our last trip

9 Ways to Relive Your Last Trip When You're Grounded

When you're not able to travel or have no vacations booked, you can still keep the travel spirit alive by reliving your favorite past trips. Use these nine ideas to re-experience your last memorable vacation and spark inspiration for upcoming voyages.

Get Something Personalized Made From Your Trip Photos

Immortalize the flight that took you to your dream destination with a boarding pass pillow listing your originating and destination airport codes, flight number, gate, seat, date, and name. Create a photo collage in the shape of the U.S. states you’ve visited with a Places We’ve Been Travel Map . Or commemorate your travels with a gunmetal necklace from the Traveller Collective, adding flat silver discs for each country you’ve checked off your bucket list. These customized items can mean a lot more than any tchotchke you hastily picked up at the airport gift shop.

Post an Instagram Highlight of Your Trip

Better than the app’s Story feature where photos disappear after twenty-four hours, Highlights remain on your Instagram account, represented by a circle with the name of the highlight. Activating one launches a slideshow of up to a hundred photos with captions, emojis, and filters—a fun way to quickly reminisce about your entire trip. To create a Highlight, share a photo on your phone to IG Stories. Click on your Story then the More button (with three dots), then select Add to Highlight. The first time you do this, you will have to create the Highlight and give it a name; when adding subsequent photos, you’ll be able to select from the existing Highlight.

Pull Out Those Gourmet Souvenirs

Marinate chicken thighs in the jerk seasoning from Negril, drizzle the fragrant olive oil you purchased in Tuscany on a crusty baguette, and indulge in some tasty chocolate from Geneva. And if you’ve been saving the magnum of vintage Champagne from France or the grippy cabernet sauvignon from your vacation in California wine country, there is no better time to uncork it and enjoy it.

Create and Order a Photo Book

Sites like Mixbook and Shutterfly make it incredibly effortless to upload your photos from your phone or hard drive and create gorgeous, full-color books that you’ll cherish. You’ll even find themes and styles geared for particular themes like beach or camping as well as specific destinations from Europe to Mexico to Disney. It can seem daunting to finish a creation in one sitting, so plan on setting aside a half hour or so a day to tackle the project, especially for more extended vacations. Poll family members and include some fun lists in the captions like the best things you ate, drank, did, and saw, as well as what was most surprising and meaningful about the trip for each of you.

Go Old-School and Make a Scrapbook

If you tend to reach for an actual book rather than your Amazon Kindle, you may find the tactile sensation of creating a scrapbook to be a relaxing diversion right now. Even if you don’t have the cutting tools, fancy cardstock, decorative embellishments, or even the craftiness or creativity to make one, you can order a predesigned and decorated album from Creative Memories . Get low-cost mail-order prints from Snapfish or Target , or use the Free Prints Now app to get up to 85 4x6 prints mailed to you each month for free with just a minimal charge for shipping.

Make a Playlist of Songs by Artists from Your Last Trip's Destination

Spotify continues to be the best option to curate personalized playlists, whether you are looking for soca tunes to bring you back to the beaches of Trinidad or Celtic rock to remind you of good times drinking Guinness in the pubs of Dublin. 

Set Aside Time Each Day to Browse (and Delete) Photos From Your Phone

The ease at which we can take high-quality photos and the amount of storage space we have on our phones has spoiled us, meaning we take way too many pictures of the same thing—annoying when we want to show friends some pics of a trip or create an album. In-between checking out the news or social media take fifteen minutes a day to purge some photos and clear out some space or get help with an app like ALPACA or Flic . Do you really need 10 pics of the cocktail you sipped at sunset in Maui?

Write Reviews for Places You Encountered Great Service

Admit it: it’s always one of those things you swear you’ll do after you return home, but life and laundry always seem to get in the way. Many of us have nothing but time now, and the hospitality industry is struggling. Take a few minutes to post a thoughtful review about the affable owners of the bed and breakfast or the stellar dinner you can’t stop talking about on Yelp or TripAdvisor. While you are at it, reach out to the establishment directly via email, Twitter, or their website and tell them how much you enjoyed your stay, meal, or cocktail and that you will be sure to recommend it to others.

Compile a Photo Slideshow and Play It on Your TV

We’re all spending a lot of time indoors right now—a lot. Seeing memories of your island-hopping cruise, three-week expedition around Thailand, or camping trip to the base of the Grand Canyon can virtually transport you, even for a few minutes while you are making dinner with the ingredients you’ve stockpiled or are playing a board game for the umpteenth time. We will get through this and go on to create many more travel memories.

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EnglishPost.org

How to Talk about Your Last Vacation in English

Talking about your last vacation is a good topic to prove how much you have learned about the simple past.

In this lesson, you are going to learn how to talk about your last vacation in English.

A basic question and answer about this topic are:

• Where? who with? How long?
• I went to Hawaii with my family for a couple of weeks
• I went to Spain with my friends for a couple of weeks
• I went to Italy with my girlfriend for a month

As you can see, both of those sentences use verbs in the past.

Table of Contents

Questions about your Last Vacation

My last vacation examples, my last vacation example #1 , my last vacation example #2, my last vacation example #3, my last vacation example #4, my last vacation example #5, questions about my last vacation in english, key vocabulary, your last vacation exercise.

Not let’s take a look at some other questions, these questions will help you think about your last vacation.

The first set is basic questions that usually require some basic details to be answered:

• Where did you go?
• When did you go?
• Who did you go with?
• How did you get there?
• What did you do during the day?
• What did you do at night?
• What did you eat?
• Did you enjoy your last vacation?
• Where did you stay?
• How much money did you spend on your last vacation?

These are some questions that require a few more details to be answered

• Did you have any bad experiences on your last vacation?
• Did you make new friends on your last vacation?
• What places did you visit during your stay?
• How long were you there?
• Did you buy any souvenirs?
• Where would you like to go next?
• Would you recommend that place that you visited? why or why not?

All of those questions are really helpful when you have an oral test.

These are five examples of people describing their last vacations.

Pay Careful attention to verbs in the past form since you will see lots of them. You will also see verbs in the present in some instances.

The verbs in the past forms will be in bold so it is easier for you to remember them.

Don’t think that those examples are hard to create, you just need to create simple sentences and in some instances provide more details.

Last year, I had the chance the amusement park, Zarcero, and  Ciudad Quesada in a day. I wen t with my daughter, my wife, and some friends.

We woke up early that day and our friends drove us to the amusement park, my daughter enjoyed the many rides available, we ate pizza and we left  around three.

Then we  headed to San Carlos, on the way to San Carlos we stopped by the catholic church and took some pictures of ourselves in the gardens. 

We got to San Carlos around 5:00 PM, we had dinner there, picked some people up, and headed home.

Last year I  spent  my vacation at the beach. I  traveled  with some friends of mine. We arrived at the beach at 8:00 AM, we immediately went swimming then we made some sandwiches for lunch.

After lunch, we went running and we left the beach before 6:00 PM.

We drove back to the hotel and we  had dinner there. Around 9, we called our friends and we met outside a dance club because we wanted to dance.

We spent like three hours in the club and we got back to the hotel.

Last year, I went to Cartagena with my family and my best friend Luis. We visited my cousins Mayra and Alejandra. I hadn’t met them before, so I was really excited to meet them.

My first impression of them it was very good, they are friendly and fun. We went to visit many places but my favorite place was Barú island.

That island is amazing, it looks like a paradise, I took many pictures of every single we did.

The food was excellent. We ate shrimp rice and a shrimp cocktail. I had a great time with my family. We spent three amazing days in Cartagena.

Hello. I’d like to share with everybody the great time that I had on my last vacation. I went to Conchal Beach with my friends. We stayed at a small hotel right in front of the beach.

The first day we were there we took surfing lessons, my friends and I had so much fun hanging out at the beach.

There was another beach nearby, probably a five-minute walk and you are in Brasilito beach. We watched the sunset and we set a fire at night.

We spent most of the three days on the beach and we usually went to a club at night located in a place called Tamarindo. There is a beach in Tamarindo too.  It was one of the most special times I’ve had in my life.

My last holiday was a five-day trip to Guatemala I know Guatemala well because I lived there when I was a missionary more than ten years ago.

Instead of staying in a hotel, I stayed with one of my old friends. It wa s so much fun.

I wanted to visit all the places I lived, so I visited Baja Verapaz. It has changed a lot. I also went to the supermarket near my old house. 

We did some touristy things too. We went to Tikal. Nature is amazing up there. We walked across the historic monuments.

These are some questions and answers about my last vacation in English

• I went to Coco Beach
• I went to Samara Last week
• I went to a resort with my parents
• We rented a car
• I went surfing with my friends
• We visited the clubs and the casinos
• We ate different types of meat

These are some important words that you can use when talking about vacations in English

Long Weekend: Saturday and Sunday with at least one extra day added, either Friday or Monday.

Hang out: to spend a lot of time in a place or with someone

Sightseeing: The activity of visiting interesting places, especially by people on holiday

Test how much you know the past form of most common verbs to describe your past vacations

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English

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"I hope this is au revoir and not goodbye" - Our last trip to Paris before lockdown

May 9, 2020 • 5 min read

A writer recounts traveling to Paris with her son a few days before lockdown ©Feel good studio/Shutterstock

It was my fifth trip to Paris, and my son’s first. For that reason alone, I couldn’t bring myself to cancel the plans we’d been rehearsing for weeks – climbing the Eiffel Tower, daily breakfasts of pain au chocolat , a glimpse of the Mona Lisa. When 14 March arrived it brought with it a sense of impending gloom, as just days earlier coronavirus had been declared a worldwide pandemic.

If we’d have been flying, I would probably have backed out – but a two-hour trip on a well-ventilated Eurostar train seemed less risky. I had insurance, and there were no travel restrictions in the UK or France at the time, so I plowed ahead – armed with a Lonely Planet guidebook and plenty of hand-sanitizer.

Arrival to a changing Paris

My nine-year-old son, Freddie, has always been enchanted by the idea of traveling through a tunnel under the sea, but as soon as our train arrived it was clear that normal life in Paris was fading away. The Metro to our hotel was absolutely deserted, the few souls on board hidden behind facemasks. "How brilliant that no one uses the underground here!" my son said. "It’s way less busy than the Tube in London." I didn’t want to worry him by telling him that our journey was far from typical. 

Waking the next morning, an online search revealed that most of the museums we’d planned to visit had closed, from the Louvre to the Musée d’Orsay. Instead, we boarded a bateau-mouche (riverboat) and gazed at the latter’s cinematic façade from the Seine. My mind’s eye supplied some of the painterly scenes I’d seen there on previous trips: Edgar Degas’ elegant ballerinas and Vincent Van Gogh’s sombre self-portrait.

Our bateau-mouche sailed past the Eiffel Tower, stripped of its usual queue of visitors. Next, we headed to the Musée d’Illusion , one of the few institutions small enough to open while complying with new government rules. Full of halls of mirrors and other optical tricks, it felt a fitting diversion – a place where nothing is as it seems, in a city turned on its head. My son and I both loved “the vortex”, a disorientating tunnel from which we emerged giddy with giggling.   

Crêpes and the city's last steak-frites

Afterward, I bought us crêpes, which we ate from their lemon juice-soaked wrappers after the careful application of a disinfecting hand-gel. We wandered around the Forum des Halles, an architecturally-distinctive shopping mall with perhaps Paris’s premier tourist attraction (if you’re under 10): an enormous Lego store. It sells mini-figures clutching baguettes and small replicas of major city landmarks, and we stayed for what seemed like an eternity.

We found common ground later, in our choice of restaurant for dinner: the charming 10th arrondisement bistro Les Rupins, its windows glowing at dusk. A chalkboard menu offered steak-frites, which my son was delighted to discover were served in typically French fashion: without a vegetable in sight. It might have been one of the last steak-frites served in Paris, because hours later the French government closed all non-essential public spaces: from restaurants to cafes, cinemas to discos. And, of course, hotels.

Happily, the staff at our accommodation,  Le Grand Quartier in Saint-Martin , were far too nice to turf their few remaining guests out on their ear. We breakfasted on Kouign Amman, a decadently buttery Breton pastry, and our waiter offered to make us sandwiches for a packed lunch. On its website the hotel describes itself an “urban haven”, but I can’t imagine they ever meant the words quite so literally. We holed up there all morning while I wondered whether to make a dash for the Eurostar terminal. The situation was changing so rapidly, I feared borders might be the next thing to close. Drinking tea and Googling anxiously while sitting in their courtyard garden, Freddie frolicked obliviously in the sunshine. We also paid a visit to Le Grand Quartier’s stylish concept store, where staff let my son play with the high-end toys on sale while I chose the souvenirs we’d now be unable to purchase elsewhere.

Soaring above the City of Lights

The last stop on our itinerary was a visit to FlyView, a virtual reality attraction. Falling firmly within the “non-essential” category, it was of course closed – but a friendly employee, Aude, called to ask whether we might like to come and try the experience anyway: a private tour. After a litany of cancelled appointments, it felt like a gift, and Freddie’s face lit up at the prospect. If he couldn’t see much of the real Paris, a virtual version would be a happy substitute.

After being fitted with headsets, we found ourselves soaring above the city, flying in jet packs over Montmartre’s hilltop cathedral, the Sacré-Cœur, and whizzing down the tree-lined Champs-Élysées. We hovered among the gargoyles of Notre Dame, and nearly crashed into the Arc de Triomphe. I could hear Freddie shrieking with joy as we approached our final stop, the Eiffel Tower. My son would get his wish to see from the top, after all.

