We spent a few days in the town of Banff itself. After we were done our hikes or adventures we would usually end up there for supper and some exploring before the shops all closed for the night. The first night there we even went on a hike within the town to see the Bow River Falls. They were spectacular, and a good start to our trip.
We tried out a few restaurants while we were there -- and my husband and I left our comfort zone of just meat and potatoes. Our first dinner was at Balkan Restaurant where we ate some delicious Greek food. The next night we enjoyed some Mexican food at a place called Magpie & Stump. It had a fantastic atmosphere and decor. The last night we were in Banff we checked out a restaurant called The Eddie Burger + Bar. It too had a wonderful atmosphere. All three made me wish that we had more one-of-a-kind restaurants to experience at home, too.
When we weren't eating or hiking, we checked out some of the shops -- like COWS -- and made a visit to the Upper Hot Springs. The hot springs was wonderful with the ambient temperature at a crisp 5C.