ainwonderland

Hey there!
My husband and I are considering a pre-baby trip to Canada since we have never been and had always planned to go. We know skiing is out; however, it appears there is still a lot to do and see. We are considering Whistler (basing at the Four Seasons) or Banff (basing at either the Fairmont Banff or Fairmont Lake Louise). We would like to go somewhere we can see a lot of the town, eat great food, and be pampered a bit- looking for a mix of both (subtle) adventure and relaxation. That said, is one destination better than the other? Is there another place in Canada that may be a better fit for what we are looking for? We welcome any and all advice/suggestions. We plan to go first week of December. I will be 25 weeks pregnant.

laverendrye

For what you seem to be looking for, I think that Whistler would be a more suitable choice than either Banff or especially Lake Louise. Both the Banff Springs and the Chateau Lake Louise ar somewhat isolated from the townsites, and in fact there is hardly a town side to speak of at Lake Louise.

garyt22

Where are you traveling from?

elbegewa

definitely, Whistler
You can get to almost everything the town offers by walking on pedestrian-only walkways ... you can watch the skiing, even take a ride up the gondola to the top as a non-skier, go to tons of great restaurants, stop in at several museums

Banff or Jasper or Lake Louise you'd need a car or other transport to get to/from the ski slopes or many of the sights

kgsneds

I agree that Lake Louise is probably not a good option given your interests.

However, I think Banff would be as suitable as Whistler. The Banff Springs Hotel is located just a bit from the core of the townsite, but you can easily drive or take a bus/shuttle. Or even if you drive, it's easy to park in one place in Banff, then walk around the townsite.

A car is quite helpful, but there are some tours and there are very regular shuttles to all of the ski hills. So a car is not a necessity.

The big factor will be your timing. If you're looking for proper winter, then Banff/Lake Louise is likely to be your best option. In early December, the town/base area of Whistler can often be quite bare. Here in the Rockies, it's already quite snowy.

There are lots of options for things to do in Banff and Lake Louise (Lake Louise can be an easy trip from Banff) - sleigh rides, ice skating (probably not on natural ice in very early December), dog sled trips, icewalks, gondola rides (three different places it's possible) and even snowshoeing. Also, there are world cup alpine ski races at Lake Louise through December 3rd.

dianalo

Whistler! Food is amazing here. Even the ride from Vancouver to Whistler is a scenic trip that makes the bus ride entertaining. I look forward to visiting again this winter!