Banff National Park--Unbelievable Jewel of the Canadian Rockies

What kid doesn't want to sleep in an authentic Blackfoot Tipi?

The carful of kids stir as the light falls in from the top of our tipi in Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, we have lots of plans for today but I can't think about that right now. All I'm thinking about is the deflated air mattress that I'm laying on right now.

We all have those nights when the sleeping is interrupted and shallow, those nights that sunrise can't happen fast enough. The best thing you can do is get up, shake it off and have a cup of coffee.

The view from my sleeping bag, the sleeping could have been better but it's definitely something we'll remember for a while.

My best friend and traveling companion and I climb out of our sleeping bags and start on breakfast. The smell of food lures the carful of kids from their sleeping bags and we look up to find them poking their heads out of the tipi.

After we have the camping gear loaded back in the SUV we decide to venture around the camp ground to explore a mountain brook that runs next to it. The carful of kids hike through the cover of fir trees, traipse down the embankment, across the banks full of tumbled river rocks to the shallow, pristine mountain brook.

At the Crandell Mountain Campground, close to town but feels miles away.

The girls decide the water looks too inviting so we stick our feet in, good thing we wore our water shoes. The boys stay on the bank skipping rocks since they didn't put on their water shoes this morning like I asked.

The mountain water in Canada is refreshing and after a bit it really starts to tingle the feet. So revitalizing, it wakes us up more than the coffee. We squeal happily and splash through the brook until Melissa blurts out, "I see movement."

Well you don't have to tell me twice--I grab a couple of boys by the backs of their shirts, who have more mouth than sense, drag them across the tumbled river rock, push them up the embankment and through the cover of fir trees. When we reach safety, I turn around hoping to see my daughter and best friend behind me and not a man-eating wolverine.

The boys are ready to defend us with rocks and pebbles and have a hard time walking back to the safety of the campsite--I guess it goes against the boy code of honor. When we reach the safety of the picnic table, my best friend and daughter tell us they saw momma bear sticking her snout through the brush on the opposite side of the bank to investigate all the noise.

At this point I have to throw the boys in the SUV because they want to go bear tracking. I might be a fierce Mamma on occasion to defend my carful of kids but I am no match to a mamma bear defending her cubs. A close encounter for sure and the carful of kids talk about it for the rest of the day.

I take this as our cue to load up and drive north to Banff National Park, 230 miles away, which takes us about four hours to drive. Once we get on Alberta Highway 2, we take the opportunity to refuel with a quick stop for gas, groceries and Tim Horton's, Canadian's Dunkin' Donuts. Refueled we head through Calgary and make it to our destination for the next couple of days, Banff National Park.

Banff is the town that lies within the boundaries of Parks Canada's Banff National Park; it has hotels, restaurants, museums and tons of shopping. I find it a bit touristy and it's always crowded, especially the main road, Banff Avenue.

The Carful of Kids sit for a moment after climbing all over Cascade Gardens in Banff.

We find a place to park right over the Bow River Bridge along Birch Avenue, the carful of kids will be walking around town for the next few hours so I find a central location. Our first stop is Cascade Gardens ( 101 Mountain Avenue behind the Parks Canada Administration Building, open from dawn to dusk, Free ) to admire all the plants we can't grow in Central Texas.

Since my best friend and I love flowers and gardens they live in, we have to walk through this one. Public gardens are great for kids as long as you let them run around and the big girls talk flowers among ourselves.

While walking down Banff Avenue, we find the UNESCO's World Heritage Plague for the Canadian National Parks of Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho.

We walk over Bow River Bridge to the Banff Park Museum, a National Historic Site ( 91 Banff Avenue, open 10 a.m to 5 p.m., Admission $ 3.90 CAN/Adults, $ 1.90 CAN/Youth ) Built in 1903, it's an great example of decorative cross-log construction and it's full of mounted specimens from Banff National Park so kids can see the animals that are hard to spot in the wild.

We need some crepes!

We walk down Banff Avenue souvenir shopping when we stumble upon Skoki's for crepes and frozen yogurt ( 109 Banff Avenue, open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.). YUM, a couple of my favorites; after refueling, we wander down to the Banff Visitors Center ( 224 Banff Avenue, open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.) for more local information.

Time to change gears and experience some nature, I find the Bow Falls Trail across from Bow River Bridge that takes the carful of kids to Bow Falls. It's a paved path that is .75 miles long with a 32-foot elevation gain, a great way for the kids to let loose and run.

At the Bow Falls, the carful of kids run along the path to use up some energy.

