So you’re looking for a getaway out of the city and you’re ready to explore something new without having to get on a plane. Look no further than a date night road trip to Banff! Our awesome neighbours to our right have you covered with an amazing destination for the ultimate date night road trip and lots of awesome towns to check out along the way.
First Things First
Before heading out on any date night road trip, you must stock the vehicle with snacks. So are you the healthy car snack type of person or is this your moment to shine in the chip varieties? As you are heading out of Vancouver, it is pretty standard to stop at the Whatcom Rd exit to top up your gas and grab any last minute things.
High on our list is grabbing coffee and Timbits from Tim Hortons and then following up with breakfast sandwiches from A&W, and lastly chips, candy and ice from Petro-Canada. Sometimes we will even stop at the liquor store to make sure we have a full cooler! We like getting to our destinations fully stocked.
So Now You're On The Road
First off we love rolling through Merritt and Kamloops. These are great stops for bathroom breaks and to fuel up or charge your cars. You will also pass through Salmon Arm as another great place to stretch your legs.
Once you are past Shuswap Lake, you will hit the first overnight stop if you’re breaking the drive up. Welcome to Revelstoke! There are so many awesome things to do here and you can honestly make a whole trip just visiting this great town. From dog sledding adventures, mountain coasters, adventure parks, skiing & snowboarding, mountain biking, and the list goes on. You’re sure to find an activity here to do!
Check out these accounts for some great ideas in Revelstoke:
@revelstoke – @revelstokemtnresort – @golfrevelstoke – Dog Sled Adventures – @mtbegbiebeer – @rumpusbeerco – @tacoclub.revelstoke – @revelstokecafeptbo –
Next stop Banff!
Okay almost…
We lied slightly and before you hit Banff you have to take a small detour to Emerald Lake lodge! We know you’ve seen photos of the bridge heading over towards the cabins.
We absolutely think that this is a must while on a road trip because you have to get that cute selfie for the gram. Depending on what time you are passing through, you might just get to see an epic sunset.
Now that we’ve gotten our touristy photos telling the internet we’ve made it…
WELCOME TO BANFF!
At this point, you are probably ready to hit the town and grab some food. We couldn’t agree more with you and there are so many great options! Some of our favourites are Juniper Bistro, Ticino, Banff Ave Brewing Co, Nourish Bistro, The Eddie Burger Bar, Sky Bistro, and Park Distillery just to start you off. There is seriously no shortage of great food here!
Favourite Things To Do In Banff
As Vancouverites, we definitely know a thing or two about mountain towns (cough, cough Whistler). We can’t possibly name everything to do here in one article so we rounded up a few favourites:
- Walk through town and down the main street. Iconic photo spot! There are so many great stores to pop in and out of.
- Eat BeaverTails, and don’t just go here once. You know you need to have more than one flavour.
- Drive through the mountains. The Icefields Parkway and the Bow Valley Trail have absolutely stunning views. Take a picnic with you and take in all the glaciers.
- Hit up High Rollers. Book yourself a spot to go underground and test your bowling skills. Enjoy beers, cocktails, great eats and other awesome games all night long.
- Visit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake for sunrise. Seriously get your butt out of bed and experience the pretty coloured mountain tops.
- Get hiking. There are so many hikes in this area for any skill level. Hop on alltrails and find some epic views.
- Splurge and have a stunning breakfast at the Fairmont Lake Louise. The waffles are to die for.
While we could make our list go on forever, we’re going to leave some fun things for the next time we head out on a road trip this way. We truly loved our time in the Canadian Rockies and can’t wait to go back. For now, we will continue to explore BC and everything it has to offer!
Did we miss something that we have to check out in and around Banff? Send us a DM on @datenightbc
If you are looking for something to do on the way home check out our post on The Golden Sky Bridge.
