The Real Banff Blog

Just in case you have no idea what I'm talking about here's the photo of the Squirrel Portrait that has the world going nuts.

That one photo has popped up everywhere since becoming the photo of the day at National Geographic... The Globe and Mail National, CBC, Ottawa Citizen, National Post, AOL News, Minneapolis Star Tribune, the UK Sun, Yahoo! News, the UK's Daily Mail & Telegraph even hosted the photo on their front pages. With appearances as far away from the Canadian Rockies as Italy, Australia and South Korea, this little fellow has the whole world chuckling.

Not only have the news channels gone squirrely, but BuzzFeed.com has done a 'create your own crasher squirrel' application allowing squirrel lovers everywhere to create their own squirrel invasion photos!

Twitter has been a buzz with comments about this phenomena... comments such as:

@NathanDFrench: "is it just me or does everyone have the Banff Squirrel as their background?" @irisdias: "The Banff squirrel is everywhere today. I want to take lessons from his publicist." @Libarbarian: "Squirrel, squirrel, shake your bushy tail... Net goes nuts over Banff's scene-stealing squirrel"

Looking for away to follow the adventures of this curious creature?

You can't go far in Banff National Park without spotting one of these cute, mischievous, apparently photogenic ground squirrels!

Melissa Brandt & her husband Jackson were exploring the shores of Lake Minnewanka near the town of Banff when they decided to set up their camera for a self portrait. Along came one nosy squirrel who became curious by the sound of the camera focusing & the shutter snapping... so Jackson, who had the remote, kept snapping photos enticing the ground squirrel closer & closer until they got this fantastic squirrel portrait!

Melissa had no idea how much attention this photo would get when she submitted it to National Geographic; it started popping up all over the world from the UK to South Korea, not to mention the huge amount of attention on Twitter.

Do you have a fun photo or a great story of your own? We would love to hear it! Post it in the comment section below, email me at real@banfflakelouise.com, join me on facebook, message me on Twitter or send me a link to your blog.

If you are looking to get your own fantastic squirrel shot out at Lake Minnewanka you might want to stop by this weekend, August 15-16 for the Banff National Park Dragon Boat Festival

Everybody wants a piece of us... including the U.S. government!

The U.S. Senate Environment & Public Works Committee website played host to a classic mountain shot of the Rocky Mountains... the Canadian Rocky Mountains... Lake Louise specifically.

Their original intended use of the photo was as a place holder while the Republicans worked on a website redesign... then when the Democrats took control of the Senate (and the websites management) many of the photos where replaced. Whoever did that job must have loved the look of the Lake Louise vista so much that they couldn't bring themselves to remove it. Great news for Banff National Park.

Lori Bayne, our Director of Communications, says "We thank the Senate committee for the promotion, and we welcome all U.S. visitors to Banff National Park."

P.S. want to see more photos? check out our image gallery

I have been canoeing for as long as I can remember, with my grandparents, my family, my friends & sometimes just myself. I've paddled on lakes, rivers, ponds and even whitewater, but never on anything as mind-blowing as the mountain lakes & rivers that surround me now.

The mountains that hug these shores are definitely a part of what makes the experience so awe-inspiring, but what really gets to me is the colour of these glacial fed waters... they are full on, no other way to describe them, turquoise blue. "When you paddle... when it's calm, it just feels like you're paddling on glass" says Ryan in the video below. Could you imagine what that feels like? Can I tease you a little? (be sure to click on the HQ button for better viewing quality)

Canoeing has always been a way for me to slow down & get away from it all... to see my surroundings from a different vantage point & to feel a little more connected to the eco-system I'm sharing at the moment. From gliding past elk on shore, or crossing paths with a beaver swimming in the river, it's a perfect way to experience a little wilderness but still be close to civilization!

If you aren't comfortable in a canoe you could also join one of the many gentle float tours, or if you want something a little more extreme there is always whitewater rafting... either way, if you want to get out on the water, you have plenty of opportunities right here in Banff National Park.

Last night a bunch of local ladies (oddly... no guys showed up) got together to watch The Bachelorette at The Fairmont Banff Springs ... the location at which Jillian had to make her heart breaking decisions in that evenings Rose Ceremony.

Not only was this the first time a Bachelorette has been Canadian, but this was also the first time the show has come thru the romantic Canadian Rockies.

If you're looking to follow in Jillian's footsteps & create some romantic memories of your own with someone special, this is what you need to know.

She arrived in Lake Louise on the Rocky Mountaineer & as you saw, it's a tour thru the Rockies that needs to be on your bucket list if you have one!

The Bachelorette took her date to what she said was 'her happy place' - snowboarding at The Lake Louise Ski Area. Did you see that ice patio they sat on? First of all... WOW It was created by a local ice carver whom you can check out at our annual Ice Magic Festival in Lake Louise in January. Of course the ice patio isn't a regular item to be found on the ski hill, but really, it would just get in the way of all the riding/skiing to be done! From many of the ski trails you can spot The Bachelorette and Reid's next stop.

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise sits on the shores of the famous Lake Louise and has played host to royalty, celebrities, and even me on occasion. Last night it was the setting of a romantic dinner of fondue & Reid earned himself a rose.

Banff was the next stop for Canada's Sweetheart & her beau's... a final stop for two of the guys since The Fairmonth Banff Springs was the scene of the infamous Rose Ceremony. One thought I (& I believe the other ladies in the theatre) had was... what was she thinking getting rid of Jake, and thank goodness he's not backing away without a fight! I heard Jillian Harris did a little shopping along Banff Avenue while she was in town. Something to take her mind off of the ceremony perhaps?!