After returning to earth and the increasingly-empty streets of Paris, we took a taxi to Gare du Nord for our Eurostar back to London. The driver says we’re the first fare he’s had all day. Gazing from the car window at the queues outside grocery stores, I wonder if more of our future travel experiences will be via technology rather than plane, train or automobile. Virtual sightseeing might become the new norm, allowing people to explore the world while minimizing their exposure to all the others who live in it.  

But for all its merits, the virtual world is no substitute for the real one. For human beings, a replica is just that – we are drawn to what is original and authentic, in all its messy complexity. A machine can tell us what something looks like, but it can’t give us its smell, or taste, or simulate the feeling of it beneath our fingers. Beyond all else, it is people who make places special: from the heart-gladdening conversation with someone selling you a croissant to the patient waitress smiling at your faltering French. It’s these chance encounters that give our experiences away from home meaning – each one a window onto someone else’s world. Perhaps it’s greedy, but I’d like more of them – for me, and for my children. Paris, I hope this is au revoir and not goodbye.

Orla Thomas traveled to Paris with support from the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau and stayed at Le Grand Quartier .

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Essay on Last Trip

Students are often asked to write an essay on Last Trip in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Last Trip

Excitement of the journey.

Last summer, my family embarked on a trip to the mountains. The anticipation was high as we packed our bags, imagining the cool air and green landscapes.

Memorable Experiences

We explored trails, discovered hidden waterfalls, and even spotted wild animals. Each day was filled with new adventures that created lasting memories.

Learning and Bonding

The trip was not just about fun. It was a learning experience about nature and a chance to strengthen our family bonds. We shared stories, played games, and supported each other.

Our last trip was an unforgettable experience. It reminded us of the beauty of nature and the importance of family.

250 Words Essay on Last Trip

The prelude to adventure.

The last trip I embarked on was an exhilarating journey to the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It was not just a vacation, but a quest for self-discovery and a test of resilience against the raw, untamed wilderness.

Immersing in the Wilderness

The rainforest was a symphony of life, reverberating with the calls of exotic birds and the rustling of unseen creatures. The dense canopy formed an emerald ceiling, filtering the sunlight into a soft, ethereal glow. As we navigated the labyrinthine waterways, the forest unveiled its secrets, from the smallest insect to the most majestic trees.

The Encounter with the Indigenous

A significant highlight was the encounter with an indigenous tribe. Their wisdom, passed down through generations, was a testament to their harmonious coexistence with the environment. Their simple, yet fulfilling lifestyle was a poignant reminder of the often overlooked essentials of life.

The Epiphany

The trip was an awakening, revealing the stark contrast between our technologically-driven existence and nature’s primal simplicity. It underscored the importance of preserving our planet’s biodiversity, emphasizing that we are just a small part of a larger, intricate web of life.

The Farewell

As we bid farewell to the Amazon, we carried back not just memories, but a renewed sense of purpose. The trip was a catalyst for change, prompting us to rethink our relationship with nature and our responsibility towards it.

In conclusion, the last trip was more than just a journey; it was an experience that transformed our perspectives, inspiring us to advocate for a more sustainable and inclusive world.

500 Words Essay on Last Trip

The prelude: emotional anticipation.

The last trip I embarked on was not just a journey through physical landscapes, but an exploration of emotional terrains. The anticipation was a potent mix of excitement and anxiety as I packed my bags, each item a reminder of the unknown experiences that awaited me.

The Destination: A Symphony of the Senses

The destination was a quaint little town nestled in the mountains, a place where the air carried the scent of pine trees and the streets echoed with the soft murmur of the river flowing nearby. The town was a symphony for the senses, each element contributing to a harmonious experience that was both novel and nostalgic.

The Journey: Lessons in Adaptability

The journey was a testament to the human spirit’s adaptability. As I navigated through unfamiliar terrains, I was reminded of the inherent resilience within us. Every missed bus or delayed flight was an opportunity to adapt and learn, a lesson in patience and perseverance. The journey was as much about reaching the destination as it was about the experiences and lessons learned along the way.

The Interactions: Bonds Beyond Borders

One of the most enriching aspects of the trip was the interactions with locals and fellow travelers. The shared experiences and stories transcended geographical boundaries, creating bonds that were rooted in empathy and understanding. These interactions were a reminder that despite our diverse backgrounds, our shared human experiences unite us.

The Reflection: An Inner Journey

The trip was not just an external journey, but an inner one as well. As I explored new places, I also explored parts of myself previously unknown. The solitude offered by the mountains provided a space for introspection, allowing me to reflect on my life, my choices, and my dreams. The trip was a mirror, reflecting back to me the person I was and the person I aspired to be.

The Conclusion: The End is a New Beginning

As the trip concluded, I realized that the end was not truly an end, but a new beginning. The experiences, lessons, and memories from the trip had transformed me, opening my mind to new perspectives and possibilities. The last trip was not just a journey through landscapes, but a journey of self-discovery and growth.

In conclusion, the last trip was a transformative experience that went beyond the physical journey. It was a journey of the senses, of adaptability, of shared human experiences, of self-discovery, and of personal growth. It was a reminder that travel is not just about seeing new places, but about experiencing life in all its diversity and complexity. The last trip was not just a journey, it was a life-changing experience.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Field Trip
• Essay on Trip to Kashmir
• Essay on Planning a Trip

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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My last vacation essay 13 models

Short essay on summer vacation , contains a lot of information about how to spend the vacation and also the places I went on last vacation, and all that information you will find here in My last vacation essay .

My last vacation essay

Vacation is something wonderful and enjoyable and you can use it to spend enjoyable and useful times that make you feel relaxed  and all that gives you a push forward so that you can complete your work or study, all of this you will find here in My last vacation essay .

  My last vacation

When the exams are over, the parents start looking for places to spend their vacation with family. They need to take a break from work and the continuous pressure of life in order to try to recharge the body so that they can continue to work actively.

I am a person who loves to travel to different countries and to know different cultures and traditions. I have traveled in the past vacation to many different countries and I enjoyed very much to know about these countries. I will tell you about these countries  and the advantages of each country of them.

Jordan has a Mediterranean climate; in the winter, temperatures often reach 1 ° C, rain falls and sometimes snow falls;  So it is advisable to visit Aqaba and enjoy its warm atmosphere and beautiful beach, and visit the famous Wadi Rum and pink Petra carved in rock.

 While in the summer temperatures reach an average of 30 degrees Celsius, so it is recommended to visit the mountain highlands in the Ajloun and Jerash, where the temperature is moderate.

The Egyptian Arabic Republic

 It contains many famous and ancient tourist sites,  You can go on a trip to Cairo to enjoy the ancient monuments of the region, such as churches and ancient mosques.

 Visiting the pyramids located in Giza is one of the greatest built by the Pharaohs. But avoid sunny and hot days to enjoy exploring the pyramids, walking the desert sands, riding horses and camels, and taking a tour of the Khufu ship or the sun boat.

I really enjoyed visiting all of these areas ,and took advantage of a lot of information that I did not know before, and I hope that everyone goes to these picturesque areas.

My last trip essay

My last trip was to the Maldives. I woke up one day to a loud voice from my mother who was happy and asked us to come.

So I told her what’s going on, Mom, she simply said (Write your name).We are going on vacation to the Maldives. Gosh, there’s this crazy, jumping, happy, dancing moment.

We all talked to my father before that we wanted to go to the Maldives, but because of his permanent work, we could not go. So it was surprising to go on vacation outside the town, especially to the Maldives.

I am very happy with this trip. I enjoyed a lot of swimming in the wonderful turquoise water, which you can see the smallest details through.

We stayed on the island of Mali, which is one of the most beautiful places in the Maldives. Where there are some exciting  areas .

I also enjoyed very much visiting Isidhu and spending all night there. The place was very cool, candles near the water and sitting on the floor everything was great. I liked this place very much and the drinks also.

At the end of the trip, we went to the National Museum, where I enjoyed learning a lot about some wonderful information about the former civilization of the Maldives and its origins.

It was great to have a trip like this and I hope to do it again.

Write a paragraph on my last vacation

My last vacation was so amazing. My name is(..). I study in class (..). I loved the last trip that I and my family took. We went to visit and entertain cancer patients. We agreed to go on vacation for my father and mother, and bring some presents for young children so that they are happy with it. We already knew about such visits from a family member.

My father told us that there is a social responsibility in our visits to cancer patients. And that there is respect for time and we should not prolong our visit. We must go with a smile and carefully choose the type of dress and speech so as not to affect the psyche of others.

My father also warned us not to show any kind of pity, because that affects the patient’s psychology very much. So it was very important that we pay attention to all these things.

We went there and all our concern was to add a smile to them and to help them through support and love. We spent the day with them but my happiest moment was when I managed to make the first person I met smile. That upset me so much.

This day is one of the most beautiful days for me, and it was a very useful holiday because it makes us feel the suffering of others. I would very much like to repeat this visit and support them a lot and make friendships with them.

Short paragraph on my last vacation

My last vacation was very interesting as I was able to participate in one of the activities that I dreamed of participating in for a long time.

I love to play tennis a lot. I joined one of the small clubs in my area to learn this game and train until I can become professional.

The coach told us that there is an upcoming tournament and we can participate in it to determine our level. So I loved joining so much and told him I wanted to join.

Indeed, I was able to participate and train well before the tournament to raise my level of concentration and improve my general level.

At the time of the championship, I was fully prepared, and I went and played with confidence and happiness, despite feeling a little scared, but I quickly recovered myself and managed to win and get the third place. I am looking forward to improving my level in the upcoming tournaments and achieving first place.

Paragraph about last vacation

Last vacation I was able to enjoy a lot visiting my grandfather’s town and gathering to attend a relative’s wedding. I enjoyed a lot getting to know my family members, talking and getting close to my ancestors.

They miss us so much because of the distance between us. We live in the city of (type the city name here). My grandfather lives in the city of (type the name of the city). So we travel there by train,

I really loved riding the bullet train and seeing the countries between us. I really liked the simple life in their city. There are many green spaces and wide spaces, and there is no big traffic congestion like my city.

I was able to learn to use the kite, and I found that all of my relatives enjoy playing it more than electronic games, and they race to raise it high in the air, and the person who can lift it the most is the victor.

So I liked it so much I laughed and had fun and ran a lot more than ever. I would very much like to try again.

Describe Your Last Vacation

My last vacation did not have many outings and activities, or traveling abroad due to the Corona pandemic. But I can describe it as wonderful because the family members were able to gather and enjoy some simple games and talk.

It was a special holiday filled with popcorn and sweets and watching modern movies. I enjoyed a lot of playing cards with my father and my grandfather who was a big fraud and I didn’t know about that. He made me laugh a lot and I learned some tricks from him.

I loved sitting at home this holiday too because I was able to help my mum make more food and learned some great new recipes.

I find that it is a wonderful vacation despite the absence of my friends around me or being in luxury places or tourism in other cities . We enjoyed the simple things and the holiday went by without any problems.

Essay about my last vacation

There is no doubt that I liked my last vacation very much, as I was able to get to know my family members from my father’s side during this vacation.

He had many relatives living in the same town but we don’t know each other or even know what we look like, So my father decided to take me and my younger sister and go to stay in the family house and invite the family to gather and get acquainted, so that the younger generations can get to know their relatives and their children, and make friendship.

So we stayed at my grandfather’s house near the lake and enjoyed a lot of barbecue and some fun activities. I would very much like to repeat this experience. It is good to feel that you are with your family and get to know them.

What i did during last vacation essay

Every year I learn a lot of experiences, both good and bad, from which I gain some experience. The last vacation was the best for me, because I was able to benefit a lot from it and learn some new skills that may benefit me in the future, such as learning how to prepare  sweets.

Last holiday I was able to participate in a training course to teach the preparation of sweets professionally. I was able to take back a lot from it as I learned to prepare all kinds of dough, learned how to prepare the cream and coordinate the cake to look completely professional.

I was very happy to learn this craft and I feel that in the future I can benefit from it in one way or another. I am thinking of creating a website or a YouTube channel and posting recipes and preparation methods to teach others Through it.

I work to improve my speaking and public speaking skills and gain some fame in this specialty. Maybe it will be my field of work in the future.

My last vacation with my family

It is great to take advantage of the time we spend in a gathering with the family, especially if it is long. I can say that the last holiday was a long time gathering with my family members due to the spread of the Corona virus.

Therefore, staying in homes was semi-compulsory by the state, and going out only for necessities, and preventive measures must be taken before leaving and returning.

Therefore, there were dangers to my father or mother whenever they went out to fetch food or any other living requirements. So I am very grateful to them.

It was great to be with my family for a long time. In the beginning, it was very difficult and there was some negative energy because we used to go out and do many outdoor activities.

But after a while, sitting became more comfortable, and we became involved in some home activities and hobbies, which helped in soothing the atmosphere, and getting out of boredom and depression.

I really enjoyed doing some activities with my mum like doing yoga, preparing famous meals and playing cards. I found her very cool at that and I didn’t know it, she always beats us and knows a lot of good tricks and moves.

Write about your last vacation

My last vacation was not very interesting, despite the slow return to life after the spread of the deadly Corona virus, however, many families still avoid going out, mixing, and exposing their children or themselves to danger.

Therefore, I could not do many of the normal activities that I used to do before, we only watch TV, play some video games and talk on the Internet.

Certainly there are some happy moments that happen inside the house when all the family members gather and prepare some entertaining meals. We can then perform some games or scenes to add a nice family atmosphere. But I can’t wait to get back to normal life and get out and discover life and gain some new skills and experiences.

