I’ve always believed travel doesn’t have to take you far to take you somewhere new. That belief is coming in handy this year, as many Canadians (and “spare” Canadians like myself included) are rethinking their vacation plans thanks to a tumbling dollar and an ongoing trade mess that makes hopping the border feel less appealing than it used to.1
The problem? Staying close to home isn’t exactly a cheap alternative anymore. Many Canadian hotels have significantly raised their prices since COVID — some just catching up from lost time, others adjusting for a new wave of American tourists happy to pay with their stronger greenbacks. I’ve said it before: I’m all for supporting local, but sometimes “local” doesn’t support us.
But here’s the thing: even with all that, there are places in Canada that are still worth every penny. Banff and Lake Louise top that list for me.
A getaway with substance (and scenery)
About 90 minutes west of Calgary, Banff is the kind of place t…
