Fair rides at Whoop Up Days in Lethbridge, Alberta. Every August Lethbridge hosts Whoop Up Days. A four-day event featuring fair rides, yummy greasy snacks, live music, exhibits and rodeo events.

Yes, I know. I’m committing  a major blogger faux pas by claiming to have just eaten the BEST burger on the planet. However, as of today, at this moment in my life, I have. Seriously.

While walking around Banff earlier today my eyes were drawn to a place called The Eddie Burger + Bar on Caribou Street. The place looked cool. It was small, with a simple and clean look and it was busy- a good sign. But, I was meeting Rob from Brewsters Canada at Saltlik, so I decided to pass (for the moment).

While we were sitting on the patio talking about travel, Banff and all the great things Banff has to offer, Rob mentioned that The Eddie had the best onion rings in town. As a girl who loves her onion rings, I was intrigued and wanted to find out for myself.

There are three things that make a restaurant a great place to eat. 1. Ambiance, 2. Food, 3. Service. As I mentioned above, The Eddie is small, but that’s one of the things that makes this place worth a stop. I loved the clean lines, the dark wood and the cozy feel. For a small eatery/bar, it’s equipped with 4 flat screen TVs. Yes, 4. Why? No clue.

Food

The Eddie offers more than your standard AAA beef burger. Customers can try burgers like Elk, Bison, Lamb, Chicken, & Veggie. Customers also have the option of ordering off their standard menu, or creating their own burger (which I understand is a bigger portion as a 1/2 side dish is not included).

I opted for The Eddie Classic Burger and a 1/2 order of Onion Rings. At first glance, the burger looks small, but in all honesty it was the perfect size- for me. The burger was moist (I actually got burger juice on my top, lol), and a little tall. In fact my big mouth, wasn’t big enough! I had to squish it to eat it. The onion rings were done just right. The onions weren’t over cooked, and the oil they used to fry them was fresh. I know that sounds weird, but it’s important. Eating fried food that has been fried in old oil is disgusting. No matter how good the food is, the old oil after taste kills it every time. For the first time in a LONG time I enjoyed onion rings that were fresh.

Service

I’m a pretty picky person when it comes to service. I believe in tipping well for good service. Being a waitress/waiter is not an easy job. In fact it’s a pretty thankless job. However, if they want to make money, they need to be on their A-game on each an every shift. My waitress at The Eddie was one of those waitresses. She was friendly, informative, polite and fast. I think I waited all of 10 minutes for my food and less than 5 for my beverage (The Trash Can- WOW!).  Although I didn’t sit at the bar (it was 6 feet away from my table) I did take note of the bar tender. No, I was not ‘checking him out’, I was observing his treatment of his customers, which was friendly and polite.

Banff gets a bad rap, a lot. It’s been blamed for being snobby, rude, uptight etc. It’s not. There are bad experiences in every town in the world. Nobody is perfect all the time. Thankfully, my meal this evening wasn’t one of those bad experiences. It was one of those great experiences. I didn’t feel like I was eating in a tourist trap, I felt like I was eating in my favourite local joint. I was greeted by smiling staff within seconds of walking in the door, the service was fast, the food was scrumptious, and the price was reasonable.

Total Meal Cost (food + drink) $23.00

The Eddie Burger + Bar. #6 137 Banff Avenue (on Caribou St. between Banff Ave & Bear St.) facebook: eddieburgerbar

Prince of Wales Hotel

Built in 1926- 1927 by the American Great Northern Railway, the Prince of Wales Hotel sits on a hill that overlooks the Waterton Town-site and Upper Waterton Lake, and is located in one of the windiest areas of Waterton. In fact, people have been known to lean over the cliff, as the wind will keep them from falling over into the lake (I really don’t recommend this!).
Staying at the hotel can be a bit pricey. The rooms don’t have a television or phone because the hotel is meant to be a getaway, which makes it popular with celebrities who make yearly visits to the hotel (David Letterman and the band Coldplay are among recent guests). However, if you’re into the supernatural, then splurge a little and ask to stay in one of the hotel’s haunted rooms (I’m too chicken!).

Aside from the Prince of Wales Hotel, Waterton Lakes National Park has plenty to see and do, and still has a small town feel. One aspect that’s bound to amaze and surprise first time visitors is the wildlife. Over the years Deer in the area have become very accustom to having people around, and can be seen walking the streets or lounging on lawns. However, the deer are not alone, occasionally families of Big Horn Sheep can be seen walking through town as well. If you’re a wildlife enthusiast, continue reading. There are some tips listed below.

Hotels

Waterton is very strict, as far as the amount of building and construction that can happen in the park. For that reason there are only a handful of hotel options available. These are my recommendations…
Crandall Mountain Lodge- This is a wonderful, family-run hotel. Small, but cozy! Open all year.
The Kilmorey Lodge- I’m including this as it’s popularity may have reached your ears. Unfortunately, there was a fire a couple of years ago and the lodge burnt down. However, it’s currently under construction! Look for it’s re-opening, they have amazing staff and usually the best food in town!
Bayshore Inn- I use to work here, I had to mention it! A great option, right beside Upper Waterton Lake. Open May- Oct.

