Visit Banff

Iconic. People come from thousands of miles away to visit the place that I call home. Nestled within the heart of the Rocky Mountains is the town of Banff, Alberta, my home. For the tourists, Banff is a place of untouched beauty. The gondola takes you to the top of a mountain, without even having to hike a step. The hot springs offer warmth when the snow falls heavily in the winter. Whether its hiking, skiing, shopping or just dinner in a local restaurant, Banff offers tourists the wilderness experience within a 90-minute drive of an international airport.

I wasn’t born in Banff. Few people are, as the restrictions on housing mean that not just anybody can buy a house in there – you have to work there to live there. This contributes to the coziness of the town, because while the other surrounding ski-towns have quadrupled in size, Banff still offers that lovely feel of being in the middle of nowhere. The mountains are huge, and I mean absolutely gigantic. There are so many trails to investigate, for all ages and abilities.

Banff became my home when I was a young adult. I was looking for freedom and the chance to be outdoors. Banff seemed like a good option because it wasn’t too far away from where I grew up, but far enough away that I could be independent and live on my own! I picked up a local job cleaning rooms at one of the main hotels. Ten hours a day, four days a week, I worked my tail off making sure that guests had everything they needed. While most of my work was done on the weekends, it gave me time during the week to connect with nature. I picked up running as a hobby and used that as a means to check out the local trails. I always ran during the day and tried to stick to well-populated areas, but this wasn’t always an effective strategy. The thing about being in nature means that sometimes you run into nature! I’ve run into geese (which should not be underestimated, especially if they have babies), moose, bears, coyotes, goats, and a whole host of other species. Let me just say that moose are absolutely huge and when you are on the ground staring one down on a path it makes you rethink your decision to exercise. Luckily, I didn’t have any violent encounters, as the animals were mostly as scared of me as I was of them. It also made for a good story at the pub at the end of the day.

I think you should visit Banff. Come in the off season, as there will be fewer people, which is always nice (nobody likes to wait in lines). Enjoy the nature, the activities, and the food. Skiing is really fun and there are instructors that can teach you the basics on the bunny hill. If downhill skiing isn’t your thing, there is cross country skiing or snowshoeing. In summer you can play golf (or Frisbee golf), go mountain biking, or stroll through the local shops. It’s definitely a worthwhile trip no matter where in the world you live. And if you do decide to come, remember that there are people who live and work in Banff. These are the people that take care of you, make sure that you have what you need, and that your experience is truly magical. Make sure you treat them well. So, I open my home to you. You can make it yours for however long you want to visit, and I hope you will take with you some truly marvelous memories, just like I have.