Thank You for Greeting Every Guest Visiting the Majestic Canadian Rockies,…read moreAt Sunwampta Falls on the Icefield Parkway Between Jasper & Banff..... Some Years, One could Not See the Mountains - But You Were Always There, Dressed In the Traditional Red Uniform - Making Everyone Smile - Thank You!!

Nice visiting this very warm and inviting Building: with Children, Teen and Adult sections within…read morethe Library and very friendly Staff. Nice photos, art and history displayed too. They have items for sale, a great noticeboard and tons of what's happening information to read. Banff without a library - just isn't Banff.

I have been working and living in Banff for a year and a half. This is the place I come to just…read morechill and get warm on my shopping trips downtown. I have library cards from both Calgary and Banff. I must say that althrough the collection is small, interlibrary loans make getting certain books faster compared to getting the same books in Calgary. I looked up the same title in both libraries and Calgary has 60 holds for half as many copies. Banff and its system of small town libraries have 14 copies available to borrow. The only downside is that all holds are interlibrary loans, as there is only one location in Banff and therefore loans take longer to arrive. My only suggestion would to open an hour earlier , i.e 9 am instead of 10am. This way I have ample time to pick up holds and head up back to work . My schedule doesn't allow me to visit the library at all on the days that I work. Their hours are pretty much my hours. On my days off I go back to Calgary and have to catch 10:30am bus so I just have enough time to pick up a hold before I head to the bus station. But that's not on the library, that's on the crappy bus schedule we have in the winter. In the summer I would have enough time to go pick up a hold before heading back to work. It sucks that on Saturday they open even later at 11am so I can't even go pick up a book because my bus leaves before that. Aside from hours I think this library is pretty good.

While planning my trip to Alberta, CA I was trying to find decently priced accommodation away from…read morethe overpriced, touristy confines of Banff. Now before anyone comes at me, I'm not dissing Banff. Banff is great and has lovely scenery with a robust nightlife. I enjoy that on occasion but it's just not my vibe, especially 24/7. I prefer my peace and traveling low key while still getting that excitement in spurts. Queue in the town of Canmore! Canmore is like the underrated, shy sibling of their neighbor to the north (Banff). It's still going to be somewhat pricey but not exorbitantly out of range for most. Canmore has a nice number of restaurants, shops and bars and you won't encounter the foot traffic Banff tends to get. Canmore also has a lot of walking trails and points of interest like the Engine Bridge, Big Head sculpture, Policeman's creek and Main Street. If you're biking I highly recommend the Legacy Trail that connects the town of Canmore to Banff. If you're driving, Three Sister's viewpoint is great stopover too. There are a few food spots I suggest if you're heading into town. My favorites were the following: Bridgette Bar - slightly upscale but good food and drink Tavern 1883 - Amazing patio with great views of the mountain range as a backdrop. Burgers are decent, poutine is better. Lovely Ice Cream and Treats - Really good creamy, made in house fresh batch ice cream. The Rose and Crown - Good bar atmosphere. Drinks are made well. Summer seems to go on for longer out here. The one thing I noticed is that the sun sets way later than what we are used to in the lower 48. I went in May and sunset didn't happen until 10pm. It was the weirdest thing ever and it definitely threw my sleep off for weeks afterward. Despite the prolonged sunshine the benefits are having the opportunity to take advantage of a full day out. Canmore is generally a safe town to walk through day or night. I would suggest if you plan to do the trails, bring bear spray. You never know if you're going to need it. Also, stay hydrated. I had stayed for nearly a week and picked up a case of water at the nearby Safeway which covered me through the entire trip. Enjoy your time in Canmore if you're able to and safe travels!

Located just downstream of Banff; Canmore is a more affordable option for tourists who don't want…read moreto pay the Banff premium. There's a grocery store in the form of Safeway in the area, which is great. There is also a fairly low key / sad town center area which pales in comparison to Banff; 10% of the visitors and not much to do. Canmore isn't cheap either; for a week long Air BnB, the daily costs were still $300-400 CAD for something fairly basic. There's also limited nature options in the area that you can explore for "free", most of the hikes require an additional paid pass for visitors outside of the town. The parking situation for any hikes in the immediate Canmore area requires another pass in addition to the Canada National Parks pass; this is a pain for non-locals. We pretty much drove to Banff daily for activities and just came back to Canmore to sleep.

