Alberta, Canada

Banff has always been on my radar. It was not until our dentist visited there and passed on her experiences that we decided to make this trip happen sooner, rather than later. Dr. Williamson, our long-time family dentist, painted a detailed picture in my mind of towering peaks, gorgeous mountain lakes, ancient glaciers, the perfect hotel, and delicious foods.  I was sold. Plans were made. Passports were dusted off. Bags were packed. Canada, here we come!

My husband and I flew into Calgary and rented a car to drive the two hours into Banff National Park. Needless to say, most of the drive was breathtakingly beautiful as we headed towards the heart of the Canadian Rockies on a warm August afternoon.

Over one hundred years ago, Lake Louise (named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria)  was just a wild outpost at the end of the Canadian Pacific Railway. It was mainly a base for outdoor enthusiasts, thrill-seekers, and hunters.  Today Lake Louise is a luxury resort area that is famous for its gorgeous lakes, mountain tea houses, grizzly bears, and hiking trails.  This area attracts large crowds of tourists from all over the world in the summer season. I was not surprised to hear Spanish, Farsi, Norwegian, German, French, Japanese, and Chinese all spoken around me in the span of 15 minutes at the Fairmont Chateau. We had all come together in this place to share in one of the most unforgettable and spectacular sights in North America.

In the early afternoon, we arrived in the town of Lake Louise and checked in to the Post Hotel. Once again, Dr. Williamson had given us excellent advice! This was a small, boutique hotel located steps away from The Village (main shopping center with small grocery store, deli, bakery, visitor’s center, grill, etc.).  The Post Hotel was situated along the shores of the Pipestone River in a beautiful area with wonderful views. It was luxurious, quaint, and had wonderful amenities – including afternoon tea and a five-star restaurant. We loved everything about it – even the bear spray you checked out each day from the front desk! 

Ours plans the first day were to drive to the “actual” Lake Louise and hike up to the Lake Agnes Teahouse. This is a popular hiking trail that begins on the edge of the lake near the iconic Fairmont Lake Louise Chateau. This mountainous trail leads 5+ miles (round trip) to a lovely little rustic tea house that was built in 1905 and sits on the shoreline of another idyllic alpine lake, Lake Agnes.  This hike ended up being newsworthy enough to get a blog all to itself!  More of this excursion to come at a later date………

We headed to Lake Louise very early this particular morning to procure parking as it fills up very quickly. We grabbed our hiking gear and walked a short distance from the parking area to the shoreline. We stepped out of the treeline onto the shore and I was speechless.

The views were surreal.

Lake Louise is simply a postcard that you step into.

 

Lake Louise is what makes Banff National Park such a popular destination. I find it impossible to describe without resorting to shameless cliches. The lake is most famous for its glacier-fed, mirror-like, turquoise water. It is surrounded on three sides by soaring snow-capped mountain peaks and a stately shoreline chateau (The Fairmont) on one end. When you stand next to this serene lake and gaze out onto Victoria Glacier, the glassy water, and the towering mountains – it is no wonder that this breathtakingly beautiful place is the most photographed sight in the Canadian Rockies. Unfortunately, photos really can’t do it justice. The 360-degree views seem unreal. Words are lost as your senses take over.

Our first full day in Lake Louise turned out to be amazing! Now we needed to plan the remainder of our stay. Luckily, the town of Lake Louise turned out to be the perfect base for our summer trip. What to do next? There was plenty of hiking, kayaking, cycling, and canoeing opportunities in the area. There were also more sights to see than we had days to see them! We had to prioritize and plan our agenda for the remainder of our stay.

We visited Lake Moraine, another spectacular mountain lake with stunning views and well worth a visit. We drove the Icefields Parkway. This is a beautiful drive from Lake Louise to Jasper that takes you by glorious lakes, waterfalls, mountain views, a glacier field, hiking trails, lookout points, etc. The scenery was amazing! 

One sunny afternoon was spent riding up one of ski slopes in the Lake Louise Gondola. This proved to be another fun activity and the views were great. Another day was spent in Yoho National Park hiking around Emerald Lake, seeing the Natural Bridge, and hiking up to Takakawa Falls. There was so much natural beauty surrounding us – too much to see and way too little time! At the end of each day, it was so nice to return to our quiet, little hotel. We enjoyed afternoon tea, wine on the lawn, and delicious four-course gourmet meals. I really did not want to leave at he end of our stay.

We thoroughly enjoyed our wonderful stay and visit to the village of Lake Louise. I will never forget the scenery and the experiences we had here. Great memories were made! Now we were off to the towns of Banff and Canmore and then on to Calgary for a few days. More stories to tell!

Stay tuned.