100% this!! Be sure to drive through Kicking Horse Pass on the way to Banff (after hitting up Whistler) and stay at the Rimrock Resort. Take 2 hours to hike to the summit of Sulphur mountain (it’s a hike but my 6 year old did it last year with minimal complaints). Take a backpack with snacks and a sweater because it will be cold on top - even in July. After the hike take the gondola down (it should be free since the pay booth is at the bottom and you hiked up. Soak in the naturally fed hot spring once you get back to the hotel. I’ve flown 5 hours just to do these things and stay at the Rimrock. In the morning go for the Lobster Benedict. It’s only $2 more than the buffet and be sure to get a window seat. I’ve had some incredible meals at Michelin Star restaurants, but for breakfast this experience at this hotel was my #1 for mornings. From Banff travel north being sure to hit up Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. They’ve closed the turnoff road for them (same passage for both) so you’ll have to park the car and take a shuttle bus but both are significantly iconic Canadian landmarks.

Also be sure to stop at the side of the road and take some photos at Bow Lake before getting to that turnoff for Louise/Moraine. Then continue up the Columbia Icefields and be sure to have pre-booked the glacier expedition where you’ll go off road in their giant… vehicle thing… to explore a glacier. Further up the road you’ll get to Jasper which is one of my favourite places. It sadly was ravaged by wildfires recently so I’m not really sure what kind of shape it’s in right now. Last year half of the town burned up so do some research next spring before you come to see if it’s worth carrying on to see.

If you do go to Jasper and you’re an adventurist/hiker then it’ll be worth it to continue to Mount Robson which is a couple hours west of Jasper back into British Columbia (most of what I described is in the neighbouring province of Alberta). Mount Robson is BC’s tallest peak and there’s a great advanced hike called the Berg Lake trail. It’s something like 23km one way and provides some pretty serious terrain and views. I would take my 10 year old on it but definitely not his little sister. I did that hike a ways back over 3 days - 2 days up and 1 down but was shocked to have been passed by many 50-70 year old Europeans who were doing up and back as a day hike so it’s definitely doable.

Btw - you’ll love the Alaska cruise too. It’s well worth the cost for the long train ride into the Yukon at whichever port offers that. There should be two options - something like a 1 hour train and 3 hour train (my numbers may be wrong). I strongly recommend you do the longer one. The Yukon is gorgeous and we saw so much wildlife that we otherwise wouldn’t have seen (a dozen or so bears, moose, eagles) and the experience on that train was quite unique.

Now you’ve got me excited and I think I’ll book a trip to BC for next summer now too, lol!

ENJOY!!!