Lake Louise

Considered by many to be the crown jewel of Banff National Park, Lake Louise is nearly impossible to describe without resorting to shameless cliches. Standing next to the serene, implausibly turquoise lake, Banff's wild grandeur feels (and is) tantalizingly close, with a surrounding amphitheater of finely chiseled mountains that hoist Victoria Glacier audaciously toward the heavens.

Famous for its teahouses, grizzly bears and hiking trails, Lake Louise is also renowned for its much-commented-on 'crowds,' plus the incongruous lump of towering concrete known as Chateau Lake Louise. But, frankly, who cares? You don't come to Lake Louise to dodge other tourists. You come to share in one of the Rockies' most spectacular sights, one that has captured the imaginations of mountaineers, artists and visitors for more than a century.

Lake Louise 'village,' just off Trans-Canada Hwy/Hwy 1, is little more than an outdoor shopping mall, a gas station and a handful of hotels.