Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
I feel as though I’ve made this statement countless times, but not yet on a Littles & Bigs platform. Banff National Park in Canada was at the top of my bucket list for quite some time. I would find myself scrolling through photographs during my free time. The time finally came for Bailey and I, and we bought plane tickets and made some reservations in 2019.
Was There A Specific Reason To Book When We Did?
In March of 2019, Bailey and I had visited Winnipeg, Manitoba for the second time. We were (and still are) huge Winnipeg Jets fans. For those who may be unaware, the Winnipeg Jets are part of the best hockey league in the world, the NHL (National Hockey League). The Jets were scheduled to play in the Heritage Classic in the fall of 2019. We really wanted to make the game, but it was in Saskatchewan, and flights were not priced within our budget. Almost as a joke, one of us had said, “Why don’t we just fly into Calgary and go to Banff?” Lightbulb. The price of flights to Calgary, Alberta were within our budget! After a short discussion, our regular road trip style went airborne, and we booked our flight.
We had just returned from Winnipeg and Thunder Bay and we were already planning to return to Canada in October. Coincidently enough, we happened to book our time in Banff during my 26th birthday.
My First Commercial Flight Since I Was 5 Years Old
Despite wanting to be a pilot for as long as I can remember, commercial flying wasn’t my method of travel. This was largely due to cost, but also due to the inconvenience of renting a car upon arrival at your destination.
Being that I’m 28, and my only other commercial flight experience was at the age of 5, my experience predates 2001… If you see where I’m going with this, flying commercially has changed just slightly in the interim. I had read about and heard stories of the new security, and they all gave me a good deal of anxiety. Because of this, we arrived a couple hours early, and the wait was brutal. However, everything went smoothly through security, and I was left with the excitement of the flight and getting to Banff!
Breathtaking Beauty Of The Canadian Rockies
We landed in Calgary, picked up our rental car, and spent the afternoon gathering a few items that we would need during our time in the mountains. We didn’t pack any boots as we decided that it may be a good idea to purchase them in the land that needs them so frequently. We spent so much time shopping for necessities, and the perfect pair of boots, that it was dark by the time we began our drive into the mountains. We didn’t even realize that we wouldn’t be able to see the mountains during the night. We figured we wouldn’t be able to see them clearly, but it was almost impossible. We could make out just the shadows.
It wasn’t until the following morning that we truly saw the mountains. Our Airbnb was in a housing complex in a town called Dead Man’s Flats, which was just a short drive from Canmore. What this meant is that we were truly in the mountains. When we looked right outside our window, the view was unbelievable.
Watch Our Banff & Yoho National Park Travel Videos Here
Because we spent a week in Banff, which is such a magical place, we had tons and tons of footage. This meant we couldn’t fit it all into one video. This is part 1.
Part 2 of our time in Banff was jam packed with even more adventure.
An Unforgettable Adventure
Lake Louise & The Banff Township
Day one hit us pretty hard following our travels, and we had some major difficulty getting out of bed. Although we knew what incredible landscape and scenery sat just outside our door, the combination jet lag and thinner air was surprisingly draining. As I mentioned before, flights are not our typical method of travel. We did, however, make it out of bed with enough daylight to see one very important place. This provided an idea of what we were in for.
Our only mission was to get into Banff. Technically, we weren’t staying in the National Park, but it certainly felt like it. Our Airbnb hosts did provided a Canadian National Parks pass, which was a huge benefit! One of the many, many things that sets Banff apart is the township that lies within. Many National Parks have neighboring towns just around the corner, but the town of Banff was genuinely inside the Park itself. It was such an incredible town. Since we hadn’t eaten yet that day, and we were unaware that Banff had it’s own township, we decided to stop and check it out for a little while and grab a quick bite to eat.
At this point, we had a choice to make. There was only enough time before the end of the day to get to one of the lakes that we had on our list. Overall, my list of places to visit in Banff included:
Moraine Lake
Lake Louise
Lake Minnewanka
Being that the roads to Moraine were closed for the season, Lake Louise was next on the list. It just so happened that it was my birthday, so I figured, what better gift than being able to see Lake Louise?
