Banff National Park has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. Ever since I saw photos of the clear blue waters of Lake Louise against the dramatic Canadian Rockies, I’ve been dreaming of visiting. But being from the East Coast, I was never quite able to make the trek over to Alberta — until now. When my dear friends invited me to their wedding in Calgary earlier this month, I immediately jumped at the opportunity to make a day trip out of it and cross this destination off my bucket list!
Like all places that look amazing in photos, I was skeptical that Banff wouldn’t live up to the hype — I mean, can a place seriously be this beautiful? However, I was happily surprised that Banff was even more enchanting in real life. I’d always pictured myself visiting in the summer and hiking its many trails, but Banff in the winter is truly magical, the definition of a winter wonderland. With snowflakes covering the peaks in a soft blanket and the crystal lakes reflecting the skies, I couldn’t help but romanticize every moment — it felt like I was starring in a Hallmark holiday movie!
Since I’m not a big fan of driving and I had an extra day in Calgary before the wedding, I decided to book a small group day trip through Viator, which took us to all the highlights. I highly recommend this if you only have one day in Banff, as it makes your life so much easier with direct transportation from your hotel and a tour guide provided. There are many different options, so choose the one that’s best for you and your interests. Plus, it’s a great way to meet some new friends from around the world. In our car alone, we had visitors from the US, Mexico, Ireland, Italy, and even Japan!
Our first destination of the day was Two Jack Lake, which had these adorable red chairs. While it was too cold to sit there and enjoy, I could already picture myself there in the summer, curled up with a good book and beverage.
Next, we made our way over to Lake Minnewanka. Every destination kept getting more and more beautiful, my jaw kept dropping. One of the perks of visiting in November is that it isn’t quite ski season yet, so there are way fewer visitors. We didn’t run into any crowds at all, and most of the time had the lakes entirely to ourselves. It was so serene, I could stay there forever.
For lunch, we stopped by Downtown Banff to grab a bite and had some time to walk around the main street. I brought home a few souvenirs, including a pin to add to my pin collection! Fun fact: many Hallmark movies used downtown Banff as a set. I can totally see why — it’s just so charming!
They say to save the best for last, and that’s indeed the case here. Our last destination of the day was the iconic Lake Louise, which was the ultimate showstopper. After grabbing a hot chocolate from the cafe at the Fairmont Château Lake Louise, my new friend and I couldn’t help but take a stroll along the lake and frolic among the alpines. Words and photos don’t do this place justice. It really is a fairytale.
Needless to say, Banff completely stole my heart. I can’t wait to come back here someday and reexperience the magic all over again ❤️
