A Cozy Winter Rocky Mountain Getaway (4 days)
- natashazinkie
- Nov 7, 2025
- 6 min read
Calgary > Canmore > Banff > Inverness
Sometimes the best weekends are the ones where you squeeze a little bit of everything in; I'm talking mountain towns, skating, walks, hot springs and cozy cottage nights with board games.
Back in December (2022) I went for one of my all-time favourite long winter weekend trips outside of Calgary! It had the perfect balance of adventure, chill time, and scenic drives that made me feel cozy and excited about winter (surprising I know when the usual state is depression).
Day 1: Straight from the Plane to the Mountains ✈️⛰️
🚗 Drive time: 4 hours and 30 minutes [ Map for this leg ]
Landing in Calgary at 8:45am, we wasted no time grabbing the rental car and heading straight to Canmore.
By mid-morning, we were surrounding by snow covered peaks and I had forgotten I’d been up at 4am EST for this flight (the coffees also helped).
☑️First Stop: Canmore
This was not the finaldestination but I couldn’t resist a quick stop to stretch our legs after so much transiting;
Canmore Tea Company (perfect for holiday gifting too since this trip was mid-December).
Eclipse Coffee Roasters (perfect for refueling with some caffeine and a treat to go)
Hot girl coffee walk Along the Policeman's Creek Boardwalk river path right in town while sipping our coffees and damn was it magical. See for yourself:
☑️Second Stop: Johnson Canyon
By 12:30 PM we were pulling into Johnston Canyon for a quick winter walk to the Lower Falls. It’s an easy, scenic 40-minute roundtrip with frozen waterfalls (with ice climbers!) and snow covered trees.
I know, I know, I have recommended this before but this family friendly walk never disappoints. Honestly, I can’t help myself, I simply like it a whole lot as an easy winter (and summer) activity!
☑️Third Stop: Lake Louise
Lake Louise in the winter is M A G I C A L ✨ with the lake frozen over and the snow covered trees!
My partner could not resist lacing up hid skates and hitting the perfectly frozen lake! Me? I said no thank you, and stayed bundled with a hot coffee (who said you need to always do the activities together??). And because I fully lean into cozy luxuries, we treated ourselves to a proper afternoon tea in the Fairmont overlooking the lake at 2pm.
🫖 I’ve been to many afternoon teas and can confirm this one has stood out in my mind as one off favourites. Was it expensive? Yes. But was the food good? Also yes. The vibe? Immaculate. Was it worth it? Absolutely!
🏁 Refuel and Recharge
By late afternoon (5ish pm), the sun had set and we were ready to head back into Banff. We checked into the Moose Hotel (which won me over curtesy of their rooftop hot tub👀).
We had dinner at Bluebird Wood-fired Steakhouse in town and trust me when I say I am still thinking about it! 💡Pro Tip: Banff dinner spots are competitive (all-year round) so be sure to make a reservation in advance.
Day 2: Ski Day 🎿
🚗 Drive time: 2 hours [ Map for this leg ]
☑️First Stop: Coffee (always)
We kicked off the morning with coffee and a breakfast sandwich from Whitebark Café, just steps outside the hotel. Fabulous coffee truly, I speak no lies!
Then, it was ski time.
☑️Second Stop: Lake Louise Ski Resort
A quick 35-minute drive from Banff took us right to the Lake Louise Ski Resort. We made it onto the Lifts by 9:30am (rentals were smooth as butter).
I am not a full day ski queen myself, so after a few hours I was ready to tag out and grab a cozy lunch (and a beer 🍻), My partner on the other hand was ready to ramp it up to hardcore levels SO I gave my pass to my sister-in-law and let them go off for the rest of the afternoon.
☑️Third stop: BC Bound
Once the hill closed (4pm) we hit the road west road west to Invermere (about 1 hour 45 minutes). Keep in mind this drive it absolutely mind blowing and stunning, but we messed up and did it in the dark🥲. Learn from me and be sure to do this during the daylight hours if you go, it’s worth it!
🏁 Refuel and Recharge
We were lucky enough to stay at a cozy home for the weekend. This was curtesy of my sister and her friends (but I am positive you can find good air bnb/hotel options around here).
