Hannah and I spent our first couple of days exploring Jasper. To recap on the beginning of this adventure, please read my post Jasper National Park. As we drove down towards Banff, we made several stops along the way and stayed one night near Lake Louise. Our first stop was Athabasca Falls. The snow was just starting to melt and we were finally able to catch a glimpse of the pristine turquoise water.
Athabasca Falls 
Abraham Lake was a must-see for Hannah. This lake is very unique when frozen because the plants below release methane which freezes before reaching the surface, causing frozen methane gas bubbles. Of course before we arrived, a snow storm completely covered the lake. Par for the course! Determined as we were, we grabbed our windshield scraper, walked out towards the middle of the lake and started scraping away at the snow. We eventually found methane bubbles and were thankful the bubbles stayed under the ice (since methane smells like farts) haha.
Abraham Lake 
Methane Bubbles!
Our next stop was Peyto Lake. The roads were so badly covered in snow that I could not get the car into the parking lot. We parked on the street and walked to the trail entrance. The snow fall was unreal! There had to be at least 3-4 feet of powder. We would have never made it if the trail was not packed down ahead of time. Talk about a winter wonderland!
Peyto… I see you, boo.
Peyto Lake 
In the photo above I am wearing fleece-lined leggings that I purchased on Amazon. The three-pack included green, black and grey pants and they were life savers during our cold hikes.
To cut down driving time, we stayed near Lake Louise at the Lake Louise Inn. With limited options in the area, we had dinner at our lodge restaurant. I had hopes of checking out the pool and hot tub but it was very busy with families and their children. The next morning we drove to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. These are two of the most popular stops in Banff. Golly, would you look at that turquoise blue water….I mean snow.
Not only was that view disappointing but the Lake Louise viewpoint was so congested with tourists that we spent less than ten minutes there. We decided to move quickly towards Moraine Lake, with hopes of beating the crowds. To our surprise, the only road to Moraine Lake was closed due to snow fall. We were really striking out with this one.
Our first stop in Banff was at the Cave and Basin of Banff National Park. Since the entry fee was practically free, I would say give it a try. If it had cost anything, I would recommend skipping. There is only one small area of an exposed cave.
The rest of our afternoon was spent on the Banff Gondola. We’ve agreed this was our most treasured stop. The gondola will take you on a scenic ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain where they provide walking trails, food, gift shops and several activities. There were so many great photo opportunities. We spent a majority of our time following the built-up wooden path across the mountain summit. The views were fantastic- even in the cold! Not to mention, Hannah does some great photography work. She gets it from her mama!
The Banff Gondola offers a ticket bundle that includes lunch for a few dollars more than original ticket price. Not only was the food tasty but the views out the dining windows were amazing. Grab some hot chocolcate and a table by the windows! You won’t regret it.
Don’t forget to visit the top floor that has a view deck, mini fires with chairs and this really cool bear statue! The best part- there is a stand with maple syrup toffy samples! HOLY BISCUITS it was delicious and not your average toffy. I purchased a few candies while I was there and it’s just not the same. This stuff is warm and served to you on a stick.
Downtown Banff is full of stores, restaurants and bars. As we are walking down the street I hear a familiar voice. Oh my Lanta! I hear music! Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder was playing on the outside speakers at “Park Distillery Restaurant and Bar.” What are the chances?! Can you guess where we grabbed a drink? LOL
Our favorite shop was “Cool as a Moose.” We purchased so many shirts, stickers and patches that I’d be scared to take Hannah to a Pearl Jam show. We finished the evening with dinner at “The Maple Leaf.” Although we had to wait, we kept ourselves entertained at the bar enjoying beer and wine before devouring an amazing dinner. Hannah had the crab cakes and the poached pear and beet salad while I had the spaghetti with wagyu meatballs. Their menu provides a lot of local game meat such as bison, various fish, pork, beef and more.
Downtown Banff. Photo Cred: Hannah 
Photo cred: Hannah. I told you she was good!
The next afternoon, we made our way back to Calgary. We walked along Peace Bridge and ate at Sky360, a revolving restaurant above the city.
