It official. The Blue Whales are heading to Canada for our honeymoon. We just couldn’t resist this…
Image from Rocky Mountain Magazine
Mr. Whale and I were both a little bummed that the Rocky Mountaineer train ride was a little out of our budget. But we decided we can still see everything. We’ll just have to drive ourselves. The tentative plan is to fly into Calgary, rent a car, and stay a few days near Banff or Lake Louise and a few days in Jasper.
If you know nothing about British Columbia, it might be helpful to see a map. Image from BritishColumbia.com
This is where you come in, hive. We’ve never been there. And we don’t know anyone who has been there. So I’m hoping there are bees out there who can give us some advice. We’re looking for recommendations on…
Oh, and you may want to know that we’ll probably be there in June or July.
Has anyone else done a non-beach honeymoon? What were your favorite parts? How did you split your time between relaxing and “doing stuff”?
Yay for Canada!! 
Unfortunatley, I don’t live in BC (Quebec) and only visited there for 1 day and it was Vancouver! If I were to go, I’d really want to see Lake Louise…It looks absolutely gorgeous!
We thought about Canada, but we’re getting married at the beginning of April and we decided it would be a little too frigid for our taste! But I’m sure it will be beautiful! I have one recommendation which you might already know about- you MUST go to or stay at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise- if you cannot afford to stay there (it’s pretty pricey), you should go and check it out for an afternoon. The view is something you will never forget, I promise you. I also went to Canada back in 1986 (I was in like 4th grade, ha) for the Calgary Olympics, and I recall going to the Hot Springs somewhere around Banff (or maybe it’s that Hot Springs Canyon on your map? Not sure)- they were so much fun and really cool. It’s something unique, that’s for sure! Good luck- you’ll have a blast!
I second the Banff Upper Hot Springs. Was in Banff for a wedding in JANUARY. Pretty, but freezing. The hot springs were a nice break from feeling constantly frozen.
Hmm, I’m FROM Canada and I never even thought of staying in my own country for my honeymoon. I think the FI wants to go to Ireland (I also lived there, so it’s very sentimental for me), but now I’m thinking of the west coast! I’ve never been, so it would be a perfect opportunity and excuse to get out there. I’m bookmarking this for info. I’m also a QC bee.
It might be worth staying in Canmore, instead of in Banff – it’s a lovely, less touristy town about fifteen minutes east of Banff. Hotels are a bit cheaper, but you’re still close enough to get in to Banff quickly if you’d like to see the sights. And Canmore has some amazing restaurants (my favorite is a tapas place called, you guessed it: Tapas! They have out-of-this-world sangria) and companies offering outdoorsy excursions.
I would LOVE to do this trip one day. I really want to ski Banff as well as see Lake Louise. It’s SUCH a trek to get to Banff though from Seattle it’ll be a serious vacation! I hope you have a wonderful time!
Lake Louise is amazing! You can rent canoes there and it is gorgeous. You can also go on a hike there to a tea room at the top of the mountain. It’s a pathway, and a challenging walk (so uphill!) but manageable. Plus, drinks and snacks at the top!
If your going to be there in July, you should definitely check out the Calgary Stampede. It’s July 5-14. I’ve personally never been but I hear it’s a lot of fun and a must visit if your in the city around that time. Not your typical honeymoon excursion, but when in Rome, right?! LOL!
Oh this looks awesome! Mr. Lemur was born in Canada, Quebec though. I’d love to visit British Columbia sometime. I did a train ride in Ontario down a canyon and back—just a day trip—that was amazing!
@JennyG: and @sweetie78: I’d never heard of these hot springs! I’m checking it out!
@albertagirl: I had wondered about that. I think I’ll look into more seriously now. Mmmm… tapas
@jennyinstereo: haha. Isn’t it funny how we forget that huge countries can offer all sorts of different stuff? (I’ve never even been to California… I’ve got to make it happen soon.)
@Suzie: !! That sounds awesome. I will definitely look into that.
@Air: Wha?? If we’re there in July, it just might happen.
My neck of the woods! First of all, to clarify Calgary and the Rockies are all in Alberta…including the lake in your picture!…They are close to BC, but not quite there!
In Banff, check out the Banff Hot Springs…they are fantastic, and do a gondola ride. Tunnel Mountain Lodge is a great place to stay. The Fairmont Banff Springs is the high end “fancy” place, but the rooms are terribly small and it is VERY overpriced. Cow’s ice cream is an absolute must-eat. Trust me on this! 2 nigths is plenty in Banff…it is very touristy.
