NOW READING FROM THE CHAPPELL RESIDENCE BLOG
Banff, Jasper & Calgary Trip
A Semi-Formal Travel Blog with Slightly Tired Legs and Highly Energized Taste Buds
Day 1 – Calgary Arrival & A Plot Twist
Our first day was supposed to go one way, but thanks to my sister’s flight being rearranged by the universe (or the airline), our plans politely got thrown out the window.
We landed in Calgary around noon and spent the afternoon killing time until we could pick up my sister and her husband later that night. Conveniently, our car rental was next to Tim Horton’s. Naturally, the first thing we did in Canada was eat something fried and drink something warm. A patriotic welcome, really.
Lunch was at Iyycburg. It was good—not “write-home-about-it” good, but “this will hold me over” good. The fries and onion rings carried the team.
We wandered the city, and Calgary quickly proved to be two cities in one: skyscrapers in the middle, countryside vibes the farther you drive. Basically: city-core Barbie meets ranch Barbie.
To pass time, we did Downhill Karting (The Luge)—the same company we used in New Zealand. Still fun. Still fast. Still mildly competitive.
Day 1: Flight & Half Day
We flew into Baltimore, Maryland. It is closer to all the activities that we have planned than Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. We caught a 6:20 AM flight because of the time of flying and time change.
After arriving in Baltimore we made our way to our first hotel at Country Inn & Suites in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. We mostly got settled in our hotel and went over the next few days. We ate at G&M Restaurant & Lounge. The food was really good. They give you a lot of food for a very reasonable price. You can definitely share a meal.
Dinner was at Rea’s Italian Cucina, which looks suspicious on the outside but is shockingly lovely on the inside. Like a culinary mullet: business outside, party inside. Highly recommend.
We scooped up my sister and her husband late that night and drove to our hotel, WorldMark in Canmore.
Day 2: Banff- Gondolas, Souvenirs & The Upper Trail of Humility
We woke up to misty mountain views straight out of a postcard—or a Microsoft screensaver. Breakfast was at JK Bakery (hot chocolate for me, actual food for husband).
It’s a quick 30-minute drive to Banff from Canmore if you enjoy saving money and staring at gorgeous mountains the whole way. Once in Banff, we walked around downtown, shopped, and I bought my traditional kiddo souvenirs—plus a deck of cards, because that’s the rule.
Then we headed to the Banff Gondola. Book online unless you enjoy surprises… and not the good kind. You choose your “up time” and “down time,” and three hours was plenty for us.
The gondola ride is short and sweet, unless you get motion sickness, in which case: meds + stare straight ahead = survival
Up top, we had lunch at Sky Bistro—good food, world-class views, and the price you pay for both. Worth it. The boardwalk at the summit was beautiful and breezy, and boosted our confidence right before the real exercise of the day.
Speaking of exercise: we spontaneously visited the Cave and Basin Historic Site. It was free, which made it automatically more likable, but honestly? If you skip it, your life will still be okay.
Next was Johnston Canyon. The lower trail was pretty and busy. The upper trail was steeper but emptier, and the final waterfall made it worth every step. Pro tip: do the upper falls extra viewpoint. It’s quick and adds a little extra drama to the experience.
Dinner at Farm & Fire Kitchen was chef’s kiss. Pizza perfect. Bread rolls dangerous.
Day 3: Lake Louise, Big Beehive, & Canoe Therapy
We woke up early for our 8 a.m. shuttle to Lake Louise (WowBanff—excellent choice, if I do say so myself). Avoiding parking battles was worth every dollar.
Lake Louise in the morning is something spiritual. The calm water, the mountain reflections… Honestly, it looked fake. Mother Nature really said, “Let me flex real quick.”
We started our hike toward Mirror Lake—an hour, moderately steep, very scenic. From Mirror Lake, we continued to the Lake Agnes Tea House. Cute, charming, and full of tourists all pretending to “earn” their carbs. Lake Agnes itself is gorgeous and turquoise, with fish casually living their best lives.
While sitting at the tea house catching our breath, we made the impulsive decision to tackle Big Beehive. This hike is steep, rocky, and a great reminder that we do not do enough cardio at home. But the view? Unreal. The lake looked like a blue Gatorade commercial shot by National Geographic.
After surviving Big Beehive, we took the shuttle to Lake Moraine. Smaller lake, bigger crowd-per-square-foot ratio. We rewarded ourselves with snacks and rented canoes ($160 CAD per canoe, one hour, plenty of time). Floating on that turquoise water was heavenly—and our legs appreciated the break.
