My incredible guest blogger is back– please welcome the seriously talented Chelsea. If you are unfamiliar with her other guest posts, check them out here and here! Her pictures are absolutely to die for. Anyway, ENJOY– and make sure to leave her some love in the comments.

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If visiting Banff isn’t on your bucket list, it should be! The majestic mountains, the bright
turquoise glacial lakes, the elk? (Yes, I was even excited about seeing the elk!) Here are my recommendations on what to do in Banff and the surrounding areas.

Sleep
Start saving your pennies because staying at the Fairmont Banff Springs is a must! It’s called the “Castle in the Rockies” because it is just that. A seriously amazing hotel with seriously amazing views. You could wander around the hotel for hours and get lost on their grounds (wear your sneakers- you’ll thank me later). If you aren’t able to afford a night or two at the Fairmont, make sure to have a drink on the patio of the Walhaus Pub. You’ll experience breathtaking views of the Bow Valley while enjoying your glass of wine.

Do Take the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain. There you’ll have spectacular views of Banff.

Directly behind the Fairmont Banff Springs is Bow Falls. It’s famous for being shown in Marilyn Monroe’s movie, River of No Return.

Downtown Banff is just what you would imagine, a picturesque town surrounded by
mountains. Stroll down Banff Avenue and go souvenir shopping.

Take a Tour

I recommend Discover Banff Tours. Their “Discover Banff & Its Wildlife” tour is a great way to see all the sights in one day. The bus takes you to some of Banff’s landmarks including Surprise Corner, the Hoodoos Lookout, Lake Minnewanka and the Vermillion Lakes. You’ll get some great photos on this tour.

Rent a car and drive north up to Lake Louise. It’s a very scenic 45 minute drive. Make sure you have a drink at the Fairmont Lake Louise while you’re there. Or better yet, stay there for a night! Take a canoe ride on Lake Louise or just walk around and take in the beauty.

A 20 minute (very curvy) drive from Lake Louise is the equally gorgeous Moraine Lake.

If you have an extra day, I recommend driving up even further north and seeing the Takakkaw Falls. The drive alone is unbelievable. We stumbled upon the most beautiful bridge on our drive to the falls.

As Jaime says, “Until next time, happy travels!” :)