If you are going to splurge on a great hotel for a couple of nights, do the Fairmont Lake Louise. You won’t possibly get a better location or view. one of my favorite hotels. The lake in your picture is Morraine Lake, about 20 minutes from Lake Louise…you can go there either on the way up or down the hill to Lake Louise, but it is easily one of the most gorgeous lakes in Canada. Well worth the drive in. In Lake Louise (Grizzly bear capital of Canada) you can do gondola rides to the top of the mountain (it’s a ski town in the winter) and very, very often see Grizzly’s from up above in the Summer. It’s very cool! The Post Hotel has a great resturant. There is a great hike up to a tea house from the Lake Louise Trail…it takes about 90 minutes round trip. It is a busy trail, so no need to worry about Grizzly bears! Johnson Canyon is another place you should stop…Hard to explain, but google it!
About 40 minutes west of Lake Louise is a resort called Emerald Lake Lodge (it’s in BC, not Alberta). This resort is ridiculously romantic and one of Canada’s hidden gems.
The Icefields Parkway is one of – if not the most – scenic drive in the world. Allow yourself a lot of time, because you will be stopping many many times along the way…more often than not, you will be stuck in an “animal jam”, where there are moose and bears on the side of the road so tourists stop to take pictures. very cliche, but that’s what happens in Canada! On your way to Jasper, the Columbia Icefields is AWESOME. You go on a huge bus out on a real glacier. You can walk around on it, and drink real glacier water. Well worth the trip. Often it can be 30 degrees, and you are out walking around in snow. Hope this helps!
I’ve alwayyyyys wanted to go to Banff – my parents have been there twice and they rave about it!
@saskgirl: I was waiting for someone to point out that I’d said British Columbia instead of Alberta! I noticed it as soon as the post went up… Fail. Obviously I really need the map
This is so SO helpful. I’m googling everything right now Johnson Canyon looks fabulous. I can’t wait for my tea in Lake Lousie.
And an animal jam!! I can’t wait. Thank you so much for giving me so much info!
You’re welcome! Also, just a tip, if you are not really into the calgary Stampede, avoid travelling that week at all costs! It is SO BUSY everywhere, and the hotels litterally double in price. If you are into it, it’s a really great time – but bring your wallet!!
I have that same exact picture hanging on my wall. I would also suggest Canmore instead of Banff. We are very budget-minded so we stayed at a Radisson Hotel in Canmore. Very nice but we didn’t spend much time at the hotel. We didn’t stay in Jasper but outside of the city but it was a trip to go back and forth. I would also suggest visiting Yoho National Park. We did several amazing hikes – Mount Edith Cavell, Jasper National Park, Lake O’Hara hiking trails: the Lake O’Hara Alpine Circuit, Takakkaw Falls in Yoho; Lake Agnes trail at Lake Louise. This is also a great website – http://www.canadianrockies.net/hiking. In addition, this road between Banff and Jasper is a great ride. The Bow Valley Parkway (formerly the 1A Highway) is a low-speed scenic drive between Banff and Lake Louise on the opposite side of the Bow River from the Trans-Canada Highway.
Oooh! The Rockies – my home I second saskgirl and I will add my two cents:
1. Banff – more the tourist/Japanese hot spot, but well worth it if you’re less the hardcore, backpacking camping type (leave that for Jasper Nat’l Park). Imagine lots of tour buses.
My recommendations: Hike tunnel mountain – it’s short, easy and will get your legs prepped for hiking. Also lovely overlook at the top if you pack a lunch for a picnic.
Also recommend hiking Sulphur mountain (where the hot springs and gondola are located) for 2 reasons: 1) the gondola will be free to go down (but >$30 to ride up) and the hot springs are at the bottom, so start in the morning – hike the 2-3 hrs up, take in the views, eat lunch, gondola down then soak in the springs.
If you’re into horses – totally recommend booking a cookout morning ride (or the evening dinner ride – dinner is more $ and tends to be crowded) http://www.horseback.com/trailrides_cook.html
2. Banff Nat’l Park. – Lake Louise (can rent canoes) or hike up to the Tea house. Avoid mid-afternoon on the weekends as it’s realllly busy. Moraine Lake (that you pictured) is really close but again, traffic really backs up this highway if you wait until the afternoon. See it in the morning, then go to Lake Louise. The hiking here isn’t as great, just drive up, see the lake and take off again. Johnson Canyon is an amazing hike – more shady which is perfect for a hotter summer day. It can get busy – but not as bad as Moraine or L. Louise. easy trails.
