DRIVES through the Canadian Rockies in Alberta have been named as some of the most spectacular in the world.

And while you will no doubt make multiple stops taking in the breath-taking scenery or even skidding to a halt for a black bear or moose, here are a few tips for some proper breaks from the wheel.

1. Jasper

Grab your hiking boots for some of the Canadian Rockies less challenging peaks or cheat your way to the summit and take the Jasper Skytram.

We were whisked 2,300m to the top of Whistlers Mountain and greeted with 360 degree views of the Rocky Mountains, including tallest peak Mount Robson.

Wrap up warm though as it's 10 degrees cooler at the top.

2. Glacier Skywalk and Adventure

An absolute must on one of the most beautiful drives in the world is stopping at the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre.

Two tours are on offer with the first taking visitors onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier by Ice Explorer, a massive vehicle specially designed for glacial travel.

Our experienced driver-guide shared with us a wealth of information about glaciers, icefields and their impact on the environment before we stepped out onto the tongue of ice for snow angel selfies.

With our heads filled with fascinating facts and stats and our water bottles topped up with some fresh glacial H2O, we headed for our second tour of the day. 

With regular buses there wasn't long to wait but the shop and cafe in the centre kept us entertained until our alloted time. 

We were then taken the short distance to the Glacier Skywalk for stunning cliff-edge views from a glass platform so high birds flew beneath our feet.

Audio commentary is free along the walkway with information on the wildlife roaming above and below us. 

An incredible way to view the glacier.

3. Lake Louise

Named after Queen Victoria's daughter, this spot is one of the most impressive on your route and highly 'Instagram-able'.

But if concerns Victoria will have felt left out distracts you from enjoying the deep azure waters, fear not as she had a mountain named after her.

4. The Olympic Park, Calgary

Kiss your lucky egg before you experience the thrill of the summer bobsleigh at WinSport.

Accompanied by a professional pilot, we soared down the legendary 1988 Olympic track twisting around 10 turns at speeds up to 86kmh while reaching 2G forces.

And when you're done you can pose in the Jamaican bobsleigh team's sled from the film Cool Runnings.

5. West Edmonton Mall

For some city fun head for one of the largest malls in the world, home to north America's largest indoor amusement park featuring more than 28 rides and attractions.

But while it may have crossed our minds 'indoors' equated to 'scaled down' that thought was soon blown away as we whizzed around the track of the world's largest indoor triple loop rollercoaster Mindbender

Other favourites in Galaxyland included head-spinning rollercoaster Galaxy Orbiter, the stomach-flipping Space Shot which shoots passengers 120 feet into the air and a '4D' zombie ride where we competed with our friends to shoot the most ghouls.

But if thrillseekers are still not satisfied, the shopping centre is also home to the world's largest indoor water park and wave pool World Waterpark.

While I chickened out on some of the biggest slides which saw the floor drop away from riders before a 360 degree loop, my boyfriend loved every splash-filled second and also enjoyed pointing out all of the eight-year-olds braver than me taking the plunge.

A fun-filled day.

Whale watching

AND when you are done with the mainland, a trip to Vancouver Island is a must.

We stayed in vibrant city Victoria ahead of a bucket list trip to see killer whales with Eagle Wing Tours.

And we quickly came to realise why this group of self-confessed 'whale geeks' regularly top the Trip Advisor scale.

With only transient orcas in the area at the time rather than the resident group which regularly turns up later in the summer, we had to travel for more than 2.5 hours wrapped in provided warm jackets, gloves, hats and blankets in search of a sighting in our high speed boat.

We knew we were in safe hands with our knowledgeable captain, who had sailed around the world four times and been part of the team on The Blue Planet documentaries, and he did not let us down.

He asked if anyone minded their trip being extended beyond the advertised 3.5 hours and with a determined grin soon found a group of 10 orcas in playful mood.

It was a fantastic sight and we couldn't thank him enough.

"Don't worry, people are always late back from my trips," he replied.

It was a refreshing attitude to watching wildlife rather than simply being told 'Unlucky, your time is up' and an approach that was very much appreciated by everyone on the boat.

It's probably now fairly obvious I would highly recommend this company for a dream sighting of one of the ocean's best-loved beasts...just don't make any plans for after your trip!