Waterton National Park Wonders: Prince of Wales Hotel Charm and the Journey Home

After the whirlwind of our Banff wedding, we were running on equal parts joy and exhaustion. The tux and gown were packed away, our hearts were still full, and we were both still getting used to that shiny new bling on our fingers. Leaving Banff and all of our friends and family was bittersweet—those mountain views and shared memories were hard to drive away from—but our next destination had a charm of its own: Waterton National Park.

The Prince of Wales Hotel greeted us with all the grandeur and nostalgia you’d expect from a historic mountain lodge. Perched high above the lake, the hotel’s lobby windows framed a view that looked straight out of a vintage travel poster. And as if the setting wasn’t magical enough, a deer casually grazed right outside the lobby, utterly unfazed by the guests snapping photos. It was the perfect, serene welcome after the joyful chaos of wedding week.

Inside, we discovered one of the hotel’s quirkiest treasures—the oldest operating elevator in all of North America. My husband, who has a deep appreciation for anything with history and buttons, was over the moon when he got actually to operate it. It wasn’t fast, it wasn’t smooth, but it was an experience we’ll never forget (and his grin pretty much said it all).

Our time in Waterton was short but sweet—a final pause before we turned the car toward home. As beautiful as the Rockies had been, and as much as we could have lingered, the thought of returning to our puppies had us eager to get moving. This trip had been about adventure, love, and unforgettable moments, but coming home meant our family would be complete again.

It was the perfect way to close out the most incredible month of our lives—one chapter ending, another just beginning.

Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton National Park

Hotel Lobby of the Prince of Wales Hotel

This is the view from the lobby of one of the lakes in Waterton National Park.