LAKE LOUISE
TRAVEL
CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE
TRAVEL
CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE
It's become a family tradition to spend one day over the Christmas Holiday in Lake Louise and Banff. It is my favourite day of the year, you feel like you are wandering around inside a Christmas postcard. This year was my favourite trip to date. The whole gang was able to come up this year which made the trip all the more special. My boyfriend Nick, my parents Ray and Cathy, my brother Kyle and his wife Jamie were all along for the ride. We decided to drive up earlier in the day so that we would have enough time to grab a hot chocolate from the deli in the hotel, go for a skate on the frozen lake behind the hotel and then grab a glass of mulled wine at the ice bar.
The drive up from our home in Calgary took about an hour and a half. It's amazing how beautiful the landscape is on the way up there. As nice as it is to live in B.C. and be surrounded by the Coastal Mountains, there is something special about the Rocky Mountains. As we got closer to Lake Louise the trees grew more and more beautiful. Snow piled thicker and thicker on the branches of the evergreens, weighing them down and transforming the forest into a winter wonderland. The drive to Lake Louise is unimaginably beautiful in the winter. It's nearly impossible for me to put my camera down the entire time we are there.
We parked in the lot near the hotel and then walked to the lake to take in the sights (about a three minute walk, free parking) we took some pictures in front of the lake before heading into the hotel to warm up and grab a cup of hot chocolate from the deli inside. We wandered around the hotel and took in the beautiful architecture, wandered around the stores and admired the handmade christmas decorations set up around the hotel lobby. We then headed back to the car to grab our skates and headed out to the lake once more. We skated for about a half an hour before our toes were frozen. We headed back inside the hotel to warm up and then popped back out to enjoy a cup of mulled wine out at the ice bar by the lake. It was so neat!
Our Skates lined up on an ice bench inside the Ice Bar.
Once we finished our wine we headed back to Banff for dinner at the Silver Dragon just down the road from the Banff Springs. Our meal was fantastic as usual! We have been going there for Chinese Food in Banff since I was a little girl. When we are in Banff we try to eat at the Silver Dragon or at Castello, an italian restaurant located in the Banff Springs Hotel. It is one of my favourite restaurants in the world. I just love the setting.
After Dinner we walked up to the Banff Springs for a drink in the old Hotel Lobby (which is now a lounge) It was as magical as always. This hotel will always have a special place in my heart. We've been going to the Banff Springs for our ski holidays since I was a little girl. Every time we wander around the hotel my mind is flooded with memories of all of our stays there over the years. It is truly a magical place.
Drinks at the Banff Springs in their Piano Lounge (the old entrance)
If you haven't been to either of these places, I highly encourage you to go. There is some world class skiing near by at Sunshine and Lake Louise. These two places are my favourite places in the world.
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