Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is a little town just outside the boundaries of Banff National Park and good readers; it is a place that you simply must visit. Only a fifteen minute drive from Banff, it is an equally beautiful, less touristy, friendly gem of a town. It has some of the quaintest cafes, fun filled pubs and interesting art collections. In summer in particular, it is a welcome break from the herds of people crowding Banff’s avenues.
It was originally set up as a bustling hub for the coal mining industry but things have changed considerably since then. Over the last few decades, it has quietly reinvented itself and is now one of the centers of the adventure scene of the Rockies as well as an impressive gateway into the National Parks. The thing about Canmore that I find most interesting is the fact that it is ever changing. Unlike the National Parks, it has free reign to expand. As a result; well thought out and aesthetic buildings are popping up everywhere.
Usually due to the fact that drinking any alcohol whatsoever and driving in winter conditions such as what we experience up here is impossible, I stick to the cafes during the day. Beamer’s is in my opinion one of the finest cafes in any of the towns of the Canadian Rockies. Canmore is in general cheaper than its little Banff brother – not that this is particularly hard! There are some great hotels to use as a base while exploring the Rockies. Canmore will not be underestimated for long!