This is the busy downtown shopping area. Cars can't drive through this district, on the corners…read moreoutside are bus stops. There are lots of unique and charming galleries, gift, shops, and boutiques that stay opened late until at least 10 PM. There are benches to sit on and they're great for people watching. Many restaurants were busy with filled outdoor tables and rooftop views with spectacular mountains, looming above us. Cows, ice cream shop the fudge shop and the popcorn shop had crowds out the door. There were many outdoor adventure, shops with ski, skate, racket, climbing, canoeing, camping ... equipment and clothing.

Thank you to Canada Strong Pass, not a physical pass, for…read morefree admission and enjoy while you can from June 19 till Sept 7, 2026. Five important facts to remember: 1) Birthplace of Banff National Park 2) Sacred to Piikani people 3) Endangered Banff Spring snails stay alive in thermal pools of H2S or hydrogen sulfide and low oxygen levels. 4) Only observe from the distance. No touching or dipping hands in the pools. 5) Be respectful. Guides are helpful and present to answer questions.

The cave inside which is a natural hot spring is peaceful to look at…read more The boardwalk trails are a very easy stroll but really allows you to enjoy the landscape perfect for forest bathing. You can check out the exhibits inside which are interactive and educational in a fun way. I could spend hours at the Cave and Basin just enjoying the scenery and is a must visit for me to experience the true magic of Banff magic

Another must-see stop in Yoho National Park! It's crazy how the Kicking Horse River has created…read morethis natural bridge through the abrasion of limestone, sand and gravel. It's absolutely stunning! There are multiple photo ops here. You can get down on the rocks and get up close, or walk across the pedestrian bridge and up on the viewpoint platform. So many angles to choose from. The parking lot is decent sized, but fills up fast. Since the nature bridge is right of the parking lot, tourists don't stay too long, so the parking lot is busy with people coming in and out. There's also restrooms available at the parking area. Overall a fulfilling stop. Would highly recommend!

One of my highlights on the two day tour we took. Each day is different but so beautiful. This…read morekicking horse river is another magical stop and I could stay here and listen to the water for hours!

A few weeks back, I went to the Cochrane Royal Canadian Legion #15 for a fundraiser for the…read moreChildren's Wish foundation, which featured a live auction, silent auction, a dinner, and Cowboy Poetry as its entertainment. The perspective that I would like to review the Legion, is as a venue for charitable events. A few things stood out for me a really good way. I attend quite a few charitable events in Calgary, so i am accustomed to the assortment of venues in the city, that are without question, a little more high brow than the legion in the small town. But I am here to tell you, that it doens't make them better. First and foremost, the drinks at the legion were reasonably priced. I believe I paid a mere $5-6 for a glass of red wine. Albiet they did not have the selection, but I am okay with that. I was not there for a wine tasting - i was there for a silent auction. However, I did notice from our table, that the assortment of beers and hard alcohols were there, so it must just be a wine thing.... The food was great! It was down to earth comfort food: beef on a bun, with beans, cole slaw. Your standard "cowboy fare". However, it was tasty. It was refreshing to have delicious comfort food as fall was setting in. There were about 100 people at this fundraising event, and we were in there pretty tight, but not "too" tight, therefore, I think the venue is perfect for a crowd of 75-100 based on what I experienced. Also, first and foremost - it was completely clean, rustic, unpretentious and comfortable. I even checked out the bathrooms and I was happy with the state of them. Prior to this event, I wouldn't have considered checking out the local (or not-so-local) legions for a fundraising venue. But now that I have experienced it, I will definately give it a second look for the right event. 5/30

Beautiful and exhilarating, the Canadian Rockies in general, and The Three Sisters in particular…read more When asked, a local tour guide said their individual names are Faith, Hope and Charity. Very nice. The second tour guide disagreed, saying their names are Big Sister, Middle Sister and Little Sister. I found this was repeated on Wikipedia ... and is there any higher authority? Why, yes, the lady at the Canadian Tourist Information Kiosk, who said the locals, the real people who live here, refer to the Three Sisters as Beebee, Ceecee and Deedee. So, what's in a name? The Three Sisters, by any name, are Beautiful and Exhilarating. Five-Stars.

As gorgeous as they are iconic - The Three Sisters stand guard over, no that's not right... The…read moreThree Sisters are all about fun, not protection. They're an icon for a town that exists for outdoor recreation and natural beauty. While The greatest cities in the world are know for and defined by their skylines, none of them even come close to Canmore's. Whether you'd prefer to enjoy them while camping, hiking, biking, or enjoying a glass of wine with a fine meal, Faith, Charity and Hope will make your experience all that much better.