8 Days in Alaska: A Trip Report (6/26-7/3/17) with a Side of Banff and Seattle * COMPLETE

Sounds like quite the day! I'll tell you, if I didn't already have Iceland booked, I'd be seriously considering re-doing Alaska next year, based on your report! :) But I'm still bummed they got rid of the Resurrection Bay cruise for next year...

Sayhello
 
Soooo interesting to read your report and re-live it the trip.

I will say - when we were on our trip I thought our guides were very good though nothing spectacular. But it was our first ABD trip, and I was new to this board as well, and had no idea what to expect. Now that I've read more about others' experiences, I would have been very disappointed with our guides. Outside of the JA night there was very little interaction with the kids - definitely no game playing/entertaining on the bus rides/having the kids eat meals together. They mostly talked to each other on long rides, including the train ride and boat ride. I guess it is good I didn't have any expectations. Yours sound amazing.

I'm with Sayhello - this is a trip I would do again down the road. We really did love Alaska.
 
Day 6

Alaska Railroad and Resurrection Bay Cruise

We had another early morning in order to arrive early enough to make sure that we got our tickets and could board the train. DH and I love trains (as do Robyn, Stephanie, and John) and we were really looking forward to this day. There is always a day in the ABD that stands out (Mushing and Hot Springs in Wyoming; Monks, Rice Farms, and Waterfalls in SE Asia; Machu Picchu in Peru; and Sailing around Santorini in Greece) and this was the DAY for this trip.

We boarded the train without issue. Nick’s BFF joined us, which made the trip even more fun. Thanks to BluesTraveler’s genius suggestion, the boys had a deck of cards and the train had crayons and color pages (that the boys converted to drawing paper). We were served drinks and started our journey. ABD is in the First Class Cabin that has large windows and a glass ceiling so you have an amazing view. The scenery is incredible.

Robyn had arranged for our group to have breakfast first and we were quickly called to the dining car that was a small flight of stairs below. On the train, there was FINALLY a delicious breakfast. I had the cream cheese stuffed French Toast (so did both boys) and DH had the more traditional breakfast. It was DELICIOUS. Mine was not too sweet but just right and was a reasonable portion. All four of us ate everything! DH and I also enjoyed a mimosa. We spent the rest of the trip just enjoying the scenery and the beautiful train. I was sorry that it was only a one-way trip.

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We arrived in Seward and John was there to meet us to drive us the rest of the way to catch up with our boat that would take us through Resurrection Bay. Resurrection Bay is called such because Captain Cook and his crew came upon it in the middle of a storm and found calm there that saved their boat. The bay quite literally brought them back to life.

We boarded the boat and before we left the harbor, we saw some adorable sea otters playing in the water. Now, I will say that I went into this cruise prepared thanks to Blues Traveler’s trip report. I knew it would be a long day for Nick. I decided early on that if he played cards with new BFF throughout the cruise and did not pay attention to one bit of the wildlife and scenery then that was okay. I tend to get worried about him ‘missing’ something but realized after our Peru trip that making a new friend from a different part of the country may be more valuable to him now than focusing on the scenery. So, with that set, the boys went and sat with the other Juniors. DH went on the top deck and I found a nice chair inside with a good view.

The trip was full of scenery and our captain was terrific about pointing it out to us. Plus, she had a fantastic voice (really, she should be in broadcasting) so it really made the trip come alive. We went for about two hours and then stopped on Fox Island for lunch. Of course, Robyn and Stephanie had the perfect strategy for us. They took us to meet the captain to learn more about the boat so the other people on the cruise (it is a fairly large ship) could rush out to get to the lunch line. Then after they were done, we would stroll off the ship to grab our lunch when there was no line and after they had replenished the food offerings with hot food. (These guides know what they are doing).

It was fun to hear about the ship. We took some fun pictures piloting and then headed for lunch. Things worked out just as we had planned and we all sailed through the lunch line and found seats. Lunch was really good! Prime Rib and Salmon were served. There were King Crab Legs but it was a $50 surcharge (DH was really bummed). On the boat, the crew had given the kids additional Junior Ranger books to work on. Nick enjoyed his experience getting his Junior Ranger badge in Denali so he wanted to get one for Kenai, too. So, we did the exercises before he ditched me to go sit and play cards with new BFF. Since he had done his workbook, he got his Junior Ranger pin for Kenai from the Ranger during lunch.

