Flossie and Jim

The Moose is a nice hotel - close to the main strip of shops, bars, restaurants and supermarket so you don't have to walk too far for supplies. At that hotel they give you a free pass for Banff's 'roam' transit so you'll be able to get to the gondola at sulphur mountain, Banff Springs and the other close by tourist sites.

Touloulou's is good for breakfast but quite small so you may have to wait if its busy. We like the Elk and Oarsman pub which is upstairs on the main strip - food is fairly reasonable and its a pub where you can take kids. Also the Waldhaus pub is quite nice too - tucked away past the Bow Falls, below the Banff Springs Hotel. Last year they did a kids easter treasure hunt up at the top of the gondola and our kids had fun doing that.

scilly

People do live in Banff, as well as thousands of tourists .......... so there is at least one supermarket.

I personally much prefer Jasper .......... I find that a much more pleasant small town, with friendlier locals. Banff is touristy

Siouxie

Just a bit

Photos

Yorkiechef

Canmore?

Cochrane is a good hour away....I prefer Canmore to both Banff and cochrane. It just feels like you could live there, unlike Banff.

Jingsamichty

Things that you would never say in Europe, part 351.

Englishmum

Thank you so much - this is fantastic information!

I don’t mind taking public transport, have been on a few trips to St.Anton in Austria so would take the local bus to other villages to meet up with the skiers for lunch, either at the bottom of the slopes or taking a gondola up and dining at the mountain restaurants, I’ve also done this at Swiss ski resorts too....but the bonus in Canada is that English is spoken of course and the Canadians are so friendly! (Although there are so many Aussies working at ski resorts but I guess many have just gone home for the new university year Down Under)

My spouse is still trying to convince me to ski again, so we can spend the afternoons with our granddaughter but I don’t think she will be doing much in her very first week of learning to ski (she’s about to turn 7 but is tiny for her age). The last time I was on the slopes was about 3 years ago in Arosa, eastern Switzerland but I just didn’t enjoy it anymore.

scilly

Most of the Aussies that come are not uni students ........ they come at least for the whole season. So you'll see plenty of them!

Siouxie

Kids seem to learn quite quickly, you may be surprised at how well she does.

This tot starting skiing just after learning to walk


And this is a 3 year olds first ski experience


Have you thought about trying snowboarding instead?

Partially discharged

Not sure which places in CH you've been to but everytime I was there english was readily spoken. In the French parts I tried to speak french but the locals quickly switched to english (now there's a hint about my french) and in the German and Italian speaking areas I was next to useless unless they spoke english and in the german speaking areas their english was flawless.

Partially discharged

ha ha....Dinner in many places in Spain starts at about 21h30

Partially discharged

We're staying in Jasper in July/August as well as Radium Hot Springs but just passing through Banff after landing in Calgary.

Banff seems like a bit of a chocolate box type of town overrun by tourists who rarely get away from ye olde fudge shoppes...or am I wrong.

Almost Canadian

I much prefer Banff to Jasper.

The location of the mountains is far more impressive and there is far more to do within a reasonable distance of the town than in Jasper.

Almost Canadian

When a beginner, it is far easier to fall snowboarding than skiing as, at slow speeds, skiing in quite easy.

Even at slow speeds, catching an edge and falling on a snowboard hurts.

scilly

I first visited Banff in 1969, and haven't changed my mind much in all the intervening years ............... over-run by tourists, ye olde fudge shop, and shops selling Chinese- or Japanese-made souvenirs.

Yes, Jasper has one fudge shop, the same type of souvenirs, but it never feels over-powered.

Where are you staying in Jasper??

Jasper Park Lodge is very expensive but I love it.

We've stayed twice recently at Whistlers' Inn ............ built in the 1930s and retaining a lot of that era's atmosphere, reasonably priced, clean and comfortable, in downtown, and with a very lively pub on the main floor. Ask for a room(s) on the quiet side as one side looks out over the railway tracks ........... though we had a room directly opposite the station last year and were not disturbed by any noise.

Lovely kitschy coffee and sandwich shop, Coco's Cafe on Patricia Street, and also a wonderful bakery on Connaught, Bear's Paw bakery and The Other Paw Bakery Cafe.

Do take the gondola to the top of The Whistlers to get an overall view.

Lots of places to eat

scilly

I had a doctor about 20 years ago who was a great athlete, played quite a high level of rugby and loved skiing.

HIS doctor told him that he was getting too old to ski and should try snowboarding.

First time out he fell, automatically tucked his arm across his body as he'd learnt to do in rugby . and broke 2 ribs.