I've always dreamed about going to Banff National Park. My only exposure to this monumental beauty was constantly hearing about it from friends and seeing pictures off the internet, which doesn't fully capture its glamour. After living in hopes of going there, I decided to transform my dream into a reality by planning a family trip during Labor Day weekend. To my surprise, my older brother decided to join us this time 😲!
Lake Louise
Lake Louise
Entrance of Banff national park. You could find the price information on the official website👈
Birthday Present💥, Click Me👈
Itinerary
Taking into consideration my parents' elderly age and fragile knees, I attempted to avoid hiking and any strenuous activities.
8/31 Friday
YYC Airport ► Banff Town ► Fairmont Chateau Hotel ► Lake Louise ► Moraine Lake ► Fairmont Chateau Hotel
Moraine Lake at night💙
Banff Town, right across recreation center
Fairmont Chateau Hotel ► Moraine Lake ► Wapta Falls ► Emerald Lake ► Natural Bridge ► Bow Lake ► Peyto Lake ► Tangle Creek Falls ► Athabasca Falls ► Park Place Inn (Jasper)
Wapta Falls was 2.4 km away from the parking lot, I didn't end up going due to lack of time.
You could easily miss the entrance of Wapta Falls, be aware of the sign!
Saw a family of elks outside of Jasper village 😍! The dad was patrolling around continously.
Park Place Inn ► Maligne Lake ► Jasper Village ► Athabasca Glacier ► Takakkaw Falls ► Vermilion Lakes ► Best Western Plus (Banff)
Right when we left Jasper, we saw a little black bear on the side of street 😇, it moved quite fast!
Best Western Plus ► Two Jack Lake ► Lake Minnewanka ► YYC Airport
I got little sick on the last day, so we slept more than we planned to. As a result, we had to give up a few attractions.
YYC Airport - Chinook Lounge, pretty quiet and not crowded.
Lake Louise was probably one of the most famous glacier lakes in the Canadian Rockies. The lake seemed to be slightly green because of special minerals in the beds under the rock of glaciers, and ultimately they moved to the bottom of the lake after years of erosion. The resulting color became what we saw today in Lake Louise.
Lake Louise
Rental of canoe on the left-hand side of lake; $75/30 min, $85/60 min, hours: 08:30~20:00
Sign of Fairmont at Chateau Lake Louise, right-hand side of the lake
Sunrise at Lake Louise, lighted up both sides of mountains
Thoughts: If you stay at the Fairmont, you could park the car in the garage. I would highly recommend to go there early if you don't play on staying at Fairmont. There were so many people trying to get a spot in the parking lot, and it would drive me nuts honestly 💢.
Moraine Lake
The lake was about 18 minutes drive away from Lake Louise. It was surrounded by many snow mountains on the left and forests on the right. They were acting like supporting roles to make Moraine Lake looked even better. When I reached to the top of the mountain (10-15 minutes of hiking), I thought the view was absolutely astounding 💥, truly magical view.
Moraine Lake, such a fairy tale view
Family take at Moraine Lake
I believed the person on the right didn't have acrophobia because his position was quite dangerous😱
Thoughts: In Summer, you might need a bit of luck in order to visit Moraine Lake if you didn't join any tour because it was so crowded, and they would close the entrance most of time to maintain a certain amount of visitors 😓...In the morning of the second days of my trip, the entrance was already closed when I got there at 7am because the parking lots up there was already full. I was told that I needed to come back later and tried my luck again...Right after I checked out from Fairmont at Lake Louise, I already lost hope to visit Moraine Lake, however, I realized the entrance was opened when we got there 😄. Later, when we finished visiting the lake, I saw that the entrance was closed again, so I bet a lot of people didn't have a chance to visit the Moraine Lake unfortunately.
There were many rocks stacked together right next to the lake. On the left-hand side there was a small walking path that allowed you to hike to the top of the mountain. If you had enough time, you could also consider the Larch Valley Trail on the right side of the lake, 4.3 km one way. There was a Lodge right next to the lake, so if you would want to secure a chance to visit the lake, then you might as well stay here for one night. However, I believed it would probably be the most difficult place to make a reservation during the peak seasons.
Lodge right next to Moraine Lake
The lake was located in Yoho national park, 30 minutes drive west of Lake Louise, and its color has been literally just like an Emerald stone 💚. With the forest in the background, the view was stunning. Although Emerald Lake was not as popular as Moraine Lake, it felt more like a fictional paradise 🌲.
Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake
Right side of Emerald Lake
Thoughts: When you walked toward the lake from the parking lot, you would go through a bridge. Don't just focus on the left because it was beautiful on the right as well. Across the bridge you would find few houses and parasol on the outside ⛱. I found it interesting. The view was filled with white clouds in the sky ⛅, forests in the background, and a lake with emerald-like color in the foreground. I had never seen such a landscape before, and it was stunning.
It was basically right next to the Emerald Lake, approximately 10 minutes drive, so there was absolutely no reason to miss it. There were tons of sediments in the river leading to the natural bridge, and the bridge was the result of a thousand years of erosion.
Natural Bridge landmark
Don't get tricked by this picture. The flow was extremely fast and strong!
Looked quite interesting
Thoughts: For whatever reason, this attraction was not part of original itinerary because I didn't find any related information...I simply saw the sign of an attraction while I was about to drive off from the Emerald Lake area. I didn't want to regret it later, so I made a stop here! I liked my portrait shot above 👍. Realistically, you could climb around the bridge, but there were only two people including myself did it back then, and I was afraid of heights 😰...my brother thought I was walking with the speed of a turtle, so he was taunting me "the other dude walked up there normally, and I acted like it was a road to the hell or something" 😩 Be careful! Please evaluate your own safety.
That's me standing on the rock! Could you see me!? Haha
Upstream of Natural Bridge
Bow Lake
Bow Lake was the largest lake on the Icefields Parkway in Banff national park. The lake surface was like a mirror reflecting the mountains on the back one after another one 💕. The best time to capture a good shot was right after dawn because the lake would be just like a perfect mirror. It was such a fantastic spot for photographers. The lake was formed from Wapta Icefield. There were many Douglas Fir along the Wapta Icefield, and they were suitable for making bows, and that was how the name of the lake came from.
Bow Lake
Right of Bow Lake
Left of Bow Lake
Thoughts: In all honesty, Bow Lake was not part of my original itinerary either lol 😂! Right before we arrived Peyto Lake, I was looking out of windows on the left, and the view immediately caught my attention. The lake was very wide. Even though the sky was cloudy ☁, countless number of mountains and the clear lake with calm surface made me felt like the time completely stopped in the area ⏲. I didn't spend too much time here, but it was highly recommended.
They were talking about swimming in the Bow Lake. I was like "seriously!?"
Every summer there were going to have a lot of glacier flowing into the Peyto Lake. As a result, the color of the lake would reflect to be a mix of blue and greenish color under the light reflection 💙. Personal vehicle needed to park at the lower parking level, and it took about 10 to 15 minute hike to get to a platform, Peyto Lake Viewpoint, where you could see the entire lake. I thought the hike was quite steep. I loved Peyto Lake as much as Moraine Lake!
Panoramic of Peyto Lake
People didn't know how to move! OS: Get the hell out 😖. Tired of cropping people out of pictures
Peyto Lake View
According to the reviews online, it was suggested that you should continue walking toward the left upper side for 10 to 15 minutes once you arrived Peyto Lake Viewpoint platform and reached Peyto Lake View. In here, you would be able to shoot panoramic of Peyto Lake...I didn't think it was the best spot because the panoramic shot was vertical, and I was not a big fan of it. In contrast, I was able to take a wide angle shot from the Peyto Lake Viewpoint platform just fine, and it was my favorite 🙌.
Once you reached the platform, you could cross over the fences on the right, and there was a huge empty space to use for photography. I even saw a couple was having a picnic here! OS: He might as well propose here 💏? Please be careful and be aware of your surrounding!
Taken at Peyto Lake Viewpoint
Peyto Lake View
Tangle Creek Fall located not too far right after passing through Glacier Skywalk, about a minute of the drive. This fall wasn't magnificent like other popular falls around the world, however, it had many layers and create another unique view for photographers. Apparently there was a chance to witness bighorn sheep here, but I didn't see any 😭.
If you were lucky enough, you would see the bighorn sheep on the top of the fall, and that would be absolutely amazing!
Athabasca Falls
Athabasca located on the Columbia Icefield, and it was a famous waterfall within the Jasper national park. It wasn't too far south of Jasper village. The fall wasn't high, but the flow was strong and aggressive. The structure was formed from the erosion of water years after years and eventually became a vertical state.
