In the fall of 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway construction workers stumbled across a cave containing hot springs on the eastern slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains. From that humble beginning was born Banff National Park, Canada's first national park and the world's third. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Park is a vast untamed territory. Wild animals roam the valleys, eagles soar over the Rockies and pure water streams into rivers from 1,000 glaciers. Because the Town of Banff is surrounded by this mountain parkland and wilderness you have the chance to see incredible wildlife - grizzly and black bears, moose, wolves, mountain goats, deer, cougars, beavers, porcupines and coyote!
Off the mountain and back in the town, there are loads of great bars in Banff playing live music. The Peaks guys usually spend some of their free time at the gym, movies, swimming pool, going shopping or to the coffee shops. Banff is a big enough town for you to spend the season and not be bored. Be warned of other companies offering courses in small resorts in the middle of no where! This may allow them to cut costs but means that there is less to do and smaller ski areas to ride and ski.
The Canadians are the best in the world when it comes to ice hockey; everyone plays! At least one game is recommended and there are places you can rent skates and the all important padding. If you have never played or skated before that is even more reason to get on the ice – it provides plenty of laughs with no pain thanks to the padding...
Another must see is The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Its website states, ‘Styled after a massive Scottish baronial castle, few hotels in the world can rival the majesty, hospitality and scenery of its unique blend of opulence and seclusion which has been a symbol of Rocky Mountain magnificence for more than a century etc etc ’ You can, however, just go for a coffee and the views……. It is an amazing building and definitely worth seeing. Take a look fairmont.com/banffsprings
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