The carful of kids marvel at the power of Bow Falls before finding the path that leads to the Banff Springs Hotel. No trip through Banff is complete without walking through its elegant lobby.

The Banff Springs Hotel is the jewel of Banff; it was built by the Canadian-Pacific Railway in 1888 and part of the grand railway hotels of Canada like the Prince of Wales Hotel and Chateau Frontenac. It is an example of the Scottish Baronial Style with 764 rooms on 15 floors, it's a beautiful property.

The Banff Springs Hotel, this is where I like to stay without a carful of kids.

After we walk through the public areas of the Banff Springs Hotel, the carful of kids are ready to check out the campsite. I have reserved one of Parks Canada oTENTiks, a cross between a rustic cabin and a tent.

The carful of kids first stayed at Parks Canada oTENTiks last summer at La Mauricie National Park in Quebec. The carful of kids love them so I reserved them for our entire tour of the Canadian Rockies.

Each oTENTik can sleep six but only one can sleep on top.

The Two Jack Lakeside Campground is a quick seven mile drive from the center of Banff but it's a world away from the tour buses and crowds. The Two Jack Lakeside Campground is on the shore of Two Jack Lake which is attached to Lake Minnewanka.

Each oTENTik is structurally the same and is equipped with an outdoor picnic table. Inside, you will find a table with four chairs and platform sleeping area equipped with foam mattresses--you can sleep six and the carful of kids throw their sleeping bags and pillows on top. There are some differences from park to park, like some have electricity and some don't, so check the Parks Canada website.

We are camping in Bear Country so everything has to be stored in the bear box on-site.

The oTENTiks ( $120/CAN per night, no minimum stay required, no cleaning deposit) are in high demand and can be reserved starting in January through the Parks Canada website.

The oTENTiks of Two Jack Lakeside Campground are mixed in with the regular tent sites and this campground is tight. The restrooms have showers with hot water and there is a utility sink with hot water outside that you can do dishes.

Does it get more beautiful than this?

Since there's plenty of daylight after dinner, the carful of kids walk down to Two Jack Lake that is steps away from our site. We spend the rest of the evening skipping rocks and enjoying the majestic beauty of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Know before you go: Crandell Mountain Campground has flush toilets with sinks but no showers. You can take a shower at the Parks Canada Townsite Campground in Waterton Park.

The sites at Crandell Mountain are well equipped with a picnic table, a bear box and fire ring. There's evening ranger activities during the summer that are great for kids. There isn't a dishwashing station, you have to wash your cooking gear in cold water at a spigot.

The tipi was great for the kids but you need to pack a tent liner to ensure that your air mattresses doesn't get punctured during the night. This campground is more secluded than the campground in town yet still close to the conveniences of town.

Up Next: Another Day in Banff National Park

Finding our rhythm in La Mauricie National Park

It's a new day and we're settling back into our road tripping routine after the shock of having our SUV stolen in Montreal two days ago. We had a great night in La Mauricie National Park, located in between Montreal and Quebec, eating hot dogs and roasting marshmallows.

I'm always looking for unusual places to stay on our road trips and Parks Canada rolled out oTENTiks last year that you can reserve. A cross between an A-frame and a platform tent, they're fabulous. They come equipped with a gas grill, a fire pit, picnic table, bunk beds, a table and chairs inside, a stove for heat and all the cooking utensils you would need to camp.

This is a great alternative to tent camping especially when road tripping. I just don't have the space to carry everything and the kitchen sink to be warm, protected and fed.

The carful of kids love camping but I need a decent nights sleep so this is a great compromise. The kids get to sleep in sleeping bags and I don't have to worry about stray showers soaking us overnight.

La Mauricie National Park encompasses 207 square miles and has 150 lakes within its boundaries. There are plenty of areas to get out and explore with very few other visitors.

My Forbidden Chocolate.

The carful of kids spend the morning hiking along well-maintained paths and work up an appetite. We find a picnic table and have some lunch; the kids savor their forbidden candy, namely Kinder Eggs. Enjoy them abroad because they will be seized if you try to bring them back.

The carful of kids are enjoying the picture-perfect weather driving with our windows rolled down along the park road when we see Mama Bear and her two cubs. Wow! Not the biggest bear we have ever seen but the cubs are cute enough to cuddle.

Mama lets us take a couple of pictures before she nudges the cubs back into the cover of the woods. It's the height of berry season and bears spend all their time eating; give them space and be bear aware.

The carful of kids complete and turn in the Parks Canada Xplorer Booklets, similar to the NPS Junior Ranger Program back in the US, instead of pin-on badges the kids get a dog tag. As much as we would like to spend more time in La Mauricie National Park, we have to drive on to be in Portland, Maine, this evening.