Fox Island is gorgeous and it is also supposed to be the stone skipping capitol of Alaska. All of us enjoyed trying. DH had the most success and Nick got a few going. I was hapless but it was still lots of fun. After lunch and skipping, we loaded back onto the boat in search of more wildlife. We found a ton seeing more otters, puffins, and sea lions sunning themselves on a rock. Then as we got further out, we saw three humpback whales! It was amazing. We were all on deck watching and when one dove in and finally showed her tail (they were in fairly shallow water); I actually jumped up and down and clapped! It was an amazing sight and I was awestruck.

The water did get choppy where the whales were and both Nick and I felt a little green after. Our captain moved us quickly out of the choppy waters (after we were able to watch the whales for a while). The little bit of nausea was worth it and of course, Robyn and Stephanie gave Nick ginger candy and the crew gave him some ginger ale and he felt much better. We have learned to take his nausea seriously after Peru but that is a story for another time.

It was time to head back and as we pulled into port, we saw the same adorable sea otters we had seen on the way out. They were still playing in the same spot. We loved the cruise and it was definitely a highlight of the trip.


That night was dinner on your own in Seward and we were honestly not too psyched. The Aleyska had some really good sounding restaurants (including a Sushi Bar) that we really wanted to try. Robyn was trying to cheer us up by saying there were some really good places in Seward. She said there was a Brewery, a Pizza Place, and a Fish Place! DS and I (as well as some of our fellow adventurers) groaned internally (you cannot groan to Robyn’s face; she is too wonderful) because EVERY town we had been in had a Brewery, a Pizza Place, and a Fish Place! One of our adventurer friends exclaimed, “I just want a green juice!” and we felt his pain. My family also just wanted something healthy and light. Nonetheless, we would have to find a place in Seward. We selected another place Stephanie recommended that was NOT a Brewery, a Pizza Place, or a Fish Place!

It was called Zudy’s and it was EXACTLY what we wanted/needed! It was a cute sandwich place that had sandwiches, soups, and house made desserts. It was terrific and probably our favorite meal of our trip. (I think that is because it was exactly what we needed at that moment). We all had sandwiches. They were all wonderful and fairly healthy and we shared White Chocolate Key Lime Cheesecake for dessert. We loved Zudy’s! There was a street fair going on so some people had grabbed food there, which also sounded fun.

After dinner, you could hang out in Seward or visit the Alaska SeaLife Center. We opted for the SeaLife Center and we all really enjoyed it. Most of our group ended up there, too. They had just rescued a baby otter and baby walrus. They were adorable and fun to see. They had some other good exhibits that we enjoyed. It was definitely worth doing.

After that, it was back on the bus and back to the Aleyska and straight to bed. It had been a long but amazing day!
 

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Soooo interesting to read your report and re-live it the trip.

I will say - when we were on our trip I thought our guides were very good though nothing spectacular. But it was our first ABD trip, and I was new to this board as well, and had no idea what to expect. Now that I've read more about others' experiences, I would have been very disappointed with our guides. Outside of the JA night there was very little interaction with the kids - definitely no game playing/entertaining on the bus rides/having the kids eat meals together. They mostly talked to each other on long rides, including the train ride and boat ride. I guess it is good I didn't have any expectations. Yours sound amazing.

I'm with Sayhello - this is a trip I would do again down the road. We really did love Alaska.
Thanks for reading along! You get some more mentions in my latest post.

Yes, this was a great team. All of our guides have been good but some have been outstanding. I would put this team in the OUTSTANDING category. Robyn is one of the long timers but Stephanie and her knowledge of Alaska was just great. Add John in there and you have the perfect team. I will have to say comparing anyone to this team would be tough! They did a great job.

Sounds like quite the day! I'll tell you, if I didn't already have Iceland booked, I'd be seriously considering re-doing Alaska next year, based on your report! :) But I'm still bummed they got rid of the Resurrection Bay cruise for next year...

Sayhello

Thanks so much for reading along! Robyn and I had such a good laugh because I feel like I know you from these boards and she DOES know you. The internet is cool that way.

I am very partial to the itinerary we did just because I LOVED it so much. I am sure the changes they are making will be great. It's so hard to know what the experience will be like until you do it but I would miss the things they have cut.

Austin Adventures offers a Kenai trip where you spend the night on Fox Island. That's the one thing that I would like to do and I would love to return to Alaska, too.
 


I don't want to sounds like I'm complaining - we LOVED our trip and I would highly recommend it - but I think my expectations are a little higher now that I've read more about other people's experiences...
 
