Lake Louise: A Place Worth Dreaming About

I first visited Lake Louise when I was 12, on a road trip with my parents. We stopped for afternoon tea at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and I remember thinking that someday I would come back.

Decades later, a journey on the Rocky Mountaineer finally brought me back, with my favorite traveling partner —this time, not just for tea. We were fortunate enough to spend a few days at the Fairmont Chateau while exploring the beautiful Lake Louise.

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is a destination in its own right. Our stay was included as part of our Rocky Mountaineer package, giving us the chance to experience this iconic hotel rather than simply stop by for a visit.

The hotel has become such a popular attraction that access is now limited for those who are not overnight guests. And once you step inside, it is easy to understand the appeal.

One of the best parts of staying at the Fairmont is getting to enjoy Lake Louise after many of the day visitors have left. We settled into the Lakeview Lounge for a drink at dusk, with the lake right outside the windows.

Want to take your glass of wine outside? Of course you can. We walked outside to a cool August evening to sit by the fire, take in the views and finish our wine. Not a bad way to end the day after our long day of travel on the Rocky Mountaineer.

And this evening view in a setting you’ve always dreamed about.

We woke up to cloud cover the next morning. If you are expecting every day to be perfect “Instagram” sunshine, be prepared. It’s the mountains, and the weather can be unpredictable. Take it all in. The beauty is still incredible.

Cloudy weather or not, we were up for an adventure. We took the shuttle arranged by the Fairmont to Moraine Lake. We will share that adventure in another post!

This is a great service offered by the hotel, especially since private vehicles are no longer allowed at Moraine Lake. There are larger bus tours available, but for $60 CAD (about $43 USD), we went from the front door of the Chateau straight to the base of Moraine Lake.

The concierge provides a link where hotel guests can book the shuttle, along with plenty of other activities and things to see and do right from the hotel. (And yes, in August it can be chilly. Be prepared!)

Later that afternoon, when we returned to Lake Louise, the clouds had parted and the sun was shining, bringing out those incredible turquoise hues the lake is famous for. We headed out on the Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail for a walk along the water, and somehow the views just kept getting better.

if you keep going along the Lakeshore Trail, you can eventually connect with the trail to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse. It is a much longer—and decidedly more uphill—adventure than we were up for that day. Instead, we happily stuck to the flatter walk along the lake, which eventually gave us a stunning view back across the turquoise water toward the Chateau.

We made our way back to the hotel and scored THIS table and view of the lake for afternoon Oysters and Spritzes. 20,000+ steps in, it still felt like such a bucket list day.

A word about the rooms. No matter what, try to get a lakeview room. It is worth it! We also chose to upgrade the room included with our Rocky Mountaineer trip to Fairmont Gold. Our room had elevated furnishings and, best of all, a window seat where we could sit and take in that amazing view.

Fairmont Gold also includes a private lounge with breakfast, afternoon tea, and snacks throughout the day. Alcohol is extra, but we found it less expensive than downstairs. You also have a dedicated reception area and concierge, which makes the experience feel even more special.

For a stay we had waited a long time for, it was well worth the splurge.

Dinner with a View

We had dinner at Fairview Restaurant, and I definitely recommend making a reservation during the busy summer and winter seasons. The restaurant offers an elevated menu, creative cocktails, and an extensive wine list. We shared a salad and an incredible bison tenderloin that was so good, I completely forgot to take a picture! Sometimes that is the sign of a really good meal.

After dinner, we stepped outside around 9:15 p.m., and it was still dusk. Even with a little cloud cover, the lake and surrounding mountains were simply beautiful. It was one of those summer evenings when you just want to linger a little longer and take it all in.

On our final morning, we had hoped the sunshine from the previous afternoon would stick around. It did not! Instead, we had a mix of sun and clouds as we headed out to hike the Fairview Lookout Trail.

At about 1.5 miles round trip, it is a relatively short hike, but do not let the distance fool you. It is a steady uphill climb through the forest to the lookout.

At this point, we were happy with the cool temperatures and cloud cover.

Once we reached the lookout, we could see why it is such a popular hike. The views back toward the Fairmont and Lake Louise—even with the cloud cover—were spectacular.

At the end our hike, we took one last walk along the lake. The clouds were still hanging over the mountains, but that turquoise water was as beautiful as ever. The red canoes, the mountains, and the calm water—it was a pretty perfect final look at Lake Louise.

A place worth dreaming about.

And then it was time to say goodbye. I first came to Lake Louise when I was 12 years old and promised myself I would return someday. Sitting in our window seat at the Fairmont, looking out at that same spectacular lake all these years later, I could finally say I had kept that promise. I hope this inspires your bucket list trip to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.