3 Days in Banff

As a part of the Rocky Mountaineer train, my dad and I had a coach transfer from our flight into Calgary to Banff. We flew into Calgary the night before, so we were able to catch an earlier coach and have more time in Banff. After dropping luggage at the hotel, we ate lunch at Block Kitchen + Bar in downtown Banff. I recommend the tempura shrimp steamed bao bun at this Asian fusion restaurant. We also checked out the cute shops in downtown Banff. The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies in downtown is another option. We took a late afternoon boat cruise on Lake Minnewanka before heading to dinner.

After eating breakfast at Farm & Fire, we took a wildlife and sightseeing minibus tour. This half-day tour picks up at several different hotels and tours Banff National Park. The wildlife were hiding on our tour date, but we were taken to several places that were hidden but accessible to downtown. The views from Bow Falls and Cascade of Time Gardens made for some beautiful pictures. After the tour, we visited the Fairmont Banff Springs. Known as the Castle of the Rockies, the Fairmont has amazing mountain views as well as nice souvenir shops. I ate the best clam chowder at the Vermillion Room in the hotel.

After breakfast, we took a half-day tour of Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. We met the bus at the Banff train station and were whisked away to other areas of the park. We spent 90 minutes at both Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. It was plenty of time to walk the trails, enjoy a cup of coffee, and soak in the unreal-colored water of the lakes. There are also boat rentals on Lake Louise and hiking on the Rockpile trail at Moraine Lake. After the tour, we spent time at the Bow Falls waterfall and walked the surrounding trails. For dinner, we ate in downtown Banff at The Bison, a farm-to-table restaurant that uses local seasonal ingredients. My dad raved about our meal!