I don't want to sounds like I'm complaining - we LOVED our trip and I would highly recommend it - but I think my expectations are a little higher now that I've read more about other people's experiences...
Well, I want to say, it's a funny coincidence, but my Alaska ABD is the only one out of the 9 I've done where the Adventure Guides weren't outstanding. They were good, but not Outstanding. Jesse, the Alaskan local, was a little timid, and Rae, the "experienced" Guide obviously did not respect Jesse. Both her attitude and little things she said showed that. I'm pretty sure she was not a Disney employee before she became an Adventure Guide. Rae no longer works for ABD!

In my case, I'd already done Southwest Splendors, with Chris Brown and Cheryl (I've forgotten her last name) and Mike Hage as a shadow guide, and they were totally AMAZING, and what sold me on ABD. So I was pretty sure the Alaska team was the aberration (which turned out to be correct!). Luckily she did not turn me off to ABD!

And it was still a fabulous trip. Just not Outstanding. :)

Sayhello
 
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Chris Brown
Chris is definitely one of my all-stars and while we are giving positive shout outs, my dream team is (in no order):

Chris B.
Landon
Laura Beers
Francesc
Alyssa
Hanneke
Robyn

Our native guides, Elena (Greece), Stephanie (Alaska), Henry (Vietnam), and Harvey (Peru) were also amazing

Hanneke and Laura aren't giving tours any more but if you get any of these other folks you are in amazing hands. Crossing fingers for Alyssa in Australia!
 


Day 7

Wildlife Conservation Center and Portage Glacier

That morning we finally had a fairly late call time so we were able to sleep in a bit before breakfast. The breakfast at the Aleyska was very good and the best hotel breakfast on the trip (there’s an omelet station with Jalapeños!—The chef is from San Antonio, TX). That was delicious.

Our trip for today was to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. We had seen so much wildlife that it was hard to imagine what else we could see. However, we had not seen a bear and that is one of the primary attractions of the Wildlife Center. There are both brown and black bears there. All the animals at the Center have been rescued and will not be released back into the wild. The habitat is wonderful and I loved seeing the bears.

The Center also has wolves (beautiful), moose, a lynx, a bald eagle, and a fantastic porcupine named Snickers. He may have been our favorite. Snickers was rescued by Parks and Wildlife from a family who had taken him as a pet. He even slept in bed with the kids of the family! He was really cute but I am not too sure about that!

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The Center was wonderful and had a neat gift shop to browse in. After the visit, we returned to the hotel where lunch was on your own. Then you had the option of staying at the hotel or doing another OYO activity or John would drive you to the Portage Glacier where you could take a boat to the Glacier on your own dime. Once again, I rallied my family to visit the glacier. We had not done a glacier activity in Denali and though this was decidedly less fancy, I thought it would be worthwhile.

Before we left, we had lunch in the café at the Aleyska. It was really good and my husband is still raving about the shrimp cocktail. It was pricey (as I would expect in such a nice hotel) but we really enjoyed it. By the time we were finished, it was time to get back on the bus. At the Wildlife Center, it sounded like most of the other Adventurers were also heading to the Glacier but when all was said and done there were only about three families on the bus (that end of Adventure fatigue was setting in). Nick was sad because he thought new BFF would be there but he rallied and enjoyed the trip.

Portage Glacier has receded quite a bit in the last decade and I was glad I got to see it because who knows how much longer it will be there. The boat takes you extremely close but you do not get off the boat and walk on it. There were some beautiful views and great picture taking opportunities. For the three of us, it was about $70 and I was glad we did it.

On the way back, John played a music mix of his own creation that included an excerpt about Alaska from A Prairie Home Companion, The Beatles’ In My Life, Johnny Horton’s North to Alaska, and the song, I Did the Iditarod Trail. We sang all the songs from John’s mix for the rest of the trip!

Upon returning to the hotel, we did not have long until it was time for the Farewell Dinner! None of us could believe the trip was already over.

The Farewell Dinner was in a pretty room in a banquet room of the Aleyska. The fare was standard for what we have been eating but it was good. There was beer and wine available. The water bottle art show was on full display and Nick went into campaign mode into trying to get votes for Eel. He promised to do a ‘Chicken Dance’ if he won. I was VERY embarrassed by Nick’s boldness and I was reprimanding him through most of this. Robyn told me, “I know he’s killing you but I just think this is hilarious!” He actually got a lot of traction on his campaigning and did end up tying for the win (with our friendly dad from Waco who had created ‘Mosquito.’)

