banff in winter with elderly parents
Dec 7th, 2006, 10:11 AM
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banff in winter with elderly parents
hi all. i've been to banff many times but thought i'd throw this out there in case i'm forgetting something (i'm sure judy will remind me). spending december 22 & 23 in banff. i've never been there during the christmas season so i'm hoping for some festive sites. my folks (81 yrs) can walk several/many blocks on flat ground in winter but my dad is pretty unsteady on his feet so it will be a lot of "in car" touring. staying in the town of banff. we'll drive to lake louise for a look around; banff springs hotel; a walk to the bow falls. any other sites/places i should consider? we could do the gondola but once up top, is it too uneven for unsteady folks to walk around, enjoyably? this isn't the same one skiiers for sunshine use right? i think we have our dinner places arranged but any special lounges that we should consider for our afternoon hot chocolate/beer break with awsome views? thank very much.
Dec 7th, 2006, 11:13 AM
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Driving to Lake Louise is a great idea. You'll see the ice castle and the skaters on the lake, just in front of Chateau Lake Louise.
It's fun to do the horsedrawn sleigh ride that Brewster operates on the lakeshore path. It starts and ends close to the hotel.
The restaurant in Deer Lodge is a pleasant, cosy place to have lunch.
I've never been up Sulphur Mountain in the winter, but I do know the gondola operates year-round. Yes, it's a different gondola than the one at Sunshine. Sulphur Mountain is a short distance south of Banff townsite. You might almost call it the outskirts of the town. Sunshine is 16 km away, and the turn off to it is on the TransCanada Highway, between Banff townsite and Lake Louise.
As I said, I've never been up Sulphur Mountain in winter, but I'm sure it would be fine for your parents. I imagine they keep the little walking path clear of snow. But, even if they don't, there is a restaurant called the Panorama Room just by the upper gondola station. My experience of it in summer is that the food is indifferent, but the view is stupendous.
At the Banff Springs Hotel the Bow Valley Grill, which is an excellent and expensive restaurant, offers tremendous views. The Rundle Lounge offers the same views for less. Depending on the time of day, you can have high tea or drinks / appetizers / light meals.
A real bargain in the view department is the Muk-a-muk Restaurant, which is located in the Juniper Hotel on Norquay Road, across the TransCanada Highway from Banff townsite. Its menu is tasty but "different" (original, quirky). Its prices are reasonable.
Have you discovered the cleats that you can slip on over the outsides of your boots or runners? My nextdoor neighbour introduced them to me not so long ago, and they are a godsend on slippery winter sidewalks. An earlier brand was called Yak Trax, but mine are a more recent version called Get-A-Grip. They cost in the neighbourhood of C$25 per pair. I consider them to be well worth the investment.
Hope you have a good trip.
It's fun to do the horsedrawn sleigh ride that Brewster operates on the lakeshore path. It starts and ends close to the hotel.
The restaurant in Deer Lodge is a pleasant, cosy place to have lunch.
I've never been up Sulphur Mountain in the winter, but I do know the gondola operates year-round. Yes, it's a different gondola than the one at Sunshine. Sulphur Mountain is a short distance south of Banff townsite. You might almost call it the outskirts of the town. Sunshine is 16 km away, and the turn off to it is on the TransCanada Highway, between Banff townsite and Lake Louise.
As I said, I've never been up Sulphur Mountain in winter, but I'm sure it would be fine for your parents. I imagine they keep the little walking path clear of snow. But, even if they don't, there is a restaurant called the Panorama Room just by the upper gondola station. My experience of it in summer is that the food is indifferent, but the view is stupendous.
At the Banff Springs Hotel the Bow Valley Grill, which is an excellent and expensive restaurant, offers tremendous views. The Rundle Lounge offers the same views for less. Depending on the time of day, you can have high tea or drinks / appetizers / light meals.
A real bargain in the view department is the Muk-a-muk Restaurant, which is located in the Juniper Hotel on Norquay Road, across the TransCanada Highway from Banff townsite. Its menu is tasty but "different" (original, quirky). Its prices are reasonable.
Have you discovered the cleats that you can slip on over the outsides of your boots or runners? My nextdoor neighbour introduced them to me not so long ago, and they are a godsend on slippery winter sidewalks. An earlier brand was called Yak Trax, but mine are a more recent version called Get-A-Grip. They cost in the neighbourhood of C$25 per pair. I consider them to be well worth the investment.
Hope you have a good trip.
Dec 12th, 2006, 09:19 PM
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>>>>>>Judy, are these thing doeable without a car?<<<<<<
Lake Louise is 38 miles from Banff townsite. A visit to Lake Louise would be included if you did the Discover Banff Tours "Sightseeing" day trip:
http://www.banfftours.com/banff/w_winter.shtml
Bow Falls is within walking distance of "downtown" Banff. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is on the outskirts of Banff, but also within walking distance of downtown.
Sulphur Mountain Gondola is on the outskirts of downtown Banff, but not within what I would call walking distance. I think you'd need a cab to get there if you didn't have a car.
The Juniper Hotel is a little way outside of Banff townsite, quite well beyond what I would call walking distance.
There are, however, about 200 restaurants in Banff townsite. There also are several shops and a couple of museums.
Lake Louise is 38 miles from Banff townsite. A visit to Lake Louise would be included if you did the Discover Banff Tours "Sightseeing" day trip:
http://www.banfftours.com/banff/w_winter.shtml
Bow Falls is within walking distance of "downtown" Banff. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is on the outskirts of Banff, but also within walking distance of downtown.
Sulphur Mountain Gondola is on the outskirts of downtown Banff, but not within what I would call walking distance. I think you'd need a cab to get there if you didn't have a car.
The Juniper Hotel is a little way outside of Banff townsite, quite well beyond what I would call walking distance.
There are, however, about 200 restaurants in Banff townsite. There also are several shops and a couple of museums.
Dec 14th, 2006, 03:07 PM
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Hello- we routinely go through this region en route to visit the Grandparents. Our winter family favorites have included tea in Chateau Lake Louise (its a wonderful way to sit and gaze out the windows to s spectacular view) followed by the sleigh ride around the lake. Book early and have good mits and hats. My husband and I also always do lunch at Banff Springs for the same reason - sit by the picture windows, take you time to look, savor, and enjoy the company. If you find the ground is too slippery see if the hotel has a "skating trainer" that you could borrow (they look like a modified walker). If your dad is unsteady the ice grips for your shoes may not help- you would have to try it out (my mother loves her but is steady on her feer) but perhpas ice grips on a cane may be better. Should be a wonderful adventure.
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