I can't comment much on the road-warrior nature of your trip as I was on a bus tour, although my parents took a route similar to mine and did the driving themselves.

My personal experience would suggest (and no offence intended at all to those folks who live in that beautiful part of the world!) but the towns themselves that you mentioned i.e. Jasper, Banff, didn't hold the appeal for me - it was the beautiful places in between.

I only had an afternoon tea stop at Lake Louise and the time of day was such that it couldn't do justice to the beautiful pictures and postcards I had seen of the lake and chateau. But my Mum and Dad had a lovely tea break there with views out through the glass over the lake. Similarly with Banff Springs Hotel - although I did enjoy meandering through the passageways that honeycomb the building, and exploring the little shops :)

But Emerald Lake! And the Athabasca Glacier! And the beautiful views as you drive along - Mt Robson with it's snow top, the pastures/fields with flowers, the colours.

The Rockies certainly are an exquisitely beautiful area (and the B & Bs and lovely lodges enhance the whole experience!) And I've just re-read this and felt the need to reduce the number of beautiful references but it really is an amazing part of the world!

Have a wonderful time! :) Megan Brisbane, Australia