Banff in Alberta didn't grow quietly. It arrived with railways, hot springs and a vision: to protect places of rare beauty. In 1883, railway workers stumbled upon warm mineral water bubbling from Sulphur Mountain—an unlikely surprise in the cold sweep of the Rockies. The discovery drew attention quickly. By 1885, the surrounding land has been set aside as a protected reserve. What did that lead to? The beginnings of Banff National Park, Canada's first, and a blueprint the country would return to again and again.

Each season dresses Banff differently, but winter brings a softer glow and a slower pace. Snow settles thick along forest trails, lakes freeze into glassy expanses and wildlife edges closer to lower ground in search of food. You don't need to brave the cold all day to explore You can visit the Whyte Museum for local history and culture, or the Upper Hot Springs for a hot dip. Lake Louise still draws a crowd, its frozen surface alive with skaters and photographers. Want the views without the chill? Gondola rides operate throughout winter. Jasper National Park extends the journey north, linked by the Icefields Parkway, where winter turns glaciers and valleys into a slow-moving story.