Banff National Park, Part IV and Calgary

For our 5th and final day in Banff we decided to check out the Banff gondola. We got a later start than usual since we needed to pack and get out of our VRBO. We also had an exciting morning as J lost her first tooth! She was worried that the tooth fairy wouldn't know where she was so we held onto the tooth until we got home.

We got to the gondola around 9:45am, and it wasn't too crowded at all (when we left around 11:30am people were parking miles away on the road and had to walk there... definitely go early)!

I didn't realize how expansive the Banff Gondola experience is! To start, we took the 8 minute gondola up the Sulfur Mountain. We were then led into an interactive interpretive center where there were hands on displays, a multi sensory Banff weather theater, and information boards and posters about everything Banff. It was really extraordinary and the kids had a blast. We probably spent most of our time in here since the kids were enjoying it so much.

We managed to make it out of there and onto the observation deck and Sulfur Mountain boardwalk. The views of the six mountain ranges were stunning. We had such great weather and could see for miles and miles. The boardwalk took us for a nice walk high above the trees where we could have views every which way we wanted. From the 360 observation deck there were even more. Simply amazing!

We went to lunch in Banff before heading out for the drive to Calgary. We wanted to take the kids to the Telus Spark Science Museum before it closed at 4pm. Before we got out of the car though, J lost her second tooth! They were both pretty loose so we knew it was coming. She was so excited!

Calgary's interactive science museum, Telus Spark, is awesome and caters to every age group, plus because it was the end of the day during the week we had the place to ourselves. We all had a blast seeing how high we could jump, watching a drum beat our heartbeat, laying on a bed of nails, watching lights respond to different sounds, designing a cartoon with tangible items, learning how water erodes land, and so much more! Although the most fun the kids had was the outdoor play space called "The Brainasium". The only thing J wanted to do was climb the high ropes course over and over and over again! It's been two months since we were there and she still talks about how she wants to go back.

We checked into our hotel, which by the way couldn't be more convenient to the airport. It is directly across from the baggage pickup! We literally just crossed the street the next morning. We ordered some room service and let the kids veg out a little to some TV. It was an early night for everyone since we had to be at the airport around 5:15am.

This was an amazing trip and we're so thankful to have gotten to do it. By this point the kids are pros at traveling and we hope we are opening up their world beyond their own city and state. Is it tiring for us as parents? Yep! It's not a vacation for us with kids.. it's a trip. But life is short and the world is full of wonders. Will they remember the trips? Some yes, some no. But will they remember their years in preschool? Or the playdates they have with friends? Some yes, some no, but you're helping them to learn, grow their minds, and shape their futures by creating these experiences. We hope that we are creating not only a love for traveling and the outdoors, but an understanding of different cultures, languages, and food. Plus, the memories and bonding as a family will last a lifetime! Until the next adventure...