We started our day in Waterton, AB Canada with a stop at the Rocky Mountain General Store for a few supplies (junk food) to have on the road. We spent the next four hours on the road to our accommodations at Moose Hotel and Suites in Banff. We opted to stay in Banff vs. Canmore for a couple of reasons. While a bit more expensive and crowded, we knew our teens would like the hustle and bustle of the downtown area and we’d spend a little less time in the car getting to our destinations, meaning the kids could sleep in a bit more.
We chose the Moose for the close proximity to downtown, complimentary parking, and the rooftop hot tubs and fire rings with views of the Rockies. Many of the hotels along Banff Ave. all looked very nice and appeared to be good choices.
After reading this article about the gondolas in the area, we chose the Banff Gondola for our gondola adventure because of how easy it would be to get to from downtown Banff. The Moose Hotel and Suites gives complimentary Roam Transit tickets. Which meant that we were able to catch the Route 1 bus for free, right outside of our hotel and 15 minutes were later dropped off at the base of Sulphur Mountain.
The four of us hopped into our enclosed gondola for the 10 minute ride to the summit of Sulphur Mountain at a little more than 7,000 feet.
We spent the next 30 minutes walking along the boardwalk at the top taking in the amazing panoramic views before heading into the Sky Bistro, the mountain top’s beautiful restaurant. The gourmet menu at the Sky Bistro features locally sourced dishes and a decadent dessert selection with extraordinary views out of the floor to ceiling windows.
The Roam Transit picked us up again at the bottom and took us back into downtown. We chose to get off before our stop and walk through downtown a bit before heading back to our hotel and a soak in the rooftop hot tub before bed. It was a great first day in Banff.
Wanderlust Travel Diary 