Banff and Lake Louise is the winter wonderland you’ve been dreaming of. Where the icy snow contrasts with the warmth and wonder of people’s hearts, as they celebrate this memorable festival. That’s right – Christmas in Canada is a treat for the eyes, a fiesta for your taste buds and a spike in your adrenaline.
This little resort town in the centre of Banff National Park in the province of Alberta transforms from lush green forests to towering snow-capped mountains, frosted trees, mirror-like frozen lakes and outdoor skating rinks.
Every street, every building is festooned with colourful lights, wreaths, decorations during Christmas. Charming horse-drawn carriages glide on streets powdered with fresh flakes of snow. In contrast, Lake Louise represents the stillness and reverence of this festival. Snow blankets the trees; the slopes of mountains and the lake’s ripples and waves are smoothed into a polished sheen.
Both Banff and Lake Louise make for a unique Christmas experience with plenty of winter activities and festive events for you to partake in. People from all across the country and the world flock to these iconic corners of Canada to celebrate the holiday and hit the ski slopes. For the non-skiers, there is the choice of snuggling in front of a crackling fire, with a book and a mug of deliciousness as the snow drifts outside.
Here are some Christmas delights to sample in Banff and Lake Louise this festive season:
Banff Avenue: Banff Avenue is crowded with lovely stores where you can buy gifts for your loved ones. Decorations, collectibles, Christmas trees – all the gifts you might need to fill up the space under your Christmas tree.
Carollers and Lights: Christmas is a treat for both your eyes and ears, and Banff takes that to the next level. Nightly carollers serenade all who visit downtown Banff and the Christmas decorations make the walk in the cold totally worth it.
A tour of Banff Springs Hotel: Stroll through the 2 lower floors of the Banff Springs Hotel, which is open to the public. The hotel spends weeks preparing their Christmas decorations and elaborate Christmas trees and the result shows.Visit Santa at the Whyte Museum, the Spirit of Christmas Store and watch him hit the slopes for some skiing at Lake Louise Ski Resort and Sunshine Ski Village. You can enjoy brunch with Santa or make cookies, decorations and write letters to the beloved and bearded Christmas icon.
Banff and Lake Louise don’t just offer Christmas card-like beauty, they also know how to turn the volume up for the Christmas season. These are the festivals you can participate in, during the holiday season.
Ice Magic Festival: Over 12 days, the ice in Lake Louise transforms from its natural state to beautiful works of art. Artists from all over the world chip, smooth and shape the ice into gorgeous ice carvings, ice bars and ice castles at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. The highlight of the festival is the iconic ice castle glistening in front of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Snow Days: Ice carving, snow sculptures, Christmas culinary delicacies, the Snow Days Play Zone and the ski culture of this festival will sweep you up like a winter whirlwind. This is a chance to fall head over heels for (and perhaps into) the generous snow that blankets the area during winter.
Tribute Craft Spirits Celebration: It’s hard to ignore the icy swirl of snow and wind that blows across the land. However, the Tribute Craft Spirits Celebration, makes it so much easier. The best craft distilleries from Alberta and British Columbia showcase their best food and drink in Banff and Lake Louise. 12 days of curated cocktail menus, a 2-day outdoor event and station after station of food and drink stations will leave you stuffed and sated. After all, what’s a festival without food?
With miles and miles of soft snow and frozen ice, this is a perfect moment to recreate your own version of the winter Olympics. Here, you can indulge in some of the best adventure sports the season has to offer.
Skate on Lake Louise: This is possibly the most breath-taking skating rink the world can offer. Impressive mountains frame the smooth, frozen lake and often mirrors the beautiful blue sky. Glide across the lake, as you take in the unforgettable view that surrounds you. If serenity isn’t what you’re looking for why not get swept up in the heated competition of the regular hockey matches played on the ice?
Snowshoeing: Explore the beautiful terrain of the Banff and Lake Louise area by renting out a pair of snowshoes and hiking across the snow-clad land. These snowshoes are equipped to handle deep drifts of snow, so take this chance to hike across this landscape.
Skiing: Banff and the surrounding region plays host to 3 ski resorts – Banff Sunshine Village, Mt. Norquay and Lake Louise. The slopes in these regions offer gorgeous views of the Canadian Rockies and access to over 8,000 acres of snowy terrain. With 2 gondolas, 26 chairlifts and a variety of ski and snow boarding runs for beginners and experts, skiing in Banff is an experience that shouldn’t be missed.
Tubing: Sit comfortably in a doughnut-shaped tube, lean forward and slide – in no time you’ll be rushing down a snowy slope with the wind whistling in your ears. This incredibly fun sport is perfect for the families with older children (4+ years and greater than 42 inches).
Dog Sledding Tour: You’ve walked, tubed and ski-ed over the snow. Now it’s time to experience the snow from a sled pulled by beautiful Canadian dogs. Tours are offered by a variety of companies and pickups happen from hotels. The dog sled tours slide their way across Canmore in the Kananaskis and the Continental Divide near Lake Louise.
Curling: Exercise your dexterity with the spark of competition when you take up curling. Curling is a sport where two players slide stones on sheets of ice aiming to hit a target – a perfect activity for the family. You can book your slot at the Banff Curling Club located at the Fernlands Recreation Centre.
Packed with adventure sports, great food and drinks, shopping, Christmas decorations, winter festivals and piles and piles of soft snow, a Christmas trip to Banff and Lake Louise is the perfect gift from Santa for the festive season.
We offer 3 fantastic products which will let you explore the best of Banff and Lake Louise this Christmas – Jewels of Rockies, Rocky Mountain Adventure – Self Drive, Western Discovery – Self Drive. Get in touch with SOTC, through our website or our branches, and we’ll handle your travel details and tie them up in a bow for you this Christmas.
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