Banff, Alberta, is one of the most naturally beautiful cities in the world. Located in Banff National Park, this city is both worldly and isolated.
Hotels in Banff run the gamut from rustic to luxurious. This is a place where you can see endangered animals, enjoy world-class skiing and spend time with the arts.
Skiing in Banff
Some of the best skiing in the world is located in the Canadian Rockies. Banff is home to several famous ski resorts, including Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Mountain Resort and Banff Mount Norquay. These resorts are well-known for the high quality of powder and the long length of the skiing season.
If you want to pursue other activities during your stay, other hotels can also be an option. For example, the Banff Springs Hotel offers a ski valet service that makes skiing convenient even though it’s off-site. This hotel also offers a selection of restaurants, facilities for business meetings and spa services.
Other Outdoor Pursuits
Banff has a number of great trails for hiking and biking. It is the starting point for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, which goes all the way to New Mexico. This off-road trail crosses the continental divide dozens of times and takes cyclists through a wide variety of terrain. Sights along the way include the Grand Tetons, huge grasslands and mountain forests.
Banff National Park is home to a variety of geological formations, plants and animal life. Beautiful Lake Louise makes a nice day trip. Hundreds of glaciers and ice fields can be seen throughout the park. Lodgepole pines, Engelmann spruce and aspen are among the common trees that can be seen in the area. Over 50 mammals make the park their home. Bighorn sheep, elk and endangered black bears are among them.
Festivals in Banff
Banff hotels are often filled with attendees for one of the many annual festivals in the city. Whether you’re interested in the arts or the outdoors, Banff holds a festival that will hold your interest. These include Bike Fest, the Banff Summer Arts Festival and the Banff World Media Festival.
The Banff National Park Bike Fest offers five road races in addition to family-friendly events. Hundreds of professional cyclists come from all over the world to compete for $21,000 in prize money. Spectators get to see world-class racing and amazing scenery.
The Banff Summer Arts Festival brings opera, theatre, dance and visual arts to the city. Held annually at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, past performers have included Blue Rodeo and Randy Bachman. Speakers from the New Yorker and the Atlantic have attended in the past. If you like contemporary art, this festival is for you.
The Banff World Media Festival has been going strong for over 30 years. Over 150 speakers from 25 countries attend. At this event, leaders in the media business tackle issues in that rapidly evolving industry.
Young people can attend learning sessions while seasoned pros focus on doing business. The average attendee has over 15 meetings at the festival. In 2015, over $1 billion in productions were sold there.
Whether you are in Banff for business or pleasure, you can expect it to be one of the best trips you’ve ever taken. Banff combines the best aspects of city life, like fine art and world-class dining, with the best of rural pursuits.
