Banff

A true bucket list trip for me. I decided to take myself to Banff for my 34 birthday and I'm so glad I did. It is absolutely worth the hype.

I flew into Calgary and rented a car through Turo that was waiting on me at the airport when I arrived. I love Turo and have used it several times - highly recommend it! I stopped at Safeway in Canmore to stock up, then drove straight to my hotel, The Fairmont Lake Louise.

Let's talk honest review of this hotel, with the caveat that I visited in July 2023. I did not find it to be worth the money. It's extremely expensive and you are paying for the location. It was under construction when I was there which is a good sign that they are making necessary renovations as I found it to be very outdated. You do have a stunning view of Lake Louise and prime access to lake activities, but I would consider other area hotels, like Moraine Lake Lodge.

I spent two nights at the Fairmont and enjoyed dinner at the hotel both nights. One night at Walliser Stube, a fondue restaurant, and the other at Fairview Bar and Restaurant, the hotel's fine dining restaurant.

Day 1: I took the hotel shuttle to Lake Moraine for sunrise. I'm a sunrise girl and I LOVE waking up early to beat the crowds and get incredible views. I went back to the hotel for breakfast, then set out for my hike. I hiked to Lake Agnes Tea House for lunch, then continued on to the Beehive.

Day 2: I booked the sunrise canoe experience on Lake Louise through the hotel. Lake Louise is popular for good reason and it gets crowded. Sunrise is the way to go if you want to go out on Lake Louise. Then I checked out and headed to Banff where I checked into the Fox Hotel and Suites. I spent the day exploring downtown Banff with lunch at Three Bears Brewery and dinner at Chuck's Steakhouse.

I liked the Fox Hotel, it had a Chili's Bar and Grill! However, while it was walking distance to downtown, it wasn't as close as other options. With all the hiking I was doing, I wished I had spent more to save myself the walks. I would look into Mount Royal Hotel or Moose Hotel & Suites.

Day 3: The weather wasn't great, but I made the most of it. I visited Wild Fluor Bakery for breakfast and loved it. shopped downtown and rode the gondola up and spent time exploring at the top. I headed back downtown and enjoyed dinner at Brazen. After dinner I went to Park Distillery and Bar.

Day 4: I hit the road to explore the iconic Icefields Parkway. If you are going to do this, I cannot stress this enough: pack plenty of food and water! There is literally nowhere to stop. And I mean nowhere. Some of my favorite stops: Johnston Canyon, Bow Lake and Peyto Lake.

What I wish I had known:

Banff is famous for good reason, but that means it is crowded all the time. You need to be patient. All of the hiking trails were extremely crowded. The lakes are crowded. Everything is crowded! Be patient, go at sunrise and be kind.

That said, I wish I had spent more time going to the lesser known places. Ask the bartenders where they like to hike.

You will see wildlife. Be smart.

Most hotels in Banff don't have AC - double check if that's important to you.

Dress casually, even at nicer restaurants, it's a very casual scene. You really don't need to pack much more than activewear. Temperatures also fluctuate throughout the day, so pack layers.

There is SO much to see along the Icefields Parkway. Plan for an entire, long day. Pack a cooler and take lots of snacks. Charge all of your devices and start with a full tank of gas.

I wish I had skipped the Banff Gondola. It was very touristy, and it was a zoo up top. Next time, I'd hike up and ride down. Or skip it completely.

Three Bears and Wild Fluor Bakery were my favorite spots and I went to both more than once.