Skylon at Niagara Falls (1)
Skylon at Niagara Falls (2)
The lake was about an hour drive from the southeast of Jasper village. The parking lot here was enormous. Most of tourists would take a boat ride to visit Spirit Island from the right side of the shore. Many of the magazines of Jasper national park used Spirit Island as their introduction page photo because it was so attractive to see. Definitely don't miss the spot if you had time! There was a lodge behind of where you would board the boat, you could enjoy the view while having a nice meal in there, such a pleasant place to come. Apparently, one of the photography winning award was based on the Spirit Island 😲!
Felt like I could have taken this shot much better 😥
Skipped this attraction if the weather wasn't nice in my opinions~
Spirit Islands. Source: 新浪博客
Athabasca Glacier
Athabasca Glacier was sitting on the top of must visit list across any websites you went to! It was located on the Icefield Pkwy, and it formed between B.C. 126,000 and 238,000. Across the glacier, there was a tourist center, Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre. Please look up the ticket price and operation hours ahead of time at their website here 👈. Strongly recommended buying the tickets online ahead of time because there were so many people, and it was like people celebrating a new year or something😵!
Panoramic of Athabasca Glacier
River stream under the Athabasca Glacier
Thoughts: There was a parking lot at the bottom of the glaciers, and then people could climb up to witness the amazing view. Remember to wear a down jacket...I wasn't prepared enough, and I thought it wasn't cold at first, but it was ridiculous when you got to the top. As a result, I got sick afterward...😷. This attraction had to be one of your itinerary because an opportunity like this did not come often. Though I had been to Iceland in the winter, I wasn't as excited as my family members, but it was still worth it.
Takakkaw Falls was one of the most famous attractions in the Yoho national park, which was also the second highest fall in Canada right after the Della Falls in Vancouver. "Takakkaw" implied a meaning of magnificence in the indigenous language.
River I saw near the parking lots
Panoramic of Takakkaw Falls
Parents!
Vermilion Lakes
It was not as popular as other attractions, and I thought it was due to its location. It did not have a designated parking lot here, and it was right next to a narrow countryside road. On the plus side, the lake was very close to Banff town, literally within three to five minutes drive, and you could even consider walking here, which was about 4.5 miles one way. Nowadays, there were many water grasses causing the original one large lake into smaller lakes altogether.
Didn't get the reflection shot perfectly...💥!!!
Lake Minnewanka
It was the finale of my trip, Lake Minnewanka. It was the largest and deepest lake within Banff national park. The location was in the northeast of Banff town, about 15 minutes drive from the town. The name came from local Indian tribes, and it implied a meaning of elf of water. I would say approximately 30 minutes to an hour would be enough to explore this area. Two Jack Lake was right next to the Lake Minnewanka, so it was pretty cool to see two attractions in one place, but I had to catch my flight in Calgary, so I left soon after taking a few photos here and there.
Airfares and flights
I helped my family to book their flights using Chase Ultimate Reward via Chase Travel Portal directly. I was trying to give us the most amount of time to spend locally. Each of flight required around 40,000 UR points. It was not particularly cheap because we chose to go there during the peak season, and it was a long weekend national holiday, Labor Day Weekend.
It was beautiful all year around in Banff national park, so my suggestion would be that you should pull the trigger on buying a cheap flight whenever you saw one. It didn't necessarily have to be during the Summer or Fall, and it wouldn't be as crowded, the flight would be cheaper as well 💸.
It was beautiful all year around in Banff national park, so my suggestion would be that you should pull the trigger on buying a cheap flight whenever you saw one. It didn't necessarily have to be during the Summer or Fall, and it wouldn't be as crowded, the flight would be cheaper as well 💸.
Hotels
Fairmont Chateau Lake LouiseOne of the most famous hotels in Banff national park because its location was right next to the Lake Louise. Consequently, the price for one night was off the chart 💰. I booked one night using FHR via AMEX Platinum credit card. It was peak season, so I decided to book a lake view room directly, which had two queen beds. During the peak season, the area was filled with people, so it was very unlikely to have a chance to get an upgraded room. Moreover, the hotel was completely full when I checked in, and I even saw some groups of people were trying their luck and came without reservations 😲. The cost after tax was around $1100, but I got $100 credits to use because of booking via FHR, and the credits could be used for breakfast or dinner. I didn't worry too much about the price because it was a family trip 👪. Money could always be earned more later on, and I didn't want to regret for not staying at this hotel after the trip. I wasn't allowed to use a gift card to pay via FHR, but I was allowed to use multiple AMEX cards to pay at checkout at the hotel.
