Anyone who knows me personally can attest that I just LOVE the mountains. Two years ago, my husband was away out west for work and while chatting on the phone one night we joked about me visiting him on his weekend off. “Why don't you just fly out here?” He said. It only took me half a second to reply “Ok.” He was taken back and surprised that I agreed. I had never been on a plane before! I flew out to Calgary, by myself for the first time- and spent 3 full days in the mountains. Anyone who has been lucky enough to spend time there knows that 3 days is not NEAR enough.

Last summer, we spent 5 days out east whale watching, walking the shores of PEI and shopping in adorable little tourist towns like Saint Andrews. While I LOVED every minute of it, it just wasn't the same.

I longed to be in the mountains again. I knew exactly where I was going when it came time to book this years trip!

In July we spent 5 full days in Alberta. We flew into Calgary and drove to Edmonton for one day/night, packed up the next morning and headed for Jasper. 2 days in Jasper and 2 days in Banff. It was like we traveled in a square starting and ending in Calgary.

If I could change one thing it would be to spend all nights in the park. The days we were there we spent 1 night right in Jasper, drove to Banff for the day then drove all the way back to Calgary to sleep. The next day we got up and drove to Banff and back. It’s crazy expensive to stay in the mountains, obviously. But that is definitely one thing I will be doing differently next time we go.

Here are some images taken with my camera during our travels. I cannot wait to go back in 2021! Where should we go next year?!

This was just downtown Edmonton. A spot we found driving through.

This was taken at the top of the mountain the Jasper Skytram goes up to!

On the side of the road (Icefield Parkway)

Little mountain goats on the side of the hill under the Icefield Parkway Skywalk.

Peyto Lake. Also, being a real tourist in my Banff is calling shirt!

Waiting in line to go to Moraine Lake from Lake Louise.**This place is crazy during tourist season! We had to arrive at 530am to get a parking spot. You go check out Lake Louise and then have to wait for the bus for the next lake. From Moraine Lake,… — Waiting in line to go to Moraine Lake from Lake Louise.
**This place is crazy during tourist season! We had to arrive at 530am to get a parking spot. You go check out Lake Louise and then have to wait for the bus for the next lake. From Moraine Lake, you take the shuttle back to the main shuttle parking lot and back around to Lake Louise. It’s a round trip. 6 hours it took us! If you don’t arrive this early, it’s at least 2 hours for EACH BUS LINE. Go early friends!!

Lake Louise a little later in the morning. We left Calgary at 330am.. Don’t judge ;)

I set my camera up and handed it off to a lady ontop of this lookout at Moraine Lake. JUST as we sat down the sun came out! gah, this is the best I could do.