We had a lovely dinner at home and played board games all night in our coziest clothes (honestly, ideal after a chilly ski day).
Day 3: Snowmobiling, Skating & Springing ❄️
🚗 Drive time: 1 hour 15 minutes [ Map for this leg ]
☑️ First stop: Snowmobile Adventure
This was hands-down the highlight of the trip.
Post breakfast we went snowmobiling with Toby Creek Adventures. We got there and were lucky enough to be the only ones booked for the morning timeslot, so we got a private tour!
This was such an adventure, I truly did not know what I signed up for. They pointed to the top of a mountain and said "that is your destination"..... Call me a city girl but when I pictured snowmobiling, it was through the valley not UP a mountain 🫣. It turned out to be equally terrifying and thrilling. We got to the top in one piece where they served us cookies and hot tea/hot chocolate before we turned around to head back down.
On the way down we even got to go on a small walk to a frozen waterfall/natural ice slide.
10/10 experience overall.
☑️ Second Stop: Skating (Round Two)
In the afternoon, we made our way back to Invermere to go for a skate on the Whiteway, Invermere’s famous lake skating trail (which has 30+ km of cleared ice on the frozen lake). My sister brought out some hockey sticks and a puck and it turned into a full on game!
☑️ Third Stop: Hot Springs
After all that thrill (and chilly weather), we were beyond giddy to go unwind at Radium Hot Springs.
Honesty Hour: The hot springs was giving community centre pool and is right next to the highway so it was a bit 🤨(I won't lie). But the tubs themselves were super warm and steamy under the cold winter air. It was snowing, serene and still quite picturesque despite the image I just presented to you. Honestly, I could’ve stayed there all evening.
🏁 Refuel and Recharge
We capped the night with homemade pizza back at the house. Simple, satisfying, and exactly right after such a full day.
Day 4: Scenic Stops on the Journey Back
🚗 Drive time: 3 hours 45 minutes [ Map for this leg ]
The last day of our mini long weekend escape meant packing up early and hitting the road by 8am to allow us some time to actually enjoy the highway 93 through the mountains (which we did in the dark on day 2). Truly this highway drive alone is a must do activity.
☑️ First Stop: Suspension Bridge
Our first pitstop was Dog Lake Trail which features a nice Suspension Bridge. This was a short little walk (5.1km round trip) that was fun way to wake up and enjoy a coffee while stretching our legs.
Be warned that the trail head starts at the McLoed Meadows picnic area, it begins by heading towards the McLoed Meadows Campground then crossing over the Kootenary River to get to Dog Lake.
☑️ Second Stop: Marble Canyon
Our next stop was Marble Canyon Trail (just under 2 km). A short but absolutely stunning walk in winter with its turquoise river cutting through icy rock walls.
☑️ Third Stop: Banff Gondola
We rolled into Banff around 1pm for lunch and considered a ride up the Banff Gondola (worth it on a clear day if you’ve got time, a bit of extra $ and energy for one last mountain view).
☑️ Fourth Stop: Wildlife Distillery
A quick final stop at Wildlife Distillery in Canmore for a bottle of my favourite spirit (that I cannot get at home even though I have tried!).
This place is a true hidden gem🌟. They offer tours of their quaint distillery along with taatings. I didnt do the tour this time, just a quick stop in but I have done it on other trips and had the best times ever. Highly recommend.
🏁 Flight Home
From there, it was the final stretch back to Calgary Airport for a 7pm flight home to Ottawa.
Final Thoughts and Tips for Your Own Calgary➡️Invermere Winter Getaway:
✔️Plan your drives with daylight. Especially the Banff → Invermere stretch down highway 93. Why? because it’s gorgeous, but also twisty and without cell service.
✔️ Pack layers. You’ll want everything from cozy clothes for afternoon tea to windproof gear for skating.
✔️Mix adventure with downtime. Ski days + hot springs are the ultimate combo.
This loop made for the perfect long weekend: a little luxury, a little BC cottage charm, and plenty of mountain adventures. If you’re looking for a winter trip that balances fun stops with cozy ideas, this route is gold.
All the best and Happy travels,
Roaming with Zinkie
Comments