3. Columbia Ice fields: SEE THEM! they’ve become much smaller with global warming. totally worth it.
4. Jasper: People are catching on that it’s more rustic further north. The Jasper Hot Springs are actually quite larger than Banff – so if you missed Banff – you have another opportunity here!
5. In case you head into BC (west of Banff) there are also the Radium Hot Springs – in Radium. And if you’re really adventurous – Golden, BC has THE best updrafts in Canada for parasailing off the mountains, and the Kicking Horse river gives some excellent rapids for white water rafting (June is the most crazy – late summer the rapids die down a bit).
Enjoy!! I’m excited for you!
I’ve lived in Calgary all my life, and am proud to hear that it is a destination that couples consider for their honeymoon! I agree with all of the above posters and their comments.
For Calgary:
The Calgary Stampede can be fun – there are rides, free music, a parade (Will and Kate from the royal family have even attended). Beware though that this is more of a party atmosphere than a romantic one. If you have a day or two to kill in Calgary, I would recommend the Calgary Zoo or wander Prince’s Island Park and shops at Eau Claire if you are staying downtown. If either of you like dinosaurs, you could visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum. It is world renowned and has some cool hiking trails there through the hoodoos.
For Banff/Canmore/Kananaskis:
Canmore is a great place to stay to save some money that is close to Banff and the Kananaskis. They have lots of walking trails within a 15 minute drive.
You may also want to have a look at the Delta in the Kananaskis. There are a lot of great trails in there for hiking. We really like the Troll Falls hike.
Of all of them, personally, I prefer Banff. We usually go for a few days once a year. We like to stay downtown on Banff Avenue. This way we can walk to all of the shops, restaurants, and drinks without worrying about driving or parking. The Grizzly House is famous for their fondue dinners. In the evenings we like to pub/lounge hop and get a drink at many of the different places on the way back to our hotel. I would highly recommend the hot springs and the gondola which are right beside each other. The views from the top of the gondola are amazing. It’s also nice to walk around the Fairmont Banf Springs Hotel. We can’t afford to stay there (and prefer a more central location anyway), but make a point of going there for their Saturday/Sunday brunch. It is a bit pricey, but SO worth it, and you can wander around the property after.
Lake Louise:
Stay there! So romantic. There’s no night life or anything – you’re there for the view. The only hotel that is actually on the Lake is the Fairmont Lake Louise. If you can afford it, it is a nice treat. There are also a couple of other hotels in Lake Louise not too far from the lake. Also go to Morraine Lake!
Emerald Lake Lodge:
About 20 minutes west of Lake Louise this place is beautiful! One of my best friends was proposed to in a canoe in the middle of the lake. Just a heads up – there are no tv’s at this resort.
Columbia Icefields is a good place to stop to see a glacier, but I have to be honest, maybe it’s because I’m used to living here and seeing it, but I wasn’t all that impressed with it, and found the tours to be expensive for what you get, but some of my friends love it there!
Jasper:
Very pretty, expect to see lots of wildlife. It’s normal to have traffic stopped due to moose, deer, elk, mountain sheep, etc.
Hiking Trails:
http://hikealberta.com/hike
It’s hard to recommend too many specific places without an idea of your budget. If you have any thing specific, feel free to ask.
I hope you have a wonderful honeymoon!
My now-husband and I did this trip a few years ago (in late june) — we loved it and have the most incredible photos. Enjoy your trip! Here’s my 2c:
- Don’t underestimate what you will pay for food (particularly near Lake Louise, Jasper is a bit better). Everything is at tourist-level pricing.
- as saskgirl said, Canmore is definitely more affordable than Banff, we were able to book a suite with a kitchen there. Groceries are more affordable than restaurants.
- If you can possibly swing it, stay in the Lake Louise Fairmont hotel. It is so worth it. There are very few options for meals around here, so we ended up booking a “Gold Floor” room, which is more expensive but includes breakfast and evening tapas. We would get up, eat, grab some apples, juice and cookies from the lounge (“free”), hike all day, come back for tapas, then get a light dinner (soup, salad, sandwich) at one of the hotel restaurants.
