Banff definitely takes the cake for the popular "it spot" to go if you're living in or visiting Calgary. It gets all the hype, and yes — it's gorgeous, but it's always so packed and bombarded by tourists.
Therefore, I tend to avoid it these days. This small town in Alberta is one of my favourite spots and, in my opinion, is commonly overlooked.
So, when a girlfriend of mine came into town, and we were brainstorming day trips from Calgary, I knew this spot would impress. We packed our little day bags yesterday, piled into the car, and headed for the mountains. Canmore is a beautiful, quiet little mountain town just an hour west of Calgary and about a 15-minute drive from Banff.
It has a 360-degree view of the mountains, with cute stores and coffee shops — and you don't have to pay to enter the park, unlike in Banff, since it's part of Kananaskis Country.
If you're a fellow city dweller like me looking for a day trip escape, or are a tourist like my friend who wants to see the best of Alberta — here's how we spent the perfect day in this little town.
Hike (you're in Alberta!)
First, I took my friend on a little hike called Grotto Canyon Trail.
The views were absolutely gorgeous, and I think the only time of year you will get to see these sights is when you're essentially walking up a frozen river.
It was roughly a five-kilometre round trip, and it only took us just over an hour. It's a relatively easy hike (make sure you bring crampons!) with moderate elevation.
It was the perfect start to introducing her to the mountains, and it was only a 15-minute drive from Canmore.
Get a cronut from Fergie's Bakery (trust me)
Next, I took her to my favourite stop in Canmore.
Now, I hesitate to give away the name of this hidden gem, but in my opinion, it is a Canmore staple — so I'd be committing a crime by keeping it from you.
We went to Fergie's Bakery, which is only about five minutes away from the main strip of Canmore.
Their cronuts are to die for, and they bake them fresh all day because they sell so many. Do yourself a favour and please go ASAP, as I'm done gatekeeping this must-try spot.
I've eaten too many cronuts this past year and finally am willing to share the wealth. You're welcome.
Grab lunch at Harvest Cafe
Our next item on the agenda was finding a lunch spot. We are both big sandwich girlies, and I actually haven't found a good sandwich spot in Canmore yet, so this was exciting.
Luckily, we landed on another Canmore gem that had the most delicious breakfast burritos (and added on their house-made dill pickle hot sauce, which was just delish).
The restaurant is called Harvest Cafe, right on the main drag in Canmore. It was an ideal hearty meal after over an hour out in the cold, and the customer service was just spectacular. There was this sweet Irish guy who served us and gave us an extra cookie even though he only charged me for one. Wins all around. Needless to say, I will be returning in the near future.
Bop around town
Lastly, we wandered around and took cute photos, of course, and stumbled upon one of my new favourite stores.
It's called Stonewaters, also right in town, and everything in this shop is exactly what I would purchase for my dream home one day. They have the cutest gifts, housewares, little knick-knacks and Canmore souvenirs. This is a must-stop if you're looking for a locally made gift, wanting to get yourself a little keepsake, or even just to peruse.
But trust me, it will be hard to leave with the credit card unscathed.
I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into our dreamy day trip to Canmore. Now pack your bags and head for the mountains. You'd better appreciate this sweet little town as much as I do!
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
I spent the day exploring this dreamy Alberta small town with storybook vibes and no crowds
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