It’s the longest and most ambitious road trip we have ever done. A month and a half of adventure across the Pacific Northwest and Canadian Rockies, with family, pets, and countless memories along the way. We worked for two weeks in Seattle, spent 10 days driving to Banff and back to Seattle. Worked another two weeks in Seattle enjoying the summer activities, and then drove back to Irvine.
The Map
Journey Through the Wilderness
The drive itself was an adventure. From Irvine, we made our way north through Washington, then east through Idaho and into Montana before crossing into Canada for our main destination: Banff National Park. Our return journey took us through Vancouver, then south to Seattle for our extended summer stay, and finally back to Irvine via Portland.
Coeur d’Alene Wildlife Encounter
Our first major stop was in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. We stumbled upon an unexpected wildlife viewing opportunity right in a residential area. A family of deer had made themselves comfortable, completely unfazed by our presence.
The father deer, standing guard and watching us curiously.
A tender moment between mother and fawn.
The whole family enjoying their peaceful afternoon.
Seven Stars Alpaca Ranch
Still in the Coeur d’Alene area, we discovered Seven Stars Alpaca Ranch.
Ryan immediately made friends with this curious goat. The animals at the ranch were incredibly friendly and well-socialized.
The alpacas were the stars of the show. Their fluffy coats and curious expressions won our hearts immediately.
Going to the Sun Road - Glacier National Park
From Idaho, we continued into Montana where the highlight of our mountain driving was definitely the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.
The road through the forest felt like driving into a fairy tale.
As we gained elevation, we literally drove into the clouds.
The road conditions changed dramatically as we climbed higher. Sometimes we couldn’t see more than 50 feet ahead due to the thick mountain mist.
When the clouds cleared, the views were absolutely breathtaking.
Banff National Park - The Crown Jewel
After Montana, we crossed into Canada and reached our main destination: Banff National Park.
Banff Town and Highway Adventures
The highways through Banff offered non-stop spectacular scenery at every turn.
We were blessed with a double rainbow during one of our drives - a magical moment that felt like nature’s welcome gift.
We saw this license plate from Chihuahua State.
Lake Louise - The Jewel of the Rockies
Bow Lake Adventures
The emerald green waters of Bow Lake were mesmerizing.
Bow River Canoeing
Johnson Lake - Our Hidden Gem
The trail around Johnson Lake offered perfect family-friendly hiking.
Canmore E-bike Adventure
Our e-bike tour in Canmore led to incredible wildlife encounters - these elk were completely unfazed by our presence.
Ryan loved the e-bike adventure, exploring trails that would have been too challenging on regular bikes.
Glacial Wonders
The Athabasca Glacier was impressive. You need an All-terrain Vehicle (those with giant wheels) to actually get on the glacier safely. We did that 10 years ago, so we didn’t bother this time.
White Rock & Vancouver Area
From Banff, we made our way to the White Rock area near Vancouver. It was a very cozy little town.
The peaceful waterfront provided a stark contrast to the rugged mountains we’d been exploring.
Even Lucy enjoyed the change of pace.
We found 0 Avenue. The city planner must have majored in CS.
THere’s only one reason why we wanted to visit Vancouver over and again: the Chinese restaurants. The food reminded us of home, and even this friendly restaurant dog seemed to welcome us. (Cursor wrote this sentence and it’s too funny to change it.)
Seattle Summer Adventures
After our Banff expedition, we spent several weeks in Seattle, taking full advantage of the Pacific Northwest summer.
Mountain Hiking Adventures
We tackled the Jim Whittaker Wilderness Peak Trail - one of our more challenging hikes of the summer.
The views of Mt. Rainier never get old. Every angle offers a different perspective of this majestic mountain.
Diablo Lake Vista
The turquoise waters of Diablo Lake are otherworldly. The unique color comes from glacial flour suspended in the water.
Union Bay Canoeing with Lucy
Lucy became quite the accomplished canoe companion. We worried that she would rock the boat but she didn’t.
When the sky is clear, you can see Mt Rainier from the Union Bay.
Olympic Peninsula Exploration
Summer Camp Fun
Ryan attended summer camp in Seattle, had a lot of fun.
Pets’ Adventures
We were very nervous about taking our dog and cat on the trip. But everything turned out just fine. They got along well, mostly.
I tried to let Feynman out to explore the backyard but Lucy found out and tried to chase him. Then Feynman took a big jump and climbed up the tree.
Despite their occasional squabbles, Lucy and Feynman developed a deeper understanding during this extended trip. There was so much unspoken communication between them.
Portland Detour
On our way back, we couldn’t resist a quick detour through Portland.
Wahkeena Falls provided the perfect opportunity to stretch our legs and experience Oregon’s natural beauty.
- I found Trail of Ten Falls Loop Hike on the map but couldn’t make it because the detour would take too long and the trail was 7.4 miles. Not an easy one. Next time visiting Oregon, we will definitely check it out.
Our Trusty Travel Companion
Our GLC 300 was the unsung hero of this entire adventure. When we started the trip, the odometer read about 68,000 miles. By the time we pulled back into our driveway in Irvine, we had reached 73,000 miles. We covered 5,000+ miles without any issues. I packed a few tools in the trunk such as air pump, tire plug kits, a bottle of coolant, etc, but never used them.
Another interesting experience was the culture difference between Canada and US Airbnb owners. We stayed at Airbnb houses during the entire trip because we have pets with us. Corporate Airbnb operators are the same across the borders. But individual Canadian airbnb owners will make an effort to greet us. Even if it’s just 30 seconds chat, it seems there’s a cultural assumption that the host and guest should meet. In the US, it’s the opposite, we have gotten used to no contact transactions. Emails and text messages have long replaced words and handshakes.