- From Lake Louise we did two really memorable hikes. One out around the lake, and up toward the Victoria glacier where they have a tea house (cash only, place for lunch or snacks), and I think different from the shorter teahouse hike saskgirl is referring to — this one took us several hours. Another about a half hour drive away to Emerald Lake in BC. We did the gentle loop around the lake. We didn’t stay at the lodge, but we had a great lunch there.
- Lake louise is at a pretty high altitude and is quite chilly. When we were hiking there we needed lots of layers to combat the changes in exertion (climbing vs strolling), sunlight (the sun comes and goes, mountains cast shadows..), and altitude (you can gain an appreciable amount in a few hours of hiking).
- for the drive along the icefields parkway, there aren’t a lot of places to get food. Bring plenty of water and snacks so you can enjoy the sights at your leisure.
- there are a few mini-hikes off the parkway. We did the one up to Peyto lake and did not regret it.
- Jasper was where we got a bit more experience with the local restaurants, particularly memorable/delicious was North Face Pizza.
- Nearby, there is the Maligne Canyon, a beautiful place for hiking. If you can, take one of the high-elevation routes. The views are so so incredible.
- Enjoy your honeymoon!
Congrats on choosing a location for your honeymoon! Thought I’d throw in my two cents on places to visit. Most of my recommendations are in line with what others have posted.
- Do visit Moraine Lake, but try to get there earlier in the day. The destination itself isn’t touristy, but because it’s so picturesque it’s always packed with tour busses.
- If you are into hiking I do recommend the hike to the tea house at Lake Louise. Not a tough hike and not touristy, but again tons of tour busses so start your day earlier. http://www.lakeagnesteahouse.com/
- Another really nice hike is the Grassi Lake trail in Canmore. It’s about two hours round trip with nice views and a lake at the top. I suggest packing a picnic for this one. http://hikealberta.com/hike/grassi-lakes-trail
- The Johnston Canyon hike is lovely as well and is actually the beginning of a longer trail which will take you to the “inkpots” which are natural underground springs. If you do this hike please don’t miss the inkpots! They are worth the extra time and effort! http://hikealberta.com/hike/johnston-canyon-trail-ink-pots
- There are a number of hot springs between Banff and Jasper. http://www.hotsprings.ca/ I find the Banff Hot Springs can get a bit packed. So again, try to visit early in the day and then use your afternoon to explore Banff. Another poster suggested visiting Cows. I recommend that as well.
- I haven’t been up towards Jasper in years, but Emerald Lake is lovely and the Columbia Ice fields are fun. I would visit the ice fields again just to ride in their crazy bus.
- I also recommend not staying in Banff. It’s super touristy and overpriced. Canmore is a better option. However, if you do stay in Banff, I recommend the Rim Rock. It’s within walking distance of the Banff Hot Springs. It’s pricey but lovely. They have a phenomenal restaurant called Eden if you are in the mood to splurge. http://www.rimrockresort.com/
- Keep in mind that if you fly into Calgary during Stampede prices for hotels will be jacked sky high in the Calgary and Banff area. The Stampede is definitely fun, but the highlights of it are the rodeo shows and the midway. If neither of those things appeal to you then avoid Calgary and Banff anytime between July 5th and 14th 2013.
- Check out the urban spoon for info on where to eat in both Calgary and Banff http://www.urbanspoon.com/c/72/Alberta-restaurants.html
- Lastly, don’t forget to pack lots of clothing you can layer!!! It can get really cold in the mountains even in the middle of summer and bad weather can sneak up on you fast.
Miss Blue Whale, College Park, MD Age and Occupation: 27, Graduate Student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Graduate Student Engagement Date: March 10, 2012 Wedding Date: May 2013 Venue: Southern Tree Plantation in Blairsville, GA About Me: I love bright colors, glitter, sugar, cheese, tiny animals, talking in silly accents, dancing, and all things music. I love to plan things, but when it comes time to execute the plans, I tend to panic. My friends tell me that I remind them of a mix between a cartoon character and a Disney Princess. Mr. Blue Whale and I are Southerners at heart, but we’ve been transplanted to the East Coast for school. We both love barbecues, star-gazing, bonfires, music, making up nonsense words, and generally being silly. Our wedding will be a fun-filled destination wedding in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It will most certainly feature bright colors, '80s music, and glitter.
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