Lake Louise travel tips

Alberta is home to some of the most awe-inspiring scenery on the planet: rugged snow-capped mountains, massive glaciers, thick forests, impossibly blue lakes, vast prairies and other-worldly badlands filled with dinosaur bones. It’s a nature lover’s paradise, but that's only one side of this remarkable destination.

A piece of Canadian history, Banff National Park is the world’s third-oldest national park and, over the course of its 140-year existence, has managed to walk a fine line between easy access and careful environmental protection.

The mind boggles at the sheer scope of Canada.

In the battle to safeguard the planet’s endangered ecosystems, Canada is a global leader. Some of the world’s oldest, best managed, and biodiverse national parks reside north of the 49th parallel, collected under the umbrella of Parks Canada, a growing network of nearly 50 parks inaugurated since 1911.

Ice-skating through pine forests, across alpine lakes, and on urban canals and remote glaciers can be an exhilarating way to experience winter wonderlands. But with rising global temperatures, natural ice, or “wild ice,” is becoming a rarity.

Imagine taking nearly three months to meander across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, reveling in the romantic atmosphere of first-class train travel all the while. From your individual suite on board—or a seat in a gleaming bar car—you’d soak in the unique landscapes of each continent that whoosh past your window, making stops to explore historical marvels, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and picturesque cities.

Since 1885, travelers have been exploring the snow-capped Rocky Mountain peaks and aqua-blue lakes that define Banff National Park: Canada's first national park and the third in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has served as a home for guests ranging from mountain climbers to Olympians to Queen Elizabeth, and has belonged to six indigenous tribes in the area for thousands of years.

Walking tours, don’t you know, may be the best way to see the world. The pace is slow, the better to take in all the new sights and sounds around you. You can savor the landscape, the architecture, and the people you encounter, just as you delight in the food and wine that invariably follows a day on foot. There are no crowds, no lines, no delays. Just a quieter way to travel. Here are five new walking trips for 2024 — in Scotland, Croatia, Spain, the Canadian Rockies and the French Alps — all terrific ways to see the world at a slower pace.

I visited Banff, Canada, this past July and it is easily the most impressive place I've ever been.

It wasn’t even meant to be: the city of Banff was initially founded to support the development efforts of the transcontinental railway. Today, Banff is one of the top resort towns in Canada, a popular destination in Alberta that offers the perfect blend of serenity in nature with jaw-dropping adventures. Whilst most travelers tend to explore Banff in the colder months to see its winter beauty (along with Jasper and Lake Louise), Banff is just as charming and welcoming during the warmer months. Located within the Rocky Mountain peaks, you can feel nature’s warmth in the cold months and inhale mountainous fresh air in the spring and summer months.

Find the world's most beautiful winter destinations and swap staying at home for exploring. The coldest season seems to make many places shine their brightest, so take a look at 20 of the beautiful winter trips we recommend you try.