After surviving Big Beehive, we took the shuttle to Lake Moraine. Smaller lake, bigger crowd-per-square-foot ratio. We rewarded ourselves with snacks and rented canoes ($160 CAD per canoe, one hour, plenty of time). Floating on that turquoise water was heavenly—and our legs appreciated the break.
Day 4: Yoho National Park & Golden Skybridge Adventures
Breakfast in Canmore (Rocky Mountain Bagel Co) fueled us for Golden Skybridge.
We bought Adventure Passes, which made us feel like we were starring in our own low-budget action movie:
- Skybridge
• Challenge Course
• Mountain Coaster
• Zipline
Skybridge: 492 feet long and 426 feet high. Stunning views. Mild panic. My husband held the ropes the entire time like he was crossing between two skyscrapers in a disaster movie.
Challenge Course:
Green = easy
Blue = harder
Red = zipline party
Black = “must be able to do pull-ups” (we said no)
Red was our favorite. Black was for people who probably run marathons for fun.
Mountain Coaster: Fast, scenic, and extremely enjoyable. The scale before the ride lies, so don’t panic.
Zipline: 1,000 feet long, 500 feet in the air. Gorgeous, breezy, slightly painful on the leg straps.
After four hours of adventure, we got lunch in Golden, then stopped at Emerald Lake—large, peaceful, gorgeous. Also stopped at Natural Bridge (very powerful water) and Spiral Tunnel (underwhelming but educational).
Dinner at El Toro in Banff ended the day on a tasty note.
After that, we went back to Intercourse, Pennsylvania and did more shopping. We had a yummy pretzel at Immergut and an ice cream at Lapp Valley Farms Ice Cream. We then drove over to Riehl’s Quilts & Crafts and hung out there for a little while. I fed some of the farm animals and soaked in the beautiful farm lands.
Day 5: Icefields Parkway: The “Pull Over Again!” Day
The drive from Canmore to Jasper is 3.5 hours unless you are us, in which case it is… longer. Much longer. Because: We. Stopped. A Lot.
Crowfoot Glacier.
Waterfowl Lakes.
Howse Pass.
Panther Falls.
Tangle Falls.
Sunwapta Falls.
Goats & Glacier.
All beautiful. All splatter-your-camera-lens-with-waterfalls level intense.
Jasper was adorable. Lunch at Montana’s BBQ & Bar was better than expected (or I was just starving—unclear). Ice cream at Grandma’s was the cherry on top.
We then soaked at Miette Hot Springs—WAY better than Banff’s version. Multiple pool temps, mountain views, and even three black bear sightings.
We ended the night in Hinton.
Day 6: Jasper Pt. 2 + More Icefields Parkway Magic
Breakfast at Tim Hortons (again) and a peaceful morning at Pyramid Lake. Pyramid Island was calm, fresh, and exactly what my soul needed.
We wandered Jasper again, grabbed lunch and ice cream (theme of this trip), and then headed back toward Banff/Canmore.
Stops on the way back:
• Athabasca Falls (amazing—pictures do NOT do it justice)
• Columbia Icefield
• Weeping Wall
• The Crossing (gas + snacks)
• Peyto Lake (unreal blue)
Dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory, gelato at Little Wild, and one last round of “do we really need this souvenir?”
Day 7: Canmore, Karting Round Two & The Calgary Stampede
We finally explored Canmore today since the original Saturday plans got wrecked by flights.
Breakfast at Le Fournil Bakery (never disappoints).
Policeman’s Creek Trail = peaceful, relaxing, 10/10 would walk again.
Canmore Engine Bridge = surprisingly epic, especially if you’ve watched The Last of Us.
Downtown Canmore shopping, Scoopin’ Moose ice cream, JK Bakery treats… basically we walked, ate, and repeated.
Then we drove to Calgary for… yes… more downhill karting. It’s addictive, okay?
Dinner at Yim Siam Thai Street Food—spring rolls and sticky rice BBQ pork = stars of the show.
Finally: Calgary Stampede!
Way better than our fair back home. Shows, rides, food stalls, bands, dirt bikes—it’s massive.
We watched the Chuckwagon Races, learned the rules on the fly, and fully enjoyed the chaos. The women’s and relay races were fantastic too.
Overall, Stampede gets a big ol’ yeehaw from me. Would absolutely go again.
Day 8: Farewell Day
We returned to Le Fournil Bakery (yes, we have a bakery addiction).
Visited the Calgary LDS Temple, grabbed lunch at Boogie Burgers, bought chocolate, and headed to the airport like the exhausted—but satisfied—travelers we were.
