A couple of our friends invited us to join them on a mid-week ski trip to the Canadian Rockies. We left Edmonton Monday morning just after 10am, stopped for a short washroom and beverage break at Tim Horton’s in Gasoline Alley, stopped for a longer lunch break in Calgary, and made it into Canmore shortly before 4pm.
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For two nights, we stayed at the Canmore Rocky Mountain Inn, a dated but quiet and quaint no-fuss hotel in a great location. The hotel was easy to find, directly off the third exit into Canmore (heading westbound). Our premium room, which was spacious and comfortable, had a gas fireplace and a balcony with a mountain view. Since we were travelling with two young children, the bathtub and shower combo was a nice bonus. Although we did not use the lounge in the lobby, it looked like a nice place to unwind and play chess. A complimentary afternoon wine and cheese reception was advertised to take place in the lobby daily, and a hot and cold beverage station (coffee, tea, hot chocolate and water) was available 24/7 next to the front desk. The free continental breakfast was convenient and helped us kick start each day.
Unfamiliar with dining options, I Googled “Where to eat in Canmore” and went with the first search result, Iron Goat Pub & Grill. This is a beautiful establishment tucked in an uphill residential area of Canmore, and apparently the place to be. When we arrived around 5:30pm, the place was hopping, and there was a 20 to 30 minute wait. We opted to wait and spent the time strolling the neighborhood and enjoying the amazing hilltop view. The restaurant was true to their words and had our table ready at the 25-minute mark. We were promptly seated, food was fantastic, and service was excellent!
We spent the next morning browsing the various locally owned shops and art galleries along Main Street in downtown Canmore. Cafe Books, an independently owned bookstore, is a must visit! They have new and used books, hand picked themed gifts and clothing, and pottery from local artists. Used books are found in Chapter 2 Tea Room where you can sit, read, have a cup of tea or a glass of wine with a sweet or savory treat. The Tin Box is another unique go-to for funky gifts. They carry unique plates and signs for the home, cheeky fridge magnets, colourful socks and scarves, trendy jewelry, body care, and more. If you have little ones, they'll love HiJinx Toy Shop, which offers thousands of toys and games for kids of all ages, from bubbles to doll houses, magic tricks to robot building sets.
We drove into Banff for lunch at one of my favourite places, Chaya, a little ramen shop located on Banff Avenue. The food is authentic, tastes great and reasonably priced. You are likely to be on the wait list during peak hours and it is worth the wait!
Immediately after lunch, we headed for Banff Sunshine Village. This was my and the kids' first time skiing in the mountains. I am a beginner and have only skied at inner city hills maybe a dozen times in my lifetime. Radwin's last memory of skiing in the mountains was nearly three decades ago for a school field trip. Jordan has had one skiing and one snowboarding lesson, and Evelyn has had none. We knew none of us would last all day so the afternoon lift ticket option was perfect.
The gondola ride from the base of the mountains up to the village was fun and the view was spectacular. Sunshine Village has a ton of terrain for every type of skier. The rabbit hill, where we spent most of our time, was great for the little ones. Towards the end of the day, I worked up the courage to take the Strawberry Express Quad and did the easy green run a couple of times, although I nearly wiped out halfway down the first time, which was half the fun. The gondola ride down was just as impressive as the ride up.
Our friends had rented a lodge so we spent the evening at their digs enjoying a homemade meal and pleasant company. Their kids and ours had popcorn and a couple of movies while the adults caught up with life over wine.
Because of the wine, we checked out a little later than usual the next morning. On our way home, we bypassed Calgary to spend a few hours of shopping and lunch at Crossiron Mills, because in my book, shopping is always a great end to any trip!
Travel Tip: If you are a Costco member, you could save more than 20% on the Canada’s Best Snow package. Each package includes two one-day lift tickets plus three extra discount offers. Tickets are available at all Costco locations across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba throughout winter until sold out.
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