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In the end, Robyn and Stephanie continued to make it all work by awarding stuffed bears to the 2nd and 3rd place winners (who actually had made a really neat otter and penguin) and giving Moose Poop key chains to the first place winners (Eel and Mosquito). Nick was thrilled, did indeed do his Chicken Dance, and accepted his prize!

Throughout our trip, we had a couple of Junior Adventurers who were big fans of the musical, Hamilton!, and had been listening to it and singing it on the bus. Everyone on the trip had heard it. Using it as inspiration, our friendly fellow adventurer and award winning water bottle artist (Dad from Waco, TX) made a up a rap to the tune of a Hamilton! Song about our adventure. Needless to say, his sons were mortified and the rest of us LOVED it. He brought down the house and showed what a fabulous group we had. He made the Farewell Dinner!

The Native Alaskan dancers also stopped by, did a few numbers, and asked the kids to join him. As you can imagine in hearing about him, Nick was an enthusiastic participant! I am sighing even as I write this. I do not have a shy child! After that, the kids played some more and things were winding down. John was taking us and another family at 4 am to the Anchorage Airport so we said our goodbyes (sadly), exchanged information, and headed to bed. We were on to a few days in Banff!
 
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Day 8

Til we Meet Again and Reflections

Robyn and Stephanie were up early to see us off! They provided a yummy-boxed breakfast and John drove us to the airport. It is over an hour to Anchorage but our check-in and security was smooth. Our flight did not leave until 8 am so we had a little time to chill out in the Alaska Airlines Lounge before our flight. The Alaska Airlines lounge is Priority Pass lounge and it is really nice. They have the coolest machine that makes pancakes and the pancakes are actually really good. Try them!

After that, we were on our way to Seattle and then Seattle to Calgary. We arrived after 7 pm so we were staying in the Calgary Residence Inn that night and driving to Banff the next day. I had a free night at the Calgary Residence Inn from my Marriott Visa and we would also be staying there before our flight out in 4 days. I had booked that on Marriott Points.

The Residence Inn was terrific. They had upgraded us to a two-bedroom suite and Nick was again thrilled to have his own room. They have a shuttle to the airport but we had rented a car. (I got the best rates from Budget.) We actually had wanted to see some of Calgary but we were exhausted from the trip and the early morning so we grabbed dinner in the hotel restaurant and went to bed. We were excited for the drive to Banff the next day.

Reflections on Alaska Trip:

· We love all the North American Trips and hope to do them all. As I was on the rafting trip, I could not help thinking what a beautiful country the USA is. There is so much beauty to see everywhere!

· I loved learning about the 49th state and all of its unique attributes. We are going to Hawaii this coming January (after Australia). I think there are many similarities between these two states. I cannot wait to learn more.

· We have been so lucky to have such great ABD guides! They a really make the trip. We had two pros on this journey.

· This trip is decidedly less ‘glamourous’ than some of the other ABDs we have been on. If you are looking for pampering, gourmet food, and lots of downtime, this is not the itinerary for you. I think that is just the nature of Alaska. You go there to be outdoors taking it all in not to be in your resort. The Aleyska is the best hotel and it is very nice but it is not on par some of the fabulous places we have stayed on other trips.

· This was probably the busiest itinerary we have ever been on. There was almost no free time! That was fine with us. It meant we spent less money and felt like we got to experience so much! That said, it would be better if they made it 9 days. It would give some breathing room. The new itinerary might also help with this.

· It was fantastic having so many kids on this trip! It made it so wonderful for my son. He and new BFF still are texting each other.

· If you are thinking about this trip or a cruise, I would recommend this trip. (Of course, I have not been on the cruise.) I found this very immersive and was glad I got to spend all eight days on land in Alaska. The people and culture of the state are terrific and I am not sure I would have gotten to experience that on a cruise (though I do love cruises!).

· If you are trying to decide on an ABD, this is a great one. It had activities, natural beauty, wild animals, about anything you could want! If it is not on your list, it should be.

I will write up our post-days in Banff with the caveat that it makes no sense to go to Banff after the Alaska ABD. We decided to go because we had trouble deciding between the Montana Alberta trip and the Alaska trip. I had some discounts on hotels through my Citi Visa and Nick was not going to be able to go to camp that week because we would not return from Alaska until Tuesday. Therefore, it was a crazy idea but we ended up loving it. Stay tuned.
 
