The Real Banff

While taking in the awe of the valley's and mountains in the Lake Louise area from top of the Lake Louise Gondola I met this wonderful couple from Arizona... they are professional RV'ers. By that I mean they told me they've been RV travelling for 10 years now, and Banff National Park just took 1st place for their all time favourite RV trip!

Speaking with them made feel so incredibly lucky to call Banff National Park home.

This weekend I'll be up at the Banff Centre taking in some of the Banff Summer Arts Festival ... this is written on the Festivals front page thru the link provided... I think it's so wonderful I'm putting it here:

"Picture this. You are driving west. The sky is blue and the mountains are in front of you. The city is far behind. Exit where the green sign says Banff. Roll down the window. A blast of mountain air says — this is going to be fun. You are driving along Banff Avenue. The leaves sparkle in the sun. You turn left at the high school field and head for The Banff Centre. Oh, by the way — in this small town, the parking is still free."

Enjoy the video, hopefully this couple inspires you to visit The World's Finest 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.

If you couldn't make it out to Banff National Park during the 4 days of Bike Fest, don't worry... I've got you covered.

The festival started on Thursday June 18 with the 6km Hill Climb on Hwy 93 S, past Storm Mountain Lodge. Some of the riders made it look like a leisurely ride, while others couldn't keep up with the needed oxygen intake. Next was the Friday morning 1A Sprint. The day started out gross and rainy, but then 10 minutes before the race started the sun came out bringing a rainbow along with it. When the racers flew by they created a wind as strong as that of a big truck passing... it was quit amazing!

Saturday was a big day with the Individual Timed Trial around the Minnewanka loop, the two community races (Little Crits & the Cruise Crit) and finally the Fulcrum Criterium along Banff Ave. & Bear St. Wait till you see the corners these racers had to make... can you say hairpin turn?! The final leg of the 5 part race was the Tunnel Mountain Road Race... taking the rider pack along yet another beautifully scenic drive.

Here is a link directly to the race results.

I really wasn't much of a road bike fan before this weekend, but I've got to say after watching all the different races & learning about a few of the tactics I'm keen on watching more.

Enjoy the video & I hope to see you out there next year!

The Bachelorette has been filmed at romantic locations all over the world and they finally made it to the most romantic - The World's Finest National Park.

Fans of the show should tune into ABC or CityTv Monday June 22 and watch as the Alberta-born bachelorette Jillian Harris goes on a breathtaking ski date at The Lake Louise Ski Area. The views from the top of each run are enough to make anyone giddy. Throw in a hot date and you've got a day you won't easily forget! Her date continues and things warm up at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise where they share a romantic dinner in a setting that has seen more then a few hearts flutter over the decades.

The following day, the bachelorette climbs aboard the Rocky Mountaineer to continue her journey into Banff where she wanders through the stores and attractions along Banff Avenue. She has a tough decision to make... who will stay and who will go at the evening's Rose Ceremony to be held in The Fairmont Banff Spring majestic Cascade Ballroom?

Banff and Lake Louise played host to The Bachelorette in late April 2009... if you're looking to take your own romantic holiday in Banff National Park, check out the rest of BanffLakeLouise.com.

In the last post, I wrote about how the rivers are running fast with all the snow melting off the mountains; this also means the water falls are thundering their way down to a basin or river below! I took a walk along Johnston's Canyon this week to the Lower and Upper Falls. It's an easy, paved trail that clings to the canyon walls and meanders through the forest. You can access this trail from the 1A Bow Valley Parkway (pdf 649.46 kB) which is a Sunday driver kind of road between Banff & Lake Louise. The couple I met in this video has one message to everybody: "You have to see the Rockies... that's a must."

The Rocky Mountains inspire artists of all kinds to make Banff National Park their home. The photographer in this video says "it's almost overwhelming how much you have to work with here." So whether you are an amateur or professional photographer, or you simply want to capture memories of your vacation, every single photo will make friends & family back home envious of the time you spent here.

Bike Fest starts today... I'll be heading out at 4pm to watch the Hill Climb racers along Hwy 93 S, then tomorrow is the 1A Sprint along the Bow Valley Parkway starting in Lake Louise at 9:30am. Both of these races are new this year & both of the routes are breathtaking. Don't worry; I'll have my camera with me. Saturday the racers will be flying along Banff Ave & Bear Street, along with the Little Crits & the Cruiser Crit races. Sunday has the racers competing in the Tunnel Mountain Road Race.

If you spot me over the weekend come and say hi... maybe you can be my next video!

