There are many different accommodations whether you’re heading east or west, including Lake Louise and Jasper for a nice weekend getaway near me. These locations offer gorgeous accommodations to treat your partner near Edmonton or in the mountains. At Footloose Caboose, you’ll get to stay on a train! Shunda Creek Hostel in Nordegg is a nice place nestled in the mountains. Miner’s Shack in Drumheller is located near all the attractions. Baker Creek is close to Lake Louise offering a cozy setting to appreciate after a day hiking in the crisp air in the fall or skating in the winter.
Bear Hill Lodge in Jasper is a quaint place to stay in the winter after spending the day cross-country skiing or downhill skiing. Take the opportunity to relax by the fireplace while looking out at the snowy trees surrounding you. Becker’s Chalets is an awesome place to stay from May to October. They have many cabins depending on what you want. They have a beautiful property overlooking the fast-flowing Athabasca River.
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Footloose Caboose
Have you ever stayed in a train? Footloose Caboose is a nice weekend getaway near me offering a unique place to stay thirty-five minutes east of Edmonton, close to Tofield. They are open from May to October. It’s a fun accommodation to stay overnight. The prices are as follows:
- Bed & Breakfast $190.00
- Dinner, Bed & Breakfast $230.00
- Weekend Getaway Special $400.00
- 3 Day Stay $585.00
It’s convenient to walk across the street in the morning to another caboose to eat a delicious breakfast. After a full stomach, you can walk and explore the property.
Shunda Creek Hostel
Shunda Creek Hostel is near the town of Nordegg. They have dormitory style and private rooms available. There is a big kitchen to cook your meals and a long table to share conversations throughout your stay. There is a big parking lot to park your vehicles during your stay.
It is situated in a great location near Nordegg, close to the Coliseum parking lot. Many trails are available to explore around the hostel including Baldy Canyon trail, which is a nice hike and Fish Lake trail. The area is gorgeous. It will be nice to wake up to beautiful mountain views in the morning.
Miner’s Shack
The Miner’s Shack is a cute accommodation to stay in Drumheller. It’s near all the activities you’ll want to do while visiting including the Royal Tyrell Museum which is a ten-minute drive away. It will have everything you need including a bedroom, kitchen, living room area and a place to unwind after a day of exploring. Make sure to do the 4 Spectacular Drumheller Hikes when visiting.
Lake Louise
Lake Louise is a spectacular place to visit year-round. There are many activities to do in the mountains with your partner. Although the driving conditions are better in the summer, there’s something magical about staying in a room or cabin that has a view of snowy trees and everything covered in white. It’s nice to warm up in the jacuzzi or fireplace after being outside in the cold all day. Regardless of what season you choose to visit, Baker Creek is a wonderful place to stay.
Baker Creek
Baker Creek, a fifteen-minute drive south of Lake Louise is nestled in the forest surrounded by mountains along Highway 1A. It offers a wide variety of accommodations from suites to cabins. Depending on the accommodation booked, a jacuzzi can be found to relax after a long day of hiking or skiing. I especially like staying here in the winter. Cozy up next to the fireplace to warm up or read a book on the couch. This nice weekend getaway near me has a starting price of $400 and up/night. Although an expensive weekend, it’s a special way to treat yourself to a romantic weekend with your partner.
Tip #1: Plan ahead to save money for your adventurous getaway.
Tip #2: Save money at restaurants by booking a room with a kitchenette to cook meals in your room.
So many simple and quick healthy recipes to feed you both. A few ideas to get you thinking are Chicken Gyro, Butter Chicken, Thai Chicken Pasta and Salmon Patties.
Activities
There are so many summer and winter activities to do near Lake Louise.
Summer
A wonderful adventure to experience is exploring Gorgeous Hiking to Laughing Falls. This trail is in Yoho National Park along the Yoho Valley Trail in British Columbia. Park in the Takkakaw Falls parking lot after climbing Yoho Valley Road by car from Highway 1. In the summer, the parking lot gets super busy with hikers, backpackers, picnickers, and people checking out the falls.