I love, love, love your trip report! I think I'm going to have to look into this one with the new itinerary very soon.
 
I love, love, love your trip report! I think I'm going to have to look into this one with the new itinerary very soon.

Thanks! It was fun to write. It really is a great trip. I think it's the best way to see Alaska!
 
Thanks again for a wonderful report and so glad to hear Robyn is still as "Disney" as ever. Just a note for anyone visiting Calgary is there is a wonderful zoo that is easily reached by trolley car / subway system. I forget what they actually refer to it as. We also fell in love with the vastness of Alaska and someday would love to return.
 
Thanks so much for reading along! Robyn and I had such a good laugh because I feel like I know you from these boards and she DOES know you. The internet is cool that way.
That's funny! :) The internet is definitely cool that way! I met Adventure Guide Jennae on the internet first, so when I finally met her on the Danube river cruise, I definitely felt like I knew her! There are several folks like you on this board I feel like i know! (And some I actually do, thanks to ABD!)

I am very partial to the itinerary we did just because I LOVED it so much. I am sure the changes they are making will be great. It's so hard to know what the experience will be like until you do it but I would miss the things they have cut.

Austin Adventures offers a Kenai trip where you spend the night on Fox Island. That's the one thing that I would like to do and I would love to return to Alaska, too.
I've done the Resurrection Bay cruise, so I wouldn't be heartbroken without it, but it just seems sad that future Adventurers won't be experiencing it! I'll have to look at the Austin Adventures trip, but I still have a feeling that when I go to Alaska again, it will be with ABD. So the fact that it's a different itinerary is kind of a good thing in that respect! :thumbsup2

Sayhello
 
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I am so glad you loved this trip! I have recommended it to everyone. Thanks for writing the report, it was fun to read.

We have arrived in Wyoming, and I'll do a trip report on our return.
 
Post Days Banff

Since our post days were not part of the ABD, I’ll give some highlights. First, we loved Banff and the Fairmont Banff Springs may be my favorite hotel ever. It’s amazing.

Post Day 1

We drove our rent car from Calgary to Banff that morning after the free breakfast at Residence Inn (actually VERY good!). It’s a little less than two hours to get to Banff and we did not have much traffic. We were already missing the Alaskan landscape as Calgary was pretty but looked similar to our part of Texas.

However, as we got closer to Banff and deeper into the mountains, the scenery was fantastic and after we had decided that we would never see a place prettier than Alaska, we had to rethink that. We figured we would be a bit tired from the ABD and would want to take it easy the first couple of days in Banff and that was the case. As we reached the town of Banff, we saw lots of cute restaurants and high-end shops. It was very nice. As I mentioned, we love shopping for gear and we spotted many shops (Patagonia, North Face, Fjall Raven, etc.) that we wanted to hit. We figured checking out the town and shopping would be a good plan for the day.

The Fairmont Banff Springs is about a 15 minute walk from the town of Banff and about a 5 minute drive. As we rounded the corner and saw the hotel, we were very impressed! Nick said, “Is that where we are staying?!!” It does look awesome. DH dealt with the parking and bags and I went to check in. I had booked a Family Suite in the Stanley Thompson Wing (it was close to the only room still available at nearly a year out) and I was not sure if we would like the Stanley Thompson Wing as it is not part of the actual ‘castle.’

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When we got to the room, we saw that the Stanley Thompson wing is extremely accessible to the main hotel building and our room was absolutely PERFECT and charming! The Stanely Thompson Wing used to be the staff living quarters and it is very homey and nice. Our suite was two small rooms connected with a large bathroom in between. Nick had his sofa bed and TV in a cute room with a fireplace. Our room had a king bed and a beautiful view of the mountains. It is one of my favorite hotel rooms EVER and I would not hesitate to stay in the Thompson Wing again.

We got unpacked and headed for lunch. We were so happy there were more options in Banff. The Fairmont alone has something like 9-10 dining options and we were VERY eager to try something that was not a Brewery, Pizza, or Seafood Restaurant. We found just the trick at the Silver Dragon, a Chinese Restaurant, pretty close to the Fairmont. I don’t know if we were just starved for any kind of ethnic cuisine or if it really was that good but we loved the Silver Dragon and had to fight the urge to go back. It was really good. Everything in Banff is very pricey (as you might imagine) but the Silver Dragon had some lunch specials and we thought it was a fairly reasonable choice.

