One Christmas, my husband’s favorite gift received was Sesame Street socks. I’m not talking about the colorful dress socks guys wear with their polished suits and expensive ties—the ones that showcase their favorite dog breed or sport. No, I’m talking about athletic socks that are worn with sneakers and hiking boots. The real dorky kind that a pre-school-age kid would wear but a middle schooler wouldn’t be caught dead in. My husband has a whole set of Sesame Street socks including Elmo, Big Bird, the Count, and more.

As we got off the shuttle bus, I was struck by how appropriately my husband was dressed for the day. His backpack was filled with his camera equipment including his favorite lenses; he wore the right-weight clothes as it was a hot August day; his hat was on his head as usual; he wore his good hiking boots. But it was his socks that were noteworthy and made me smile.

He brought Elmo for fun to Lake Louise in Banff NP, Alberta, Canada—a trip that was on his bucket list for years.

Visiting Turquoise-Colored Lake Louise

Banff National Park offers beautiful scenery at every turn. There’s nothing quite like being in the middle of the Rocky Mountains—the word ‘majestic’ comes to mind.

Hiking trails are everywhere and the national parks, in both the U.S. and Canada, are very good at publishing accurate descriptions of them (length, difficulty level) so that you don’t find yourself on a trail you’re not ready for. You’ll find trails for the more adventurous or serious hiker as well as trails for those that want an easy or minimally challenging hike/walk. Often there are paved walks that lead to many of the popular vista points, waterfalls, and other ‘must-see’ sights.

Even though we had a list of possible hikes and other lakes to see during the trip, Lake Louise was the real draw. We couldn’t wait to see the turquoise-colored water with Victoria Glacier in the background.

Channeling Elmo

Let’s get back to my husband’s ‘happy socks’. They’re dorky, but he loves them. Sometimes he channels Elmo’s personality too.

• He feels the wonder of nature and has taught others to feel the same.

• He’s a good listener once you have his attention. Sometimes getting his attention takes time.

• He always wants to do the right thing and has taught others to do the same.

• He’s unbelievably kind even when others are undeserving.

• He’s childlike when it comes to seeing or learning something new.

• His maturity is questionable sometimes.

• He stays young at heart (which is not the same as having a questionable maturity level.)

Maybe we all need some Elmo in our lives—particularly when we’re vacationing.

Rent a Canoe on Lake Louise

At Lake Louise, we rented a canoe at a rate of $150/hour. This was justified because Lake Louise was a ‘pretty big deal and a bucket list item.’ We anticipated the expense given how pricey the area can be for lodging and restaurants due to supply and demand. We expected services like canoe and kayak rentals to follow suit. By comparison, canoe rentals at Lake Emerald (during the summer) are still pricey but considerably less at $90/hour—the difference is due to demand and fewer tourists. Day tours from Banff and Calgary primarily visit Lake Louise with some tours including Lake Moraine and Lake Minnewanka.

It was really nice to get away from the dock and crowded shore. Once you’re on the water, you experience near-silence. You hear a few shouts or laughs in the distance from other canoes on the water, but you still feel like there’s nobody around. You get to experience the lake in a more personal way.

As you paddle toward Victoria Glacier and farther from Fairmont’s Chateau Lake Louise, the view from the canoe is absolutely stunning. Unless you rent a canoe or walk the Lakefront Trail, you’ll miss most of what we found most enjoyable—the quiet and the feeling of being totally immersed in the beauty of the surrounding wilderness. I actually forgot there was a 5-star hotel less than a mile from us until we turned the canoe around and headed back to the rental dock.

Elmo is an Ice-Breaker

A young woman approached my husband on the crowded lake dock by first saying, ‘hey, I like your socks!’ Then, she asked if he would take a picture of her and her husband with the lake and glacier in the background. Afterward, we talked to them for a bit and discovered they lived within an hour from us on the east coast of the U.S. Elmo’s presence can be an ice-breaker for meeting new people.

Where to Stay near Lake Louise

Although I cannot personally recommend The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise because I have not stayed there, its location is superb and its common areas are high-end as expected (we popped in for a quick glance and checked out some of their boutiques.) I could not get a reservation when I booked my trip five months ahead for less than $800/night and that was out of our budget. If you plan to visit during the peak summer months, plan to spend $400-$1,000/night for a room for two. MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY (at least 9 months in advance or more), and hopefully, you can get rooms on the lower end of that range.

When we visited in August, only staying guests could eat at the Fairmont’s on-site restaurants. THAT’S A BIG DEAL. The few other restaurants nearby including in the town of Lake Louise are average. Staying at the Fairmont means you can dine at the top 7 out of 10 restaurants in the area. Make dinner reservations before you go.

There are only a handful of other hotels in the town of Lake Louise. We paid close to $500/night for an average, family-oriented hotel with an indoor pool and a few restaurants on-site. In the plaza across the street (you can’t miss it as there’s only one in town) there’s Laggan's Mountain Bakery & Delicatessen (take-out) and next to the plaza, there’s Bill Peyto’s Cafe (sit-down). Both have decent breakfast food.

If you can’t stay at the Fairmont due to price or availability, I would seriously consider staying in the town of Banff and starting out early each day to drive the 45 minutes to the Lake Louise shuttle. Banff has a broad selection of restaurants, lodging, and shops. Take the Bow Valley Parkway between Banff and Lake Louise and you may see some elk.

Booking Shuttles

If you want to see Lake Louise in Banff NP, you’ll need to take a shuttle bus there unless you are staying at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. The shuttles are convenient and well-run. Due to its popularity, there’s no parking within walking distance of Lake Louise after about 7:30 AM. The shuttle is the way to go.

To book your shuttle, visit the Parks Canada Reservation Service. Be smart and BOOK YOUR SHUTTLE EARLY if you are going during peak season (2-4 weeks before your visit.) Even off-season, I would not assume you can reserve a shuttle on the same day. Prebook. We saw people turned away without reservations after driving from Calgary, a two-hour one-way trip.

Other Sights to See in Banff NP

There are many things to see and do in Banff NP, Canada’s most-visited national park. In addition to Lake Louise, there are other lakes worth a visit including Moraine and Emerald, plus waterfalls, overlooks, and wildlife. We saw bears, moose from a distance, elk, big horn sheep, and goats. Hiking trails are everywhere with a wide range of lengths and difficulty levels. And there’s the Banff Gondola that takes you to the top of Sulphur Mountain where you can buy a beer and take in the spectacular view on a clear day.