My playground

When I was a kid, I was mostly found in my bedroom or running around in the neighbourhood or school yard.

As I get older it seems that my playground continues to expand. Lately my favourite spot to explore is the Canadian Rockies. There’s something about being surrounded by the massive natural wonders. It always seems to bring peace to my mind. 

Winter activities in the mountains are kind of obvious to skiing/snowboarding (along with other various snow filled things). The mountains continue to be fun filled even in the summer time. There’s hiking, swimming, rock climbing, zip lining etc. There’s something to do for everyone no matter what your budget.

I haven’t been everywhere in the rookies but so far my favourite places that I find myself going back time and time again are Jasper, Canmore and Banff.   It doesn`t have to be an expensive venture.  If you are willing to suck it up on a few luxuries, a person can still enjoy themselves and have activity packed days and not have to spend a pile of money.

I usually stay at hostels when I go (mostly because I have a fear of camping by myself). The hostels are also a great way to meet like-minded travellers.  Both HI (Hostelling international) and Samesun Backpackers have locations all over. For those that don`t feel like being in an actual town HI has some great `wilderness cabins`. Getting to these locations are a little bit tougher for those that don’t have access to a vehicles or transportation.

The great thing about hostelling is that there is usually a kitchen area where travellers can make and store their food. It gives the convenience of making lunch for your daily activities or even a nice homemade swanky dinner so you don’t have to break the bank with going to the restaurants.

One of my favourite things to do in the mountains during the summer months is to go explore the hiking trails. The best way of finding local trails is to visit the info booth. The rangers are a great resource to find routes with a little something special like some falls, or that great view.