Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/141643
BANFF, CANADA 9-11 OCTOBER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS WHERE IS BANFF CANADA? Banff is located 80 miles West of the Calgary International Airport or approximately 500 miles East of Vancouver BC in Banff National Park. An international tourist destination for several hundred thousand people every year, Banff boasts world famous skiing in the winter months and even more famous scenery in the summer months. HOW DO WE GET THERE? If you are attending the pre-convention tour you should fly to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (YEG) to arrive by Sunday afternoon October 6, the tour will start Monday morning early. The group will be staying at the Fantasyland Hotel at West Edmonton Mall where your room for October 6 will be booked and paid for as part of the tour cost. If you wish to arrive earlier this reservation can be modified and you will pay those extra nights when you depart. Taxi fare from the Edmonton airport to the hotel is approx. $65. A shared shuttle service is available at a cost of $18 per adult and should be booked in advance at http://edmontonskyshuttle.com. Important: You should plan your departure after the convention from the Calgary International Airport (YYC), you will be 250 miles from the Edmonton airport when the convention ends; returning to the Edmonton airport will be difficult. If you are attending only the convention in Banff, plan your trip to and from the Calgary airport (YYC), we will be arranging IDA shuttle busses to transport you to the Banff Springs Hotel. This journey is approximately 70 to 90 minutes, (80 miles) mostly on 4 lane highway at 65 mph. These prearranged shuttle times and how to find the bus will be available during the registration process for the convention. BUS TRANSFER FROM CALGARY TO BANFF SPRINGS HOTEL. The IDA bus will be traveling from Calgary Airport about every 3 hours from 8 AM to 7 PM. If you need additional options, please refer to the following website: http://www.aopl.org/forms/uploadFiles/47EA00000065.fi lename.Airport_Transportation_Options_Fairmont_Banff.pdf In addition to the IDA shuttle, there are numerous public (shared) shuttles operating from the airport to Banff as well as rental cars available from all of the international rental companies. Information about all of the ground transportation options from Calgary airport can be found at www.yyc.com/en-us/travellerinfo/ groundtransportation.aspx. Taxi would not be the recommended method; estimated taxi fare would be $160 to $200. If you do not use the IDA shuttle, be prepared to pay the Parks Canada daily user fee ($9.80 per person per day) when you enter the Banff National Park, the IDA shuttle fee includes these fees. HOTEL RESERVATIONS! In order to be assured of getting the IDA 55% DISCOUNT please go to the IDA website www.idaparts.org, Click on Convention, Click Here to reserve your room at Banff Springs. While you are registering, the hotel site will direct you to complete the form for their Fairmont President's Club (Do Complete This). The membership is FREE [it requests a credit card but that is ONLY for your room charge] and it automatically provides you several perks, such as, FREE internet in the room and FREE access to the exercise facility. You will NOT be able to join later. The ONLY availability to join the President's Club is before the reservation is made. WHAT DO WE NEED TO GET INTO CANADA? When you land in Edmonton or Calgary you will be processed through Canada Customs and Immigration, at a minimum you will need a valid passport to enter Canada. Some travelers will need to apply for visitor visas to be allowed into Canada, including those from Mexico and much of South America. The complete list of countries requiring a visa and information about how to apply is available at the following website: www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp. WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE, WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING TO WEAR? Average daytime highs for Banff in early October are mid to low 50's (f), and overnight lows could dip into the 30's. With exceptionally low humidity it always feels a little warmer than the thermometer says, a light jacket is recommended for daytime excursions and in the evening a warmer jacket or sweater would be advised. For the pre convention tour, casual attire and comfortable walking footwear would be advised. On Monday you will be touring manufacturing and distribution facilities so for safety reasons, closed toe shoes will be required. On Tuesday and Wednesday you will have the option of walking on the frozen glacier and/or some hiking on mountain trails, sport shoes or hiking boots would be more appropriate than sandals or high heels. ARE THERE PLACES TO EAT NEAR THE HOTEL IN BANFF? The town of Banff is a tourist destination, services for large amounts of visitors are abundant. Within one mile of the hotel there are approximately 100 eating establishments ranging from fast food and ice cream to gourmet dining. www.banffrestaurants.com is an excellent resource to see what is available in the area. CAN WE EXTEND OUR STAY TO SEE MORE OF THIS SPECTACULAR AREA? The negotiated rates at the Banff Springs Hotel are good from October 5 through October 13. Extended stays are welcomed and your options are endless, stay in Banff and "Just Breathe" for a few days, rent a car and drive to Vancouver (10 hours), ride the train from Vancouver to Banff on the www.rockymountaineer.com (there is no scheduled service back to Vancouver after October 2), just explore the Canadian Rockies! Register by enclosed form OR online at www.idaparts.org 13