Lake Louise is as beautiful in the winter as it is in the summer, or year round for that matter. During winter, the lake is transformed into a magical winter wonderland, and that was where we spent Radwin’s birthday last weekend.
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There are lots of winter activities, some free and some paid, for the whole family right on the lake so there is no need for you to venture too far or high up into the mountains to have fun.
1. Ice Skating on Lake Louise
If you do one winter activity at Lake Louise, make it ice skating on the lake! Every year, Lake Louise is transformed into a skating rink that is free to all visitors. The frozen lake is cleared and maintained daily by the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, with one section reserved for hockey and one section for regular skating.
If you don’t have your own skates, you can rent them at Chateau Ski and Snow Rentals located beside the front desk of the Fairmont. Skate rental starts at $13 for 4 hours and $23 for 8 hours.
Interesting fact: Lake Louise is regularly named as one of the 10 most beautiful ice skating rinks in the world by CNN Travel.
2. Enjoy the Ice Castle
Every year, a team at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise creates an intricate ice castle directly on the frozen lake, complete with windows you can stick your head through and doorways that you can walk through. The ice castle is made of huge blocks of ices totalling over 50,000lbs!
3. Snowshoeing at Lake Louise
Snowshoeing at Lake Louise will help you explore trails that are otherwise possible to explore on foot in the winter. There are several snowshoeing paths that start at the shore of Lake Louise, the most popular being the Lake Louise Lakefront and Mirror Lake via Lake Agnes. You can also snowshoe right on the lake.
Photo courtesy of Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
You can bring your own snowshoes or rent them at Chateau Ski and Snow Rentals starting at $15 for 4
hours and $25 for 8 hours.
4. Walk the Lake Louise Shoreline
If snowshoeing isn’t your thing, you can still enjoy the magnificent views of Lake Louise with a walk along the shoreline. You can use the paved boardwalk that sits at the front of the lake, hike the Fairview Lookout Trail or just trudge across the frozen lake, in well insulated snow boots of course, as there can be a fair bit of snow!
5. Winter Sleigh Rides
Lake Louise is one of the few places left in the world where visitors are offered a chance to go on a horse-drawn sleigh ride. The ride is 45 minutes to an hour long and moves along the lakeside trail to the end of the lake.
You can book this experience at the Fairmont or online in advance with Brewster Adventures where you have the option to book the entire sleigh that seats up to 12 people.
Photo courtesy of Brewster Adventures
6. Drinks at the Ice Bar
The Lake Louise Ice Bar is one of the coolest bars in the world! It is made up of 20 blocks of ice, each weighing 300lbs, and spaces in the walls are carved out for the benches.
The bar serves lots of hot and cold drinks including coffee, hot chocolate, cocktails liqueurs, and mulled wine. Priority service is given to Fairmont hotel guests.
Photo courtesy of Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
7. Dining at the Fairmont
Lastly, to escape the cold, head inside the Fairmont and have a delicious meal or afternoon tea at the Lakeview Lounge. One of the most iconic lounges in the Canadian Rockies, the Lakeview Lounge has stunning floor-to-ceiling windows. Enjoy spectacular views of the lake and mountains while you sit back and relax.
While the lunch menu is casual with soup, salads, burgers, and pastas, the prices are a bit expensive but that is to be expected at a Fairmont property. The kids menu had many options that will satisfy picky eaters, mine included. We found the food delicious and worth the splurge!
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