Rockin' the Rockies

Sometimes you just have to get in a car with your best friends and drive. Drive into the snow? Well, we weren't expecting that but somehow a road trip to Kelowna, BC turned into a quick road trip through some of the Canadian Rockies.

We packed a little vehicle with some jackets, boots (or so we thought, turns out Elaine forgot hers), and friends: fellow adventure blogger Jesse Morrow & Lindsay from Treasures & Travels. We had never been to Banff before, so we were excited to learn about it! Banff is a beautiful National Park in Alberta, Canada well known for its abundant ski hills and mountains for days.

It is so much better in person, but we are excited to show you some of our favourite spots so that you can enjoy them too!

The Virmilion Lakes are a few minutes outside of the Banff village area, and are a calm, cool oasis. We woke up at the crack of dawn in order to catch the sunsrise, but ended up catching a snowstorm instead! Note to self: WEAR BOOTS, they will actually keep your feet warm. Elaine's toes were at risk of frostbite for a while there without them...

We stayed at the Buffalo Mountain Lodge, which was a cozy, cabin-like experience! We took full advantage of the fireplace & balcony throughout our stay to warm up those cold fingers and toes.

A little sidenote, but people are always asking us what our travel essentials are, and our mini-Jambox is definitely one of them! Well, two of them, since we each have one. We've used them as a radio system in VW vans where the radio doesnt work, to pump us up on the long gondola rides at Whistler, and basically just anywhere we want to chill out, sip some coffee, and listen to tunes. 

As we were hanging out after a long day, the weather took a turn for the stormiest and we decided to drive to the city of Calgary, which is less than 2 hours away. But in those 2 hours we found ourselves literally driving through a snowstorm until we suddenly came upon clear Albertan fields. This was the perfect time to try out our new Brixton hat and poncho (which doubles as a blanket to keep you extra warm in those snowy car rides). 

And of course, we had to pay Lake Louise a visit while in the Banff neighbourhood. It looks a lot different when it's covered with 4 feet of snow, but it was still a stunning and miraculous view that showcased some of Alberta's finest mountain ranges. We can't wait to come back in the spring time when the snow has melted and that turquoise lake is showing!

Thanks for the fun times, Alberta!