Hotel at a Glance: Palliser Lodge

Nestled in the foothills of the Rockies, Palliser Lodge has a serene atmosphere and sweeping mountain views—you can see the blue-tinged mountaintops from the lodge’s outdoor hot tub. Here, you’re within a short drive of the lifts at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, which expects to begin ski season in December 6th. Get a jump on the season by booking dates starting in December. Even when ski season is over April 12th, the nearby ski resorts offer myriad outdoor activities.

• Spacious accommodations: Suites are outfitted with fully equipped kitchens, separate bedrooms, complimentary high-speed internet, and balconies with scenic views. Choose a two-bedroom suite for a private hot tub on a balcony.
• Grab dinner: Walk to Peaks Grill for some pulled-pork poutine fries, nachos, or fish tacos, or head over to the Winston Lodge Pub for a drink
• Winter activities: Other than skiing, you can go tubing, ice skating, and snowshoeing.
• Recent awards: TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2013
• Take a lift to Eagle’s Eye Restaurant, situated at the top of a mountain, for lunch. The restaurant serves up sandwiches, salads, and such upscale options as roasted yam cannelloni.
• Ski-in, ski-out access to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

Golden, British Columbia, Canada: Remote Ski Town Surrounded by National Parks

Some bed-and-breakfasts in Golden are only accessible by helicopter. While that might seem a little ridiculous, the remoteness of the area is a big part of its appeal. Nestled in the Rocky Mountain Trench—as context clues might suggest, it’s surrounded by mountain ranges—the area is particularly popular for its many ski resorts. During the winter, they offer ample snowboarding, sledding, and skiing. When the snow melts, you can mountain bike, hike, or heli-hike the area’s many mountains. Golden’s two rivers also provide adventure: kayak through the calmer stretches of water, or white-water raft through steep rapids.

Golden also provides easy access to a number of national parks. Glacier National Park, for example, contains a preserve of old-growth cedar trees and hemlock, part of the world’s only temperate inland rainforest. Take a walk on the park’s elevated boardwalk and keep your eyes peeled for mountain caribou, mountain goats, and grizzly bears.

On the other side of Golden is the mountainous Yoho National Park, rightfully named after a Cree expression of awe. It’s speckled with rock walls, waterfalls, and glacial lakes. Walk through spiraling tunnels carved into mountainsides—relics of the area’s old railroad—or visit the Burgess Shale Formation, a World Heritage site. Here, you’ll find the fossilized remains of more than 120 marine-animal species, which date back 515 million years.

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