We saved some of the best experiences for last during our family summer trip to Banff, Alberta.
I intentionally kept our last day as a blank slate when planning the itinerary.
At the advice of a local, we spent the day exploring Yoho National Park, located an hour drive from the town of Banff.
Our first stop was Takkakaw Falls. At 373 m, it is the second tallest waterfall in Canada.
The uphill drive through the woods was calming and we were blessed with beautiful weather.
From the parking lot, it was a 30-minute and 1.5 km hike to the falls on a flat well-maintained trail.
We stopped at scenic lookouts and I still laugh at our fearless pest, photobombing his Daddy by not-so-safely crawling across the front of this bridge above the rushing river.
It was cooler as we neared the Falls and its refreshing mist.
What a beauty.
Our next stop was the stunning blue-green Emerald Lake, a 30-minute drive from the falls.
The bonus was that we got to canoe, an activity we lamented not doing at Moraine Lake.
The canoe rental shop was also cheaper compared to the more well-known Moraine Lake.
As we were lining up at the canoe rental place, I struck up a conversation with a couple from Florida, pictured above.
The wife had asked if we had adopted T as one of her sons was gay and looking to start a family.
She shared that two of her sons were adopted and from what she shared, I wouldn’t be surprised if they also had FASD or a similar diagnosis.
The conversation reminded me my family is part of a larger community. We’re not alone in this.
We had the canoe for an hour and it was enough time to circle the breathtaking lake.
It felt so amazing being surrounded by blue-green water and dwarfed by snow-capped mountains.
But wait, there’s more!
On our way out of Emerald Lake, we stopped by the Natural Bridge, a natural rock formation that spans the Kicking Horse River.
We let T explore as we enjoyed the calming sound of the water and the refreshing breeze.
I love this photo below of T standing on the solid bridge looking out to the rushing river as it’s a symbol of grit against life’s turbulence.
T spotted many dogs during our trip. Most owners let T play with their dogs.
This photo below with this beautiful husky was my favourite from our trip.
After a busy day, we relaxed at our hotel and took a short late afternoon nap.
For our final night, the hubby and I treated ourselves to a steak dinner, as Alberta is reputed for its superb beef.
The steak dinner and the sides of grilled mushrooms and truffle Mac and Cheese were yum.
We enjoyed one final sunset walk along Banff Avenue, feeling grateful for our time here.
When we got back to the hotel, I noticed this lovely note below that T had written, unprompted, for the staff while the hubby and I were napping.
Yes, we had annoying and disregulated moments during our trip with T, but as this note reminded me, he is a pure and kind child at his core.
A positive way to end our final evening in Banff.
Explore our Banff Trip
- Day 1 & 2 – Tunnel Mountain, Fairmont Banff Springs, Bow River
- Day 3 – Riding Banff Gondola Up Sulphur Mountain
- Day 4 – Cycling the Legacy Trail and to Johnston Canyon
- Day 5 – The Quiet Beauty of Banff’s Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
- Day 6 – Hiking Takakkaw Falls and Canoeing Emerald Lake at Yoho National Park
My Life With T 
T has’ nice’ handwriting!
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It needs some improvement. 😆 But it’s getting better with practice. Thanks Serena!
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That is such a new waterfalls💦🤩 and I especially love those turquoise waters. What a treat this was for yourselves and T
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Thanks Faith! 💕 This trip felt like a lifetime ago. I miss it so much already and thankful to have experienced it with my family. 🙏
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These are such stunning photos, and such a sweet and endearing note.
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Thanks LaDonna. We miss it already.
Hope you and your family are enjoying your summer. It’s just flying by over here.
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OMG! Loved everything in this post. T’s note was the cherry on the top. 🤍
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Thanks Stacy. The note was indeed quite lovely to end the trip with! 😊💕
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So stunningly beautiful. Wow. What a trip. “But wait, there’s more!” Lol! And super sweet about the note T left! Awwhh.
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Thanks Betsy! 😊 It was a wonderful trip and can’t wait to visit one day in the future again.
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AB, thanks for sharing your amazing trip with us! It looks so beautiful! This is a place on our list to visit. It sounds like T had a great time as well! ❤️
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So nice to hear from you, Belle, and I hope you’re enjoying your summer. It sure is flying by. I about screamed when I saw a back to school ad. 😆
Banff is so beautiful and I highly recommend a visit. Simply breathtaking and I hope you get to see it in the near future!
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I’ve always wanted to visit there. It looks amazing, best ever adventures ❤️
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Thanks Gary. I hope you get to visit it one day too! 🙏
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I’m glad you managed to squeeze in a day trip to Yoho. It’s such an underrated park. Takakkaw Falls is beautiful, especially on a sunny day (and it’s fun to say its name)! And the colour of Emerald Lake is stunning. Looks like you got some wonderful family pictures to remember the memories. And that note from T is super cute. I guess this means you’ll just have to return!