My last vacation essay for class 5

My last vacation was special and wonderful. We are now in the summer. There are many places to go and enjoy, such as amusement parks, the beach, picnics in the streets, clubs and cinemas. It was a great vacation, I enjoyed a walk with my family, whether on the beach or in the city.

I learned some new games from my brothers, and my father and we raced a lot. He made me win in some races to make me happy with that.

I also enjoyed going with my mother to shop and buy vegetables, she taught me how to choose some good fruits and vegetables.

I am very happy when I feel that I have learned something new, so I feel that the time I spend is valuable and that I have a role in society. I hope to continue learning and developing.

How did you spend your last vacation essay

I spent the last holiday of this year wandering with some of my close friends, going swimming or playing some electronic games, or playing soccer. Some days we went cycling in town, talking to some friends.

It was a nice vacation and I enjoyed it a lot after what we went through from the Corona crises, not mixing, no wandering and sitting at home.

So it was great to go out and walk with friends and feel the return to normalcy again. And there are some group activities we can do.

How I enjoyed my last vacation essay

The last vacation was a lot of fun and had a lot of funny activities that I enjoyed. I also made some fun new friends, and got to hang out with them a few times, where we could go to the beach and enjoy the sunshine and  swim.

We enjoyed camping and sitting by the fires, eating some snacks while talking and having fun. It was definitely a great vacation more than  the past two years, breathing, meeting new people, gaining some new skills, developing myself, and feeling more confident and fun than I was before.

We have already provided you with My last vacation essay, and you can read more about the vacation through the following link:

• My summer vacation essay

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How to Spend One Perfect Day in New Orleans (Itinerary + Tips)

Only have one day in New Orleans to make the most of introducing yourself to the Big Easy?

Don’t worry: in a city more about food and good times than traditional sightseeing, you’ll have no problem letting the good times roll (or “Laissez les bons temps rouler ,” as they say in NOLA) for one memorable day in the city.

Whether you’re visiting NOLA in order to board a cruise, attend a sporting event, take a day trip to New Orleans from another destination, or even if you’re just passing through briefly on a southern road trip , you won’t be sorry that you took a day to appreciate this iconic American city.

New Orleans is one of our favorite cities to visit in the world, and we will never be tired of spending days eating unique local foods followed by evenings spent listening to jazz–and after spending even 24 hours in New Orleans, we hope you’ll also say goodbye to the city already eager to plan your next trip back.

Here’s how to make the most of one day in New Orleans, LA!

Table of Contents

The Ultimate One Day in New Orleans Itinerary

Where to stay in nola, more than 24 hours in new orleans, getting around during one day in nola, quick tips for seeing new orleans in a day, read more about visiting new orleans (and the south), your one day new orleans itinerary map.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

Kick off your one day in NOLA at Jackson Square.

If you’ve seen photos of New Orleans, you’ve likely seen Jackson Square: a small park that sits in front of St. Louis Cathedral, the view of New Orleans’ beautiful white cathedral is one of the most classic shots of New Orleans (which is why we chose a photo of it for the top of this blog post!).

It doesn’t take long to walk around, but the real treat is what’s between Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral.

In this small walking area, you’ll often find energetic street performers, from jazz musicians to jugglers, as well as plenty of people willing to exchange a bit of touristy New Orleans voodoo for a fee.

The area is lively, exciting, and is a great first stop when visiting New Orleans.

If you have an extra moment–or are just in the mood for a bit of air conditioning–the St. Louis Cathedral has a beautiful interior, as well, that’s worth a quick look inside.

Eat your heart out on a New Orleans food tour.

Jeremy and I are big fans of food tours around the world, and there’s no doubt that New Orleans is one of the best cities on the planet to enjoy one!

Home to a complex, delicious, and legendary local cuisine that blends influences from its roots in France, the Caribbean, Africa, and more, NOLA’s food scene is one of the best reasons to visit the city.

If this is your first trip to New Orleans, you’ll no doubt find dishes you’ve never tasted (and possibly never heard of) pop up on menus throughout your visit!

And, with only 24 hours in New Orleans, a food tour where you sample a dozen dishes or more in one fell swoop is an excellent way to try more local foods than you may have a chance to otherwise.

Unfortunately, the exact food tour Jeremy and I stuffed ourselves on during our last trip to New Orleans has been discontinued, but several friends of ours have taken and  raved about this one  (and we’ll be trying it ourselves the next time we’re in town).

Book your New Orleans food tour  today!

Meander through the French Quarter.

New Orleans is all about meandering.

The French Quarter in particular is one of the most picturesque neighborhoods I’ve ever seen in the USA, full of beautiful architecture, bustling street life, and plenty of bars, candy shops, restaurants, and more urging you to indulge in them.

We spend hours walking the streets of the French Quarter when visiting NOLA, taking photos, people-watching,  ducking into bookstores , and picking up tasty treats.

Some landmarks to keep an eye out for include the photogenic Miltenberger Houses, the French Market, Cafe Beignet (in case you need a sugar fix throughout the day–though picking up a praline from a shop is also an excellent option), and the infamous Lalaurie Mansion.

Optional: take an afternoon stroll through the Garden District.

Depending on how early of a start you get and how speedy of a sightseer you are, visiting the Garden District as part of your one day itinerary for New Orleans may or may not be realistic–but if you wrap up in the French Quarter by early afternoon, it’s certainly worth hopping over to the Garden District for a quick stroll!

Home to New Orleans’ moneyed elite (and more than a handful of celebrities), the Garden District has a very different atmosphere than the French Quarter and is an excellent place to walk around and gape at gorgeous homes.

Whether you’re in search of Hollywood filming locations (the coven house from American Horror Story is here), familiar facades (the inspiration for the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland calls this neighborhood home), or celebrity homes (Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, and Anne Rice all lived here, among others), or you simply want to enjoy the architecture, there’s plenty to love about exploring the Garden District.

We tend to enjoy self-led walking tours here, simply exploring with a list of remarkable locations in hand, but if you’d prefer to have a guide pointing out the best spots,  guided walking tours of the Garden District  are also popular!

Take your pick for classic NOLA nightlife: Bourbon Street, Frenchmen Street, or beyond.

New Orleans is famous for its nightlife, and no New Orleans itinerary would be complete without including it.

This isn’t a place to call it quits and head back to the hotel after dinner!

The area offers tons of nightlife, but by far the two best-known streets are Bourbon Street (known for raucous partying and debauchery) and Frenchmen Street (known for live jazz playing in all of the clubs every night of the week).

We find Frenchmen Street to be more our style, but if you’re unsure, there’s no harm in checking out both.

Looking for a guaranteed, classic NOLA jazz experience in the French Quarter?

We enjoyed a performance at  the famous Preservation Hall  on our last trip and found it to be an incredibly memorable way to kick off the night–you can’t get much closer to the performers than this!

Interested in experiencing a classic New Orleans bar that has a very different vibe than, say, the average spot on Bourbon Street?

The iconic, rotating Carousel Bar inside Hotel Monteleone is just as memorable as you might expect a bar formerly patronized by the likes of Truman Capote, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, and the ever-traveling Ernest Hemingway to be!

… or hit the Mississippi River and/or chase down some spooky ghost stories.

Looking for some alternative ideas for enjoying your evening out in NOLA?

Two other possibilities include the ever-popular evening jazz cruise along the Mississippi River on the Steamboat Natchez, or signing up for a ghost tour throughout the French Quarter– this is our favorite ghost tour that we’ve ever taken!

Neither of these fun things to do in NOLA takes all night, so you can even combine one with a visit to Bourbon Street or Frenchmen Street later on if you like.

Book your New Orleans steamboat cruise or ghost tour today!

Wrap up your one day in New Orleans with a late-night plate of beignets at Cafe du Monde.

To say goodbye to your one day in NOLA, head back to where you began to indulge in a New Orleans classic: beignets and chicory coffee (yes, they have decaf!) at the 24-hour Cafe du Monde location across the street from Jackson Square.

The menu is very small–beignets are the only food that they serve, though there are a few other drinks on the menu–but there’s really no need for any other options when fried dough coated in an inch of powdered sugar is the classic choice.

Note that Cafe du Monde is cash only!

There’s an ATM hidden in a tourism office across the street, but if you end your NOLA itinerary here, it’ll almost certainly be closed by the time you make it to Cafe du Monde.

If your day in New Orleans also includes spending a night in the city, we recommend opting to stay within or very close to the French Quarter.

With this one day New Orleans itinerary, you’ll be spending the bulk of your time around the French Quarter–including at night, when you’ll no doubt want easy access to your hotel after making the most of the city!

We loved  the Best Western property where we stayed  on the edge of the quarter on our first trip, and were also impressed with  the One 11 Hotel  (also on the edge of the quarter, but by the river) on a later trip.

We’ve also included a couple of other suggestions below based on price point, reviews, and–importantly–location.

IHSP French Quarter House  — There’s no getting around it: New Orleans is a fairly expensive city to visit.

However, IHSP French Quarter House provides an excellent location near the French Quarter, as well as both private room and dorm options–making it an excellent choice for budget travelers.

Located just a 5-minute walk from Bourbon Street (and therefore an easy walk to many other highlights in the French Quarter) and boasting solid reviews, budget travelers can’t go wrong with a stay at the IHSP French Quarter House.

Check rates & book your stay at the ISHP French Quarter House!

Best Western Plus French Quarter Landmark Hotel  — We LOVED this property!

The hotel itself is beautiful in that classic New Orleans way, and the (included) breakfast is varied and tasty.

Best of all, this hotel is situated right on the edge of the French Quarter, meaning that all of the French Quarter and some areas beyond are within easy walking distance.

For the price, it’s hard to imagine a better deal in New Orleans, and we’d be more than happy to check in again.

Check rates & book your stay at the Best Western Plus French Quarter Landmark Hotel!

Omni Royal Orleans Hotel  — Located in the heart of the French Quarter, this beautiful hotel is known for its gorgeous building, attentive service, and lovely ambiance–plus its ghosts.

Yeah, that attentive service?

It just may come in the form of the ghost maid who likes to tuck guests in at night!

If your idea of the perfect one day New Orleans trip includes luxurious accommodations with a side of spookiness, the popular and stunning Omni Royal is the place for you. 

Check rates & book your stay at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel!

No matter how well planning your day is, there’s simply no way to enjoy all the best things to do in New Orleans in 24 hours or less–so if you’re lucky enough to have longer, staying busy will be simple!

If you have extra time in New Orleans, consider paying a visit to museums like the National WWII Museum and Mardi Gras World (perfect for checking out floats outside of Mardi Gras season!), paying a visit to City Park, diving deeper into the Garden District, and touring the memorable St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 .

Our favorite ghost tour we’ve ever taken is also in New Orleans, and if you didn’t have a chance to include it on your first day in NOLA, we recommend adding it with any extra time!

And, of course, one of the best reasons to spend more than a day in NOLA is to keep eating your way through it!

We have more restaurant recommendations–plus additional suggestions on things to do in the city–in our longer 3 day weekend NOLA itinerary .

Since this one day NOLA itinerary is concentrated primarily around the French Quarter, you can easily walk the bulk of it without issue (and since New Orleans is famously flat, you won’t have to worry about hills, either).

The one exception to this rule is if you decide to explore the Garden District in the afternoon.

If you do, Uber or the streetcar system will be the easiest way to get there and back.

Unless you’re road-tripping into New Orleans, we don’t recommend renting a car to explore the city: having one will be more hassle and expense than it is worth.

Don’t overstuff your itinerary: New Orleans is about food and atmosphere more than anything.

While you could easily pack your New Orleans itinerary with tours, shows, restaurant reservations, and museum visits from dawn all the way until… the next dawn, you don’t need that much structure to enjoy the city!

It’s well worth choosing a few attractions and tours that appeal to you in order to make the most of only having one day in New Orleans, but be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to wander around on foot, duck into shops and galleries, and relax over a snack or drink, too.

NOLA is all about the atmosphere, and taking time to savor it is a big part of enjoying a trip to the Big Easy.

Explore on foot as much as you can.

The French Quarter and the Garden District, where you’ll be exploring throughout this itinerary, are extremely walkable, and staying on foot is by far the best way to get around.

The only downside to walking in NOLA?

If you’re visiting when it’s hot outside (which is most of the time in New Orleans), be sure to seek out shade, air conditioning, and cold drinks regularly throughout the day.

Keep an eye on the weather as you plan your 24 hours in NOLA.

While New Orleans is famously hot and humid, the weather can vary dramatically, so be sure to keep an eye on the expected temperatures and rainfall as you plan.

I’ve explored NOLA in January both bundled up in a peacoat and boots and wearing a sundress: you never know exactly what you’re going to get!

Make restaurant reservations in advance if you have your heart set on an iconic dinner out.

Famous New Orleans restaurants like Antoine’s, the Commander’s Palace, Cafe Amelie, etc., often book up well in advance, so if you have your heart set on a particular dinner spot, be sure to plan as far ahead as possible!

Some higher-end NOLA restaurants also have a dress code, including jackets for men, so check the website before committing to a meal, and pack accordingly.

Planning a trip to the Big Easy soon and want to keep reading?

You can browse all of  our 100+ USA blog posts here , or check out these guides:

• 21 Intoxicating Quotes about New Orleans to Inspire Your Trip
• 15 Cool Cities Perfect for Weekend Getaways in the USA
• NOLA for Bookworms: Best Books About New Orleans + The Coolest Bookstores
• 25 Best Weekend Getaways in Texas
• Savannah or Charleston: Which Lowcountry City is Right for You?

Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

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Learn Phrases The Last Vacation

Asking about somebody's vacation, talking about your vacation, relax while listening to the phrases, study anytime & anywhere with mp3s and pdfs, practice & record a dialogue, ⁠ how was your trip, ⁠ did you have good weather, ⁠ my trip was fantastic, ⁠ i really enjoyed the food, ⁠ i was there for a couple of weeks, ⁠ i did a lot of hiking.

• for teachers
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Frequently Asked Questions

• Where did you go on vacation?
• How was your trip?
• How long were you there?
• What did you do in Japan?
• My trip was fantastic.
• I was in Australia.
• I really enjoyed the food.
• I was there for a couple of weeks.

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4 Days in Banff: An Amazing Summertime Banff Itinerary

A trip to Banff is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, with its rocky peaks, abundant wildlife from moose and grizzly bears to adorable marmots, and, of course, the plethora of turquoise glacial lakes that call the Canadian Rockies home. 

We’re lucky to have done this once-in-a-lifetime adventure multiple times at this point, and our intention in this guide is to use our experience to put together a detailed guide that will help you plan your own trip. 

In this guide, we’re going to go through ALL the information we think you need to plan an incredible 4 day Banff itinerary, with ideas on what to do with more time at the end of the guide. 

We’ll start with the important logistics – like where to fly in and out of, how to structure your trip to maximize your time, etc. – and then move on to a day-by-day itinerary that you can copy and paste for your own trip (in this case, we’re okay with plagiarism!). 

It’s all based on our own personal experience over multiple trips to the Banff and the Canadian Rockies, and we’ll give you the lowdown on what’s worth it, what’s not (looking at you Columbia Icefield Skywalk!), and what we wish we’d done differently. 

Sound good to you? Let’s get into it. 

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post, like hotel links, are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we make a little bit of money if you click through and book. That being said, we would never recommend something to you that we don’t stand behind 100%.

How Many Days Should You Spend in Banff?

Over the course of two separate trips to Banff, we’ve come to the conclusion that you need AT LEAST four days to do Banff, Lake Louise + Moraine Lake, and the Icefields Parkway . 

Years and years ago, we wrote a guide for three days, and we decided to completely rewrite this entire guide to recommend a four day trip to Banff because three days is just not enough time. 

We think four days is the best balance, taking into account the plethora of amazing things to do in Banff and the vacation time limitation. 

If Banff is a part of a broader trip to the Canadian Rockies for you, we have two entire guides dedicated to planning an itinerary that takes you to see more of this beautiful slice of alpine paradise. 

First is our Canadian Rockies itinerary , which includes Banff, Jasper, and Yoho over 10 days. 

Second is our 7 day Banff and Jasper itinerary (coming soon!), which is a whirlwind trip from Banff, up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper, and back again. 

Do You Need to Rent a Car for Your Trip to Banff?

In short, we strongly believe that the best way to experience Banff is going to be with your own wheels . The easiest way to do that (if you’re flying in) is to rent a car on arrival at Calgary International Airport, and drop it off when you’re heading home. 

However, I will say that, unlike our trip more than five years ago, Banff has come a long way in terms of public transportation, and it is now possible to piece together an itinerary using a combination of public transportation and guided tours. 

There are public buses (via Roam Transit ) between Banff and Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Sunshine Meadows, and Johnston Canyon. 

However, the thing to know here is that you’re going to be sacrificing A LOT of flexibility. While they exist, the routes don’t always come terribly often, and the first bus of the day is often later than we’d recommend getting the day started. 

The other major downside is that you basically can’t drive the Icefields Parkway, which would be a shame. There are tours that tackle it, but they’re not going to make as many stops as we think you should.  

So, the long answer is that yes, you should definitely plan on renting a car, but it’s possible to put together an itinerary without driving. 

Where to Stay in Banff

This is a place where we have a fairly strong opinion based on our own personal experience. As you’ll see in the itinerary below, we have you spending two full days near Lake Louise – one for Lake Louise and the hikes there, one for Moraine Lake and the hikes there. 

Given the 45-60 minute drive or shuttle ride between Banff and Lake Louise (Moraine Lake is next to Lake Louise), we think you should split up where you stay on your trip, spending half of your trip in Banff itself, and half of your time out near Lake Louise .  

On our first trip, we did just that, and the 7 minute drive from Paradise Lodge and Bungalows (where we stayed) to the shore of Lake Louise was magical, and allowed us to beat the crowds and sleep in a little bit. 

On our last trip, we had our dog with us (who, we found out midway through going to bed in a tent, DOES NOT like being trapped in a tent), and we ended up staying in Banff, taking separate trips out to Lake Louise. 

And we HATED driving two hours a day for a few days to get out there. 

It’s not the end of the world if you aren’t able to make that work – lodging near Lake Louise IS very limited and competitive – but we firmly believe it will make your life easier (after not doing it on our latest trip to Banff). 

Following the itinerary below, that means spending two nights in Banff (or Canmore, more on that in a second) and two nights near Lake Louise if you can swing it. 

Now that we’ve covered the high level strategy we’d recommend for lodging in Banff, let’s talk more specifically about where to stay within each of those places. 

P.S. We have an entire guide dedicated to choosing the perfect place to stay in Banff . Read that for far more detail than we’ve included here!

Staying in Banff vs. Canmore

On the front end of your trip, you have a little bit of a choice to make in terms of where you want to stay. 

Most people stay in Banff , which is perhaps the most famous mountain town in North America, and it is charming and central, but very busy and very expensive. 

Canmore is another great mountain town just outside of the eastern border of Banff National Park, and it’s arguably a better mountain town because normal people actually live there (unlike Banff, which is essentially all tourists). It has a more laid back vibe, better food and drinks, and more affordable prices. 

However, it’s an extra 15-20 minutes of driving in each direction, and doesn’t have as many places to stay as Banff does. 

For what it’s worth, we’ll probably never stay in Banff again, and will exclusively use Canmore as our home base for future trips. 

In Banff, we stayed at Tunnel Mountain Resort and it was…fine. Good location, decent prices for a place in Banff that is dog-friendly with a kitchen, but our room was basically a windowless basement.

In the future, we’d stay at Basecamp Suites after an excellent experience in Revelstoke at a Basecamp property. 

In Canmore, we’d look at another Basecamp property – Basecamp Suites Canmore . We had a great experience with Basecamp elsewhere in the Rockies, and we wish we’d chosen to stay here versus in Banff. 

If you’re looking to camp, you should do everything in your power to get a site at Two jack Lake (tent camping only, RVs should probably look at Tunnel Mountain Campground instead).

Staying near Lake Louise

You don’t have nearly as many choices in terms of lodging near Lake Louise, unfortunately. And the options you do have are going to be pricey and book up well in advance. You should book your place here as far in advance as humanly possible!

We stayed at Paradise Lodge and Bungalows , where you’ll find a nice mixture of room types from lodge rooms to cabins, all within a seven minute drive of the Lake Louise Lakeshore. This one we’d highly, highly recommend for the location and the facilities. 

There are a couple of other options available here at either end of the budget spectrum. 

• On the cheaper end of the spectrum is the HI Lake Louise Alpine Centre , which is a hostel with both shared and private rooms. It’s in Lake Louise Village, which is 10 minutes or so from Lake Louise. 
• On the pricier side , there’s the Basecamp Baker Creek , which is a rustic little resort out on the Bow Valley Highway, about 15 minutes from Lake Louise. They have rooms with and without kitchens, and have a similar mix of rooms to Paradise Lodge and Bungalows. 
• On the priciest end of the spectrum is the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise , which is a gorgeous hotel right on the shore of the lake. You’ll pay for both the Fairmont name and the unbelievable location, but it will be a stay you won’t forget anytime soon. Plus, you don’t have to deal with parking at Lake Louise at all (though, they do charge for parking, which is a little bit infuriating)!

Things to Know Before Your Trip to Banff

Here are a few things you need to know before your trip to Banff. 

You need a Parks Canada Pass While You’re in Banff National Park

You have two options – buy a pass for the number of days you need it for, or buy a Discovery Pass , which gives you access to all national parks in Canada for a full year.

At a high level, the math on the Discovery Pass works out if you’re spending 7 days or more in the parks, though there are some permutations around family passes that might make the math change in your particular instance.

You can buy both versions at the park entrance stations, or online in advance. 

Book Your Shuttles for Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in Advance

We have entire sections dedicated to this below, but here’s a quick overview. Lake Louise is accessible with private passenger vehicles, BUT the parking is incredibly competitive and fills up at 6:30am in the summer.

If that’s too early for you, take the Parks Canada Shuttle or Roam Transit Bus . The road to Moraine Lake is completely closed to passenger vehicles

, so shuttles are your only option. Again, you have two main options – the Parks Canada Shuttle or using Roam Transit .

Far more detailed information is down below in their respective sections. 

Prepare Yourself for Early Mornings and Late Evenings

There’s no getting around it – Banff is crowded. However, most people aren’t up for super early wakeup calls, which is why we highly recommend getting out early to beat the crowds.

We often started hikes between 7:00am and 7:30am, and were among the first few groups on the trail, whereas on the way down the trails were packed.

The other good time to be out and about is around sunset, when most people are eating dinner or winding down for the night. 

The Weather Apps Are Not to Be Trusted

I’m writing this on a day when the weather apps – both Apple weather and Accuweather (I generally prefer the latter) – said it would be sunny or partly sunny all day.

Turns out, it has been alternating thunderstorms and torrential rain for the vast majority of the day.

Don’t trust the weather apps, be prepared for all kinds of weather when you head out in the morning. It is the Rocky Mountains, after all. Anything can happen!

Be Prepared to Experience All Seasons…in a Day

This is at least somewhat related to the note on weather apps above, but you should expect to start a hike hot and sweaty, and end it drenched in a thunderstorm.

Which happened to us on both of our trips. Multiple times.

A rain jacket (Matt loves his Outdoor Research rain jacket – a Seattle company!), a pair of waterproof hiking boots (Alysha has these waterproof hiking boots , which are a great first pair of hiking boots), and layers (we like the fleece and puffy jacket combo) are going to be your best friends in the mountains. 

You’re in Bear Country

Both black and Grizzly bears live in the Rockies, and we saw both (though never up close on a hiking trail, thankfully).

Our biggest tip is to make plenty of noise on the trail – Matt is known for freestyle singing as we hike – so that you avoid any surprise encounters.

You’ll also want to have bear spray, which you can get in town if you’re flying in (you can’t bring bear spray on a plane).

You should check with your hotel or lodge because many of the best places to stay in Banff will lend it to you. 

You’re at elevation in the Rockies

Remember that you’re at elevation in the Canadian Rockies (Banff is at 4,500 feet above sea level, and Lake Louise is closer to 6,500 feet), so if you’re coming from sea level, hikes are going to feel a little harder than you’re used to.

This is why we recommend starting with an easier hike first to get acclimated, and tackling the more difficult hikes later in your trip. 

Keep Wildlife Wild

You’re more likely to see other types of wildlife other than bears on your trip to Banff. We saw moose, tons of elk, bighorn sheep, a family of mountain goats (including babies!), plenty of marmots, a family of grouse (at least that’s what we think they were).

Remember to give them plenty of space (if they’re on the trail, stop and let them meander past with plenty of room) because, despite not being natural predators, they’re still wild animals.

Keep dogs on a leash to minimize surprises and avoid disturbing them as much as possible. 

Dogs are Allowed on Trails in Banff

But – and this is very, very important – they need to be on a leash at all times to protect fragile ecosystems and avoid unpleasant encounters with local wildlife.

Yes, that means even your dog.

Yes, I know they’re a good dog.

No, that doesn’t matter.

Put them on a leash!

4 Days in Banff: How to Plan A Perfect Banff Itinerary

And now, on to the main event that you’re here for: the itinerary itself. 

One thing to know – we’ve designed this itinerary for people who have four full days in the park , which means arriving the night before the itinerary starts. 

To make this happen, we’d strongly recommend booking a late flight out on your last day so that you have time to hit Moraine Lake on that last day. 

Here’s what that itinerary looks like, written out: 

• Day 0: Arrive (stay in Banff or Canmore)
• Day 1: Johnston Canyon, Downtown Canmore, and Sunset Drive (stay in Banff or Canmore)
• Day 2: Vermillion Lakes at Sunrise and the Icefields Parkway (stay at Lake Louise)
• Day 3: Lake Louise (stay at Lake Louise)
• Day 4: Moraine Lake and Drive Back to Calgary (fly home)

Day 1: Johnston Canyon, Downtown Banff, and Sunset Views

On your first day in Banff, start off with a relatively easy hike through a canyon with multiple waterfalls to marvel at, then explore downtown Banff before heading out on an evening drive in search of some of Banff’s best views (and wildlife). 

Johnston Canyon (and the Inkpots?)

Start your time in Banff National Park off with a relatively easy hike (with a moderate add-on if you’re feeling spicy).

It’s also one of the more unique hikes in the park, taking you up through a canyon formed by thousands of years of erosion rather than to yet another gorgeous alpine lake (SO BORING AM I RIGHT?). 

This is a popular spot, and the fact that most of the trail is along a narrow boardwalk means that it’s sort of miserable around midday, when you’ll be stuck in a long line of people trying to navigate the trail and stopping for countless pictures. 

GET THERE EARLY. Seriously. Plan on starting your hike before 8:00am. You will be able to experience at least a slice of solitude in the canyon. Thank us later. 

