Banff is a lively little town nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. From stunning hikes and endless adventures to incredible restaurants and five-star accommodation, this picturesque national park has a little bit of everything. In this blog post, I will be sharing our weekend getaway with Pursuit including a fun new way to tour the mountains, amazing food, and a historic hotel stay!
David and I have literally been to the Rockies hundreds of times —we take full advantage of living so close! This past weekend, however, we saw Banff in a completely new way with Open Top Touring. After work on Friday, we hopped in the car and made the short 1.5-hour drive to the town of Banff.
Our weekend began by checking into the beautiful and historic Mount Royal Hotel.
Located smack dab in the centre of Banff Avenue, you could not ask for a more convenient location. The entire staff was incredibly kind and inviting. Right off the bat, the lobby of the hotel allows you to take a trip back in time through old photos, art, and artifacts.
The Mount Royal Hotel has undergone a significant renovation over the past few years that, while maintaining its history, offers a relaxing and invigorating experience for guests. Based on the trendy rooms and fantastic amenities, you would never guess that this iconic hotel was over 100 years old!
From the lobby, we hopped onto the best ride in town!
Open Top Touring provides a unique experience in Banff National Park. Offering vintage tours with a modern twist, these 1930’s inspired automobiles include a fully open roof, a guide in a period costume, and upgraded comforts like USB phone chargers, hot chocolate, and luxurious blankets.
Even though it was a little rainy, this 90-minute tour was an incredible way to explore Banff. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable with a wicked sense of humour, making the most out of every situation. We stopped at viewpoints, learned a ton about the area, and even played a few rounds of trivia while cruising around the park in style.
Once our tour was finished, we made our way to Farm & Fire for dinner.
If you’ve never been to this mouth-watering restaurant, add it to your list the next time you visit Banff! You can thank me later. The family-style menu offers inventive dishes made from the freshest ingredients. The cocktails were to die for and don’t even get me started on their desserts… they were fantastic!
Some of the favourites at our table were The Brussel Sprouts, The Rotisserie Chicken, The Forno Roasted Beets, The Porky-Pine Flatbread, and The Pan Seared Salmon. Honestly, though, I don’t think you could go wrong with anything on the menu!
After an evening of incredible food, drinks, and company, we walked back to the Mount Royal Hotel to catch some Zs.
On Saturday morning, we woke up refreshed and ready for the day! The rain had cleared and the town of Banff was quiet and still. We headed back to Farm & Fire for breakfast and were again, completely blown away by the quality of the food. Both the Smashed Avocado Toast and The Holy Cow Brunch Bowl were out of this world!
From there, our fantastic tour guide picked us up for another round of Open Top Touring.
Luckily for us, the weather was much more cooperative on this leg of the tour. While listening to more stories and fun facts about the area, we made our way to several different viewpoints. We saw a ton of wildlife and were spoiled with hot chocolate and awesome photo ops the entire way.
Once we arrived back at The Mount Royal Hotel, David and I headed straight for the roof to take advantage of the Cascade Lounge and hot tubs. With incredible views over Banff Avenue and the surrounding mountain ranges, this rooftop hangout spot is one of our new favourites in the whole area!
NOTE: A trip to Banff is not complete without stopping at The Fudgery and The Banff Sweet Shoppe, so make sure to check them out before you leave!
Related Post: 10 Adventurous Things to do in Banff National Park This Summer
We hope you enjoyed learning about our weekend getaway with Pursuit! Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comment below with your favourite experiences in Banff. we would love to hear from you.
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