After lunch, we headed into town where we shopped at all the terrific stores. Nick found a toy store, Duck, Duck, Moose that he insisted we go to every day. It was a cool store and I don’t even think he ever bought anything. He loved looking.

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After shopping it was getting close to dinner, we had reservations at the Waldhaus, a Swiss Restaurant in the Hotel, so we got dressed and headed down the short, scenic walk to the restaurant. We loved the Waldhaus. The portions are huge so Nick and I could share a Schnitzel and we got cheese fondue as an appetizer. All was very good and we had a wonderful server.

After dinner, we headed to the Rundle Lounge in the main hotel and played cards until we almost shut the place down. We did not have firm plans for the next day so we decided to sleep in and then head out for a hike and exploring! We were glad to get a good night’s sleep and looked forward to seeing more the next day.
 

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Post Day 2

We slept late and enjoyed waking up to the scenic view of the mountains from our room. We headed down to the hotel’s counter service restaurant, Stock for breakfast. Stock was awesome! The avocado toast was one of my favorite things of the trip. Nick fell in love with the Caramel Kouign, which is a brioche-type bread, filled with Caramel. After breakfast, we headed outside.

At the Waldhaus, our server told us about the nice hike down to Bow Falls so we headed down there and the falls were beautiful. We took some pictures and then decided to hike to Cave and Basin where Banff National Park was founded. We stopped close to town to check out Banff Park Museum National Historic Site. It has vintage taxidermy stuffed animals from the area. I know if sounds pretty creepy but it was actually interesting (and free due to the Canada 150 Celebration) and we spent a few minutes there getting an up-close view of some of the animals we had seen in Alaska and hoped to see in Banff. For instance, I was pretty interested in the differences between a Raven and a crow. I have really learned to love and respect the Raven! They are very cool. Our family also loves the Wolverine who is definitely the toughest animal in the wild. This museum had examples of each.

After the museum, we headed on toward Cave and Basin when a literal swarm of mosquitos suddenly attacked us, and unlike those in Alaska, these were aggressively biting! It was awful. We headed out of the woods and back out to the road but I told my family we could not continue without some bug repellant. The gift shop at Cave and Basin was sold out so we back tracked back into town and found some hardcore deep woods stuff to use! Nick, of course, wanted to stop at Duck, Duck, Moose so that meant it was a long walk back to Cave and Basin, we decided to go pick up the car and try again! Of course, we were really missing the ABD guides at this point.

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We picked up the car, headed back to Cave and Basin, and had a much more enjoyable time than we would have had without the bug spray. The locals told us that mosquitos are not usually a problem but because it has been so hot, they are everywhere. We enjoyed Cave and Basin. There are several nice hikes there and it would also be great to have a bike there (and at Bow Falls—I know they bike there on the ABD trip). The Cave is where some railroad workers found Hot Springs and Banff grew up around it so it was neat to see the actual cave. After all was said and done, we had hiked about 7 miles so we headed back to the hotel to take a dip in the Fairmont pool (which was LOVELY!).

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We had dinner at the Italian restaurant, Castello because that sounded good. I enjoyed it but I think DH was more 'meh' about it. We are pretty picky about Italian food and I was not expecting something earth shattering so I thought it was pretty good. We headed over to the Ramsay Lounge that is in the Thompson wing and decided we preferred that to Rundle and played some more cards. There was a family game night going on downstairs and DH and Nick were eager to join in. I have to confess that I was dead tired and had to bow out and head for bed.

We had a big tour scheduled the next day with Discover Banff called, “Discover Grizzly Bears” that DH and I had booked because it ‘sounded cool.’ We ended up being right! Stay tuned.
 
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Post Day 3

On this day, we had booked a tour through the Fairmont Concierge called, ‘Discover Grizzly Bears.’ The tour company was Discover Banff. We booked it months before we came and in all honestly, we knew nothing about Banff and the general area surrounding it but we thought this tour sounded cool and picked it because it seemed like it went a lot of places. The company was also recommended by the Fairmont so we thought we were pretty safe.

Discover Banff picked us up right on time at the Fairmont and drove us into town to meet our tour guide and the rest of the group. We were a group of about 11. Nick was the only child and most of the rest of our group was European. It was a nice group and our tour guide, Rob was terrific.

Our first stop was to view the spiral tunnels that the Canadian Railway used to conquer the ‘big hills’ of the area. This was just a quick stop but the tunnels were interesting. The terrain is foreboding out there, so the spiral tunnels were a great innovation.

