Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park. (Supplied by Vacay.ca)

By David Opinko

Banff, Writing-On-Stone among the “Best Places to Travel in Canada for 2020”

Jan 8, 2020 | 10:56 AM

BANFF, AB – Vacay.ca has named two popular tourist destinations in Alberta as being among the 20 best places to go in the country.

According to the website, the list “endeavours to spotlight destinations that are at the forefront of environmental progress while remaining exciting places to visit with quality attraction, innovative enterprises, nature-filled activities, and outstand accommodations.”

For this year’s ranking, Banff National Park stood above all others.

“It’s not just for the big mountains and the unbelievable grand views,” reads a writeup from Vacay.ca.

The publication sites local restaurants and coffee shops, the region’s “two iconic hotels” being Fairmont Banff Springs and Fairmont Lake Louise, efforts to reduce energy use and food waste, ski resorts, community clean-up efforts, hiking and biking trails, and other recreational opportunities.

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“Banff is a living, breathing example of how a destination with a long history is choosing to make a difference in how we experience it today and in the years to come,” says Editor Petti Fong. “Visitors coming here are left with not just memories and selfies but with a renewed faith and responsibility that the places we go to, whether it’s far from home, or right in our backyard, are worth fighting for so future travelers will get to experience the same awe and wonderment of being someplace monumental for the very first time.”

2020 marks the 135th anniversary of the founding of Banff National Park.

Albertan destinations not only opened the list but closed it too as Writing-On-Stone Provincial park came in at number 20.

“This enormous nature preserve in the Alberta park system protects Indigenous rock carvings that are sacred to the Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot Nation) and several other communities.”

One of the main draws to Writing-On-Stone is being in the quiet and peaceful natural environment while checking out the unique hoodoo rock formations.

“Writing-on-Stone isn’t just a park, it’s a library. You won’t find walls here, or computers, newspapers or books by Margaret Atwood, Tom Clancy or Lawrence Hill. But it is a library all the same with pages etched in stone by people who lived on this land before words like ‘Canada’, ‘America’ or ‘Europe’ existed. And if that isn’t cool enough, this library will allow you to roast marshmallows during your visit,” says Deputy Editor Rod Charles.

In 2019, Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. More details here.

You can read the full 20 Best Places to Travel in Canada for 2020 list through this link.