5 Different Locations In One Day
Since we sort of squandered our first day, we decided that we had to make the most of our second. Our day began at Cascade Ponds—an unexpected but excellent stop. From there, we revisited Lake Louise. During day one, we only viewed the stunning lake from a single angle, and we decided that we wanted to see more. After a beautiful hike along the shore, we left Lake Louise, and headed to Lake Minnewanka.
Lake Minnewanka is not the most popular in Banff, but it is one that I came across a few times while researching, so we decided that we had to check it out. It is truly a massive lake, and although Two Jack Lake can stand alone and I considered counting it as a 6th location, it is considered to be a part of Lake Minnewanka. Leaving the lake took us on a combination of roads that brought us to an elk (and a large one at that).
We were off to see 2 more locations, and what made these stops all the more exciting was that we’d be visiting a new Canadian province that we hadn’t been to before. The Canadian Rockies stretch along the west border of Alberta and into British Columbia. In BC, we got to see the Natural Bridge and Emerald Lake. As she commonly does, Bailey had surprised me with these two destinations, and they were stunningly beautiful. This little excursion took us right into the evening and in common BC fashion (or so we’ve heard) we were left with a snowy and stormy drive back to our Airbnb.
Banff Gondola And Sulphur Mountain
After spending the day in Calgary watching the Flames take on the Washington Capitals, we had two days left to explore the rest of Banff. One day was dedicated to taking the Banff Gondola up to the top of Sulphur Mountain. The building atop the mountain was beautiful with stunning views and some amazing food. There was even a short board walk hike to the Sulphur Mountain summit and the weather station that’s up there. This is a popular tourist attraction and for good reason. The views of the Canadian Rockies from this vantage point is straight out of a dream.
One Last Look Before We Leave
We found that our final day in Banff would have to be cut short to avoid an extensive drive before a very, very early morning flight back home. We decided we would drive into Calgary a day early to lessen our drive to the airport the following morning. Because of this, we made the most of our last day in Banff.
The day was dedicated to re-visiting our favorite destinations from the past week of adventures. And if time allowed, we would consider an additional hike or two to see something new.
Since our last trip to British Columbia was late at night, and we had to hustle through our exploration, we decided to start there. It was an odd experience, as each time we crossed into British Columbia during our trip, the weather turned from sunny and nice to stormy and grim. It wasn’t a gradual shift either, it was an immediate shift right at the provincial line. Bailey and I made sure to dip our necklaces in each of the lakes, as this was our way of keeping the beauty and adventure of Banff with us.
From British Columbia we travelled back to Lake Louise. We had a few hiking options, which we narrowed down to either the Fairview Lookout or the Lake Agnes Tea House. The tea house did not have any vehicle accessibility, so it’s truly a hike to get there, which we further identified as a long hike. Although we really wanted to make the journey, we decided that we just didn’t have the time, so the Fairview Lookout won by default. This hike was fun and beautiful, but a little tough for a couple flatlanders from Nebraska. The view from the lookout was absolutely stunning, and it presented that teal color that everyone talks about. The view of the lake from that vantage point was indescribable.
By this time, it was the evening, and we knew had to make it to Lake Minnewanka before we left. Bailey found an awesome spot for us to hike to, but we underestimated the time it takes for the sun to set. It got dark…fast. The hike there was exciting and fun, but we knew our time was limited, so we found ourselves jogging here and there. We made it to a bridge that overlooked some water, and we snapped a few pictures. It didn’t take long to then realize the spooky hike we’d have to make to get back. Lucky for us, I had brought my huge camera light, which is just what we needed. It certainly helped to light our path, but there’s just something about hiking in the pitch dark woods with absolutely no one around. Maybe it’s from all the horror films and TV shows, or maybe it’s the fact that wildlife surrounded us and could strike at any moment if it felt threatened enough.
Needless to say, we made it back without a scratch, but our adrenaline was pumping through our veins just a bit. It’s an experience that will not be soon forgotten, and with that, our time in Banff was over. We made it back to our Airbnb to pack up and sleep.
All of our adventures can be found in the videos linked above, but hopefully this helps fill in some of the details. If Banff is not on your bucket list, it definitely should be! If you do get to experience Banff for yourself, feel free to tag @littlesbigsadventures in your post or comment. There is still so much left for us to see, and we can’t wait to visit again in the future!
Written By
Liam Theo
Liam Theo is the “Bigs” in Littles & Bigs Adventures. He’s the photographer, designer, video editor, and driver of the traveling family.