Banff National Park – History, Nature, and Luxury Await
Banff National Park has been almost every Canadian’s favorite summertime location since time immemorial. Its history stretches back thousands of years and will likely stretch thousands more. With a vast biodiversity of flora and fauna that freely roams and grows throughout the park, its numerous mountains and slopes that are perfect for hiking and biking during the summer and skiing and snowboarding during the winter, and one of the most storied hotels in Canadian history, it’s no wonder that Banff got as much acclaim as it did. Today we are going to try to delve a little deeper and share with you the history of this fascinating location, go over some activities you can do in the park, provide you with a list of the best spots to stay at (other than the Fairmont Banff Springs), and, if you aren’t convinced of it already, persuade you why Banff National Park is the best place to go for a summer vacation in Canada.
Banff National Park – A Historical Journey from Indigenous Lands to Canada’s First National Park
For over twelve thousand years the areas covering the present Banff National Park were home to several Indigenous Peoples who used the vast terrain to hunt, fish, trade, travel, and survey. Many areas within Banff National Park are still known by their Stoney Naokda names, like Lake Minnewanka and Waputik Range. With European westward colonization in the 19th century, a group of Canadian Pacific Railway employees stumbled upon a cluster of natural hot springs. Conflicting reports of European discovery led to contention over ownership, which led John A. Macdonald (the first prime minister of Canada) to set aside hot springs and a small patch of land surrounding it as a protected reserve, making it the first national park in Canadian history, and the third in North America after Yellowstone and Mackinac.
For a brief stint at the beginning of the 20th century, the land surrounding the park was used for coal mining, but by 1926 the mining town was fully dismantled and moved to Banff and all mining operations ceased. On a grimmer note, during World War I, the park was used as an internment camp for Austro-Hungarian and German immigrants and citizens, who were responsible for much of the early road infrastructure. Over the years large stretches of land were added to the National Park including Lake Louise, with the park now encompassing a substantial 6’641 square kilometers of land with three ecoregions, including montane, subalpine, and alpine.
Banff’s Rise to Fame – From Hot Springs Discovery to the Luxurious Fairmont Hotel
It didn’t take long for people to discover the natural beauty of Banff and its hot springs, with the area quickly gaining recognition amongst wealthy European and American tourists. After its initial discovery in 1883, the Canadian Pacific Railway wasted little time and in 1886 began work on one the world’s most luxurious hotels, completing it in 1888. The area rapidly gained notoriety and became one of the three best mountain resorts in North America. By 1911 Banff was accessible by automobile from Calgary and with the ever-increasing colonization of British Columbia, the flow of tourists only increased. By 2001, the Canadian Pacific Hotels, a subdivision of the Canadian Pacific Railway was reorganized as Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, giving the lavish hotel its now famous name “Fairmont Banff Springs”.
Experience Luxury and Adventure at Fairmont Banff Springs
Fairmont Banff Springs is renowned for its exceptional location and out-of-this-world elegance. Many of the hotel suites feature breathtaking views of the Rockies and amenities include a spa, golf course, tennis courts, and outdoor pool. During the summer, tourists have an abundance of activities they can partake in, including hiking through the gorgeous mountain trails, biking through scenic routes, golfing on some of the most beautiful courses in the world, fishing and boating in the Bow River, horseback riding on guided tours and so much more.
The hotel often organizes concerts and other cultural events like beer and wine fests and art exhibitions. Private guided tours of the national park, including wildlife watching and photography are available to the visitors, although, our recommendation is to just stroll through the forest first, as Banff is one of the few places in the world where we have seen deer, moose, and elk freely roaming the city proper during broad daylight, as well as its surrounding forests. As a word of caution, if you are planning on visiting Banff, and especially if you are planning on doing nature excursions, we strongly recommend catching up on your bear-safe techniques and carrying a can of bear mace, as Banff is one of the most likely places in all of Canada where you can encounter a bear (sometimes too close for both of your and the bear’s comfort levels).
Affordable Alternatives to Fairmont Banff Springs
If the Fairmont Banff Springs is out of your price range, which admittedly can be the case for most people, with rooms ranging from $1-1.5k on the very low end to a jaw-dropping $5-10k on the higher end per night, we strongly recommend booking a cozy Airbnb or one of many other excellent hotels in Banff proper.
During both of our stays at Banff (although admittedly, they were during the winter), we managed to rent out an entire comfy two-room wooden lodge for three to four days for a few hundred bucks, without sacrificing too much in the “vistas” department, and yes, the deer came right to our window. Admittedly, it is hard to replicate the chic and ritz of the Fairmont in any hotel, let alone an Airbnb, so if you are looking to dish out on that once-in-a-lifetime vacation and feel like royalty (literally), we recommend booking your trip a year in advance, and preferably through third-party websites, as you can get prices to a more reasonable $800-$1000 per night.
Banff National Park – A Must-Visit Canadian Destination
Overall, Banff National Park is one of the locations that everyone who comes to Canada must visit at some point in their life. It combines history, luxury, and nature like no other place we’ve been to and stands tall as a beacon of getaway resorts for the past century, hosting outstanding guests like Queen Elizabeth, King Edward VIII, King George VI, Marylin Monroe, and many others. Regardless of if you are high royalty or not, however, you too can experience this unforgettable, amazing, and mesmerizing place for yourself, so pack your bags (or book your tickets a year in advance), and get ready to create lifelong memories in one of Canada’s most iconic and beloved locations.
