf Cellars - Ashpa Naira Arte Gallery - Atlantis Waterslides Parl - Kalamalka lake - Kona Watersports

About the destination: Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver is the eighth largest Canadian municipality and one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada. Explore the cobbled streets, shopping, dining and unique architecture of Gastown, a national historic site. Vancouver houses the second largest Chinatown in North America after San Francisco. It has many unique, as well as traditional shops. Granville Island is a popular peninsula connected to Vancouver. With its colourful market, it's a draw amongst locals and visitors alike. Vancouver wouldn't be the same without Stanley Park, one of the great urban parks. It's a perfect city escape. Overlooking Vancouver city, Grouse Mountain has winter skiing and even an excellent wildlife refuge. Vancouver has grown into a cosmopolitan city nestled in the great outdoors. Enjoy the snow-capped mountains, waterfront forests, cityside beaches, Olympic history and the world’s highest suspension bridge.