Last March, the family and I took a little detour at Banff, Alberta after attending a cousin's birthday party at Calgary. We only spent a couple of hours and we knew we had to come back to this beautiful resort town (on a less icy season not to mention). We set a date on the second weekend of June and waited in anticipation.

Since we were only staying a weekend, we had to do a proper itinerary to make sure we make the most out of our short visit. These were the places we got to visit during our stay at Banff.

Banff National Museum

We were supposed to take a hike at Sulfur Mountain on our first day but the weather frowned upon us that day. So we opted to visit the museums instead. The first museum we got to visit is the Banff National Museum, because it just so happens that we parked at the parking lot right next to it.

cute little eggs

Hello there,feathered friend

I didn't know there were a gazillion of kinds of bees

This feels like a test of courage

These pelts are incredibly soft! No wonder there are people who really like fur

Don't mind if I do

Two floors of preserved nature

I am impressed at how the animals look alive. Preserved animals from the museums I've visited at my home country looks like a thing from nightmares

Rocks, wood, insects

goats goats goats

this duckling is too cute

We stayed for almost an hour and headed out to our next destination.

Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

Another museum to fill our head with educational content, the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies showcases materials related to the cultural heritage of the Rocky Mountains of Canada and other mountains around the world. This establishment is a 5-minute walk away from Banff National Museum, so of course it was next on the list.

Beside the painting were description of who these men are and what trails they pioneered

She wasn't sure if it was alright to go inside but she went anyway

Some First Nation clothes and jewelry

There's this Snakes and Ladders table in the middle and my siblings just went for it

Oh wow Kodak has been here for a very long time

I wonder if that bag is waterproof. I'm such a sucker for waterproof backpacks

Official site: https://www.whyte.org/

Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum

The next and last museum on our itinerary is the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum. This museum boasts of a collection that includes native arts and displays related to the daily life of the First Nations People of the the Northern Plains and Canadian Rockies.

I'm not sure why but there were a lot if doodoo-related products in the area

Official site: http://www.buffalonationsmuseum.com/

Sulfur Mountain

Sulfur Mountain is another famous tourist spot in Banff that will blow you away with it's overlooking view of the town and 360-degree views of six mountain ranges. There are two ways to enjoy the scenic view of Sulfur Mountain, you can either hike or take the gondola up to the top.

Hiking

The hike is a moderate one. Well, based on what's on the official site anyway. If you ask me it was an easy one based on how spacious and well-maintained the trail is compared to all my hikes back in my home country (Philippines). It does get quite challenging on the icy parts. I managed to go through it with my running shoes but seeing other fellow travelers just breeze through the icy paths with their sturdy shoes makes me green with envy.

Stopping by the bulletin board

Thank you Ena for vandalizing the sign

I let my siblings hold the GoPro. I have tons of videos of them dancing now

The trail was nice and easy

Until maybe some two hours later, it gets real slushy

Saying hi to the gondola people

We saw this little guy walking on the trail

The view while hiking up is just food for the soul

If you'd like to know the condition of the trail, this site is your best friend. These kinds of reports would've been so useful back at my home country.

Banff Gondola

Now if you're not the outdoorsy type then the Banff Gondola's got you. The eight-minute ride will bring you straight to the top where you can enjoy observation decks, have a meal at some of the restaurants, and take a short walk to Sanson's Peak.

Some of the Gondola people waving back at us

We rode the Gondola going down

A single Gondola fits four

Sanson's Peak

Once you're at the ridge of the Sulfur Mountain, you can walk about a kilometer on a walkway towards Sanson's Peak. You've better have something on you that can protect you from the cold.

Walking towards Sanson's Peak

Educate yourselves about the surrounding peaks

I can't get tired of those snow-capped beauties

A view of the Cosmic Ray Station from Sanson's Peak

The view of the walkway from Sanson's Peak

Ahhh The cold is merciless but it's all worth it

Lake Louise

My father asked his coworkers about what places to visit at Banff and one of the spots that they recommended was Lake Louise. And seeing how they really seemed to be awed by the beauty of the glacial lake, my father made sure Lake Louse was in the itinerary that I prepared for our weekend trip.

On our way to the lake from the parking lot

Lake Louise didn't disappoint. The body of emerald green water, surrounded by mountains covered in trees  and the presence of the enchanting Victoria Glacier is a thing that I thought I'd only ever see on post cards. To capture its beauty on camera is leagues out of my ability.

Rent a canoe

A closer look at Victoria Glacier

There are some birds who'll hang around for some food. It's unlawful to feed them though

There are activities that you could experience during your visit to Lake Louise such as hiking, canoeing, and camping. If you're visiting on during winter, you can go ice skating and skiing. You can always visit the information center for, well, more info.

Lake Moraine

Moraine lake was not originally in our itinerary but since it was near Lake Louise, we gave it a visit. Although it didn't give me the goosebumps like how Lake Louse did, it was still beautiful.

A pile of rocks that my brother and I wanted to climb

A panoramic view

You can go hiking and canoeing in this lake too. As for us, we just stayed for a bit, took some photos, and ran away from the mosquitoes as quickly as we can back to the parking lot.

And that concludes our short weekend getaway in Banff, Alberta. There are still so many to experience in Banff. There will always be reasons to go back. That 9-hour drive from where we live will always be worth it. Hope you enjoyed this post!