Question: David S. asks: We are planning a trip to Alberta Canada and visiting the Canadian Rockies this August; anything you can tell us about the Rockies would be most helpful. Also I believe there is an overnite train w/a glass top.

Answer: AAA travel publishing manager Renuka Sastri, who took this trip last summer, says: August is a wonderful time of the year to visit the Canadian Rockies area. There are a number of options that you could follow:

The no-drive option: Take a tour - The Rocky Mountaineer, the train with the glass dome top that you asked about, will take you from Vancouver to Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise or Calgary and can bring you back round again to Vancouver if you so choose. There are several options for itineraries. You can explore them and book your trip at your local AAA office.

Fly and Drive – Option 1: Fly into Vancouver and fly out from Calgary. This will take you up Route 1 through Kamloops, Glacier and Yoho national parks, Lake Louise, and on to Calgary.  This trip is about 600 miles one way. The TripTik option 1 link illustrates this route. You can modify the trip as needed.

Fly and Drive – Option 2: Fly into Edmonton, rent a car and drive in a wide-c down to Calgary. Once you get past the completely flat plains surrounding Edmonton, this drive will let you experience some of the best of the Rockies, from scenic Jasper and Banff, the Icefields Parkway and Lake Louise. We’ve done this trip and it’s particularly family-friendly. The AAA.com and the TourBook guide have a number of hotels. This trip is just under 500 miles one way. Here is the TripTik option 2 link.

Some things to consider if you are driving: There may be some additional charges for rental car pick-up in one city and drop-off in another. Consider adding some extra time and planning to return the car where you picked it up if that is the case.

Driving in the Rockies, while incredibly scenic, requires additional care and attention. It was not quite intimidating but you do need to keep your eye on the road. I found the following  travel guides, available at my local AAA office, useful: AAA TourBook® guide: Western Canada and Alaska – free to AAA members; AAA Spiral Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies; AAA Essential Canada West; Lonely Planet Banff, Jasper and Glacier National Parks. The last three are also available at AAA.com/barnesandnoble. AAA members receive a discount.