JUNE 2015

TRAVEL GUIDE:

BANFF NATIONAL PARK

BANFF NATIONAL PARK, CANADA

We went to Canada with my parents in June, we flew on Air Canada for like $300 a piece. Warning: the seats on Air Canada are ridiculously small, I am 5’9 and my knees pressed against the back of the seat in front of me. I would suggest if you’re tall try to get an aisle seat or maybe a different airline all together (they broke my dads guitar case/guitar on the flight over to Canada).

Once we were in Canada we rented a house from airbnb.com in Canmore, about 30 minutes outside of Banff. When we go back to Banff I will make more of an effort to find a place inside the park, it’s just a little pricier. The home that we stayed in was extremely nice, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, all the technology you could imagine and in a very nice neighborhood. The town of Canmore is awesome, full of food and very nice people. I know this might sound insane to do on vacation but you have to go by the McDonald’s at the end of town, they have so many different items on the menu. They even had a McLobster! Ha!

Must see’s in Banff National Park:

-Moraine Lake

-Lake Louise

-Peyto Lake

-Johnston Canyon

-Lake Minnewonka

-Vermilion Lakes

-Mistaya Canyon

-Two Jack Lake

-Lake Johnson

-Fairmount Banff Springs

Lake Louise Gondola

It's just as it sounds, it is a gondola that takes you to the top of a mountain to see Lake Louise. But the awesome part is the hike up to the top and the views. The hike is very steep, I was actually kinda shocked considering the age range that was headed up. There is a great little restaurant at the top too, if it's not too cold try to sit on the patio it's such an amazing view.

Warning: The fences that say "CAUTION Electrified Bearguard" they are turned on, do not touch... trust me!

Lake Johnson was the first place we stopped at. It’s very close to the park entrance and very easy to get to. You can just pull up and see it and drive off or you can walk around the lake on a cute little path, whatever you’re in to.

Peyto Lake

There is a super easy hike where you walk through a pretty little forest and when you come out the other side you see the most incredible big blue lake. They shuttle busloads of people here so just wait out the crowds and you will have a moment to sneak away and get to a better spot to take pictures. I watched probably a dozen people get scolded for trying to sneak off the path, so we had to time it just right.

Mistaya Canyon

A must see in my opinion, but you can easily drive past it, there is only like one tiny sign for it.

Lake Louise

So blue it almost confuses you. You can rent kayaks and paddle out on the lake, but I’m warning you, the man who works at the kayak store told me there are more cameras at the bottom of that lake than he can count. There is also a very grand hotel here, we ran out of time to go check it out but next time I will definitely be having lunch here!

Moraine Lake has cabins to stay in here, they look amazing, I will definitely look into staying here next time. They also have a place to eat with an incredible view.

Johnston Canyon

I have no other words to describe it but I like to compare it to something Disney would build. The pathway they built for tourists is so well constructed and gives you some amazing views. You are pretty much just walking on a cliff along side this roaring bright blue river. There is a waterfall at the end of the trail, but the walk is just as equally cool. If you travel off the beaten path you will also find this massive cave with this incredible rock formation. It is a must see!

Two Jack Lake

A very beautiful spot. They have picnic benches out on the peninsula and an easy access parking lot down below. There are two red adirondack chairs up to the left that make for a great view. And there are literally squirrels everywhere!

Fairmont Banff Springs

An extremely beautiful hotel that looks like a castle tucked away in the hills. It is so grand and timeless, I would love to stay inside there one day. Anyways, if you take the road from downtown Banff, past Bow Falls there is a great view of the Fairmont.

Even though we went in June, it was still very cold and rainy! So get ready to bundle up!