It's a six hour drive to Maine and I route us to catch New Hampshire, another state on the quest to see the lower 48. The day fades as we trek across New Hampshire into Maine, there's tons of trees and not a lot of people.

We make to Maine, another new state for us, as the light of day begins to fade. Melissa and I can't believe how dark it is in the backwoods of Maine. We conjure up images of Stephen King novels; we would've been listening to one of his audio books but it got stolen.

We trek across the lower part of the state and see nothing except the black of night. As we get closer to the coast, civilization begins again; we get phone service, spotty data. After a quick snack at Dunkin' Donuts, we're headed to the LL Bean Flagship Store in Freeport, Maine.

I have to do some shopping, serious shopping, like replacing my husband's entire suitcase of stolen clothes and rain gear for the kids. By the time we reach Freeport, it's after 10 p.m.--closed? No way, the LL Bean Flagship Store is open 24 hours a day.

Up Next: Maine

What Happens After You Get a Car STOLEN on Vacation

The light peeks through the gap in the drapes, just enough to get my brain spinning. What city am I in and where am I driving to next, are the usual thoughts first thing in the morning when I'm out on the road.

But then it hits me hard, our SUV was stolen from the old port area of Montreal, Canada, last night. The carful of kids can't drive on to the next stop on our three-week road trip from central Texas to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, without a car.

I'm up now, no coffee needed--time to regroup. I told myself not to make any hasty decisions last night. But it's morning and I have to figure this out; three kids will wake up soon and I need some answers for them.

I turn over in bed and grab my iPhone, my remaining lifeline. I vaguely remember remotely deleting my MacBook and iPad late, last night--all my professional work, my life. Here's to hoping that back-up is safe and sound back in Texas.

Time to check the messages and email. My husband has been busy overnight and he's on it. Great.

Next problem--clothes. I tiptoe around the room to see what we have left. The girls are good but the boys lost their suitcase, all that's left is the dirty stuff in the laundry bag.

If I let them, they would wear dirty clothes for the next two weeks; I grab their bag and head to laundry room. Loading the machine, I see I'll have to replace some stuff before we leave Montreal. Time to start a list.

Back in the room, the kids roll over and Melissa is up. I motion to the bathroom, needing Melissa to join me for a conference.

Me: "Ok, here's what I've got. Spencer got us a rental car reservation with a mid-morning pick-up. I need to stop by the police department to get a copy of the report for the insurance claim he placed overnight, plus I have to report that his passport was stolen and that's a big deal."

Melissa: "OK, so what are we doing? Should I look for some flights home?"

Me: "Not for us, we can't get on a plane with the kids. They only have passport cards."

Melissa: "Aren't we suppose to check-out this morning?"

Me: "Let me go downstairs and get a late check-out. That will give us some time to regroup. I'll take a cab to pick-up the rental car and stop by the police station. Hopefully I can get all that done before noon or so."

Melissa: "OK, what about the kids?"

Me: "Can you stay with them for the morning, hang out at the pool while I deal with all of this?"

Melissa: "Are you sure you don't want me to come along?"

Me: "Nope, I think it's best for the kids to have some fun at the pool. Forget about last night and look forward."

Melissa: "What about our reservation at the park? Do you think we're going to make it? All the camping stuff was stolen right?"

Me: "We still have our sleeping bags and air mattresses. The camp site is equipped so we just have to replace our food, cooler and a lantern. Let's see how the morning goes, maybe we can get there by late afternoon."

Melissa: "OK, sounds good. Breakfast?"

The kids are already chatting when Melissa and I get out of the bathroom. Time to talk.

Me: "Dad's got us a car; what do you guys want to do, we could head back to the US or continue on to the national park for camping?

Boys: "We're going to get our car back. Can you get us some guns and hand grenades?"

I spend a minute listening to the boys relay their plan. This is a real-life adventure complete with bad guys. After a talk, the carful of kids decide to continue on with our trip. We have too, we won't let the bad guys win.

After a little research, I find a police station within walking distance of the rental car agency. The front desk calls a cab and I'm on my way.

On my way into Downtown Montreal, I see a Target. I make a mental note of its location for later.

Time to call Spencer.

Me: "Hey, I'm headed to get the car. What's up?"

Spencer: "Trying to get another passport on the fly."

Me: "You can get one, if you can work the system and prove need. I knew flight attendants that replaced them in 24-hours but it requires a trip to the passport office and all of your documentation in order, plus new pictures. The closest one is in Houston or Dallas. I think you need to open with My family has been a victim of international crime."

