There are some big stories to cover amidst these big peaks. Read on for a few suggestions.

Banff & Lake Louise

Okay, these are kind of no-brainers. It’s a bit like saying “check out the Great Wall when you’re visiting Beijing” But, keep the following in mind when you’re in the iconic Canadian mountain towns:

• The Banff Centre is a renowned regional institution that provides world-class training in the arts. It hosts fantastic performances throughout the year, so take a look to see what’s on their calendar.
• The Banff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise are the grand old dames of Canadian hotels, and are definitely worth a visit.
• The Banff Upper Hot Springs has drawn visitors for a scenic bath in its soothing mineral waters for over a hundred years (and indigenous people for hundreds of years before that).
• When in Banff, be sure to ride the gondola up to Sulphur Mountain.

Canmore Nordic Centre

The Rockies are obviously known for downhill skiing, but just an hour’s drive west of Calgary in the town of Canmore, there’s a renowned nordic centre with 70 kilometres of cross-country ski trails and year-round racing programs.

Columbia Icefields

The drive up Icefields Parkway might be the most scenic in the world: don’t you dare miss it. When at the icefields themselves, be sure to tour the Athabasca Glacier, by either snow coach or helicopter.