Any experienced Banff travellers?

[AtlantaSue]

Hi! To celebrate our 10th/my hubby's 50th, we are planning to go to Banff in September. That's as far as we've gotten on planning! We would like to stay in a B&B w/ a great view, and hike/drive to lots of scenic, romantic spots. Anyone got any input for us? Thanks.

 

[debster812]

Pop over to the Canadian board. There is someone who just returned from Banff and has a mini report raving about where they went, and what they did.

I've been but it was 9 years ago. We did the Columbia Ice Fields, took a gondola up a ski mountain, hiked around Lake Louise, saw more wildlife than I could have ever imagined.........

Good Luck--it's a great trip.

 

[AtlantaSue]

Thanks for that tip - I had no idea there was a Canadian board!

 

[ducklite]

I was there for the third time about four years ago. It's a truly beautiful place.

The two nicest resorts in town are the Rimrock and the Fairmont. I'm partial to the Rimrock. The Fairmont is also nice, but some of the rooms are small and IMHO cramped. (I was in one of those on my first trip there)

We spent an afternoon at the hot springs, which you can walk to from the Rimrock. Also the Ice Fields is a MUST. Make sure you take the tour to the top--WOW! Take a wrap with you, it's a lot colder on the glacier than it is down at the ledge.

We also took the gondola at Lake Louise which was very interesting, considering it was windy and I'm TERRIFIED of heights.

There's tons of nightlife in Banff.

Let me know if there's anything specific you want to know about.

Anne

 

[golfgal]

I've been to Banff and we are going again in January. It is probabaly the most beautiful place I have ever been. If you golf, I hear the golfing in great. The town itself is pretty touristy, lots of gift shops, although some are quite pricey. It looks like a little Bavarian Villiage.

We stayed at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. It is modeled after a Scottish Castle and it just lovely. They have the MOST incredible Spa there. I would plan a day to spend in the spa. They have co-ed areas where you and DH could hang out between treatments. They just did another 4 million or something upgrade at the spa (we were there 5 years ago and they had just completed at 6 million dollar upgrade). It was voted one of the top spas in the world on the Travel Channel. With the exchange rate, the prices for what you get are really reasonable. You don't have to stay there to use the spa, but saying there is worth it. THey have all kinds of package deals there.

Unless this has changed, Banff is in a National Park and you will have to pay an entrance fee to the park to get into town, just be prepared for that.

 

[ducklite]

THe entry fee into Banff National Park (and Jasper National Park for that matter) is inexpensive, maybe $7 CD for a carload?

Anne

 

[princess pooh]

I was the person who was raving about Banff on the Canadian board. We did a lot of touring so let me know if there's anything specific you want to know about. We were there for a week and we payed $100 for a national park annual pass.

My favourite things were:
Gondola at Lake Louise
Gondola at Sulpher Mountain
Emerald Lake
Peyto Lake
Johnston Canyon
Takakaw Falls

 

[golfgal]

THe entry fee into Banff National Park (and Jasper National Park for that matter) is inexpensive, maybe $7 CD for a carload?

Anne

True, but anytime you leave the park you have to pay it again or buy an annual pass. It can get expensive.