Canmore
Despite its splendid location between rows of towering mountains, youthful and outdoorsy Canmore was long considered just a gateway to the parks. But recently, it’s begun to compete with Banff, 28km away, for visitors and provides a decent, less touristy alternative with cheaper accommodation – ideal if you can live with the smaller selection of restaurants and shops.
History
Canmore began life in 1883 as a railroad supply point, before booming as a mining centre. It lived off mining for almost a century until 1979 when the last mine closed. Things looked bleak, but not for long, as it was soon decided that the town would host all the Nordic skiing events for the 1988 Calgary Olympics, which gave the town the impressive Canmore Nordic Centre.