Epic Travel → North America → Canada → Banff National Park → Fairmont Banff Springs

Location: Banff area, Banff National Park, Alberta

Time Required: 1 – 3 days

Red Tape/Notes: Entry into Banff requires a daily fee of about $10 per person (or ~$20 per family/group). For more information on the hotel, including room rates, visit their website. Check out their specials, as they often have deals where you can do things like stay 2 nights and get the third free (particularly during the off season).

What’s Nearby?: Johnston Canyon, Ink Pots, Bow Falls, New Year’s Eve Party

I wouldn’t normally list a hotel as a destination, but this is different. Staying here is like a little adventure back in time, there’s so much to explore in the hotel. Find one of the historic maps and set off on an expedition to locate the historic ballroom and the conservatory, or the ice skating pond which is located on a random side patio. Play a round of pool in the billiards room you stumble across and put in a special special request to stay in a room in one of the towers. And most importantly, you absolutely have to go swimming – the indoor pool and hot tub are really great, but the outdoor pool is the best, especially in winter. It’s warm – much too warm for actually actively swimming, but cooler than a hot tub. It’s the perfect temperature for reclining casually on one of the readily available floaty tubes and marveling at the frozen scenery around you.

Epic Travel → North America → Canada → Banff National Park → Fairmont Banff Springs