The snow is melting off the mountains and the rivers are starting the run fast! June is a fabulous time to get out for a white water adventure with one of the many rafting companies we have here in Banff & Lake Louise. Even on a rainy day it's something to do... you're going to get wet anyway, why not be out there exploring the rapids of the Kicking Horse, Kananaskis, Bow River @ Horseshoe Canyon, Kootenay, Columbia or Toby Creek rivers... so many rivers all accessed from Banff National Park!

The Banff Summer Arts Festival is in full swing up at the Banff Centre with BIG things happening in this small town. They've got everything from Aboriginal Arts to Dance to Literary Arts to Opera to Visual Arts. Personally I'm looking forward to the outdoor concerts at the amphitheatre, with the views, the fresh air and the fantastic shows available, I think it's going to be a colourfully creative summer! Check out the events calendar for full details.

Bike Fest is coming up next weekend, June 18-21. Our event photographer & I went out to check out the 2 new race routes yesterday for the Hill Climb along Hwy 93 South & the 1A Sprint between Lake Louise & Banff along the Bow Valley Parkway. What we discovered along both routes is that it'll be pretty difficult to take a bad event photo anywhere in the Park! If you are interested in volunteering or need more info visit BanffLakeLouise.com

Yesterday afternoon a bunch of us from work rented canoes and went for a paddle along the Bow River into Vermilion Lakes. What a beautiful day it turned out to be... blue bird skies & summer heat!

One of my favourite things about Banff is that you don't have to go very far from the downtown area to find some seclusion & wilderness. This also means you can pack as much into one day as is humanly possible... like rent a bike to explore the trails & roads, enjoy a scrumptious lunch, wander down to the canoe docks to go exploring the river & lakes, come back to town for a wee bit of shopping, head up to the hot springs for a soak before dinner, then maybe catch a show up at the Banff Centre.

If you're looking to really get away from it all, then Lake Louise might be a better option for you. The hamlet is both serene & rejuvenating... with heaps of outdoor adventures to be had during the day & a fantastic night sky to explore after a fabulous dinner in the evening. Lake Louise is where I go to fully unwind.

My vacation last week was exactly what the doctor ordered, not that I have a tough life by any means (you watch the videos... you know what I'm talking about!) but sometimes it's just good to get away. So if you are looking to get away, send an email to info@banfflakelouise.com & find out exactly what Banff National Park can do to help you to reconnect with the real you!

With three weeks until Banff National Park Bike Fest June 18-21, 16 teams have already registered. Many of last year's racers have chosen to return, along with several new teams including the Lenovo Racing Team from Washington State.

The big news in this year's stage race is the addition of 2 new events - the 93 Hill Climb and the 1A Sprint near Lake Louise. Added to the Individual Time Trial, the Criterium, and the Tunnel Mountain Road Race, these events make up 4 days of high-adrenaline racing through some of Canada's most gorgeous scenery. As I heard one racer comment last year while watching her teammates compete, "It feels like such an honour to be able to race here in the National Park."

The spectacular setting makes for ideal race-watching opportunities for spectators. We've compiled a Spectator's Guide if you'd like hints on great locations to watch the different events. Be sure to catch the criterium starting at 4 pm downtown on Saturday, June 20. Tight packs of riders at blistering speeds through tight corners on a short 1km loop show off the incredible athletic prowess and just plain guts of the athletes.

And when it comes to guts, the Individual Time Trial (ITT) really lays it on the line. Twenty-one kilometres of hilly road course one-on-one against the clock and against each rider's own pain threshold. The spectators on the course can enjoy the beautiful lansdape the route travels, but the racers won't have much time to appreciate it until crossing the finish.

This video of last year's Time Trial will give you a good idea of what bike racing in The World's Finest National Park looks like. (We've got lots of specials and weekend packages to take advantage of during your visit!)

Summer is here and many of you are planning or trying to plan your summer vacations, weekend trips and quick escapes from reality… so I went out to find where it is you can head for your one stop info shop of everything you need & want to know.

Banff National Park has 2 main information centre locations - one in Banff & one in Lake Louise. Both Centres host Parks Canada & Banff Lake Louise Tourism staff so it’s easy to find a great restaurant or trail info all under one roof… convenient & useful!

If you do happen to stop by the information centres don’t forget to sign the guest book & leave a comment… back in the day when I worked there I loved to read through all the funny, random, fantastic comments left by people from every single country on earth.

I’m off for a week of vacation mysel. I won’t tell you where someone who lives in Banff National Park goes for a vacation, but I’ll tell you this… I’ll be paddling a canoe on a lake & sleeping in a tent under the stars listening to the loons… See you when I get back!

Exploring the mountain bike trails around Banff is a fun way to cover more terrain than you can by walking. Even if you haven't brought your own two wheels, you can rent a mountain bike for a few hours or a few days to get off-road. Here are some local riders showing and talking about some of their favourite trails.