The days are getting longer, you’re seeing more sunshine, and it might be time to gaze into your significant other’s eyes across a dinner table instead of a shared bowl of popcorn on the couch.
If you’ve been dreaming of a warmer getaway, but haven’t gotten away from the office, we have a reason for you to stay close to home in each other’s company for a 72-hour mini-vacation to the mountains.
Day 1 - Cozy Mountain Cabins
Leave work, shut off your phone, close your computer, and lock the door - it’s time to pack your car and head to the mountains. There’s no better feeling than passing the city limit and watching the cityscape fade in your rear-view mirror.
Begin your trip away with some adventure and make a pit stop into Canmore Cave Tours. They’ll guide you into the cave where you can explore the subterranean world of this natural cave. And, no matter the weather outside, it’s always around 5 degrees Celsius in the cave. After your morning of teamwork, keep on your path towards Banff National Park.
You might be used to making your way through the park gates and heading straight into the town of Banff, but if you after a cozy cabin getaway, keep on driving to Castle Junction where you’ll find Storm Mountain Lodge and Castle Mountain Chalets and a little further down the Bow Valley Parkway, Baker Creek Mountain Resort.
These three cozy spots are the definition of Canadian rocky comfort. Rustic log cabins are filled with the smell of a freshly lit wood-burning fire, inviting you to pull up your wool socks and cuddle up with a good read. Add in a freshly brewed cup of Banff Tea Co. and you’re off to a relaxing start.
Each location has access to late-season snowshoe trails that can also be enjoyed with winter boots and spikes. Stretch your legs with a walk around the property, enjoy an outdoor fire with fellow cabin-dwellers at Baker Creek, and take the time to fully unwind.
Spend the night in each other’s company over a board game and a BC wine or local brew in your cabin as you notice that the only sound you'll hear is the crackling fire.
Day 2 - Spring Skiing and Stargazing
As the birds make their way back up north, you wake to the sound of their light song outside your window. Peering outside you see a light dusting of fresh snow from overnight and a blue bird day that awaits you for spring skiing.
During the week you'll find mostly locals on the hill. End of season conditions welcome you with a warm, sunny day and light, airy snow. Grabbing your lift ticket from Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise Ski Resort, or Mt. Norquay you remark how quick the drive was compared to what you’re used to and how you’ve moved to the front of the lift line even quicker. You’ve practically got the whole mountain to yourself.
Starting your après celebration with a late lunch, you order your meal and cocktail to the patio. Soaking in the sunshine feels refreshing and you tilt your head back to enjoy every ray. You can’t believe it took this long to finally get out and do this together.
Feeling like you’ve had a full day on the hill, you make your way back to your cabin to freshen up for dinner. Your reservation in town awaits you at Sky Bistro atop the Banff Gondola. Riding up at dusk with the stars making an appearance overhead gives you a final glimpse over town as the sun recedes.
Before heading back to your plush bed, you stop in to the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity for a show to complete your date night. Feeling like you’ve gone a little too casual-cozy compared to a date night in the city, you look around and instantly feel like you fit right in.
Day 3 - Long Brunches and Hot Springs
Blissfully exhausted from the previous day, you both relish a guilt-free sleep-in. Wrapped in warm blankets, it takes some convincing to get, what’s usually your first task of the day, coffee. A long, lazy brunch is just what you had in mind and the chef doesn’t disappoint.
In Banff, you head to the Cave & Basin National Historic Site, Banff National Park’s birthplace, to explore the site and take part in the Winter Carnival with a quick game of outdoor curling. Looking back on the time when you could swim in the hot springs at the Cave & Basin urges you to head to the Banff Upper Hot Springs for a soothing soak. Your ski muscles thank you for being so considerate.
An afternoon wander around downtown lined with local handmade shops and iconic views of Mt. Rundle and Cascade Mountain, may be enough to fill your 3-day getaway. But, maybe not, and a jaunt up Tunnel Mountain for one last stretch of the legs before you go is in order.
Returning to the city feeling like you’ve given each other the attention you both deserve feels rewarding. You remind each other of your favourite parts of your time away and make plans to do it again. This time, a little sooner.
