I love Banff. Located in the Canadian Rockies, it’s the ideal place for skiing, snowboarding and all other winter activities. What do you do though, if you have the grace of a flamingo when put on a pair of skis? Well, being a Floridian that was born and raised in the Caribbean, I don’t fair well trying to be mobile in the snow. Here are a few of my favorite things to do in Banff that have nothing to do with snow.
After spending nearly 8 months in Alberta over the course of the last two years, I can definitely say that Lauren and I have absolutely fallen in love. While the city of Calgary itself has a lot to do with it, there’s also something about this area that makes us want to keep coming back. I could sit here and try to write out all the reasons we love Alberta but instead I’ll show you what keeps us coming back and what should make you want to drop what you are doing and come explore Alberta with us.
Growing up and living in Florida most of my life gave winter sports this tremendous air of thrill and mystery. Heck, Lauren and I didn’t even see snow for the first time ’til we were in our 20’s. Anytime I ever saw anyone on a snowboard swooping down hill, or hitting a half pipe I felt this incredible urge to jump on plane, find some fresh powder (I didn’t even know what that really meant), and shred! Now that we’re spending the winter in Canada taking in winter sports like snowshoeing and bobsledding, we decided it was time to learn how to snowboard. After all it’s item #22 on our bucket list. We took a trek out to the Nakiska Mountain Resort, which is Calgary’s closest mountain, and gave it our best.
Playing in all the snow in Banff National Park can be exhausting. After hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and all of the other winter activities the park has to offer you can end your day being utterly exhausted. After a particularly fun day of hiking I found myself thinking “Self, what can I do to relax and unwind that takes ZERO energy?” OMG! I know! Let’s soak in the warm waters of the Banff Upper Hot Springs! Just float around like a manatee in a canal (I’m from Florida BTW, sea cows are very popular in our waters).
When planning a winter vacation, Banff National Park should be on top of your list. In addition to being Canada’s first, and arguably best, National Park it’s also home to top ski resorts, beautiful hiking trails, and many fun festivals like Snow Days. What are Snow Days you ask? Well, it’s 30 days of celebrating all things snow! Grab your gloves and gear and head on down to Banff for some winter fun.
