Category: Canadian Rockies

On our long road to Calgary, we stopped in Banff because two of the passengers had never seen it. When I first visited Banff back in 1990, there was still the small resort town feel in the middle of Banff National Park. This feeling has been eroded by the growth of the town site. However, the real gem of Banff is the Banff Springs Hotel. You have to drive through the entire town to reach it, but it’s worth the detour. There is street parking near the main doors or you can pay for parking in one of their lots. […]

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If you’re headed to Northern Alberta this summer, you have to check out the Athabasca Glacier in the Columbia Ice Fields. Located north of Lake Louise but south of Jasper, this 6km long, 1km wide glacier stuns international travellers every year with its sheer beauty. The whole ice field extends nearly 215 square kilometres and some areas are more than 300 metres deep. Impressive masses of ice for an area that far south of the Arctic Circle. The best way to see the glacier is to book a tour with the Glacier Adventure package. Your family can hop aboard the […]

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The town of Banff is inside Banff National Park. It’s weird because there’s been fairly intense development around the Banff townsite since the early 90s and there’s a contradiction between preserving natural spaces and catering to the latte and snacks needs of tourists. The result of the simultaneous development and wildlife preservation is the fact you can have encounters with wildlife in Banff. If wildlife viewing is part of what you want to do in Banff, I recommend this article from the Globe and Mail. Globe Banff Wildlife Big cats in the wild are really tough to casually encounter — […]

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Getting away for a relaxing vacation with the one you love can be easier than booking an expensive cruise or a lengthy international flight. Staying local and spending time with each other can be just as romantic as booking a vacation abroad while allowing you to save money and travel time. A change of scenery is often all it takes to make your getaway seem like an exotic adventure. When your day to day life is the hustle and bustle of the city you probably don’t want to check yourself into a hotel room that offers a similar view. And […]

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Although it is generally eclipsed in popularity by nearby Lake Louise, Moraine Lake is a must-see stop for visitors to the Rockies.  Lake Louise is picturesque, but gazing at Moraine Lake is simply a jaw-dropping experience.  It is quite literally a perfect mountain postcard come to life – and you are standing in the middle of it.  Now, just try to get there early before the noise from the other tourists tarnishes the perfection of the moment. The lake and the surrounding “valley of the ten peaks” have their Canadian claim to fame in that this is the area pictured […]

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The Bow River in Banff National Park flows as far as Hudson’s Bay! Banff got its name from Banffshire, Scotland, the birthplace of the two original directors of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Learn hands-on hiking and camping skills from the Mahikan Trails company of guides near Canmore, Alberta. There are nearly 2500 campsites in Banff. The Jasper Tramway is the longest and highest reversible tramway tour in the Canadian Rockies. Lake Louise has won several ski awards for its skiing conditions. Skiers return year after year for spectacular skiing at Lake Louise. The Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park offers fabulous […]

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