We embarked on our week vacation in the Canadian Rockies August 12, 2017. After a long day of traveling with my boyfriend we finally made it to Calgary. The first stop on our list was the Calgary Flames hockey stadium. We were lucky enough to get a quick tour of the arena, then we stopped for lunch at Jamesons Irish Pub in Calgary for the best food we had the whole trip!
The road to Banff ran through thousands of acres of farmland. I have never seen so many hay bales in my life! We made a few stops to view the mountains along the way, then proceeded to the hotel. The hotel we stayed in for the duration of the trip was the Banff Inn. They had an incredibly friendly staff, complimentary breakfast, and clean, modern rooms. The only downside to the trip was the smoke-filled air from the raging wildfires just south of the town.
Our first full day in British Columbia was cold (I mean REALLY cold) and it even snowed! It averaged around 30 degrees Fahrenheit and was a mix of snow/rain all day. We decided to go on a road trip and travel from Banff to Jasper and back in one day (crazy I know). There were never ending mountains and photo opportunities along the way. Elk, mountain sheep, crows three times the size of ours, and caribou were all spotted on this road trip, along with breathtaking waterfalls and the tail end of a black bear (he was crossing the road and I didn't have enough time to take a picture).
Bow lake was our first view of the brilliant blue glacier fed lakes that Alberta offers.
At the Waterfowl Lakes campground we walked right up to the water's edge. It was peaceful and serene.
The Icefields Parkway had never ending mountain views.
Throughout the trip we also visited the main tourist attractions such as Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, and the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and we even took a side-by-side to the top of a mountain at 8,500 ft. One of the most memorable moments by far was photographing the milky way for the first time!
My boyfriend and I absolutely LOVED this vacation destination and we would definitely go again!
(P.S. If anyone wants to get married or have their engagement pictures here I would absolutely go back and photograph it! Banff is by far one of the most beautiful wedding destinations in the world. )