After that, we were on the way to Takakkaw Falls, which is Canada’s 2nd highest waterfall. Takakkaw is very rarely open because the road you have to take to get there is INSANE and is rarely open. Getting there was crazy and I was holding on for dear life on the bus. Rob actually had to back up the bus on the road because the turn is too sharp to drive forward. Luckily, Rob is a very competent driver and was very safe at all times. It was thrilling though and I was glad when it was over.

When we arrived at Takakkaw, I see why people make the drive. It was honestly one of the most amazing, beautiful things I have ever seen. As you got close, you got drenched with the water coming off the falls and it was just incredible. If you are in the Canadian Rockies and the road is open, do not miss Takakkaw. We saw so much natural beauty on this trip but if I had to identify the most beautiful sight, we saw, it would be Takakkaw Falls.

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After that, we would have been happy if the tour was over (it was that good!) but we had so much more to see. Our next stop was Kicking Horse and the Eagle Eye Restaurant. We had to take a Gondola to the top of the Purcell Mountains to reach the Eagle Eye, which is Canada’s highest restaurant. The Gondola was amazing and very high. The view when we got to the top was spectacular. We took many pictures and then enjoyed a tasty lunch.

When we were taking the Gondola up, we noticed an open-air ski lift and all three of us commented that we were so happy that we got to ride in the enclosed Gondola rather than on the ski lift because it looked so scary. On the way down from the Eagle Eye, we realized that the ski lift would be our ride to the Grizzly Bear reserve and all three of us started to get very nervous! Luckily, we did not have much time to worry. Rob got us on the ski lift and up we went. It was scary (We do not ski so this was all pretty new to us) and DH was threatening Nick not to move throughout the trip. We were all laughing about what wimps we were and that made the scary trip enjoyable! When we had to get off, it was not pretty but we made it! We then headed out to find, Boo, the Grizzly Bear.

It was very hot on the day we were on the tour so Boo was out but he was hidden laying under a shady tree. We did get to see him in the shadows and he is enormous. He has lived there all his life. He was rescued with his brother, Cari, but unfortunately, Cari did not survive his first winter. The care in the reserve for Boo is amazing. He cannot be released into the wild because he has become too used to humans. The reserve was very interesting in comparison to the Wildlife Center we saw in Alaska. Both are doing great things for these amazing animals.

After our visit with Boo, we headed to Emerald Lake and Rob told us he believed it is as pretty as Lake Louise. Emerald Lake was beautiful. We loved it. We just had a quick visit but I would love to return and go canoeing. It was truly beautiful.

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After that, Rob dropped us back off in Banff. We opted for there instead of the Fairmont because we wanted to eat dinner in town. Rob recommended a pizza place (ugh! We cannot escape the pizza!) but we found a vegetarian restaurant, Nourish, where we ate instead. Nourish was incredible good. Nick had vegetarian nachos that had 39 ingredients that were to die for. We loved the restaurant and will definitely return when we go back to Banff.

Our tour was absolutely incredible. It was a full day but you saw so much (and even went into British Columbia!). I highly recommend it.
 
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Post Day 4

We had another activity booked for today. We had booked (through the Fairmont) a whitewater rafting trip with Canadian Rockies Rafting Company. We were pretty limited on the tours we could do because of Nick’s age. The only option for a 9-year old was Kananaskis River with grade 2-3 rapids. That sounded fine to us!

We had to meet the rafting company in town because of the traffic and parking situation at the Fairmont (during the Canadian 150). This was no problem for us. We walked (it was about 20 minutes) and then waited at the Caribou Lodge for our 1 pm pickup. The rafting company was right on time and we set off.

Nick and I were tired from our excellent tour yesterday and if we had not booked this months in advance, I would have wanted to skip it. DH was more excited about the trip. We had about a ½ hour ride from Banff to the rafting company and then we had to wait a bit more for the rest of our transport group to arrive where we took another bus to a casino (yes, you read that right!) to get changed and then we would take another bus to the river.

This is where we really missed ABD. The rafting company was great and this was not as arduous as it sounds but it is par for the course when you are booking your own tours. There is just more travel and more waiting time. By the time we got to the casino, Nick and I were even less excited. Nick joked that he really wanted to stay at the Casino because he thought he had seen video games. Clearly, we were reaching the end of the trip.