The main hike through Johnston Canyon includes two waterfalls (the lower falls first, then the upper falls), and we’d categorize it as easy. It’s 3.3 miles, with 850 feet of elevation gain, most of the hiking is along a well-maintained boardwalk. More trail information here .

There is some climbing after the Lower Falls, so if you’re feeling like that’s too difficult for you, you can cut out roughly half of the trail by stopping at the Lower Falls. 

If, on the other hand, you have some gas left in the tank, it’s worth venturing out to the Ink Pots, a group of colorful cold thermal pools (as opposed to hot springs) that are set in a nice valley.

It’s a 7 mile hike to get out there and back, and the stretch from the Upper Falls to the Ink Pots is a moderate, fairly boring climb through the forest. More trail information here . 

Exploring Downtown Banff

After your hike, spend some time in and around the town of Banff, which is on the one hand very “touristy” in the sense that nearly everyone you’ll encounter outside of service workers is a tourist, but also has some pretty cool spots to check out. 

The main drag in town is (unsurprisingly) called Banff Avenue, and it’s where you’ll find the vast majority of restaurants, shops, and other places of interest in that vein. However, there are also a couple of walkable/driveable places with nice views that are worth seeking out. 

Here are a few of our favorites.

• Surprise Viewpoint : This is the classic view of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel backed by the mountains. You can walk there from town, but it is uphill along a busy road. However, that’s probably preferable to navigating the parking situation, which is usually full of tour buses. 
• Bow Falls : Probably not the most impressive waterfall you’ll see on this trip (especially if you make it over to Yoho National Park), but definitely the most accessible from downtown Banff thanks to the short flat riverside trail. Arguably the best views are actually not of the falls, but of the mountains towering over town (Norquay and Rundle). 
• Cascade of Time Garden : This was Alysha’s discovery, and it’s worth walking through on your way back to town. It’s a little oasis with nice views of downtown Banff and some fun landscaping. 

If you’re up for a little more walking, you can do all three of them as a fun little loop from town.

Here’s a map of what that looks like. 

Lake Minnewanka + Two Jack Lake

After some rest and relaxation, head out of town to the north to hit two of our favorite destinations near Banff; Lake Minnewanka and Two Jack Lake.

There’s a nice scenic drive that connects the two, and this is an excellent place to spot both elk and bighorn sheep (we’ve seen one or both every time we’ve done this drive). 

Head clockwise, first driving out to Lake Minnewanka , which is a massive lake near Banff. The best way to see the lake is to get out on a boat – either on a guided boat cruise , or by renting a kayak and exploring yourself. 

You can also hike along the lakeshore, and if you’re not up for getting out on the water, it’s worth venturing along the lakeshore. Just a little ways into the hike it feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere despite being roughly 15 minutes away from the town of Banff, which is decidedly not “nowhere.” 

Once you’ve admired the lake, hop back in the car and continue the mini loop over to Two Jack Lake , which is much smaller but arguably more beautiful thanks to the towering form of Mount Rundle directly south. 

There’s two parking areas – upper and lower – and it’s better to park at the lower one because that’s where all the action (and by action, we mean views) is. 

The view from the inlet right at the parking area is nice, with the Parks Canada red chairs, but we liked heading out to the mini peninsula here for the views out to the south of the aforementioned mountain.  

Sunset Views at Mount Norquay

Mount Norquay was a pleasant surprise for us. It was a spur of the moment decision to head up there around sunset one night, and we were blown away by how good the views were from the grassy field near the top of the road, just below the ski resort ( here on Google Maps). 

It’s a windy road up, following switchback after switchback on your way to the viewpoint. Be sure to keep your eye out for Bighorn Sheep along the way – we saw a group of them with some babies on the way up.

Day 2: Vermillion Lakes at Sunrise and the Icefields Parkway

On your second day in Banff, spend the morning on the shores of Vermillion Lakes, one of the premier sunrise locations in Banff, and then head out for a drive along the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in all of North America. 

At the end of the day, you’ll check into your hotel near Lake Louise (if you’ve been able to snag a room there) to set yourself up for the next two days and, as a bonus, experience the lake near sunset. 

Vermillion Lakes at Sunrise

Vermillion Lakes is one of our favorite sunrise locations in Banff (we’ve also been there at sunset, which is also spectacular). The reason? You get to watch the sunrise over the lake with Mount Rundle’s iconic silhouette basking in its golden glow. 

Our favorite place to take in the view is along Vermillion Lakes Road on the northern lakeshore ( here it is on Google Maps). 

Bring coffee, breakfast, and keep an eye out for wildlife who might be having their own picnic breakfast and/or bath on the lakeshore. 

The Icefields Parkway

The majority of this day is dedicated to driving what might be the most scenic drive in North America – the Icefields Parkway. 

This scenic stretch covers the 140-ish miles between Lake Louise and the town of Jasper up in Jasper National Park, and takes about two and a half hours to drive if you head straight through with no stops (which we wouldn’t recommend). 

If you’re sticking around Banff and not making your way up to Jasper, we think it makes the most sense to drive the first half of the route, which takes you up to the Columbia Icefields Discovery Center and the foot of the Athabasca Glacier. 

There are a nearly unlimited number of stops to make along that drive, along with a few of our favorite hikes in Banff , so it will take most of the day. 

One thing to know – there’s basically nowhere to eat or drink on this drive (except for the Bow Lake Lodge), so we’d recommend packing your own picnic lunch to enjoy on the road. 

Choose Your Own Adventure: Hikes on the Icefields Parkway

First, let’s talk about hiking along the Icefields Parkway. There are three hikes along this stretch of road that we’d highly recommend, and we’ll give you a brief overview of all three in this section, along with where to slot them in on your mini road trip. 

Here are those three hikes in order of our preference. 

Wilcox Pass (5.8 Miles / 1,700 feet elevation gain): This is in our top three when it comes to the best hikes in Banff . Though, technically, we cheated, because it’s just across the border in Jasper National Park. And we did it on a pretty smoky day, so the views weren’t even as good as they could be on a clear day. That’s how much we like it!

It’s a quick climb up to the ridge, and then it’s nonstop bangers in terms of views, culminating in an incredible view of the Athabasca Glacier.

We have an entire guide to hiking to Wilcox Pass , which you can read for more details.  

Helen Lake (7.2 Miles / 1,600 feet elevation gain): Another great hike, this one is right across from Bow Lake, so you’ll do it early on in your drive.

The trail spends the first half of the climb in the forest, alternating between steep climbs and flat stretches. Then, the real fun begins when you burst out of the treeline and into a spectacular set of alpine meadows, with views in all directions. Eventually, you’ll get to Helen Lake, where you’ll have great views across the lake to looming Cirque Peak.

We have an entire guide to hiking to Helen Lake , along with the potential extensions to Cirque Peak and Dolomite Pass. 

Parker Ridge (4 Miles / 1,108 feet elevation gain): This hike is right before you cross over into Jasper National Park, which means it’ll be your last stop before the Icefields Discovery Center.

The trail basically climbs straight up a set of switchbacks to get up to the top of the ridge, and then forks. To the right are some great 360 degree views of the valley and surrounding peaks, head left to follow the ridge and get some unbelievable views back towards the Saskatchewan Glacier.

More trail information on Alltrails here . 

Herbert Lake

This is a quick (and underrated) stop just for the view across the lake. That’s it! It’s a small gravel parking lot, and we were alone when we were here for the picture-perfect reflections on the surface of the lake. 

Later in the day, this would be a great place to bring a picnic and your personal watercraft (kayaks or paddle boards). 

There’s also a pit toilet at the parking lot, if you need to use the restroom.

Bow Lake is one of the bigger lakes along the Icefields Parkway, and there’s a multitude of things to do here. 

Depending on which hike you chose, this would be a perfect lunch stop, either to enjoy a packed lunch on the shore of the lake, or to get a quick bite to eat at the historic Lodge at Bow Lake (which is one of the only places to eat on the Icefields Parkway). 

It’s also worth walking along the lakeshore, particularly heading out to the west from the lodge towards Bow Glacier Falls , which you can see from the near side of the lake across the turquoise water. 

We didn’t walk all the way there, but we walked the section of the trail that follows the lake (before it turns away from the lake to climb to the falls) and the views were excellent, and the crowds were basically nonexistent once you got a few hundred feet down the trail. 

Peyto Lake is another of those lakes you’ve likely seen on Instagram. Rather than being right at the lakeshore, like Bow Lake, You’ll view Peyto from above. 

It’s a busy stop, so don’t be surprised if you have to wait for a second for a parking spot, which is likely to have multiple tour buses parked. From the parking lot, it’s a short walk out to the first viewpoint. 

There are now multiple viewpoints at Peyto Lake, and a short 1.5 mile trail (round trip) connects them all. With the crowds, it can be difficult to get pictures, but the further you go, the thinner the crowds.

If you really want to escape the crowds and get a stellar view of the lake, you can head up to Bow Summit , a 4.5 mile trail that takes you up to a ridge with a panoramic view out over the valley. 

The Columbia River Icefields Discovery Center

The final stop of your day out on the Icefields Parkway, the Columbia Icefield Discovery Center is in Jasper National Park and sits at the base of the mighty Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in the Rockies. 

The Discovery Center is worth venturing into especially the lower level with its displays talking about the geography and geology of the icefield and broader Alberta. 

If your vision of a trip to the Rockies includes seeing a glacier up close, this is the place to do it. The best way to do it is on a guided ice walk that takes you out to the glacier, which is the only way to actually walk on a glacier (as far as we know). 

You can also do a short hike out to see the glacier up close, but you can’t actually get all the way onto it. 

One important note here – we definitely would not recommend doing the Columbia Icefield Glacier Skywalk. We truly can’t figure out why they built a viewing platform here (we think maybe it was before the glaciers had substantially receded?), but there are certainly better views to be had – especially from the Wilcox Pass Trail . 

Lake Louise at Sunset

The Icefields Parkway connects Lake Louise to the town of Jasper, which means as you’re coming back south towards Banff, you’re perfectly situated for a stop at Lake Louise.

Which is perfect if you took our advice and booked a place to stay near Lake Louise for the last two days of this itinerary. 

Day 3: Lake Louise and Choose Your Own Hiking Adventure, Part 1

On your third day in Banff, you’ll be starting your explorations of the area around Lake Louise with an epic day at one of the most famous destinations in all of Canada; Lake Louise. 

Getting to Lake Louise

Of the two lakes here, Lake Louise is slightly easier to get to. But only slightly. As of 2023, you can still drive to the parking lot at Lake Louise, while the parking lot at Moraine Lake is only accessible via shuttle or bus (more on that in the section on Moraine Lake). 

You have three options when it comes to getting to Lake Louise: drive yourself and arrive super early, or take the shuttle or bus to the lake. 

Each of the three options has its own pros and cons, which we’ll go through here. 

Option 1: Driving Yourself to Lake Louise

The first option is to drive yourself , which gives you more flexibility and allows for an earlier start on the trail (unless you’re on the first shuttle). However, the cons arguably outweigh the pros here. 

The first con is that you need to arrive super early , which is partially why we recommend staying nearby so that it’s a 10 minute drive, not an hour. There are two big lots at Lake Louise, and by 7:00am or so on summer days, they are both full. You need to arrive by 7:00am at the latest to get a spot. From our own personal experience, we were there at around 6:15am, and they were almost full by the time we had strapped on our hiking boots and headed to the trail. 

The second con is that it costs $21 to park for the day , between 7:00am and 7:00pm. However, this might actually work out to be cheaper than the shuttle if you have a full car of people, so this is probably less of a con and more something to know going in. 

Option 2: Taking the Parks Canada Shuttle 

Your second option is taking the Parks Canada Shuttle , which starts and ends at Lake Louise Ski Resort, just across the highway from Lake Louise ( here on Google Maps). 

This is a good option if you don’t want to get up super early to deal with the nightmarish parking situation at the lake, or if you want to do both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in the same day using the Connector shuttle that runs between Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. 

However, there are two downsides to this option. First is less flexibility – you’re beholden to shuttles on the way there and back, and the tickets are very competitive, so you might not be able to snag an early morning seat unless you book months in advance…when you won’t know what the weather is going to look like that day. 

The second is that it’s not super convenient if you’re staying in Banff or Canmore. Keep in mind that this option does mean that you have to drive out to Lake Louise, which is 45-60 minutes from the town of Banff. If you’re staying in Banff, we have a better option next.

Shuttles run every 20 minutes from 6:30am to 7:30pm, and you should make advance reservations as soon as possible. More information here .

Roam Transit Bus 8x from Banff  

The third option is to take Roam Transit bus 8x – the Lake Louise Express – from Banff High School in downtown Banff out to Lake Louise. This is the best option if you’re coming from Banff because it means you don’t have to drive 45-60 minutes to catch the Parks Canada shuttles. 

There is an option here to connect with the Parks Canada Moraine Lake Shuttle, and you’ll need to buy the “Superpass” to do that (for the record, we recommend doing the two lakes on separate days). 

This is the most convenient option if you’re coming from Banff, but it’s also the most expensive, costing $10 each way per adult (seniors are $8 each way, kids 17 and under are free). 

Reservations should, again, be made as far in advance as you can. More information here . 

The Shores of Lake Louise

Whichever way you decide to arrive at the lake, your first stop should be the shore of the lake. Don’t plan on finding solitude here – or anywhere around Lake Louise, really – but you should plan on finding some pretty spectacular views. 

