Day 1
Majestic snow-capped mountains, crisp fresh air, a quaint storybook town and an array of wildlife are some of the many attractions drawing tourists, adventure seekers, transient workers, and for a special group of people, home. Having once lived in Banff, I find myself magnetically drawn to return regularly, so when our exchange student shared her desire to visit Banff, it was an easy decision to comply. Read on for a weekend itinerary to Banff, Alberta, Canada.
We first settled into our room at the youth hostel, HI Banff Alpine Center, situated on Tunnel Mountain Rd, just steps away from Tunnel Mountain Trail, before walking around town, dining at Grapes, and bathing in the hot springs. Tas posed for a photo in front of her first home, the historic Bankhead Railway Station building located on site.
The iconic Fairmont Banff Springs, rich in history and bathed in beauty, is nestled among the Rocky Mountains range as one of the original railroad hotels opened by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1888. Even if you don't stay here, it's deserving of a visit. We opted to try the charcuterie board at Grapes.
On Saturday we leisurely drove to Lake Louise, savoring the views along the way. Check out this blog post from Banff and Lake Louis Tourism for day trip ideas.
At Lake Louise we took the iconic photos that everyone who visits takes. I was hoping to hike to Lake Agnes Tea House, but the trail was closed for the winter.
Back in Banff we hiked the Hoodos Trail. Check out this trail map from the town of Banff website for all of the Banff trails.
Sunday took us to the slopes at Sunshine Village, . As Sunshine Village is located 8km west of Banff you will need to drive or you can take the bus service offered by Sunshine Village at various locations. Don't have your own skiis? No problem! Sunshine Village offers rental skiis right at the base, at the same location you pay for your tickets, before taking the gondola, with all of your gear, up to the village base. Want to get the lay of the land before hitting the slopes? Take a look at this handy map from Sunshine Village: https://www.skibanff.com/explore/trail-maps.
There's no better place to say goodbye than at HI Banff's own Cougar Pete's. I think it's safe to say we all want a longer stay, but if you only have a weekend in Banff, you can still pack it with lots of fun!
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SkiBig3 Ski all three: Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mt. Norquay with one ticket
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