Tip: Arrive early if you want to get a parking spot otherwise you’ll be parking down the road.
Note that this hike is only doable from late June to mid-October. Due to high avalanche risk, the road is closed from mid-October to late June.
We went later in the afternoon early in September which was perfect to avoid many tourists and the bugs. It was a lovely hike that started with a wide trail to walk beside each other and slowly over time it became narrower and we proceeded to walk behind each other along the river. It felt peaceful with few people and surrounded by nature and the running river. Eventually, a steep part arises before reaching Laughing Falls but it doesn’t last very long before returning to a flat path again.
Laughing Falls has a backcountry campsite where many backpackers will be seen having set up their tents for the night. It’s a magical place to stay for one or two nights. The river is on one side and the falls are on the other side of the campground. You won’t regret taking some time to see this beautiful place to explore.
Winter
If you go to Lake Louise in the winter, have the Best Downhill Ski Day in Lake Louise. Lake Louise Ski Hill has many blue and black runs on the Larch side of the hill. The front side of the hill has more green for beginners but if it’s sunny they tend to get slushy quickly with the sun melting the snow. It can also get crowded with many beginners on the front side. If you want a bit quieter place to downhill ski, head to the backside offering some easy greens, moderate blues and difficult black runs.
Tip: Buy two adult discounted ski lift tickets at Costco to save money. It should save you about $40 compared to buying them in person at the hill.
Jasper
NOTE: Jasper National Park is closed to visitors until September 3, 2024, due to the forest fires.
Jasper offers two nice weekend getaways near me: Bear Hill Lodge and Becker’s Chalets. Bear Hill Lodge is more affordable in the winter months compared to the summer months. Becker’s Chalets is open from May until Thanksgiving weekend in October. If you’re looking for a wonderful place to stay in the winter, go to Bear Hill Lodge and in the summer Becker’s Chalets has some spacious cabins at a reasonable price.
Bear Hill Lodge
NOTE: Closed until September 3, 2024, as the town recovers from the Jasper National Park forest fire.
A nice weekend getaway near me includes Bear Hill Lodge where we typically stay in winter when it’s cheaper. They offer different rooms depending on how many people are spending the night. The pictures show Heritage Cabin. It offered two rooms with two double beds, a bathroom, a small kitchenette, and a living room with couches in front of a fireplace. The kitchenette provided enough room to cook a meal with the supplied dishes, pots and pans.
Although Bear Hill Lodge has renovated their cabins and doesn’t seem to offer a Heritage Cabin anymore, they have other cabins for couples. The prices are reasonable starting at $169.50/night for a lodge room and $221.43/night for a chalet room. They have chalets in a four-plex building to accommodate close proximity to each other and adjoining units if two couples want to share the eating space but have separate sleeping quarters and entrances.
Activities
Here are activities to do near Bear Hill Lodge.
Walking
During the winter months, it’s possible to stroll around town checking out the little shops and enjoying the scenery. Walking around Pyramid Island is also pretty. There are many hikes around that area.
Maligne Canyon
Maligne Canyon Winter Hike is an excellent place to go for a morning or afternoon adventure. The entire loop from the Maligne parking lot to the fifth bridge is approximately 4.3 kilometres and the entire loop to go all the way to the sixth bridge and back is 7.4 kilometres.
Ensure to bring Kahtoola Microspikes to avoid slipping on ice and snow. Even if there is sun at the parking lot, in the canyon it can feel a lot cooler in the shade. Make sure to bring enough layers to add clothing if you need to keep warm. The ice conditions change hourly and are unpredictable. It’s strongly recommended to go with a guide. Sundog Tours offers ice walks for $69 per adult and $35 per child. It’s a bit scary not knowing if the snow and ice will support you. Rely on the paid guides to provide that knowledge for your group.
