Not yet recovered from the jetlag that came with my trip to Banff, I currently sit on the Amtrak, careening backwards toward the concrete jungle. Between staring out the window at beautiful… Bridgeport, Connecticut, I’ve been flooding Noel with a continuous stream of “take me back to Banff” texts. What a cliché. The juxtaposition of where I was versus where I am now is not lost on me.
Banff was one of my favorite trips ever, and I’ve been reminiscing brutally all week (I’m a very cry because it’s over type of person). From the amount of time we spent in nature, skiing, yummy food, learning that turn-down service exists, great friends, and the sheer buoyancy of the Canadian dollar, not even my lost wallet could put a damper on my week in Banff.
Let me just take a second here to say that this is the first time I’ve lost a wallet, and with that comes some very valuable lessons. The most important one? Think twice before you purchase a Keith Haring X Coach wallet with a pink glittery barking dog on the front of it, because when you somehow misplace such a statement piece, you have to call around town describing it as just that — “a brown wallet with a pink, sparkly, cartoon dog on the front.” I was always immediately hit with the “oh no, we do not have anything of that description,” because yeah, why would they?!
Trip highlights:1 Our ski day at Lake Louise — we East Coast skiers had no idea what to expect when it came to skiing out west, and not a single second disappointed. It was the most fun I’ve ever had skiing, hands down. We somehow found ourselves on the slopes on a day with blue skies, perfect conditions, low traffic, and fresh inches of powder. From long, winding greens to runs that would literally kill me, this mountain has something for every type of skier.
Bonus points for all the laughs had as we kept finding ourselves mistakenly navigating toward inescapable moguls, got lost in the woods, and attempted to ski much more advanced terrain than any of us were used to. Proof that the intermediate skier knows no bounds when trying to look cool for their friends.
A perfect day: Wake up early and arrive at Lake Louise Ski Resort for the first lift. Have some après ski beers on the mountain before heading back to shower and get ready for dinner. Head to Hello Sunshine (and stay for karaoke if you have a party of six or more). Head to Three Bears Brewery for a beer, and then Rose & Crown for live music and dancing if you’re way cooler than we are.
(Another perfect day in the paid section below) ❄️
Tips:
The exchange rate from the US to Canada is very much in our favor. So basically, it’s your excuse to live lavishly. We were always delighted once we’d paid the bill, and then notified by our bank apps of the USD conversion.
Banff does not play around when it comes to Happy Hour. Definitely take advantage of the various deals all around downtown. We stumbled into Three Bears Brewery post-hike during happy hour and ordered one of everything off the happy hour menu, and it was perfect for four very hungry people.
Book your ski rentals and tickets in advance! During busy seasons, we heard some places will run out of gear rentals if you wait until the last minute.
If you’re staying at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, you can rent ice cleat attachments for your shoes for all your winter walking/hiking needs, free of charge from the front desk. We took the scenic route walking back from town one day, and had to traverse through a seriously thick layer of ice that stretched the entire walk home. Halfway through and already committed, we saw a human-sized skid mark at the bottom of one set of steps and later bumped into its creator, a man with an ego as bruised as he probably was.
For unpaid subscribers — regretfully, this is where I leave you. But really, the ball is in your court…
Behind the paywall, I get into specific itineraries, restaurant recommendations, vintage stores, and all things skiing. I also show the outfits I wore and everything I bought during my travels!
Paid subscribers also get access to the Google Maps list Noel and I created, featuring 40+ places we visited and the spots on our radar for next time. This includes restaurants, shops, hotels, hikes, and more — and even some recs from locals we met. Recommended if you’re lucky enough to be planning a trip to Banff! And spoiler alert, we have excellent taste.
And if this is our goodbye, send me new wallet recs xox
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