The Banff Gondola is certainly a very touristy thing to do... BUT... you will enjoy incredible views. We tracked the weather and bought our tickets online the night before our visit. Here's some photos from that perfect morning:
A view of Lake Minnewanka and the Bow River:
A Mountain Top Selfie of the Thomas Family:
Avoid the crowds and book The Banff Gondola early!:
We decided not to use the "hot springs" pool below but we did take a quick visit a few days earlier when investigating the City of Banff:
Let's go back in time to our first evening in Banff where we got an overview of the city... Over the Bridge to Downtown Banff:
We'll skip our favorite ice cream shop: "Cows"...
... To try "Beaver Tails" which is chain featuring a tasty fried dough with toppings of your choice such as Banana and chocolate syrup. Ice cream is also available to enjoy on top of your "Beaver Tail" or on it's own.
Thumbs up for the "Beaver Tail" and a "meh" for the ice cream... so we returned a few days later to enjoy "Cows" ice cream which is our favorite Canadian frozen dessert in Banff and Whistler.
OK, so Downtown Banff has candy, chocolate and ice cream parlors which can only mean one thing: Lots of shopping, restaurants, art galleries and historic buildings ( found behind the visitor's center).
(Built in 1914)
I'm not a big shopper but wife and two boys loved meandering through Banff going from shop to shop checking out T-shirts, animal skins and novelties. I travel to getaway from our American "bubble" and yet, here's my wife playing with a Trump boxing toy with arms that punch! I guess this is the so-called "Trump Era" since he has invaded every country I have visited since 2016.
My preference is to go for walks, boat, or bike in natural settings. Our first night included walking through the town of Banff after driving through Downtown Canmore and shopping for groceries. We also visited The Banff Gondola to see the surroundings, get costs and visit the hot springs next door. We didn't "spring" for the pool which looks like your average everyday pool but I did get some walking in.
We opted to head back to our timeshare where we could enjoy the outdoor hot tub and pool.
We took a side road leading to a lake before "hopping" back on the main highway:
Natural Beauty abounds in Banff National Park!
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(Downtwon Banff)
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