Wow, look at me go, two posts in two days!
As we close out our week of adventuring in Glacier, we’ve now crossed the border into the great land of Canada!
Leaving Glacier was a mix of excitement and nerves. We had to navigate a specific route to reach one of the border crossings, and we made one error by not realizing we couldn’t carry a gun into Canada due to their strict regulations on what’s considered ‘protection from animals.’ But we figured it out and made it through without too much trouble.
Once we started driving in Canada, we quickly realized we were a bit underprepared for being in a whole new country. We had our passports and travel documents, but we lacked the right type of dollars and were unfamiliar with some of the signage. Oh, and let’s not forget the lack of signal on our phones and not wanting to incur large roaming bills! Thankfully, Starlink came to the rescue, keeping us connected to the rest of the world!
Our first stop in Canada was the other end of Glacier, known as Waterton National Park in Alberta. This place was just as beautiful, with the stunning Prince of Wales Hotel overlooking the main village. We loved the European vibe of the area, strolling around town and indulging in our first Poutine of the trip (chips, cheese, and gravy!).
That night, we stayed at another Harvest Host, this time at a large farming museum. We got to pick our spot and nestled close to the trees for some much-needed shade from the crazy heat! While we didn’t explore much that evening, the next morning we had the chance to look around.
We left bright and early the next day, heading to our campsite near Calgary. Our goal? The Calgary Stampede, an annual rodeo, exhibition, and festival that’s the biggest in Canada! We arrived in time for Tilly to meet some of her heroes from Paw Patrol, watched big heavy horses pull immense weights, and enjoyed the true fair experience with Chinese food, ice cream, and donuts!
Next up was the true gem we’d been waiting for: Banff. Banff has been on our bucket list for a while, and it was a key reason for our northern trek. We booked an early Gondola ride up a mountain to take it all in, and wow, it did not disappoint! The girls loved the ride up, enjoying free cookies and the incredible views. Clear blue skies stretched for miles, and we even saw local mountain sheep hoping for some naive tourists to drop food. We explored exhibits, learned about the history, and ran around collecting stamps in our books for free stickers.
We tried our best to get to the iconic lakes, including Lake Louise, but the high level of restrictions to manage traffic and crowds made it impossible. While it was frustrating, we still managed to explore and enjoy the treats in downtown Banff. We paddled in the emerald waters, but it didn’t last long as it was pretty chilly—so chilly even Gracie refrained from swimming!
After a delightful day around Lake Louise, we headed back to our trailer, hot, tired, and happy. We attempted to take showers at the campsite, but our forgetfulness about needing Canadian dollars foiled that plan.
Our time in Banff and Calgary came to a close. We absolutely loved the area and look forward to coming back with more planning and advance bookings. Now, we head west into the mountains of British Columbia to Fernie for the week before returning to the US. We’re excited to experience more of what Canada has to offer.
Phew, what a week, one for the memories to be sure! See you when we are back in the US!
Our Adventures in Frames 
Leave a comment