Food & Drink

Pizza of Waterton- The name says it all. If you’re in the mood for pizza, then walk on over and buy some from this place. So yummy!
Zum’s Eatery- By far, the BEST burgers in the park. This is a popular place on the main road, which has a patio!
Big Scoop Ice Cream Parlor- I love the ice cream here almost as much as I love their homemade waffle cones. This place is a summer favourite and a must stop for any and every visitor to Waterton. It’s located on the main road, just a few doors from Zum’s.
Glacier Bistro & Burger Barn- Mmmm nachos! This is one of 4 dinning facilities at the Bayshore Inn.
Thirsty Bear Salon- If you’re in the mood to party, then this is pretty much the only place in town!

Activities

Waterton Shoreline Cruises- On a beautiful sunny day, taking a cruise down Upper Waterton Lake is a must! The M.V. International has been in service since 1927 and holds roughly 200 people. For $36 (a round-trip ticket) you can cruise down Upper Waterton Lake to Goat Haunt, Montana (where you stop for about 30 mins) and then back to the Waterton town-site. The cruise is about 2 1/4 hrs in length and if you take the first one of the day, you may be rewarded with a bear sighting or two!
Rent a Bike/ Scooter- Go to Pat’s and rent a surrey bike. It’s just plain fun! Pat’s has everything- fishing gear, snacks, bikes, scooters, gas…
Rent a canoe or paddle boat- Cameron Lake is breathtaking! During the summer season you can rent a canoe or paddle boat and enjoy stellar views and possibly some wildlife sightings as well!
Horseback Riding- Alpine Stables is located within Waterton Lakes National Park and offers trail rides and over night trips. If you’re looking for a unique way to experience Waterton, go on a trail ride.
Scuba Diving- Believe it or not, there are some fun treasures at the bottom of Upper Waterton Lake, including a ferry boat!

Hikes

There are plenty of hikes in the park, for all skill levels. Below are some of my personal favourites.

View of Waterton townsite from Bear's Hump

Bears Hump- The entrance for this hike is above the Visitors Centre (across the road from the Prince of Wales Hotel). The hike takes about 30-60 minutes, and offers amazing views of the valley. Be prepared for a work-out though, it gets a little steeper as you get closer to the top.
Lineham Falls- OMG, this hike offered amazing views, but boy were my legs tired! The hike is about 8 km, with a steady incline all the way to the falls.
Wall Lake, BC- I remember repeating “I think I can, I think I can” at the beginning of this hike. The first part is pretty steep, but it eventually levels off.
Red Rock Canyon/ Blackiston Falls- Not a challenging hike, but a beautiful one.
A popular hike, which I have yet to complete is Crypt Lake. Crypt Lake is on the other side of Upper Waterton Lake and is a full-day hike. The incline is steep, complete with ropes and a tunnel, but I’m told it’s totally worth it. Check with the visitors centre before going as there are Grizzly Bears on that side of the lake and sometimes the hike will be closed if bear scat or dead animals are found on or near the trail.

Big Horn Sheep in Waterton

Wildlife

There is plenty of wildlife in Waterton, aside from the Deer and Big Horn Sheep who regularly visit the town-site. The following is a list of wildlife and where they can generally be seen within the park. Please remember that these are wild animals and should not be approached. If you see one, admire from a distance, do not take risks with your personal safety!
Bears- As I mentioned above, Grizzly Bears are more common on the eastern shore of Upper Waterton Lake, around Crypt and Vimy. The western shore has more brown bears. Although bears are known to wander into the town-site, the rangers are quick to respond and “encourage” them back into the mountains. Bears can be spotted around Cameron Lake, and on the road to Red Rock Canyon. They’ve also been known to frequent the golf course.
Moose- Sometimes a pair of antlers can be seen poking up from Upper Waterton Lake, but the most common sighting is along the river the runs through Red Rock Canyon.
Elk- There’s a herd somewhere in the park. These guys are harder to find. I’ve generally seen them on the road between the town-site and the entrance to the park.
Buffalo/ Bison- There’s a paddock of Buffalo located outside the park, and it’s pretty cool if you’ve never seen one before!

Waterton Lakes National Park holds a special place in my heart. In the summer of 2003, it was my home. I worked and played and had an amazing time. I lived in a dorm room, and remember the entire town smelling like one massive camp fire because there were serious Forrest fires located nearby (we were on an evacuation alert). Although Banff is still the big draw in Alberta, I highly recommend a visit to Waterton. It’s a quiet, peaceful place- even when it’s in the height of tourist season.

** Note: IF you decide to take the cruise to Goat Haunt, Montana and want to do a hike in Glacier National Park before returning to Waterton, remember the bring your passport. You’re still crossing an interntional boarder, even though it consists of a ranger and a hut the size of an outhouse.