I went on a quick girls’ trip to Alberta, Canada this fall! It was such a relaxing and fun trip with the best group of girls. We explored quite a bit of Calgary and Banff in the short amount of time that we had in Alberta, so I thought I would share a few of the places that we visited!
What To Do In Calgary
Nosehill Park – If you are looking for something active to do around Calgary, then head to Nosehill Park. It is the perfect place for hikers, bikers, and runners. This park offers spectacular views of the city and mountains. I especially enjoyed this hike because of the beautiful fall foliage.
Calgary Flames Hockey Game – If you are in Calgary during hockey season, I highly suggest going to a game. We went to the home opener and the energy was amazing!
Walk Around Downtown Calgary – Calgary is a fantastic town that you should explore. Look out for the Calgary Tower, Wonderland Sculpture, Peace Bridge, and much more!
Places To Eat/Drink in Calgary:
Sky 360 Restaurant – This restaurant not only has incredible 360 views of Calgary, but the food was beyond delicious!
Cactus Club Cafe – This was my favorite restaurant that we dined at. The Blackened Creole Chicken was cooked perfectly and the Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bar was so scrumptious. I still think about how delicious the entire meal was! 10/10!!!
Proof – This is the perfect place to go out with the girls and have a few cocktails.
Road Trip To Banff
No trip to Alberta is complete without a quick stop in Banff! We spent one night in Banff and this is where we went:
Peyto Lake – The girls and I all agree this was our favorite stop in Banff. It is a short 10-minute uphill hike to reach the most spectacular views! The water is incredibly blue… and look at all the mountains behind it! Some people say the lake looks like a fox. Can you see it? Peyto Lake was our farthest destination (30 minutes from Lake Louise). We started there and headed our way back down to Lake Louise and then to Banff.
Lake Louise – An obvious place to visit is Lake Louise. I know this is a touristy place, but you simply cannot head to Banff and not check out this world-famous turquoise lake.
Fairview Lookout Trail – A beautiful 2.4 km out-and-back trail with breathtaking views… literally (lol). I’m not the fittest, so after 1km of uphill hiking, I was out of breath. It is a moderate, but manageable, trail, and the hike was certainly worth it.
Banff Upper Hot Springs – This is a fantastic spot to relax in an outdoor pool with mineral-rich water and admire the mountains surrounding you.
Banff Town – Banff is charming and has plenty of cute shops to check out. If you love Christmas, head to The Spirit of Christmas! This 3-story shop is amazing and has every Christmas theme imaginable.
Mt Norquay Lookout – Take a quick drive up to Mt Norquay Lookout. This is a terrific spot to see Banff from above. There is quite a bit of wildlife, so keep an eye out!
I hope my Calgary and Banff fall travel guide helps you plan your trip to Alberta, Canada. Although I only had a short time in Alberta, Calgary was such a fun city with so much to do and Banff had constant stunning views. Alberta is a bucket list destination and I hope you get the chance to explore such a beautiful province! I will definitely be back to explore more of Alberta!!