The main viewpoint is at the near end of the lake, which is where the vast majority of people are crowded to get the perfect picture. We also like the view over to the left with the canoe rental hut in the frame. 

There are also some great views of Fairview Mountain as you walk along the right hand shore of the lake. 

Choose Your Own Hiking Adventure: Plain of Six Glaciers vs. Lake Agnes + Big Beehive

For the main event of the day, there are two excellent hikes that leave from the shores of Lake Louise. In this section, we’ll cover both of them (including an option for combining them into one epic day) and help you decide which would be best for you. 

The two main routes here are the Plain of Six Glaciers, which heads out along the lakeshore and up a valley on the far end of the lake, and Lake Agnes and the Beehives, which heads up the mountain on the north side of the lake and features some great views out over the lake and valley. 

For what it’s worth, if we can only have one, we’re doing the Plain of Six Glaciers because it’s a more unique landscape if you’re coming from sea level.

Here’s a little bit of a deeper dive into each of those two trails. 

The Plain of Six Glaciers (9.1 miles, 1,929 feet elevation gain): Of the hikes at Lake Louise, this is our favorite (we’ve done it twice now, and it was breathtaking both times). It takes you out and back to a magnificent view of Abbot Pass and the glaciers up there, with a fun teahouse stop along the way. Great views all the way through! Read our trail guide: Hiking the Plain of Six Glaciers . 

The Big Beehive Loop (6.7 miles, 2,552 feet elevation gain): A close second, this hike takes you up past picturesque Lake Agnes (and the teahouse of the same name) to the top of the Big Beehive, which has a commanding view out over Lake Louise and the Bow River Valley. It’s a great hike, especially in the fall when the Larches along Lake Agnes turn bright gold. 

The Glaciers + Beehives Loop : (12 miles, 3,500 feet elevation gain): If you’re an experienced hiker, you’re mentally and physically prepared, and you absolutely MUST experience both, you can combine the two hikes into one big loop, which is what we did on our last trip. It’s a tough hike, but it’s doable if you’re prepared with plenty of snacks, water, and a reasonable fitness level. It will take you all day, especially if (like us) you linger for a bit at each of the two teahouses to catch your breath. 

If you are going to do the full loop, we’d advocate for two things. 

First is skipping Little Beehive , because it’s not worth the effort given you’ve already done the Big Beehive.

Second is hiking clockwise , out to the Plain of Six Glaciers first (which is very exposed and is tough in the beating sun) then looping back to Lake Agnes and the Big Beehive. 

Basically all of these hikes are going to take the better part of a day, and you’re going to want to spend the rest of it recovering and replenishing, because there’s another big day coming tomorrow!

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise makes for a great spot for a well-earned drink (or cup of tea) after your hike. It’s a pretty expensive stay (we’d never even consider it, frankly), but they have a number of bars and restaurants onsite and the location right on the lake can’t be beat. 

Day 4: Moraine Lake and Drive Back

In some ways, we’ve saved the best for last here. While, yes, you’ve seen some pretty incredible alpine lakes over the course of your itinerary, Moraine Lake is almost in a league of its own. 

So much so that they’ve closed the road to Moraine Lake entirely to passenger vehicles to curb the deluge of visitors camping in the parking lot to get a view of the most famous lake on Instagram at sunrise. 

On your last day, close your trip out with a morning visit to Moraine Lake, a hike, and then wipe the tears from your eyes as you make your way back towards the airport in Calgary. 

Getting to Moraine Lake

The first thing we need to cover here is getting to Moraine Lake, which has changed over the past few years as record traffic numbers overwhelmed the infrastructure at the most popular lake on Instagram and necessitated some limitations on visitation. 

As of 2023, Moraine Lake Road – the only road into the lake – is closed to private vehicles . 

That means that the only way to access Moraine Lake is by shuttle or bus, and there are both public transportation options and private options. It’s also worth noting that the lake is only accessible by vehicle from May to October. 

We’ll talk about both public and private offerings, but we’re going to focus more on the public transportation options. 

The first option is the Parks Canada Shuttle . This option leaves from Lake Louise Ski Resort, which is just across the highway from Lake Louise Village. That does mean that, if you’re coming from Banff or Canmore, you will need to drive about an hour to catch the shuttle (the next option might be better, depending on what you’re looking for). This option connects you to the Lake Louise Lakeshore, Moraine Lake (via a connector shuttle that leaves from Lake Louise lakeshore), and the Lake Louise Campground. It runs frequently – every 20 minutes between 6:30am and 7:30pm – but it still fills up in the summer. Book well in advance. More information here . 

The second option is combining the Roam Transit Lake Louise route (route 8x) with the Moraine Lake Connector shuttle (operated by Parks Canada) . This is a great option if you’re staying in Banff, because it means you don’t have to make the 45-60 minute drive out to Lake Louise Ski Resort to connect with the Parks Canada Shuttle. Instead, you take the 8x from downtown Banff to the shore of Lake Louise, and then hop on the Parks Canada connector that takes you to Moraine Lake. This requires you to purchase the “Roam Superpass” when you book your ticket, which gives you access to the connector shuttle. More information here . 

The third option is the Moraine Lake Express through Roam Transit (route 10 ). The most important thing to know is that this option is only available in the fall , September through mid-October. This route leaves from the town of Banff (in front of Banff High School) and makes a beeline to Moraine Lake, which makes it a really nice option if you’re staying in Banff and don’t want to drive out to Lake Louise. More information here . 

All three options are very competitive, and you should book your tickets well in advance, especially if you want the coveted early morning slots. 

Keep in mind that even if you want to just use the connector to Moraine Lake, you need to check in at Lake Louise Ski Resort and take the shuttle from there to Lake Louise. 

There are two private transportation options we want to highlight for different reasons.

The first is the Sunrise Shuttle , which is the only option for photographers who want to see Moraine Lake at sunrise (aside from spending $$$ to stay at Moraine Lake Lodge). It takes you from Banff to the lake, arriving around 45 minutes before sunrise, where you’ll stay for two hours before being whisked back to Banff. It’s pricey, and we wish there was an option to stay at the lake to get an early start on a hike, but it’s the only way to have the lake to yourself at sunrise.

The second is the open top buses operated by Wow Banff , because it’s the only way to bring a dog to Moraine Lake (their route goes from Lake Louise Ski Resort, to Lake Louise, to Moraine Lake). Dogs are only allowed on the upper deck, and we seriously considered doing this to get to Moraine Lake with our dog, Lupine. 

Moraine Lake (and Where to Find the Best Views)

There’s a reason Moraine Lake is one of the most popular views on Instagram. One of the things we appreciate about it is how it changes throughout the course of the day. 

Before the sun rises over the mountains it’s tucked into, the water is a crystal clear blue, with reflections of the Valley of Ten Peaks in the still water. 

As the sun rises, it illuminates the tiny glacial particles in the water, and the water turns into a unique cloudy turquoise color. 

There are two places you should go to find the best views of the lake. 

The first is the rockpile at the northeastern end of the lake , which you can access via a short trail from the parking area. You’ll head around the back of the rockpile and climb up over the top, where you’ll be presented with the iconic view. 

The second place to go is the lakeshore trail , which we’d definitely plan on walking at least a little ways along the edge of the lake. We especially like this view early in the morning with the colorful canoes in the foreground and the lake and peaks in the background. 

To this day, after tens of thousands of pictures taken on our travels, this is one of Matt’s favorite photos he’s ever taken. 

Hiking at Moraine Lake

There are a few great hikes that leave from the shore of Moraine Lake, and we want to give a special shout out to the hike to Sentinel Pass via Larch Valley , which is probably our favorite hike in the Canadian Rockies.

It’s not easy by any stretch, but the views from the pass are truly spectacular (and well worth the effort). 

Plan on spending your morning on the trail before, sadly, heading back to the airport to catch your flight home. 

• Consolation Lakes (4.6 miles, 1,000 feet elevation gain): This hike continues past the rockpile to a string of two lakes. It’s the easiest of the three, and is a very gradual grade.
• Eiffel Lake (7.6 miles, 2,000 feet elevation gain): Another alpine lake, surprise! This hike is longer with more elevation gain, but it’s still in the moderate category. The first mile and a half climb the same switchbacks as Sentinel Pass, which aren’t easy, but then it’s a mostly level walk out to Eiffel Lake, another turquoise lake with a tiny fraction of the crowds at Moraine. 
• Sentinel Pass and Larch Valley (7 miles, 2,600 feet elevation gain): The switchbacks at the beginning and end of this hike are the hardest parts, with a nice stroll through beautiful Larch Valley in the middle as a break. The views from Sentinel Pass back over Larch Valley and Minnestimma Lake are breathtaking, as is the final ascent to the pass. 

More Time in Banff? Here’s What to Add to Your Itinerary

If you have more time to spend in Banff and are looking for some other things to add to your itinerary, here are a few things we’d add (along with how much time we’d add for them). 

It’s worth noting that the very first thing we’d add is an extra half day to the last day of the itinerary above , so that you don’t have to drive back to the airport to catch a flight after a morning of hiking at Moraine Lake.

More Hikes (+1 Day for Each)

If you’re into hiking, there are plenty (PLENTY) of other great hikes in Banff National Park to add. We’ve included a bunch of extra hikes above in the “choose your own adventure” sections, but here are a few more to consider. 

• Healy Pass (11.1 miles / 2,814 feet elevation gain): We loved this hike. It’s a must-do if you’re in the Rockies in early summer (call it mid-July?) for the stunning wildflowers or mid-October when the larches are lighting up. From the pass, you have a nice view of the Ramparts and the Monarch in one direction, and the peaks backing Egypt Lake in the other. It also leaves from the Sunshine Meadows parking lot, which is giant, which means there’s no parking nightmare. 
• C-Level Cirque (5.8 miles / 2,490 feet elevation gain): We mentioned this earlier as an option around Lake Minnewanka, and we’re mentioning it here again as a moderate option that’s an easy drive from Banff. You climb up through the forest for the first few miles before emerging into a rocky bowl, at which point it’s a quick scramble up to a viewpoint back towards the lake. 
• Helen Lake (7.2 miles / 1,700 feet elevation gain): While Wilcox Pass is our favorite hike on the Icefields Parkway, this is certainly a close second. The hike takes you up through the forest for the first half, alternating between flat sections and super steep sections, before bursting into a beautiful meadow surrounded by rocky peaks and nonstop views. A short meadow meander later brings you to Helen Lake, which is backed by Cirque Peak.

We’d basically say add a full day for each of them, because they’ll likely take 4-5 hours each.

Yoho National Park (+1-2 Days)

Yoho National Park is adjacent to Banff National Park, and gets far fewer visitors than either Banff or Jasper. If you’re using Lake Louise as a home base for Louise and Moraine Lake, we’d add an extra night or two to get out to Yoho, which is a short drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway. 

We wouldn’t exactly call it a hidden gem – it’s very much on the beaten path – but we think it rivals Banff and Jasper in terms of natural beauty. 

With one day, we’d head out to Emerald Lake for sunrise before the crowds (and for the picture-perfect reflections on the calm surface of the lake) and then head over to Takakkaw Falls afterwards, which is one of Canada’s highest waterfalls. 

After the waterfall, there are a few great hikes that leave from the falls. 

The first is the first-ever hike we did in the Rockies, the iconic Iceline Trail , which climbs straight up the wall of the valley to get up above the treeline. From the ridge, you have excellent views back towards the falls and a sweeping view out over the valley.

It’s somewhere between a moderate and hard hike, and we’d do it as a loop down past Celeste Lake rather than as an out-and-back. 

The second option is the easier (mostly flat) hike out to Laughing Falls , which follows the river out into the Little Yoho Valley with a few beautiful waterfalls along the way. 

If you’re feeling spicy, you can continue past Laughing Falls out into the valley to Twin Falls , which roughly doubles the distance of the hike. 

Jasper National Park (+2-3 Days)

If you’ve got 7+ days, we’d add time in Jasper National Park because, by the time you’ve driven out to the Icefields Discovery Center on the Icefields Parkway, you’re halfway there anyway. 

However, we’d only add this if you have a full two days to dedicate to Jasper, because it is kind of a long (but beautiful) drive to get there and back. 

If you’re looking for an idea of what to do in Jasper, we’d point you to our Canadian Rockies itinerary , which has a breakdown of how to spend two days in Jasper. 

The Best Time to Visit Banff

There’s really no doubt about it, the best time to be in the Canadian Rockies is the summer , which generally means mid-July through the end of August. 

Early fall (September through mid-October) is a close second , with slightly more unpredictable weather (we saw snow in mid-September on our first trip) offset by fewer tourists.  

Winter and spring are also good times to visit, but your trip is going to look very different (more snow, skiing, and parkas, fewer alpine hikes). 

This itinerary is written for a summer/early fall trip. It will be nearly impossible to follow this itinerary as written in the winter or spring. 

In the summer, you’ll get the best weather (though it’s still the mountains, so expect some rain, clouds, and thunderstorms intermittently), LONG days with plenty of daylight for exploring, and snow-free roads and hiking trails. 

There are two downsides to visiting Banff in the summer that you should know going in. 

The first is that it is, by far, the most popular time to visit Banff . It’s going to be crowded, and our best advice is to plan on waking up early every single day to beat the crowds to trailheads (which is what we did). 

It is also going to be expensive . Prices jump up in July and August, because so many people flock to the Rockies to see the sheer natural beauty for themselves. Book your accommodations early for the best selection! For our latest foray up to Banff and Jasper, we booked our places to stay in January for a July trip.

