Downtown Banff is made up of traditional timber and stone buildings and arranged in a simple grid pattern, centred around the main road – Banff Avenue - that’s been purposely positioned to open up a fabulous view of Cascade Mountain.
Unlike your average ski resort, winter is low season here (good news if you’re staying in town, which usually means better deals). Accommodation is mostly classic lodges and hotels, the cream of the crop being the Fairmont Springs Hotel. This ‘castle in the Rockies’ has had ...
Mt Norquay’s runs are sheltered by trees - head up on the Cascade chair for wide and easy-going greens like Temptation and Speculation. Intermediates can take the Mystic Express to several blues like Bruno’s gully, where you have the opportunity to dabble in a bit of powder. The North American Chair serves some exhilarating black diamonds (don’t miss the bumps on the Memorial Bowl) and a double diamond - Lone Pine. If you’ve been skiing elsewhere in the day, return to Norquay in time for the night skiing, wh...
The whole area is known for its laid-back après and friendly locals. In Norquay, the Cascade Lodge has a fabulous sun terrace - you could head inside to the Kika's Café for a warming cuppa but make sure you stay out to watch the sunset at least once.
After a day in Sunshine village, grab a quick eat at the Burger Shack or go fine dining at The Eagle's Nest (the fantastic Alberta beef is their speciality).
At the base of Lake Louise, Banded Peak Base Camp often has live music and does great BBQ food. Anothe...