Skiing at Marmot Basin
A nice weekend getaway near me can include skiing at Marmot as an option for a winter activity. Costco offers two consecutive adult tickets to purchase at a discount. Check with your local Costco for updated pricing. Marmot Basin has many blue and green runs in the lower bowls and more black runs further up the mountain. It’s an easier hill which is perfect for a day of skiing with your partner. Head up the mountain for some more challenging runs if that’s more fitting.
Restaurants
Fiddle River Restaurant is a wonderful place to celebrate an anniversary with delicious food! They offer authentic Canadian food such as seafood chowder, French onion soup, fish and lobster. They have vegetarian options as well. To top it all off, they offer a maple pecan cheesecake or crème brûlé.
Becker’s Chalets
NOTE: They are closed for the 2024 season, as the town recovers from the Jasper National Park forest fire.
Becker’s Chalets is a nice weekend getaway near me from May long weekend to Thanksgiving weekend. They have a lovely setting overlooking the Athabasca River. They are located south of Jasper on the Icefields Parkway. Pictures two and three are for the Deluxe Log Chalet and pictures four, five, and six are from Riverside Chalet For Two. They have a variety of accommodations available depending on how many people are in your party. They have a restaurant that serves breakfast and supper. If you want to cook your own meals, kitchenettes can be found in some of the cabins. Shoulder season (May/October) prices start at $185/night and summer prices start at $195/night. It’s such a gorgeous setting where Kris and I got married. It’s a beautiful location offering spectacular scenery, relaxation time by the water and activities nearby.
Activities
Places to explore near Becker’s Chalets.
Pyramid Island
Pyramid Island has some great spots along the lake for a fall picnic. It’s a fantastic opportunity for great food, company, and gorgeous views of the leaves changing colours around the lake.
Additional Hikes
A nice weekend getaway near me offers hikes in the area. Check out Jasper Hikes: Best Memories. The eight hikes included are as follows: Athabasca Glacier, Athabasca Falls, Wabasso Lake, Valley of the Five Lakes, Edith Cavell, Patricia Lake Circle, Maligne Canyon and Opal Hills. Maligne Canyon can be done in both the winter and summer. Although, you’ll be required to stay on the trail when hiking it in the summer.
Athabasca Glacier, Athabasca Falls, Wabasso Lake, Valley of the Five Lakes and Edith Cavell are located south of Jasper on Highway 93. Patricia Lake Circle can be accessed by heading up on Pyramid Lake Road to Pyramid Lake Lodge. Opal Hills is accessed by driving down the Maligne Lake Road. They are all stunning hikes in their own way offering many opportunities to take beautiful pictures. They vary in length and difficulty depending on how far you want to go or how challenging of a day you want.
Tip: Keep in mind Opal Hills is a forty-five-minute drive from Jasper. Make sure you gas up before heading in that direction to avoid running on fumes when you return from your adventure.
Boat Cruise
Maligne Lake offers boat cruises as well if you want to try a different activity than hiking.
Final Thoughts
Are you ready to treat yourself to a nice weekend getaway near me? How does a jacuzzi and sitting by a fireplace sound after a day outside? Imagine being in your cozy cabin looking out at the changing leaves or the trees covered in snow while enjoying a weekend away. The accommodations have different pricing depending on what works for your budget. There are so many activities in both areas to keep you busy for your entire stay. Treat yourself to a restaurant nearby or save a few bucks and cook a delicious meal in your kitchenette, paired with a glass of wine. What are you waiting for? You deserve it. Go book yourself a trip!
Additional Links
- 9 Extraordinary Winter Wonderland Banff National Park Activities
- The Best Winter Activities Near Me for a Marvelous Season
- 23 Summer Outdoor Adventures in Alberta
- Review: Osprey Tempest 24 Pack
- 28 Ways to Spend Time Outdoors This Winter
Trip Ressources
- Book your flights with Expedia
- Book your hotel with Booking.com or Hotels.com
- Book your vacation rental with Vrbo
- Book your experiences through TripAdvisor or Manawa
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