Banff | Canada
Visiting Banff, Canada was a last minute trip we decided to take. It all started with a friend mentioning how amazing of a place it was, we googled it and decided that was the place we wanted to go! I've never seen such blue waters!
I showed up a couple days early and spent my solo time exploring parts of town and going on a little horseback riding excursion. The company I used was Banff Trail Riders. The stables were really close to town so if you're staying in the center of the city you can easily walk to the stables. I took an easy 1.5 hour tour that took us through the forest, across a couple creeks, along side a gorgeous golf course overlooking the beautiful Fairmont hotel and back to the stables. My horses name was Gambler and he was a good boy! The tour guides were very knowledgeable and nice as well.
Considering the trip was so last minute, finding a place in the center of town was sparse but I got lucky and ended up booking at the Fox Hotel and Suites. The location was in perfect walking distance to everything and the suite was way more than I expected. It was a super cute two story loft with a mini kitchen and a really great view of the mountains. Another highlight of staying here are the deer that roam the streets! It was great! The hotel staff was sweet enough to have a bottle of wine in the room for us as we were celebrating a special occasion. It's little things like this that make you a return guest.
We had some good meals while there but I have to give major props to Chucks Steakhouse. Seriously one of the best meals I've ever had. Steak, Caesar salad and mushrooms for a side. Simple but wow! The bartended was pretty kick ass too!
Banff and the surrounding area is just magical. The list of gorgeous lakes to visit is long. Below are the ones we decided to see.
Morain Lake - It's waters are unreal. The most beautiful lake i've ever seen! (Feature image on this post)
Lake Louise - Pop into the Fairmont hotel and sit on the patio as you take in the amazing views. Perfection. During the winter months the lake becomes a skating rink. Although the wait time is super long, you can also rent canoes here. I would suggest saving that for a very early morning. Perfect time for pictures too! The golden hours.
Emerald Lake - This lake is a hidden gem and the perfect place to rent a canoe. We had no wait and the cost was at least half of what Morain Lake and Lake Louise was charging. They have a really cute restaurant with obviously a grand view! This was closest to Banff.
Johnstons Canyon - This is a very popular hike in Banff so do expect a lot of people on the trail. It's open year round and had some good photo oops! Getting images without people in them is a little hard though. Walk all the way to the top to see the whole waterfall and a ton of little squirrels.
It was a really incredible trip and oh so romantic. Perfect couples trip! Next time we plan on doing a lot more hiking but this was a great introductory trip to that part of Canada!
