Banff Bachelorette
When people hear about us having a Bachelorette Party in the middle of the Canadian mountains, their faces look perplexed. Honestly, it was probably one of the best trips I have ever been on! In Canada, they call it a "Stagette" or "Hen Party".
I wanted to round up our trip for anyone on the fence about a girl's trip to Banff. Bottom line....you will NOT be disappointed if you forego the beach for some ice skates.
The flight from Houston to Calgary was only four hours which isn't bad for flying across the entire country. Customs was super easy and we were in our limo bus headed to Banff in under 20 minutes. The bus ride there was a party all by itself! There was champagne flowing and good tunes!
We arrived at the most magical hotel ever! The Fairmont Banff Springs is called the "Castle of the Rockies" and was originally opened in 1888. In 1911, it was upgraded to stone and concrete by American architect, Walter Painter. It has dramatic hallways even old mail drops at the elevators. It is such a sight to see all by itself.
Once we settled in, we headed to the fitness center to take a dip in the HUGE hot pool that is located outside. We were all concerned that it would be chilly but it was heated to 100 degrees so we were all very comfortable. This was probably one of my favorite experiences just because on one side you see this massive dramatic stone hotel and you turn around and are surrounded by HUGE mountains and snow. It really was picturesque.
That night we had dinner in the hotel in the private wine cellar at Grapes. It was a set menu and the food was phenomenal! It was an intimate room so we were allowed to be a bit louder and played our own music. After dinner, we all got a semi early night's sleep.
The next morning, we took a bus to the Fairmont at Lake Louise. The plan was to go ice skating and then have High Tea at the Fairview in the hotel. We arrived around 11:00am and went straight to the Lake. It honestly took our breath away. Even when you are there, it seriously does not look real. It looks like a painting or, as my best friend Ashley put it, almost like we were all in a snow globe!
Before walking to the lake, you are able to visit a bar made completely out of ice! We stopped there for an adult coffee beverage to warm up and then headed out on the ice! It was so cold out but for the most part, we stayed pretty warm.
After the ice skating, we headed back into the hotel to have High Tea. For 62 CAD (about $50 USD), you get tons of little tea sandwiches, a specialty tea (I got the Earl Grey), unlimited dressert bar, and a glass of Prosecco. The food was phenomenal and the views were even better!
After that, we headed to dinner at the Maple Leaf. Again, we had our own room which was nice and the food was great! At dinner, Lauren (the bride) played a game where the MOH would ask her a question that she also asked the groom to answer. If the bride and groom had the same answer, she would make us take a sip of our drink. If she was wrong, she drank!
After dinner, we had our night out at the Dancing Sasquatch. A friend of mine suggested it and it ended up being so much fun! The DJ played some classic hits with some newer ones and had all of us dancing for a solid three hours!
On Sunday, we all headed in town to have brunch at Park Distillery. You heard the name right...they make their own Vodka, Gin and Bourbon and tours are free! The food was also a hit. If you go, I suggest getting the BBQ Chicken Sandwich. Not lacking in calories or taste!
We walked around town for a bit after brunch and then headed to Mt. Norquay for snow tubing! As you probably saw, I am obsessed with snow tubing and we do it every year in Breckenridge as well. Mt. Norquay hills are much steeper and you go much faster down the hills. It was a blast!
On our last night we went to The Bison Restaurant and Terrace. The drink selections were plentiful and the food was mouth watering. If you go, I would suggest getting the Burrata and the Roasted Cauliflower to start.
The next morning we headed back to Calgary to catch our flight and just like that, it was over. I am so sad to be back in Houston because it was such a magical trip! So the next time a friend gets engaged and you are helping to plan a bachelorette, I HIGHLY recommend having it in Banff. You might be a little chilly at times....but you definitely will not be disappointed. #GolvachOrGoHome
*You can shop for the top with the fur sleeves here.