25 Things To Do In The Canadian Rockies

Over the summer, my husband and I went on a month-long road trip from Montreal to Western Canada. We drove through the spectacular mountains, pine tree forests and unbelievably beautiful hidden beaches of Ontario; before getting to Manitoba, and witnessing the endless canola fields that punctuate the Saskatchewan landscape. The scenery then changes to hills and valleys, where gorgeous horses and cow farms (the Alberta Beef is worldly famous) can be seen, and we finally arrived in the Rockies.

It took us four days to get to Banff and although I didn’t know what to expect, my jaw dropped as I saw the Rocky Mountains appear from afar. I found myself speechless in front of the spectacular show that was unfolding before my eyes. It felt like mother nature was claiming its power over humans and was demanding respect in the most beautiful (and imposing) way.

The Rocky Mountain will forever be one of my favorite places on earth to visit, especially during the summer time, where it teems with activities to indulge in and so much breathtaking natural beauty to see: from the turquoise lakes, which colors dont change whether it rains, snows or whether the sun shines brightly; to the magnificent mountains; to the wildlife (deers, moose, grizzly bears and wolves) that you can catch crossing the streets if you’re lucky.

Here is a list of 25 things you can do while in the the Rockies:

Spend a day in Canmore, aka the most charming town you will ever visit

Stop at every single coffee shop you’ll come across. I fell in love with them.

2. While in Canmore, try paddle boarding with Bow Valley Stand Up Paddleboarding

3. Visit Banff

If the weather is warm enough, you can jump in Johnson Lake

4. Try Canoeing with Banff Canoe Club

For my first time ever canoeing, I chose Banff Canoe Club and the experience was all sorts of amazing. First of all, the sceneries surrounding Vermillion lakes are hard to beat, second of all, the canoes were of excellent quality. Now you may think “It was your first time canoeing, how in the world would you know the difference between a good canoe and a bad one?”. Well, I went canoeing in Quebec a couple weeks later, at a place I won’t divulge and the canoes were incredibly unstable and the experience was horrible. So yes, I know the difference between good and bad canoes.

Back to our fantastic experience at Banff Canoe Club: Instead of taking it easy like most people do when they rent canoes, my husband and I made it really physical by paddling as fast as we could for an hour and we absolutely LOVED it. My arms and core were burning at the end! Ask instructors how to execute the movement correctly though otherwise you will feel like you’re paddling for nothing. I 100% recommend canoeing with Banff Canoe Club if you plan on visiting Banff soon. It’s an amazing way to either be active or just relax with your travel partner(s). Chek out their website for more info: http://www.banffcanoeclub.com/

5. Camp At Banff National Park

6. Try Mountain Biking With SnowTips Bactrax

If you’ve been following me, you know I am all about being active. So when we go on vacations, I like to stay active. My husband did mountain biking all his teenage years and I had not ridden a bike in almost twenty years. But I decided to try mountain biking for the first time ever in Banff. After all, we were in mountain biking heaven. When we got to Snowtips Bactrax, the bike rental store (which is one of the best in town, by the way), the gentlemen there were really great at helping us find the right bikes for our height and guided us to choose a trail. As the gentleman was telling us about a trail that was scenic and would make for a nice and peaceful ride, I told him I wanted something more physical. Now mind you, I had never done mountain biking before, but thought “I’m pretty athletic, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal!” and I didn’t want it to be a pleasant ride anyway, I wanted to exercice while trying something new. Well, it wasn’t the best idea I had. While my husband had the time of his life, I carried my bike for a couple hours because it was way too hard for me. I really recommend Snowtips Bactrax for bike rentals though, just don’t make the same mistake I made. If you’ve never done mountain biking, stick to the easy and scenic rides! Again, the store carries an amazing range of great quality bikes and provides helmet, padlocks and great service.

Check out their website for more information.

7. Have A Drink And Grab A Bite With A Superb View On The Mountains At The Rose & Crown

8. Have A Gastronomic Dinner With A Majestic View At The Three Ravens

9. Visit Johnston Canyon

10. Visit Lake Louise

11. While In Lake Louise, Try Horseback Riding With Brewster Adventures

We went horseback riding with Brewster Adventures at Lake Louise. What an absolutely fantastic experience it was! It was my first time horseback riding and I didn’t expect to be nervous when I got on the horse, but I was quite anxious. I felt like my life was dependent on the animal’s mood and I silently prayed to God that everything would go smoothly. That’s until Laurynn, one of the employees who had noticed the panic attack in my eyes, came and calmed me down in the blink of an eye: she reassured me, told me there was absolutely nothing to be scared of and that Little John, my horse, was a good boy.

Phew, I was ready for the Destination Lakehead Ride: two hours of traveling along Lake Louise, which emerald water we could marvel at through the trees, as our ride progressed. At the end of the trail, we stopped and Melissa, one of our guides took pictures of everyone on their horse with the gorgeous lake and the Chateau Lake Louise in the background, which I thought was a great idea, as it enabled us to have souvenirs of the ride.

I have found that horseback riding is extremely relaxing and I can’t recommend enough Brewster Adventures for rides in the Banff – Lake Louise area. It’s an amazing activity for everyone, kids included. They offer longer rides as well, between three to seven hours, for those who would like to spend half a day or the entire day horseback riding. Oh, and there’s the Western BBQ Dinners, that provide authentic Western atmosphere and entertainment, which we would have loved to try, had we had more time in the area. Check out their website for more information.

11. Visit Marble Canyon (pure gem.)

12. Hike up the Plain Of Six Glaciers in Lake Louise…

13. …And stop by the Tea House, for a drink or snack.

14. Enjoy the incredible views while you drive

15. Visit Yoho National Park & Go For An Easy Hike To Gorgeous Wapta Falls

16. Visit Field. Strange but very beautiful.

Field looked like a haunted village, but it is one of the most beautiful places I have seen in the Canadian Rockies. The weather was gloomy and there was not a soul in the streets, which only added to the strange atmosphere that reigned, the day of our visit. However, the landscape was absolutely mind-blowing; punctuated by charming old houses with the most gorgeous flower gardens, and surrounded by immense mountains which peaks were hidden by a cloudy sky.