Canada and California in just 2 weeks

This summer we decided to mix visiting friends in Canada with a trip to the Calgary Stampede. And since we had already done the long flight, we decided to check out a bit of California too. We did this in just 2 weeks which I know for many wouldn’t be enough time, and in hindsight, we’d have preferred longer, but we did get to see a lot and had a great experience. We Flew from Dubai to Calgary (ask me about the route change). The flight departed in the early hours of the morning but we took advantage of the DUBZ luggage collection service, so we just walked straight through to departures on arrival at the airport. Whilst the flight is long it is good timing and we arrived at our hotel in Calgary by mid-afternoon to enjoy the best of the day and evening without any real ‘jetlag’ issues. We stayed in a lovely old hotel which is ideally located in the heart of the city and conveniently for us, just walking distance from the Calgary Stampede ground. The Stampede, marketed as ‘The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’ is an amazing event of fairground, Rodeo, equestrian show, music festival, agricultural competition, circus, and entertainment. A feast for the senses, the event takes place every year for 2 weeks in the same place, and we were there for the last couple of days of the 2023 spectacle. We embraced the fun of wearing cowboy boots and hats as most tourists there did. The city is alive with all shops, bars and restaurants getting involved over the period which is a wonderful time for the tourists pouring in. Although it is noticeable how many locals move out until the excitement is over.

Following our time in Calgary we headed into the Canadian Rockies which are only a couple of hours drive away depending on where you choose to stay. We were based in the mountains of Banff, and we spent time walking and taking in the beauty of Banff, Cranmore, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Bow Falls. Whilst the cable car in Banff had me wobbly at the knees (heights aren’t my strong point), the views from the summit of 6 mountain ranges and the walk along the high boardwalk were pretty spectacular. It’s a part of the world I was looking forward to seeing and very happy we made the effort. This was our second time to Canada though and we finally saw Elk, so that was a huge tick in the box for the wildlife lover in me. Sadly no bears though.

From Canada, we did the 3-hour flight to San Francisco. We timed this badly and arrived at a 2-hour hire car queue and another 2-hour drive to Napa Valley which should only have been around 60 minutes. So we were a little frazzled on arrival to our hotel but the warmest of welcome from the hosts at the lodge soon had us relaxed as did the lovely accommodations with views into the beautiful countryside and vineyards. Vineyards are what we visited for, and we had a fabulous day with a private driver and guide visiting some of the best the region has to offer learning about California winemaking and the grape varietals on offer. We even experienced a beautiful private picnic in the vines would be a perfect setting for any special occasion.

From Napa, we headed back to stay in the city of San Francisco to meet up with another friend and take in some of the famous sights. We were unlucky with fog so despite seeing and crossing the Golden Gate Bridge many times, we couldn’t get a decent photograph! A highlight of the stay here was the trip to Alcatraz. History lovers amongst you will enjoy a visit to this little island just a mile off the mainland, known primarily for its use as a federal prison, but in fact, has a much broader history. Important note – you MUST pre-book. We learnt a huge amount in the few hours we stayed on the island, incredibly interesting and very sombre. To lighten the mood, we enjoyed a boat trip around the bay, after spotting the famous sealions. We were joined by playing dolphins, another treat for wildlife-loving me and quite a surprise as we didn’t expect them so close to shore in a busy harbour.

Now taking advice and experience in other destinations, when driving south we decided to avoid the motorways and instead take the scenic route. This did generally pay off and we saw a lot of California’s natural beauty. But it also added to our journey time on one day when a massive landslide had closed the road and with no alternative through the mountain, we had no alternative to double back on ourselves back to the start. This shouldn’t let anyone be put off, just to perhaps check locally before embarking on any car journey. Also, regarding driving, we did consider taking an open-top car but decided against it at the very last minute. This we were glad of as the weather was surprisingly changeable along the route and very importantly, we were told constantly – ‘don’t leave anything in your car.’ Our final destination was Los Angeles as it was from there we would fly home. So, our route took us to Monterey, Carmel Valley, Carmel by the Sea, Big Sur, Pfeiffer Beach, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara then LA. Everywhere was lovely! Everything you see on the TV and in films. As we were doing the entire trip in just 2 weeks we didn’t spend enough time in each of the places we went, so I would recommend stays of 2 nights or more along the way to take in more and properly explore the area. And, next time I would also venture further south from LA, heading to San Diego at least and also check out Orange Country which those of you with kids might enjoy as it’s home to Disneyland. However we did end our trip in LA after we'd completed the typical tourist things such as a photo of the Hollywood sign, a tour of celebrity homes, the Sunset Strip, stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Griffith Park and the famous Observatory, Beverly Hills and amongst other things, a concert at Hollywood Bowl. All of which I would love to do again in particular the Hollywood Bowl which is an iconic venue unlike anywhere I have attended before, and I would encourage you to check out performances in advance of your arrival. We were so lucky to be able to get tickets to a Quincy Jones birthday tribute with some great performers including John Legend and Stevie Wonder which was a huge surprise.

LA has a really fun vibe and the excitement of tourists is visible while they are constantly looking out for famous faces. I found myself doing just the same right up until the point we left for our 16-hour flight back to Dubai. We didn’t spot anyone, so will have to go back!