I would fly in and out of Calgary. The drive from Edmonton to Jasper is long and mostly very boring.

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2. Once we land in Calgary, we have a car we will rent. So sample itinery wil be helpful. Should we just base ourselves in banff?..so therefore i am assuming 3 nights in Banff, 2 nights in LL, 2 nights in Jasper and 2 in Edmonton?...
I would fly in and out of Calgary. The drive from Edmonton to Jasper is long and mostly very boring. You're looking at 4+ hours as opposed to 1.5 hrs from Calgary. Edmonton is nice place to live, but I'd never suggest it as a tourist destination unless you have family or a meeting/conference here. Best to spend your time in the Rockies!
I'd stick with a loop from Calgary. Note that Aug 1-3 is a long weekend here,and usually the busiest weekend of the summer, so you need to book your accommodations and car ASAP. I'd anticipate car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois that roads and airports will be quite busy on the 30/31st of July and August 3rd, so leave extra time to get to the airport/check for your departure.
depending what time your flights are, you might need to spend a night in calgary. if you are into significant hiking, lake louise is a good location. the accommodations there are pricey. the hostel has a family room.
i'd fly in and out of calgary. 3 nights banff, 3 nights jasper, 2 nights banff (or lake louise). this allows you to take the icefield parkway twice which is great because car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois (a) it's beautiful and (b) in case you get bad weather one day, hopefully it will be clear skis the next time. pack a picnic car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois and make sure your gas tank is full.
What you haven't written is how old the children are, whether or not you'll want to do some hiking, if so how long either in time, distance or how strenuous, what other interests such as photography, are you hoping to see some wildlife, etc.
Absolutely fly in/out of Calgary, kgsneds explains it well. =) You can twiddle the number of days spent where, car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois as Myer points out it's much more helpful if you indicate what kind of things your family likes to do, which will depend on how old your kids are. Younger ones are generally more interested in watching the fly on the car window car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois than looking car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois out that window at scenery!
Lol, i know the kids are into moderate hikng. i like nature and photography. I have since then booked by tickets in/out of Calgary and now just trying to book the in between. The kids are 12, 13 and 3, I apreciate all the help i am getting. I have gotten a suite at the Paradise resot club. Is it good?
i know nothing about that resort but just want to make sure you know that it is in canmore, not in banff. many people stay there as accommodations can be less expensive but it just adds on a bit more time driving back and forth if most of what you are doing is in banff / lake louise.
The Paradise Resort Club appears to be in Canmore. Not familiar with property from first hand experience, but it looks like most of the standard rental condo/hotel complexes in Canmore. Despite the name, it's really more of a time share/rental condo complex with additional perks. It's on the main drag and right beside the TransCanada, so probably not the quietest or tranquil location. But you can walk downtown in 10-115 minutes and are close to other restaurants.
I agree that if you are going to be focused on attractions in the Banff/Lake Louise area, it's going to be a hassle. car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois With a 3 year old, I'd probably want to be closer to my accommodations to allow for naps, tantrums, clothing changes etc. I personally strongly prefer Canmore, but I am also focused on outdoor activities car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois (rather than tourist attractions). car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois Canmore is a better base for climbing, and doing hiking/scrambling in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country.
Per kgsneds' first post, your first night could easily be in Canmore vs Banff; if you stay longer in Canmore, check out Grassi Lakes, it's an interesting hike for kids and adults alike, and probably fits their level. We've also done it with a 3 yo - with a bit of encouragement and a few shoulder rides, it went well. Last July, we spent some great beach time on Quarry Lake, en route to Grassi. (It's not white sand beach, car rentals at midway airport chicago illinois you must understand.)
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