The second thing to know about Banff and Jasper in the summer is that, with each passing year, the likelihood that you’re going to encounter smoke from nearby wildfires goes up . 

Back in 2017, on our first trip to the Canadian Rockies, we got some smoke from nearby fires during the Banff leg of our trip (you can see the haze in some of the pictures below). 

On this latest trip, we got smoke for the Jasper leg of our trip, and you could barely see the mountains for most of our time up north.

There’s not much you can do about it, but it’s something to keep in mind. Our first trip was in September, and we thought “oh, let’s go earlier in the summer to beat the fires next time.” Then, in early July, same deal. 

Getting to Banff

If you’re not coming from nearby, you’ll have to fly, rent a car, and drive. Which, luckily, is also pretty simple thanks to the nice airport in Calgary. 

Though it’s in Canada, the drive to Banff from places like Seattle, Vancouver, and the northern United States (Idaho, Montana, etc) is totally doable.

We drove from Portland, and it basically took us two full days of driving, though we broke up the drive from Vancouver to Banff over about 4-5 days. 

Flying to Banff

If you’re not driving to Banff, the easiest way to get to Banff is going to be to fly into Calgary International Airport (YYC) .

Arriving here puts you within about two hours of the town of Banff, and it has the best selection of flights and rental cars in the region. 

Driving to Banff

If you’re driving to Banff, it’s going to be a long one from just about anywhere outside of Alberta. 

We met a couple from Toronto on the trail and, without thinking about the geography involved, asked if they drove to Banff. Which, of course, is patently ridiculous. It’d be like driving from NYC to Glacier National Park, which we’d never consider. 

For reference, that drive would take 34 hours. 

Here are some examples of drive times and distances from nearby major metro areas (we’re not including Edmonton and Calgary here): 

• Vancouver, B.C. : 9 hours, 526 miles
• Seattle, WA : 10.5 hours, 596 miles
• Spokane, WA : 7 hours, 361 miles
• Portland, OR : 12 hours, 711 miles
• Glacier National Park (Whitefish, MT) : 5 hours, 284 miles

For what it’s worth, we drove from Portland (where we live) up to Vancouver, B.C., spent a few days in Vancouver, and then headed east from there to Banff. 

The drive from Vancouver to Banff is worthwhile with a bunch of good stops on the way, but it’s a long one and we’d only recommend it if you have somewhere between five days to spend on the drive in either direction. 

Matt is the founder and main writer behind Wheatless Wanderlust, which he started back in 2018 as a way to share his gluten free travel guides with his fellow Celiac travelers.

Since then, Matt and his wife Alysha have visited 18 national parks, spent three months in Europe and six weeks in Colombia, and have explored every corner of the Pacific Northwest, which is where Matt grew up.

He writes super detailed guides to the places they visit, bringing together personal experience and historical context to help YOU plan an amazing trip.

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Our Last Trip Out - a chronicle of certain events Paperback – January 1, 2006

• Print length 411 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Litvahr Productions, LLC
• Publication date January 1, 2006
• ISBN-10 0978830024
• ISBN-13 978-0978830021
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Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Litvahr Productions, LLC (January 1, 2006)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 411 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0978830024
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0978830021

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Fast Travel: The Best Itinerary For Spending 48 Hours in Las Vegas

By Sage Anderson

Sage Anderson

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Las Vegas is a city that’s almost overwhelmingly energetic, and when you’re on a tight schedule, you’re going to want to maximize your fun potential. Will you grab a ticket to one of dozens of electric residencies like Carrie Underwood ? Or are you going to try and score a reservation to a fine dining eatery like Aqua for some seafood from a Michelin-starred chef ? It can be difficult to know just where to start your adventure when there’s so much to do and it can feel like the strip was practically built on FOMO.

Whether you’re trying to pack in a quick weekend trip, or making the most out of an extended layover, we suggest starting off by picking a resort to anchor your 48-hour Vegas experience around. What happens in Vegas doesn’t need to stay in Vegas, but you certainly need a place to — and we think the most luxurious weekend starts and ends at Resorts World Las Vegas .

With high-end accommodations, world-class dining options, and stellar entertainment options, this is a sign to book that trip you’ve been meaning to take. As Vegas veterans ourselves, we’ve curated an itinerary below chock-full of the best ways to make the most of your stay in Vegas .

Knowing which spots are worth booking can be as confusing as your first time playing poker. The good news: if you’re searching for a destination that gives you access to eating a mouth-watering meal, dancing the night away, and then making it back to your room in one piece afterwards, Resorts World Las Vegas checks all the boxes.

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Time to start your day off right with the most important meal of the day — and trust us when we say you’re going to want a breakfast that will fuel you through every step of the Strip. Chef Ray Garcia’s ¡VIVA! hosts an excellent brunch every Saturday and Sunday that features elevated Mexican brunch favorites, in addition to boozy and bottomless beverages (we wouldn’t recommend this first thing since you’re going to have a packed day, but their Fresa Sandia is quite good if that’s the way your day is going). Get the Chorizo Con Huevos or the Chilaquiles with fresh, crispy heirloom corn tortilla chips and thank us later.

Mid-Morning

Take a stroll through the The District shopping esplanade where you’ll find 70,000 square feet of shopping in case that compact carry-on of yours couldn’t fit another clubbing shirt. The most eye-catching part of the area though is the 50-foot, LED-panel-covered Globe (affectionately called “The Orb” on our last trip) that’s definitely worth checking out. The Globe offers an immersive art experience, and you can catch a short show with synced lights and music every hour on the hour from noon to 1 a.m.

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If you’re ready to fist-pump to a hot DJ set, but you also want to be in bed at a reasonable hour, slip into a swimsuit and head over to Ayu Dayclub . Resorts World’s Bali-inspired poolside party turns the weekend into a never-ending summer, with white daybeds and chic wooden cabanas you can rent if you’re not ready to pack into the pool with everyone else. Even if you’re just sipping a drink on dry land, it’s a certified vibe, and you might even get to see one of the repeat artists like Kaskade or T-Pain step up to the DJ booth.

That being said, if a “dayclub” isn’t your scene, we still suggest beating that Vegas heat and cooling off at one of the seven pools on property (including the only infinity pool on the Strip).

Early Evening

After a relaxing poolside afternoon soaking up some sun, go back to Famous Foods Street Eats and make your way to Ms. Meow’s Mamak Stall for a secret surprise. Amidst the small shop selling Asian snacks and adorned with lucky cats, ask the person behind the register at Ms. Meow’s to push the shelf-lined wall, and you can slip into the entrance of an intimate speakeasy, Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den. Open daily at 4 p.m., this relaxed and cozy spot seats 34 and serves up tropical cocktails into the wee hours. Sip on the “Hanami,” a sake drink with hints of sakura for a pre-dinner cocktail and take picks by the neon tiger on the exposed brick. But be sure to come here early after opening — this buzzy bar isn’t so much of a secret anymore, and fills up fast.

Now that you’ve had a drink (or two) and are ready for a night out, start with dinner at Wally’s , a beloved transplant from Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. The mouthwatering charcuterie boards are a can’t-miss, filled with peppery wagyu beef salami and L’Amuse Gouda, although the baguette stuffed with brie and a staggering amount of truffles (in the honey, butter, and shaved variety) is also a great choice. And with a selection of more 100 wines by the glass, pull up a chair, sip on a rare pour, and get ready for some of the best elevated comfort food on the Strip.

Late Evening

With so many bars, lounges, and concerts at Resorts World, you’ve already got a wide range of options for wherever you want the night to take you. Resorts World Theatre might be able to accommodate 5,000, but seeing a show there will feel more like you’re at an intimate club. It even boasts an immersive sound system designed by L-Acoustics. In other words, it sounds really freaking good, no matter where you’re sitting. See the biggest names in comedy like Kevin Hart, or get a front-row seat to Carrie Underwood — one of the year’s most-anticipated shows to see in Vegas. The Grammy winner’s Reflection residency kicked off November 2023, and just added more dates through 2024, so you don’t want to miss it.

Since it’s technically your last day in Vegas, you’re going to want to hit the ground running with some quick bites to keep that Vegas train rolling. Sun’s Out Buns Out single-handedly saved us during our last Vegas trip thanks to both a post-Zouk, late-night Furikake Fries, and a Bacon, Egg & Cheese the morning after. If you couldn’t already tell, there’s one key ingredient here: eggs. Sun’s Out Buns Out serves up egg dishes all day, every day, so grab a fast breakfast here to start your day sunny-side up.

In case you want to sleep in and skip breakfast to maximize your night owl potential, or are still hungry after breakfast, we love Fuhu’s high-energy dining room . It’s more than just a pregaming spot (although it’s a pretty great pregaming spot), it also has a stellar brunch with an Asian flair and hand-crafted signature drinks. Since it’s from Zouk Group, you can listen to DJs and special acts while you munch on scoops of king crab and truffle fried rice (there’s a lot of truffle in this town). The vibe is dark, stylish, and sexy, overall a highly Instagrammable spot.

Let’s slow things down for a little bit and take a break from the bustle of Vegas at the ultra-luxurious Awana Spa . Resorts World’s haven takes a more energetic approach to the spa experience, and socializing is encouraged here, where the Foot Spa Lounge is outfitted with TVs so you can catch any number of games while you ease your tired feet. Head over to the Fountain of Youth, which features six vitality pools, warming tepidarium chairs, steam rooms, cool mist showers and more — all while transportational videos play on a wraparound LED screen that shows you a calming film of the tops of snowy peaks or rushing waterfalls.

For a pre-dinner libation, take an elevator ride to the top of Resorts World to the Allē Lounge on 66 , a dimly lit, inviting spot with wood floors and plush velvet armchairs. The 66th-floor lounge is an elegant spot to sip craft cocktails like a Genting Old Fashioned (Highland Park 12 Year, Demerara Syrup, Angostura Aromatic Bitters, and Regan’s Orange Bitters). But the main attraction here is the breathtaking view of the Strip from its floor-to-ceiling windows, especially when it’s lit up at night. There’s even a telescope so you can grab a closer peek.

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It’s been a long (almost) 48 hours, but you should go out with a bang with a night out at the scene-y Zouk Nightclub. When the sun goes down, the vibes come to life, with high-tech lighting displays (seeing the laser light fixture descend down from the ceiling was the highlight of our last trip) and room-shaking sound. Your favorite DJs have probably performed there, and on any given night you could catch a set from Odesza, Deadmau5, DJ Snake, and more. Afterwards, you can crash back at your Conrad suit and reflect on your successful 48 hours in Las Vegas.

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Our Last Trip To The Market

When was the last time you tried to take six kids to the market!

Lorin Clarke’s charming picture book Our Last Trip To The Market is a story that will charm children with its colourful illustrations and playful rendering of a family trip to the market… as well as delight harried parents who are all too familiar with the chaos that shopping with kids can provoke.

Author Clarke says “it celebrates the naughty and surprising diversions that take place on a trip to the market, i.e. OMG why would you take six kids to a market? What are you thinking! Have a lie down…!”

She says she wrote the story because she wanted “a book about a woman parenting where the main feeling was of this is an adventure! not ‘we are learning a lesson’ or ‘we are being nurtured’. Not that there’s anything wrong with cuddles and lessons, but there wasn’t a lot of fun for or with Mums, I didn’t think, in books. Also I like the kids’ sense of naughtiness. It’s creative. The adults and the children collaborate in the end, in naughtiness.”

The humorous illustrations by Australian illustrator Mitch Vane allows children and parents to follow the adventures of the family through organic food aisles, sparkly glue, watermelons, pasta and flower stands, in experiences that reflect Clarke’s real life experience. “I was at the Ceres Market in Melbourne and I literally heard someone say “hands out of the lentils, Serenity!”. So I obviously had to write a book with that in it!” says Clarke.

Clarke says “there’s a gender ambiguous kid frolicking in a dress, there are different cultures everywhere, and one of the kids straight up steals a dog. It’s my first children’s book so the process was really collaborative between the publisher, the illustrator and me, and I’m super proud of the result.”

You can purchase Our Last Trip To The Market here .

Girlfriend of Surfer Found Dead in Mexico Shares His Gut-Wrenching Final Voicemail

After australian surfer callum robinson was killed during a trip to mexico with his brother jake and friend carter rhoad, his girlfriend posted his last voice message..

The girlfriend of slain Australian surfer   Callum Robinson  is expressing her grief.

Days after the 33-year-old, his brother Jake Robinson and friend Carter Rhoad were found dead in Baja California, Mexico, Emily Horwath reflected on their life together and revealed what he told her in his final message.

"Happy Tuesday. Good morning. It's 11:11 and I'm just thinking about you. Just wanted to drop you a quick message and say, hello, baby," Callum says in the voice message, featured on  Instagram Stories  alongside of photo of him holding a cup of coffee on the beach. "Hope you're having a phenomenal start to your day. I, um, I'm sending a big grin on your face for some reason today. I hope you're full of positivity and smiles. Cheers baby. Miss ya."

Alongside the voicemail, she wrote, "That's exactly who you were. Positivity and smiles."

In her Instagram Stories highlights, she also posted photos and videos of her and Callum together, including of him getting a pedicure.

"Cal always got pedicures with me and we'd put smiley faces on his big toes," she recalled. "I called them his happy hoovers. Even his toes were happy."

She also shared snaps of Callum hanging from a tree by a beach and partying with her and friends as well as images of the two vacationing together.

"For holidays/birthdays, Cal and I always bought each other experiences that we could share together," she explained. "For Christmas he gifted me a bridge climb and zip line. Knowing my fear of heights, he always tried to push me outside of my comfort to enjoy things I would never do on my own. But on our last trip, he didn't stop there, he had us climbing into underground caves."