Special note: Few months ago, Fairmont had a promotion deal that they sold their gift cards at 20% discount. I wasn't able to grab one of them because for whatever reason I encountered a payment issue in the end. If I was able to get the gift card and booked it directly instead of using FHR, it would be cheaper.
Front entrance of Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Lakeview room!!!
I wanted to take my family to explore around Jasper. I searched a good amount of websites for our stays including American Express Travel Portal, Chase Travel Portal, Hotel.com, Agoda, Booking.com, and Rocketmiles. I chose Park Place Inn in the end. The cost was around $276 per night. My floor plan was Luxury Room 6. It had two queen size beds, and a queen size sofa bed. The room was very big, and it had SPA in the bathroom as well. I thought it was above average overall.
Entrance
Room floor plan: Luxury Room 6
There was a SPA button on the left side of hot tub
This shower looked quite interesting to me 👍!
Originally I was going to book with Delta Hotels by Marriott Banff Royal Canadian Lodge, but I was too late on making a decision, so there was no availability anymore 😣. I had to search for other options, and I found that Best Western Plus gave a free breakfast for four people! If you were interested in staying with Delta Hotels, then you must book it few months ahead of your trip because it was such a popular tourist place to visit. Another option would be Airbnb, and a lot of them actually looked a lot better than the images online.
I booked with Hotel.com along with the benefit from TopCashBack. Paid by PayPal would be another 10% discount, and I also collected one night credit from Hotel.com. As a member of Hotel.com, once you had ten night credits, your 11th night would be deducted by the average cost of your previous ten nights. If you hadn't applied for an account on TopCashBack, you could use my referral click here👈.
Entrance, Parking garage is on the left. Source: Google Image
Lobby. Source: Google Image
Breakfast room, western style.
Two Queen Beds, free breakfast for four people, Around $340 per night originally, with 8% discount ($27). Gained one night credit using Hotel.com, so essentially it was another 10% discount on top of everything too. However, I would still probably try to book with Delta Hotels under Marriott next time.
Restaurants
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise:
Lakeview Lounge Dinner
Top left: Vegetarian Curry
Bottom left: Canadian Club
Top right: Rocky Cheesesteak
Bottom right: Smokey Bear Burger
Poppy Brasserie Buffet Breakfast
Entrance and inside
I thought that was orange juice originally, but it was not.
Variety of fruits
My favorite smoked salmon!
Omelette, ham, toast, etc...
There were soups. You could also customize the omelette.
They even had Congee!?
They had sausages that were made by beef, but the taste was weird~
Buffet breakfast
Jasper Village: ALBA Italian Restaurant
Top left: Pappardelle with Duck Leg Confit
Bottom left: Seafood Spaghetti
Top right: Herb Crusted Sockeye Salmon
Bottom right: Carbonara Alla Jasper
Banff Town: Seoul Country Korean Restaurant
#28 Kim-chi, pork and tofu in a spicy stew
#32 Beef with vegetables and tofu in a hot pot
1. If you planned to visit Athabasca Glacier, you would certainly want to bring a down jacket. Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared because it didn't seem that cold from the bottom initially, so I got sick the day after 😭
2. I only had to get gas twice based on my itinerary, and I got gas from The Crossing Gas Station and Store within Saskatchewan River Crossing area both times. They had some foods here, but the prices were ridiculous (both foods and gas).
The Crossing Gas Station and Store food court
The Crossing Gas Station and Store area(1)
The Crossing Gas Station and Store area(2)
4. Most of public restroom smelled terribly, and they only had hand sanitizer.
5. Planned enough time for a chance to visit Moraine Lake during the peak seasons.
6. Downloaded Google Maps ahead of time. It was very useful to use offline.
7. There was a very good Korean restaurant in Banff town (information was provided above), especially the beef soup, #32 on the menu...heavenly taste! The average cost of a dinner was around $30-40. There was a public parking lot on the Bear St, which was right behind the Korean restaurant.
8. Fairmont Lake Louise had so many international staffs. A lot of them came here and worked for a year before returning to where they came from.
Canada is one of my fav destination and as you guys had amazing time there, It inspires me a lot to have fun time there after finishing my trip to new york city. Thanks for making such worthwhile post here.
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