Spencer: "I pulled out my old one last night and I talked with a couple of buddies that gave me some advice. Can you fax a copy of the police report when you get it? I'll add it the file. How's everyone holding up?"

Me: "Great, we talked and we are moving forward; we'll be in Maine tomorrow to pick you up. Keep me posted on the passport, I don't even want to think what we are going to do if you don't get a new one."

Spencer: "Yea, I'm trying. Waiting for the passport offices to open so I can talk to an actual person. I got a toothbrush and boxers in my computer bag. I'm hoping to hop a flight later this afternoon if I can get an appointment for tomorrow morning."

Me: "Good Luck, I'll call you later."

At the rental car agency, I tell the agent my tale of woe. It seems they have lost rental cars at the port area, too. Great, good-to-know.

I get into my new KIA and look at the dashboard and see it's in KPH. This should be interesting; next stop, the Montreal Police.

I stand in line and see that there's a female officer, here's to hoping she takes care of me.

Officer: "Suivant." (Next.)

Me: "Je m'appelle Catherine Parker et je habite au Texas. Ma voiture a été vole la nuit dernière." (My name is Catherine Parker and I live in Texas. My car was stolen last night.)

Officer: "I know English, I went to university. I heard your story this morning when I started my shift." The French accent prevails.

Me: "Great, I am here for a copy of the police report." Good to know the carful of kids made an impression.

Officer: "Number?"

I hand her the card that the officers gave me last night with the number hand-written on it.

Officer: "It is not in the system. You will have to wait until the reporting officers finish the report."

Me: "And when will that be?"

Officer: "After they report for duty."

She goes on to explain, the finished report will not be ready for 14 to 21 days after the initial report is filed and I will have to request a copy in writing along with a check for $15, Canadian.

Me: "I need to add some additional items also."

I am trying my best to be polite. I hand her the list that we compiled over the last few hours.

Officer: "Who is Spencer Ford?"

Me: "He is my husband."

Officer: "Where is he?"

Me: "He is in Texas."

Officer: "Why did you have his passport?"

Me: "He thought he might forget it so he gave it to me for safe keeping. I'm meeting him in Maine tomorrow night."

Officer: "He's an adult, right?"

I used to like a French accent before they stole my car and insinuated inferiority with every statement.

Me: "Yes, he's an adult." Obviously, this officer is not married with three kids.

Officer: "He needs to keep his own passport if he's an adult. I can't make a stolen passport report unless that person is here to make the claim themselves. You don't even have the same last name."

Me: "I see, what if it was for my children? Would you accept my claim then, they have a different last name?"

Officer: "Yes, of course."

I take a deep breath and explain that my husband has put a stolen passport claim into the passport office back in the United States already and they have flagged it as stolen. I just needed to follow up and put it on the police report. It seems the US doesn't have the same issue.

Me: "I will work with my government and their passport agency. Can you just add it to the report along with the other stuff?"

Officer: "We like Americans, we have a special relationship." She hands me a printout of what she has on file.

I feel real special right now as I grab the paperwork and head for the door. I hop into my rental and make my way back to the hotel across the St. Lawrence River. It might be a while before I want to come back to Montreal again.

When I arrive at the hotel I find Melissa has loaded all of our stuff on a valet cart and they are sitting in the lobby, dressed and ready to go.

Can't steal my smile!

WOW, that's a friend.

I fax what I have in lieu of a police report to my husband's office. Everyone pitches in and gets the rental loaded. It's just a bit after noon and with a quick run through Target, I think the carful of kids can make it to La Mauricie National Park by the late afternoon.

Hotdogs for dinner and muffins for breakfast; new jeans, new underwear and a couple of shorts for the boys; new water shoes for all and of course, marshmallows. I stuff the receipts into an envelope from the hotel labeled THEFT/INSURANCE.


Before heading out of Montreal's cell phone range, I call my husband. After a quick update, we merge onto Autoroute 40 and head north out of Montreal.

La Mauricie National Park is in the Laurentian Mountains in between Montreal and Quebec City and is two hours away. I have reserved an oTENTik for the night, part A-frame, part platform tent.

I unload the rental, Melissa fires up the grill and the kids find wild strawberries.
There is a wildflower meadow right next to our campsite. I take a deep breath and enjoy the moment, I have earned it.

As I walk over to Melissa, I look over my shoulder to see if the kids are busy.

Me: "Hey, Spencer is on his way to New Orleans to try to get a new passport but that storm we have been watching, it's strengthening and threatening to shut down the East Coast now."

Melissa: "Geez."