Madison and Jeff not only decided to come on vacation to Banff, they decided to fly with all of their camping gear and tent it while they were here. I was so intrigued by this and if it worked out for them, because it would make vacationing much more accessible financially.
Read on below about their relationship, their experience camping on vacation, and what they would suggest you check out while you're here.
What made you decide to vacation to Banff?
Jeff: I follow a photographer on Instagram who had visited Banff. I saw a picture the photographer had taken of Moraine Lake and knew we had to visit in person on our next vacation.
Why did you choose to have your engagement photos taken here?
Madison: I knew from pictures and from starting to plan our vacation how beautiful a place Banff was and decided, what better time than while we were in a stunning place with a wide open schedule?
When did you know he/she was the one you would marry?
Madison: It’s hard for me to pinpoint an exact time. We starting dating our sophomore year of high school and our relationship evolved and grew with us as we went through life together. I think it was after our freshman year of college when I really knew. At the time that had felt like such a life hurdle and we came out stronger and happier than ever. It made me excited for our futures held together. At that point I knew we were great partners and could not imagine a future where Jeff was not right by my side.
Jeff: I think for me it was around the same time. One day I was thinking about the two of us and how incredible Madison is and it just really came together that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.
What are your favorite things that you did while here on vacation?
We really enjoyed hiking. Banff and the surrounding area had so many different trails all with breathtaking scenery! We suggest the Cirque Peak trail and the Mount Fairview Summit hike. When not hiking, we enjoyed wandering around in downtown Banff. We explored the shops and ate at some great restaurants. Banff also has quite a few cute coffee shops we loved visiting in the mornings.
How was camping on your vacation, with logistics of transporting equipment to the experience itself? Would you do it again while on vacation?
We were definitely bare bones tent camping on this trip! We packed everything we needed in 2 large duffels, 2 backpacks and 2 carry on size suitcases. We checked the large duffels and then rented a car in Calgary to get us and all of our belongings to Banff. We would do this again in a heartbeat. It allowed us more time at our actual destination instead of spending 29+ hours in the car driving from home. We learned more of what was important to pack and what not to. We highly suggest you bring real size pillows and a little extra cushion for under the sleeping bags. The ground can get a little hard after a while.
What did this vacation together do for your relationship?
It was so nice for us to finally just have each other to focus on away from everyday life! Jeff typically travels M-F and then we usually have weekend plans to some extent. I can’t tell you the last time we spent that much time one on one with no distractions and it was amazing! It allowed us to relax, reset and just enjoy each other’s company.
Outfits:
Jeff: Both shirts were Banana Republic and pants were from the Gap. Shows were Clarks
Madison: Dress: Clad & Cloth Shirt and Pants: Old NavyShoes: Lulus