Banff

Banff, AB, Canada

Since it’s winter and we’re all getting a little cabin-fever crazy from being indoors, I thought I’d share one of my favourite highlights from last winter - my trip to Banff. I’m Canadian, and I’ve travelled all over Western Canada. This wasn’t my first visit to Banff, however, it was my first trip since COVID began and it was my first time going as an independent and legal-drinking age adult. It made all the difference, truly ;)

Why Banff… in Winter?!?!

Sometimes, when it’s winter in Canada, you just need to find literally any reason to escape, even if it’s to a similarly cold climate. Banff, AB is the perfect getaway. Yes, it can be over-crowded and pricey, but if you hit the right deals, and the right weekends, you might just be in luck! And no matter how “overrated” travel bloggers call this little mountain town, you dan’t deny that Banff and its surrounding areas are breathtaking and something everyone must see at least once. Not only is it a great destination with a ton of things to do, it’s also perfect for winter because it’s in the mountains. It’s literally meant to be a winter escape. Me and the friend who went with me are NOT skiers but we still found so many fun things to do.

Accomodations

We drove from Saskatchewan to Banff in a day and it was such a gorgeous drive but by the time we got there, we were definitely ready to kick back in luxury.

We stayed at the Moose Hotel & Suites which was right along Banff Avenue close to everything and anything that we wanted to see. It was such a cute hotel with a chalet/outdoor set up, taking walkways outside to your suite door and, the thing that sold us on this hotel, TWO rooftop hot tubs. With a bed secured, it was time to explore for a little bit before our dinner reservation!

After scoping out everywhere we wanted to go the next day and taking a nice little nature walk down some side-paths, we had supper at Farm & Fire. This place serves fresh ingredients from local farmers and was such a delicious experience! (Buckle in because this was mainly a foodie trip). We had chicken, pasta, and vegetables and it was a fabulous first night.

Banff Avenue Shoppers and Nighttime Explorers

We spent our first full day here just walking up and down Banff Avenue. There are so many cute little stores to visit that even just browsing/window shopping was a blast (I did, of course, buy too many things). Coffee, lunches, ice cream stops, it was the perfect chill day to explore the town.

We took it easy on this first day because we had a night “ice” hike scheduled. I enjoy hiking. I do not enjoy hiking at night NOR ice. However, the internet convinced me this was a must-do experience so we strapped on our headlamps and crampons and off we went!

I’m not going to lie, this hike was a struggle as it was so cold and they provide the campons so they are ill-fitting and blister-causing. But it was also very calming and beautiful. You walk along the lower falls of Johnston Canyon with nothing but headlamps and tour guide. There are parts of the hike where we turned off the lights and were in total darkness and got to experience the silence of nature and listen to the water running under the frozen falls. Once we got to the halfway point, we were also provided hot chocolate and maple cookies for the energy to hike it back to the start. It was a great experience and definitely different than seeing it during the day in summertime.

What do you mean there’s no Gondolier on the Gondola?

The next day we headed to Lake Louise with our delicious Whitebark Cafe coffees. Although it was gorgeous in Banff that day, we are in the mountains so by the time we got to our destination, you couldn’t even see that there were mountains surrounding the lake because it was blizzarding so badly. So, while we waited for better visibility (which we did eventually get!), we explored the Chateau. We also attempted to get up to Moraine Lake but again, road closures due to weather, so that didn’t happen (and now you can’t drive up there anyway!). Cutting our losses, we headed back to town and decided to take the Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Although we’d both been here a few times, the view never gets old and the Sky Bistro was worth the waiting times to get up there.

I’m as hungry as a bear

We had dinner reservations at the Grizzly House fondue restaurant which was, let’s be honest here, my most anticipated part of the trip. Of course, because it’s so popular, we didn’t get in until 8pm so we had a pre-supper supper at Park Distillery (does gin and lime count as a meal? If not, it should). A few “souvenir” spirits purchased and DEFINITELY hungry now, we finally got to experience the heavenly delight that is fondue.

This place is amazing for anyone who hasn’t been. You get to pick your “meal” which comes with an “appy” fondue of your choice between bread & cheese or vegetables. We went with bread in cheese because we’re not psychos (and only one of us was lactose intolerant so we figured it was worth the risk). Then you pick your main course. They have so many options, beef and seafood, chicken, “exotic”, and “hunter” so you can try meats that maybe aren’t regular for your normal diet. I played it safe with beef and scallops because what is better? And then you get a chocolate and fruit fondue dessert. I meant it when I said “heavenly”. You also get to choose between classic fondue for your main course (oil) or hot rocks instead which was a way healthier and yummier way of cooking your food (and you didn’t smell like a deep-fry when you left). Highly recommend this as a stop if you travel here.

If you’re looking for a short weekend trip to escape your hometown’s current winter and would like to find winter elsewhere, Banff is a great place to go. No muss, no fuss and a million things to do!

Also, I was so excited to not be locked up in my house on this trip after 2 years of monotony that I completely forgot to take any pictures of my food so it lives only in my memories (RIP).

~Taylor-Paige~