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The rafting company was super organized in getting us into the full suit. There were a ton of people there and it looked like it was going to be chaos but these folks really knew what they were doing. It was a very diverse crowd with people of all ages. There were very few families and very few kids and I realized that I was completely out of my ABD comfort zone. The company did the safety briefing where they talked pretty extensively about what to do if the boat capsized. With our ABD trips, they always prepare you for this but let you know that it is a pretty remote possibility. There was no such caveat here and I was starting to get nervous.

Still in my ABD bubble, I assumed they would match us in the boat with one of the few families that were there. Again, no such luck! Matching was random and I got very nervous that it would be us and a bunch of teenage boys who were less adverse to the boat capsizing! Luckily, my husband had the same thoughts and saw a family who needed a few more in their boat. He volunteered us and we were matched with them (a family with two daughters, a single young woman, a dad, and his son who was roughly Nick’s age). Our group was PERFECT! Thank goodness.

Our guide was Pierre (from Quebec) and he was awesome. We set out on the river. Pierre let us know that the rapids are manmade here and there is a kayak course. We had an incredible time on this trip. We have loved all our ABD rafting trips (especially Alaska and Peru) but I think this ended up to be our favorite. It was wild and Pierre was a fantastic guide. It was also decidedly un-Disney as Pierre threw both kids out of the raft (at their request, of course) so they could swim, experience the cold water, and be saved.

I love anything on the water but I am a cold water-phobe (I wear a short wetsuit at Castaway Cay) so I would not jump in! My husband did and thought it was awesome. I had listened so well to the safety briefing that I was able to bring all 6’ 5” of him back into the boat by myself. Yes, I was pretty nervous at that briefing and the info stuck. Now, I am who you want to have with you on a rafting trip if things go wrong.

The trip was about 2 hours. The rapids were great! Pierre ended by letting both boys balance on the boat and try not to fall in. Nick was really good but he eventually fell in (this was about the third time). My plans of avoiding the cold water were ended when Pierre said we would all need to get in to carry the boat to shore. I had to jump in and even with the full suit, it was freezing! Once I caught my breath, I helped the rest of our crew carry the boat to shore.

We all loved the trip and were so glad we went. We would likely go again when we are back in the Canadian Rockies. We headed back to the hotel and had a Charcuterie Plate that was AMAZING in the hotel’s wine bar, Grapes and then went to dinner at the hotel’s sushi bar (finally!). It was our last night at the Fairmont and we were getting sad! It had been a great trip, though.
 

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We were headed back to Calgary this evening for another stay at the Residence Inn before our early flight the next day. Check out was at noon but we had planned to leave the Fairmont after the Hotel’s History Program that they offer every day at 1 pm.

We had a final breakfast at Stock and then waited for the program to begin. While we were doing that, we began to research the haunted history of the hotel because we had heard rumblings about the hotel being haunted and we found out some very interesting things. Nick asked me not to give you any spoilers because he LOVED learning about this so much but I will tell you the most famous story involves a bride.

We took our seats for the packed History Talk. Our guide was Rachel and she was awesome. The tour starts with a short lecture and then takes you around the hotel to see different parts and hear about the construction. Do not miss this tour! It is fascinating and fun!

Rachel did not shy away from the haunted aspects and took us to see one site. The scariest site we went to see on our own but she did discuss it. The tour is about an hour and it is free. Make sure you catch it!

After the tour, we headed up to the Rundle Lounge where they were serving tea. I love tea so DH agreed that we should go (even though we still were not super hungry). Tea was amazing and definitely worth doing. It is expensive but if you love that kind of thing, it is worth it!



After tea, we sadly got in the car, left the Fairmont, and headed towards Calgary. We arrived at about 7 pm. The Residence Inn had upgraded us again and we got ready for a 4 am departure to catch our flight back to Austin.

Final Reflections on Banff

· We loved the Canadian Rockies and the Fairmont Banff Springs may be our favorite hotel of all time! We would return in a heartbeat

· We were able to do many of the things you would do on the Alberta/Montana ABD trip but we realized we missed everything about ABD on our own. We did not have the camaraderie of the other adventurers, there was lots of waiting and sitting around waiting for things to start, and we just like having the guides there to troubleshoot. We would like to go back on the ABD or the Tauck tour of the area. We think we would enjoy that even more.

· Alberta and Canada is wonderful! Wonderful people and a truly beautiful place. I am so glad we took this weird detour on our way home.

That is it for the trip report! Thanks for following along. Our next ABD is Australia starting with a couple of days in New Zealand and ending with a week in Hawaii. I am calling it the mother of all trips! I may write a report of that one, too.
 
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