If the winter months don't inspire you to travel to The World's Finest National Park, then I'd bet the summer will. The Rocky Mountaineer tours the Rockies all summer long, The Lake Louise Ski Area runs a chairlift/gondola throughout the summer over Grizzly bear grazing grounds to an interpretation centre, and The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise & The Fairmont Banff Springs are fabulous to visit in any season for whatever reason.

If you would like to see what other experiences are waiting for your arrival check out my YouTube channel for summer & winter adventures and weekly updates, follow me on Twitter.com/Reality_in_Banff or join our Facebook page. I tour around Banff & Lake Louise regularly and would love to share the stories of Banff National Park with you!

PS. Here's the page where you can always find special offers and packages for your trip planning.

A frequent guest on Oprah Winfrey and The View, Peter Greenberg is the travel expert who focuses on the journey, providing insider tips and recommendations to the 'increasingly savvy and demanding traveller'

Here is a piece of what he's saying...

"This spring, ditch your bikini and load up your ski gear.

As we head into spring, ski resorts all over North America boast great conditions, but without the crowds and prices you see during the high season.

And with today’s economy wreaking havoc on the travel industry, ski resorts are offering more incentives than ever to get you to spend your travel dollars.

So break out the ski wax and read on for some can’t-miss spring ski deals:"

Read the article to get the full story: 10 Springstime Ski Destinations (and Deals You Can't Miss)

Banff & Lake Louise took the second spot on this top 10 list with deals you really can't afford to miss!

You're probably asking... 'what the heck is that all about?'... let me be the one to fill you in on the what, where, when and why!

A few of you might be familiar with the commercial for the Discovery Channel... a couple of astronauts floating around in space when they break out in song "I love the whole world, and all it's sights and sounds... boom de ah da, boom de ah da..."

Well the Banff Springs Ski and Sport along with Dynastar, Discovery Channel and The Fairmont Banff Springs are holding a contest and they want you to upload footage of yourself ripping it up in the mountains while calling out BOOM DE AH DA to win heaps of prizes...

Visit banffspringsski.com for all the glorious details.

So get out there, put on your thinking toques, warm up your vocal cords, strap on your skis/board and have a blast... I'm excited to see what you come up with!

Psst... Romance packages for Banff National Park are plentiful and Valentines Day is just 2 weeks away... pass it on.

In the spirit of everything romance, I thought I'd throw together a cheat sheet of smooching locations and activities for all those love birds out there looking for a unique experience this year.

1. There isn't anything better then sitting on a chairlift watching valleys open up behind you as you float up the mountain for a day of skiing/snowboarding... you may get the odd holler to 'get a room' from skiers below but don't worry about them, they're just jealous!

2. There are heaps of trails for you and your significant other to explore on snowshoes or cross country skis, rentals are available and one of the local cafes would be more then happy to put together a picnic lunch for you. Or go with a guide to get a little more insight into the beauty that surrounds you.

3. Take a gondola ride up to the summit of Sulphur Mountain... that'll give you 8 minutes each way for some quality kisses and the view at the top will have you wrapping your arms around each other in awe.

4. Soak in a mineral spring-fed hot pool with a view to remember at the Banff Upper Hot Springs... things will be sure to warm up with the pool temps between 98f -104f!

5. If you want to feel like you're in a classic film, take your lover on a sleigh ride along the shores of Lake Louise or experience a true one-horse open sleigh in a small 2-seat cutter sleigh in Banff.

6. If you want to leave it all behind for the weekend, why not ski/snowshoe into one of Banff National Parks luxurious backcountry lodges? Snuggle up together beside a cozy woodstove and let the Chef take care of the meal.

7. Don't forget about a few of the locations locals love (pdf 553.18 kB) ... this brochure shows off each location in the summer, but trust me, you won't be disappointed one bit with the wintery adaptation. One location I will add to that list is Surprise Corner. Ask our staff at the information centre to mark each spot on a free map for you once you've arrived.

Banff National Park provides a romantic back drop for all occasions and none of these suggestions ever expire! (Romantic summer activities may be substituted for the winter ones.)

If any romantics out there have ideas to add to my list of smooching locations and activities, we would love to hear from you... add your comment to this post and share the romance.

Banff National Park presents a wonderful "12 days of Christmas" experience-packed calendar and today is day one!

I won't go thru all the experiences, but I would like to give you a sample tray of the gifts of natural and cultural heritage Parks Canada would like to share with you.

The 1st experience is titled "Soak in Some History"... tonight at 5pm-7pm join a guided tour of the Upper Hot Springs Bathhouse.

The 5th experience is titled "Tipi Tales"... a 5:30pm tour around the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum; bring the kids (8-12) for some stories and crafts.

The 8th experience "Silver Blades on the Lake" will get your family outside partaking in one of the ultimate Canadian experiences; pond skating! It's 'like skating on frozen champagne'... visit the lake to see why!

For full details check out the Banff National Park Presents (pdf 1.27 MB) poster.

With 9 other experiences for you and your family to enjoy, you won't run out of things to do during your visit to the World's Finest National Park!

If you're looking to host a party, meeting, or conference that turns heads and goes down in history as the most magical event ever then look no further. Come on in, sit down and lets chat!

Did you know that early 2009 is the perfect time to have meetings and events in Banff National Park due to low season rates, and why not beat the crowd to the more popular dates? How's that for a sales pitch?!

Make your job easier, check out our Meetings section, watch some videos and enjoy some ideas provided to me by an events coordinator:

Living "Ice" Statues ............... or.............. Ice Center pieces, glasses & more!