What the heck is a babymoon anyways? Well, I’m sure the same people who made up an engagement ring or a honeymoon were up to this but I ain’t complain’in. It’s the parents-to-be’s last hurrah before the baby comes. Being about 4 months pregnant, we thought it’d be the perfect time to travel without huffing and puffing (too much). Many months ago, I had the pleasure to attend a dinner hosted by The Lincoln Motors Company, and was able to chat with Michelle from Ford/Lincoln. We talked about life and how Roy and I were open to trying for kids. She joking added that perhaps our trip with them would be our babymoon. And, it turned out to be just so. We chose Banff because being Canadian, born and raised in the East coast all our lives, we’ve never seen the Canadian Rockies.
We flew into Calgary on June 21, picked up our 2017 Lincoln Continental and took the road to Banff (a few hours drive). Our trip started in Banff, then to Lake Louise, Jasper and then back down to Lake Louise, Canmore and a final stop back to Calgary. Sadly, we didn’t spend much time in Canmore or Calgary but we’re saving that for a little roadtrip with an RV and kids in the future!
One of the things that worried us was if the drive would be comfortable enough for a preggos lady. I mean, I have trouble sleeping as it is these days and thought that the car rides might not be the best idea. However, as soon as we discovered that the Lincoln Continental had massage options for both the front and the back seats, we used them all day, all week (not even lying about this)! One of my favourite features sure! Another amazing feature of the car was the extra large sunroof (always a plus for roadtrips and great for standing out of for photos if you don’t want to get out of the car).
We wanted to give a huge thanks to the team at Brookline PR and the Lincoln Motors Company for making this Babymoon so memorable for us. We feel so grateful for the opportunities that come our way, and this by far has been the icing on the cake.
Follow along in this post to see all the things we were up on our trip to discoveries the great Canadian Rockies and some recommendations for those considering on taking a trip!
Stay:
Banff – Fairmont Banff Springs + Juniper Hotel
Lake Louise – Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise + Paradise Lodge and Bungalows
Jasper – Alpine Village
Duration: 6 nights, 7 days
Must see: Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Peyto Lake, Lake Agnes Tea House
Must eat: 1888 Chophouse, Sky Bistro (with a gondola ride), Fairview Dining Room at Chateau Lake Louise
[ D A Y 1 ]
When we landed on June 21, the weather was quite breezy. Our first stop was to check out Moraine Lake. We were not disappointed by the views! Tip: take the small hike for spectacular views of the emerald coloured lake and it’s snow capped mountains.
[ D A Y 2 ]
The weather started to warm up so we decided to take a little day hike to Lake Agnes Tea House (the trail starts from Lake Louise). It’s a serene hike and it was our favourite out of the three we did on this trip. Tip: Make sure to not miss the hike to the Beehive after your tea/snacks at the tea house. Definitely worth the extra 30 minutes or so for the views of Lake Agnes, Lake Louise and Mirror Lake.
[ D A Y 3 ]
Well, all the hiking showed us how out of shape we were, so it was perfect that Lincoln had set up a little Spa day for us at Fairmont Banff Springs – Willow Stream Spa.
Before heading to the spa, we took a little morning drive to Vermilion Lakes. It’s a small peaceful lake, where we sat and enjoyed breakfast.
Afterwards at the spa, we were able to use the pools (an arrange of hot/cold baths), steamrooms, had amazing massages and finished off with a pedicure! The prenatal massage was the best I’ve ever had (of all massages in life) and it was a great way to spend the day surrounded mountain views and some quiet time.
Later that evening, we headed out for dinner at Sky Bistro. You can either hike up (which takes a few hours) or take the gondola. Obviously after a day of R&R we took the gondola ride up for some delicious food with unforgettable views.
[ D A Y 4 ]
We started off the day on a boat cruise on Lake Minnewanka. It gave us a closer view of this beautiful lake and a history lesson of the Rockies. We then headed over to Lake Louise. One of the most memorable things we did this trip was canoeing on the lake. The emerald colours of the water are unreal! We ended the day off with dinner at the Fairview Dining Room at Chateau Lake Louise – seated by a large window that overlooked Lake Louise.
[ D A Y 5 ]
After exploring Banff and Lake Louise, we drove to Jasper, making stops along the way. There was no reception on the highway so we made the most of it by enjoying one of the most scenic drives we’ve ever taken. Peyto Lake was the most memorable for me this day, but we also took a short hike on the Parker Ridge trail where we had lunch, and finally stopped at the Glaciers before heading to our lodge in Jasper (Alpine Village) for the evening.
[ D A Y 6 ]
On our last full day, we wanted to make sure we didn’t miss a thing. We started the morning by canoeing on Maligne Lake. It’s not as crowded and busy as Lake Louise and is much bigger. After having a small lunch here, we headed over to Emerald Lake, leaving Jasper. Emerald Lake is in fact in British Columbia but it’s quite close to Lake Louise and many people travel to get a glimpse of its waters. It was a long day, but being somewhere this beautiful doesn’t hurt!
[ D A Y 7 ]
We started the day with a friendly visit from a grizzly! Over the trip, we’ve seen several wildlife animals: about 3 black bears, a grizzly and a bald eagle to name a few. It’s quite an experience to see them for the first time and can only imagine what it feels like seeing these creatures on the daily. None the less, we stopped every time we spotted an animal!
With only about half a day left before our flight, we decided that we would check out Canmore before heading to the Calgary airport. We took a small hike up on the Grassi Lakes Trail. There’s two options for the hike: easy or more difficult. The more difficult isn’t that hard at all, plus you get better views of Canmore! It was a little hard going up because of the short amount of stairs and elevation (and my belly) but it was a great short last hike and lunch spot!
[ Tips ]
– Pack snacks/meals for road! Since you spend lots of time stopping and driving, you may get hungry and not be able to eat until you get to your destination. Most of the drive from Banff to Jasper doesnt have any real stops for food/dining options.
– Pack light on your hikes. We learned this the hard way in Yosemite. Pack only what you’ll need and water! Don’t forget your hiking boots!
– Map out your trip. You’ll definitely want to make sure you know which stops/hikes are on your to-do list. There is so much to see/do that you may not get a chance to finish your list if you stop at every single stop.
– Stay away from wildlife. Remember, you’re in their territory.
– Take a moment to enjoy the stillness and calmness of nature. At Emerald Lake, we sat for about half an hour not saying a word to one another. It wasn’t because we wanted to talk but something about being there makes you appreciate the quietness.
Lastly, I just wanted to thank you to all of you for following along on our adventures on stories, Instagram and the blog! Banff was really special to us because it showed us that even though we may be joined by a little one in a few months, we need to put our relationship in clear light, so don’t ever lose the fire. For all those, who are heading over to Banff or thinking of making a trip or perhaps it was never on your list, we highly recommend it. It’s great for families and couples alike! Plus, I sometimes forget how amazing our country is! Canada, such a country of wonders.