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Thanks Linda. We had an amazing time and I’m so thankful we squeezed it in. The Emerald Lake was just unreal indeed. I still can’t get over how stunning it was.
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I can’t get over the colour of the lake! The note is just so thoughtful, I don’t think I’ve seen any child do this before!
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Thanks Margie. The lake was quite spectacular. The colour has to do with richness in minerals from what I understand. T’s note was quite sweet. Makes up for all his less than sweet moments. 😆😊
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Beauty overload! Not just the beautiful natural landscape, but also the beautiful souls you met during this trip, and the beautiful heart T gave when writing that note. It’s really sweet. I must say I’m a little envious of the turquoise water of the lake and the views of those mountains around it. Everything that happened during this vacation sounds like something you will remember and cherish for the rest of your life!
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Thanks Bama. The water was really amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it before. It has to do with richness in certain minerals from what I understand.
The trip was not without harried moments but I am thankful for the positive moments throughout and that ended the trip. It will certainly be something I remember for a long long time. 😊
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Oh my goodness – those pictures are so breathtaking! The mountains and the water. Wow! What an incredible adventure for the last day. I love that you left it open – reminds me that we have to leave room sometimes for the best things to appear. Love the note from T too!
And your conversation with the other couple really struck a note, “The conversation reminded me my family is part of a larger community. We’re not alone in this.”
Right! Thanks for taking us along!!
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Thanks Wynne. The natural scenery was really something else and I’m very thankful we got to finally visit after all these years of wanting to go.
The couple we met, I’d like to think, was no accident… and one of those wink moments made possible beyond coincidence.
Hope you’re all enjoying your summer. It’s just flying by. I’m starting to see those pesky back to school ads.
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Such magical places, and so well described. But the real gem was T’s letter! ❤️
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Thanks Jane. It was quite magical! I miss it already and hard to believe this was already a month ago today.
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Emerald Lake sure is the perfect name! This place is amazing Ab. T looks like he loved it (that boy has no fear) as well and his note was so heart warming! This was a wonderful vacation!
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Thanks Diane. Hard to believe it was a month ago today already that we left for Banff. The summer is just flying by!
Very thankful for the visit and he sure does not have fear. Gonna be a handful when he’s a teen!
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I hate to tell you but they all are a handful when teens! 🤣
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Could you adopt me Ab? Your family has the best adventures and given that I’m a wee bit older than all of you T and I could come up with enough challenges between us to keep you busy and give you things to write about 😉
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Are you potty trained and able to feed and clean up after yourself? That is a must to be adopted into our family, Deb. 😆
Funnily enough, I did think about my mom a few times during the trip and thought it would’ve been the cherry on top if she was with us on the trip. That would definitely be things to write about too! 😆😂
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LOL!! Love the criteria Ab and so agree how essential those things are 🙂 Sharing your fun with your mom- how priceless for sure.
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Stunning views. And so much fun. Love the pic of you guys on Banf Ave. Great shots.
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Thanks Brian! We love that photo too. Will definitely print and put it up in our home. 😊
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I have to echo Vickie and Vicki–stunningly beautiful sights, inspiring connections, adventure, and big-hearted little boy following his dads’ lead. I love this post on every possible level. Thanks for shairing, Ab, and I’m so glad you had such an amazing getaway! 💕
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Thanks Erin. Big hearted little boy is a great way to describe T. It makes up for all the moments he’s driving us absolutely crazy, because we know who he is deep down.
I miss the trip already and am thankful for the, as you said, amazing getaway! 😊
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I love Vickie’s comment…agree, agree! And I’ll confess that your encounter with the couple from Florida brought tears. Happy ones! Your take-away “we’re not alone in this” has filled me to the brim with goodness. There’s so much to worry about in the world but your ability to cultivate kindness and share it back with all of us is precious. Thank you, Ab! 💕
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Thanks Vicki! The couple from Florida was a wonderful moment during the day and I’d like to think it was more than a coincidence that brought us together at the lineup for the canoes. 😊 Hopefully their son can adopt one day too. We offered him our T but they didn’t bite. 😆
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Giggling! About your generous “offer”! And hey…I think the universe was at work for all of you regarding the lineup of canoes that day! Not random! 🥰❤️🥰
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Ab! I love the photos, I love your descriptions, and most of all I love that note from T! The one photo of him on the other side of the bridge was quite adventurous! Yikes! 😂
You are such a good writer, combining your family experiences with wisdom about parenting T.
V
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Thanks Vickie! Yes, he is such a daredevil. You just have to laugh cuz the alternative is to scream and be horrified. 😆 Hope you and the grandkids are having a good summer. It’s just flying by. August already!
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