Last Sunday my roommate Olivia and I decided to road trip it to Banff and Lake Louise for a lovely day out. The weather was cold – about -12 – with a slight wind, but we dressed for the weather and were prepared!
It’s been snowing just slightly here…
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Can you see my feet?
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In the aim of embracing this winter wonderland, my roommate and I knew a road trip to one of the most beautiful spots in Canada would cheer us up!
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Banff is a gorgeous town – I’ve been twice before; once when I was 9 on a band trip from my school in Cayman, and then again for Christmas four years ago. We walked around, browsed some shops, and saw the Remembrance Day parade finish up at the Legion, then stood and watched the service:
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We had lunch at Evelyn’s Coffee where I had the world’s biggest “health sandwich”, as it was labeled, with this amazing view:
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It was delicious and I can’t wait to recreate it at home – two huge slabs of soft multigrain bread spread with hummus, avocado and mayo and topped with cheese, lettuce, cucumber and tomato! Look how big it is compared to my hands!:
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They also made deliciously smooth lattes, and we both got one to sip on to keep us warm as we walked around town some more.
Olivia browsed the shops for some cute knickknacks and souvenirs to send in a care package back home to England. We also spotted some Mounties in full dress and popped into Lululemon, of course!
However, for both of us – being of British heritage and tea drinkers – our highlights were the Banff Tea Company and David’s Tea. I picked up two ‘treat teas’ – a Turtles tea from Banff Tea Company (yes, the chocolate/caramel variety of Turtles – and it was great!):
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And from David’s Tea I bought some cookie dough tea, which I had heard good things about in the blog world!
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On Monday I made cookie dough oats by steeping the tea in soy milk and then boiling my oats in that milk (hashtagged, of course, for the #healthybreakfastchallenge).
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Delicious!
Next we went to Lake Louise, well known as one of the most beautiful spots in Canada. So many photo opportunities:
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We had fun trying to perfect this jump…
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It was an awesome day trip, and we did a pretty good job at staying warm, despite our insistence on taking photos like this one:
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Before I leave, a reminder that the Healthy Breakfast Challenge is still going on and I am working on a giveaway for all who entered at least one photo during the Challenge! So if you want more info, here’s the original post – which tells you how to enter – and here are some of the entries so far!
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WOOOW!!! This place looks sooo beautiful, I love Winter Wonderland!! We do get snow like this here in Switzerland too, but it’s still too early. Hopefully in a few weeks everything will be powdered. Nice pics too, looks like a prefect Sunday trip!!
I bet you get tons of snow, yes – most people go to Banff for the skiing, so similar to parts of Switzerland I would assume, in that way? It was a really fun way to spend a Sunday!
Gorgeous pics!! I’ve never been to Canada, but it sure looks pretty!! Glad you’re trying to embrace the winter & all the snow… we only just got flurries the other day & it was rather depressing. 😉
I’ve heard good things about that Cookie Dough tea too, yum! Awesome idea with the oats, they look amazing!! Making me really, really hungry… well, off to make my Healthy Breakfast for the morning! Healthy Breakfast Challenge! 🙂
This is the part of Canada that fulfills everyone’s stereotypes I think – cold and snow all winter long! Haha. I just moved from BC which barely ever snowed, so so far my experiences of Canada had been quite different. It’s certainly an adventure!
I loved the cookie dough oats – next time I might include even more tea to make the flavour stronger, but I liked the subtle infusion. Super good!
awesome photos. i can’t believe you have so much snow already!! you make it look fun… haha
Thanks Mila! I know, since moving here I feel like I’ve entered Winter Wonderland (and sometimes not-so-wonderland!). But it sure is a change, so I am trying to embrace it!
It is so gorgeous there! I am not a fan of the snow though, well just not driving in it! ha It looks gorgeous on the tress and mountains though! ha Sounds like a fun trip, and those cookie dough tea oats sound so delicious, and so #healthy 😉
Ooh driving in the snow has been my new challenge! Winter tires help a lot…lol!
Great pics – missing those mountains!!!!!
Are you from here??
Visited for our honeymoon and loved it – been back to vancouver since – such a great place!!
Oh brilliant! Yes, in Vancouver I got very used to having the mountains super close by (especially as I lived in North Vancouver). I wasn’t used to the 1.5 hours it took us to get to Banff from Calgary! But they’re still reachable 🙂
I grew up in Calgary so was really lucky to have Banff and Lake Louise in my back yard! I have spent many happy Christmases at the Chateau Lake Louie and skiing on Sunshine Mountain too. You will have to go back in the summer and do some of the hikes from the Chateau! Lovely pics, Anna. Glad you had such a good time.
I didn’t know you were from Calgary! That’s awesome to have this in your backyard 🙂
I’m so glad you got out. There is something so beautiful about the mountains in the winter. Once Lake Louise completely freezes over they build an ice castle and have curling stones out there. It’s so fun to be able to walk out onto it. Next trip!
Ooh we are planning on going more as winter goes on, so I can’t wait to see that!
Looks so cold!! but beautiful pics
Thanks Rebecca! It was pretty cold…lol
That place looks amazing!! That seems like the perfect day trip to be on! 🙂 On trips like that I am reminded that it’s really the simple things that are the best…..and the most fun. 🙂
Absolutely, I agree! It was a great day. We’re doing Canmore on our next day trip!
How gorgeous!!!! And that’s saying something b/c I can’t stand snow! I’ve seen it like twice in my life and that’s good enough for me! Does that tea place ship? I want to get some for my sis-in-law for Christmas!
Haha – I know, I’m not much of a cold person myself! Some days I think I’m crazy for moving here…
Which tea place? David’s Tea? Or Banff Tea Co? Either way, both ship! Banff Tea Co: http://www.banffteaco.com and David’s Tea: http://www.davidstea.com 🙂
WOW! You’re making this Miami girl mighty jealous with these gorgeous snow photos! Sounds like an amazing trip 🙂
Thanks Brittany! The snow’s beauty makes up for its coldness!!
Agreed – the jealousy is spreading!!!
Thanks girls!
Lake Louise is sooo gorgeous! My family and I use to road trip to Banff all the time when i was younger. Now I want to go up there to snowboard but I haven’t been there in years!
It is gorgeous. I’m looking forward to snowboard season – but want to wait for a day when it’s a bit milder. Wind burn if snowboarding down a hill in -20 would be too much for me!
I love Banff. And that last photo of you! Beautiful!!
Thank you Alison!