Emily said they did all this "while being able to constantly laugh through life and not take it so seriously."

"This man changed my life in ways that I can't even put into words," she added. "I don't yet understand a world without him and his energy in it. I feel so grateful to have loved him. Tell your people you love them. Live life to the fullest every day. Be kind to others. Laugh uncontrollably. Don't let the small stuff bother you. You lead with positivity. And live like Cal."

The bodies of Callum, Jake and Carter—along with the body of an unnamed fourth person—were found with gunshot wounds to the head inside a deep well not far from their campsite south of Ensenada, local authorities said May 5, per NBC News , more than a week after they were reported missing.

Baja California prosecutors said at a press conference that same day that the motive for the killings was carjacking. Three days later, they announced, according to CNN , that a suspect has been indicted on a charge of forced disappearance in relation to the men's deaths.

E! News has reached out to the Baja California Attorney General's Office for comment and has not heard back.

(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

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The Best Time to Book a Flight for Domestic, International, and Summer Travel

Here are our best tips for booking travel in 2024.

When to Book Flights for Domestic Travel

When to book flights for international travel, when to book flights for summer 2024 travel, when to book flights for holiday 2024 travel.

Buying plane tickets is something of an art form. Ideally, you want to secure your spot months in advance to avoid the inevitable price spike as your travel dates get closer. But sometimes the best time to book a flight also depends on the destination and whether it's domestic or abroad. The trends are always changing, but experts say the sweet spot for booking domestic flights is 28 days, or 60 days for international flights.

Flights generally open for booking about a year ahead of time, and the airfare will change often between then and takeoff. Although you can book just a couple of weeks before the departure date in some cases, prices are likely to be astronomical. In other cases, when you want to go somewhere popular or during a big travel weekend, flights could fill up faster than normal. Our advice: Track flight prices on Google Flights or Hopper as early as possible so you can keep an eye on cost fluctuations. Read on for more advice about when to book flights from the pros.

According to Expedia's 2024 Air Travel Hacks report , you should aim to book 28 days before your domestic flight. "Doing so can save travelers up to 24 percent compared to those who wait until the last minute, from zero to six days out," Expedia travel expert Christie Hudson tells Travel + Leisure.

For domestic trips, pricing is elevated when tickets are first released, about a year before the flight. Those prices will slowly creep downward, all the way to their lowest point in the prime booking window, after which you'll likely see a huge increase in cost for last-minute travel.

Meet the Expert

Christie Hudson is a travel expert at top booking site Expedia.

You're better off booking earlier rather than later for international travel, but the Expedia report says ideally no more than four months before your desired departure date. The sweet spot is around 60 days. "This is a big change from 2022 data, which showed the cheapest fares were secured when travelers booked four to six months out." Hudson says. "2023 data revealed that people who booked that far in advance actually paid more on average." The report says the least expensive day of the week to book is Sunday and the most expensive is Friday, for both domestic and international travel.

But there is some regional variance. Going , a platform that tracks flight prices and notifies members of good deals, has found the best months to book flights to Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Latin America, for travel about 60 days out. Here's what it says.

Africa: Book in May.

Asia: Book in August or October, followed by April or September.

Oceania: Book in November, January, or July.

Europe: Book in August, October, or November.

Latin America: Book in October.

The real trick to finding good deals on international airfare is to avoid booking your travel for peak times, which include summer and major holidays (don't forget — that includes holidays in your destination, too).

Summer is traditionally one of the most popular times of the year to travel, which means it can be tough to find a good deal on airfare. Ideally, you should book flights for summer travel as soon as possible, preferably at least six months in advance.

"The best time to book for peak season is … the opposite season," says Katy Nastro, travel expert at Going. "While most of us are scrambling to focus on our winter holiday plans, we should also keep our eyes open for some great summer fares."

She notes that the booking window for peak season ranges between three and seven months for domestic flights and four to 10 months for international trips. "And if you do book something, keep that flight alert on," says Nastro. "If it drops again, depending on your ticket type, you can call to rebook and get a refund or travel credit back with the difference."

Katy Nastro is a travel expert at Going, a website that finds flight deals to more than 900 destinations around the world.

Around the winter holidays is the priciest time to travel, Nastro says. "Your best bet is to remember the Goldilocks zones: look to book between three to seven months ahead for domestic travel and four to 10 months ahead for international travel."

Hudson advises that at the very latest, your holiday travel should be booked by mid-October. "But the biggest holiday travel savings actually come from choosing the right dates," she says. "Avoiding the busiest days like the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Friday and Saturday before Christmas will yield major savings."

Track flights and book your holiday tickets as soon as you find a decent deal, but make sure to book a fare that will give you a credit if you cancel (generally speaking, that means don't book basic economy). That way, if prices drop between the time of booking and your travel dates, you can cancel your original ticket and use the credit to book the cheaper fare. The only downside is you'll still have some remaining credit, but you can then use it to treat yourself to a future flight. Just don't let that credit expire.

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Paris seeing signs of 'healthy' travel demand ahead of Summer Olympics — but plenty of deals remain

The Summary:

• The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are right around the corner, but if you're looking to travel there, it may not be too late to find a deal.

The government in Paris is spending an estimated $9.7 billion on preparation for the Games, with hopes for 15 million visitors between late July and early September.

Airfares tracked by digital booking site Hopper show flights to Paris from the U.S. during the weekend of the opening ceremony averaging about $877 per ticket.

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are set to see plenty of attendees — but travel data shows there are still opportunities for last-minute deal-hunters to capitalize on current market dynamics.

Roughly a month out from the Friday, July 26, torch-lighting ceremony that will kick off the games, more than 75% of Paris-area rooms tracked by analytics firm CoStar have been booked over the Games’ opening weekend. That compares with approximately 42% occupancy over the same weekend in 2023.

“Three out of four rooms is certainly a healthy performance,” said Jan Freitag, national director for hospitality market analytics at CoStar.

Freitag said occupancy would likely only increase as the Games approach, especially as people — primarily those in Europe who can make the trip by car or train — decide at the last minute that they want to attend. There hasn’t been a Summer Olympics played on the European continent since the Athens Games in 2004.

Unprecedented security and cleanup efforts have been undertaken, including a plan to prep the Seine river for competition — an effort highlighted by President Emmanuel Macron personally with a promise to take a dip in the water.

But nothing is guaranteed, and some would-be visitors to the City of Lights might be just as inclined to forgo the trip to avoid crowds, Freitag said.

“It’s a very, very special event — but it will be interesting to see how this number pans out compared to other Augusts in prior years,” he said. “There are always people who are staying away from these events too.”

Other travel sites showed a plethora of hotel deals still available — with at least one 3-star hotel in the heart of Paris showing 50% off usual rates for high summer, according to Google.

That is down 27% compared with the same period last year — but Hopper economist Hayley Berg said that largely reflects a step-down from the sky-high prices seen during the post-pandemic “revenge travel” surge that continued into 2023, along with greater seating capacity being offered by air carriers.

“This rebalancing of supply and demand, combined with the outliers of 2023 prices, mean that airfare this summer to Paris costs less than last year, even with the Olympics ahead,” Berg wrote in a statement.

“We expect that as Olympic trials complete and the Games grow closer, prices will surge as flights begin to sell out on specific travel dates,” Berg added.

In fact, bookings on the Hopper app for trips to Paris around the Olympic Games dates have doubled compared with last year at this time.

A French tourism minister recently said international flight arrivals to Paris were already up 24% for the period covering the Summer Games.

U.S. airfares in May were down 16% from last year, according to the latest reading from the c onsumer p rice i ndex — and overall, fares have returned to prepandemic levels.

But for would-be travelers with middle to lower incomes, Freitag said, a trip to Paris this summer is likely out of the question.

“The headline is bifurcation,” he said. “For the very high and high end, there’s still a lot of interest and money for high-end leisure and staying in upscale accommodations.”

But households making less than $75,000 annually or so “are feeling the pinch of higher inflation rates,” Freitag said. While the inflation rate has come down significantly from its peak in the summer of 2022 , it still hovers just above the Federal Reserve’s desired 2% mark.

“In the basket of things that you have to buy versus want to buy, have-to-buy items like car insurance are now so much more expensive versus want-to-buy like weekend trips,” he said. “So we are seeing a deceleration of that demand, especially for midscale-type properties.”

French officials have cautioned that while the boost from tourism should be substantial — more than $1 billion using the most conservative assumptions — it could take a year or longer to tabulate the true impact.

And historically, the ultimate economic effect for Olympic host cities has been mixed. A Council on Foreign Relations report note s that while the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona are often cited as a tourism success story, there has been roughly an even split between cities that have seen some payoff from hosting the Olympics and those that haven’t.

Rob Wile is a breaking business news reporter for NBC News Digital.

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Critic’s Pick

‘Last Summer’ Review: A Shocking Affair to Remember

Few directors get as deeply under the skin as Catherine Breillat, a longtime provocateur who tests the limits of what the world thinks women should do and say and be.

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By Manohla Dargis

When Anne, the elegant, enigmatic protagonist in Catherine Breillat’s “Last Summer,” walks in a room, she holds your gaze as formidably as she holds those of everyone in this startling, perverse French movie. A lawyer, wife, mother and sister, Anne likes sheath dresses and high heels, tasteful antiques and a sense of order. She’s serenely self-possessed, and everything in her life is just so, which suggests that she’s either invincible or waiting to break. Both are in play when she abandons herself in a shocking, recklessly consuming affair.

Few directors get as deeply under the skin as Breillat, a longtime, reliably interesting provocateur who tests the limits of what the world thinks women should do and say and be. Breillat is interested in complexity, not orthodoxy (feminist or otherwise), in autonomy and subjugation, and in all the ways that pleasure and desire can take violent hold of minds and bodies. She was in her 20s when she directed her first feature, “ A Real Young Girl ” (1976), about a teenager’s sexual coming-of-age. It’s a messy, jolting movie; there aren’t many filmmakers who shock you like Breillat does and with such supremely natural ease.

Anne, played by a superb Léa Drucker, seems wholly satisfied in her world. She and her loving, attentive husband, Pierre (Olivier Rabourdin), have two sweet girls, and live in a large, handsome suburban home. She’s close to her sister, Mina (Clotilde Courau), and Anne’s work seems satisfying and perhaps even important: She advocates for victims of sexual abuse and in cases involving parental custodianship. Outwardly, her life looks ideal, if maybe overly comfortable, and its frictionless surfaces — especially in a French movie about upper-class people — seem primed for disruption. Even so, nothing about her suggests that she will soon lose herself in an affair with her 17-year-old stepson, Théo (Samuel Kircher).

When “Last Summer" opens, Théo is living with his mother and has just been arrested. Pierre has decided to bring his son back home with him, a decision he explains to Anne while the couple are in their bedroom, an intimate setting that is as meaningful as it is banal. As Pierre hurriedly packs his bag, Breillat discreetly pushes the camera closer to him as he and an offscreen Anne talk. The scene is brief, and seemingly purely informational. Yet right after Pierre says that Théo punched a teacher, Breillat cuts to Anne who’s busily changing her clothes. Her dress is hiked over her face, exposing her trim body and pretty bra.

Within minutes, Breillat has introduced both her characters and their world with brisk narrative economy and a sly, telegraphing conflation of sex and violence: the bedroom, the couple, the son, the punch, the lingerie. The movie has scarcely begun yet everything, including the complacency and first stirrings of trouble, is in place. These stirrings abruptly turn into klaxons when Théo arrives shortly thereafter, and Anne goes to speak to him. The moment that he appears onscreen — he’s on the bed in his room, his messy dark curls cascading over his face — it’s clear that he is this movie’s version of Chekhov’s gun.

It gets messy fast. Anne and Théo aren’t close (you sense that they never have been), and there’s a grudging resentment bordering on hostility in how they engage with each other at first. Breillat reveals the complexity of their relationship with scalpel-like precision. The early tension between Anne and Théo is palpable, and partly a consequence of their claims on Pierre. Breillat isn’t a flashy visual stylist, but she makes every image count in “Last Summer.” There’s meaning in each smile and bit of skin, as when Breillat folds in shots of Théo and Pierre with bared torsos, the beauty of youth answered by the poignancy of age.

Breillat offers different possible reasons Anne sleeps with Théo, which happens while Pierre is on a conveniently timed business trip. Anne may be bored with Pierre; she may be drawn to Théo’s youth, his charming curls, his fragile insolence, willowy body and vulnerability. She may be bored, fear death, get off on power. She may just want to get off. Breillat leaves it to the viewer to parse while she focuses on the pleasure it awakens in Anne. When, in one scene, Breillat holds on a close-up of Anne’s postcoital face for a very long 45 or so seconds, it doesn’t read just as a vision of ecstasy. It is also an expression of Breillat’s essential concerns.

“Last Summer” is complex, tricky, at times very uncomfortable and thoroughly engrossing. Part of what makes the movie enthralling, at least in its first squirmy half, is the spectacle of watching a character rush into a morally abject, altogether questionable and seemingly obvious disaster; it’s like watching a slow-moving car crash. I don’t think that is necessarily how Breillat sees it, mind you. That only makes the movie more interesting even if it doesn’t prepare you for what comes next in a story about a woman who — after entrancing and appalling you — emerges as both more monstrous and more human than you’re prepared for.

Last Summer Not rated. In French, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes. In theaters.

Manohla Dargis is the chief film critic for The Times. More about Manohla Dargis

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