But we had an amazing time We did the drive from our place to Hinton (which is outside of Jasper) Friday night - its a cheaper hotel room prices since your not in the national park heehee- it's also a 5 hour drive from our place-
On the Saturday we went to the grocery store to fill up our cooler with breakfast and sandwich and snack items (drinks of course!!) and started our drive to Banff. We stopped at the Miette hot springs which is before Jasper. John thought it was pretty cool cause there were 2 cold pools and 2 hot pools. The water STINKS though the sulfur smell was pretty strong. As we got out we notice a little creek beside the building and John wanted to touch the water- OK...IT WAS HOT!! lol he thought that was cool!! We then drove the Columbia Icefield HWY which goes from Jasper to Lake Louise. We stopped and looked at the Athabasca Falls - hiked to the bottom. kids loved it. Had Lunch in the car as it was starting to Rain. Drove to the Ice Field Interpretive Center- which Matt and I were disappointed as it was more of a rest stop selling tours to go on the Athabasca Glacier. However they had actual bathrooms and Laura said ok to those ones- she didn't like the other ones we used as they were TOO STINKY. she wouldn't use it! It was raining pretty hard when we came out of the building it was COLD!! However we turned the corner the rain stopped. We stopped at Bow Lake. It was beautiful and we could see the Glacier from the top. We decided to drive to the Hotel in Banff and do things there as it was already getting late. We got to the Banff Springs Hotel our room wasn't ready so they gave us one until we can get into ours so we could go swimming and whatever (nap they said...pfff the kids said to that! lol) so we went swimming when we got back our room was ready. We got a 1 bedroom suite and the kids had the living room where we got a cot and a pull out couch. It was a lot roomier than the room we were given before hand. We decided to do the kids' scavenger hunt around the hotel. It was huge and beautiful. I recommend going to see this "Castle!" if you ever are in Banff. We had dinner at the Italian restaurant there (Castellos) it was YUMMY. finished the hunt and the kids got a prize. Went to sleep after that.
The next morning we were leaving to do Lake Louise however decided on route to start with Johnston Canyon. we found parking with not too much looking. did the Hike (Laura in her Dress!! perfect girly hiking attire!!!) we got to go so close to the waterfalls. it was amazing. Then we had made sandwiches to eat on route to Lake Louise. However when we got there there was absolutely no parking. We would have had a 5km walk at least if we went. we decided to do Lake Moraine instead. Went there there were cars parked far away however we lucked out and got a close spot. We did a hike to the top of the rock pile and managed to get great pictures. We then told the kids to have a nap if they wanted to do anything else! we drove on Tunnel Mountain- saw the surprise corner in which we see our hotel and the bow river. Then went to the Cave and Basin Museum. This was where the National Parks first started. They found hot springs there and then CPR decided to build a hotel to get ppl out there which is how Banff Springs started 125 years ago. (its now a fairmont Hotel) after that we went for a swim had pizza and i actually fell asleep. We then went for another "hike" to Bow Falls. They are right at our hotel however I am so bad with directions that i added at least a km to our "walk" there were SOOOOOO many stairs to get there. It was awful!! lol We got to a spot on the walk along the river and i saw more stairs and i gave up i said I am heading back. Laura and I walked back while Matt and John kept going. We made it back about 5 minutes before the boys which then matt informed me those were the last stairs when i gave up...lol i was not too happy.
The next day we started the day off with a raft ride on the bow river. Last year we were on Slave lake for Canada day- this year on Bow river' what is next?
we then went back to the hotel had a swim as we were boiling. then made sandwiches for lunch. had a little relax time and at 2:30 the hotel had a little ceremony for Canada day with cupcakes, a moose, a RCMP officer. Kids thought it was pretty awesome. We then did the gondola to the top of the mountain. Once we got there we could take a walk to an old weather station however seeing all those stairs the kids said NO WAY. I was fine with that. We went back down after ice cream! and then we went to the Canada Day Parade downtown Banff. While we walked there i had Laura on my shoulders. We were talking and all of a sudden she got heavy. I asked Matt if she was falling asleep- he said she was asleep. She did NOT look cozy. So we got Beaver Tails/ice cream while waiting for the parade and let Laura sleep on me till it started. Kids really enjoyed it. Went back to the hotel had supper, then they had an Candy apple roast on the fire..it was pretty cool it was delicious...if anyone needs ideas - you take a granny smith apple put it on Marshmallow stick and BURN IT...it has to look like a lump of coal...the blacker the better. then while leaving it on the stick you take the skin off...it flakes off. then you put cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of the skinned apple go back to the fire and melt it till it's golden (the sugar mix) and put it in a bowl to enjoy (don't enjoy off a fork or anything) they fall off easily ....YUMMY
we went swimming one last time and then left in the morning for the 9 hour drive home.
It was a great trip. Loved it. Have any of you ever gone there? or any great trip stories?
