I grew up in Massachusetts, but now call Orlando my home. I’ve had my fair share of snow, ice and bitter cold temperatures – that’s what helped convince me to move to Florida. The only time I miss the snow is around Christmas. But come January 2nd, I’m ready for the beach. So, when I learned I was traveling to Canada in the winter I was not looking forward to the runny noses, chapped lips and layers of clothing that come with the cold weather.

But all that changed when I made a trip to Lake Louise. Located in Banff National Park, a 2-hour drive northwest of Calgary, Lake Louise is a breathtaking retreat nestled amongst the Canadian Rockies. To get there, you need to take Route 1, the Trans-Canada Highway. It’s a beautiful drive through the flat plains and rolling hills that – almost immediately – disappear as the mountains emerge from the ground.

The park does have a small entrance fee. A small price to pay to marvel at the wonders of Mother Nature. But the fee and the drive are well worth it once you arrive at the lake. See for yourself in this YouTube video.

Sorry about the nose goblin during the intro!

The hotel you saw was the luxurious Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. In the winter, you can rent skates, skies and snowshoes while in the summer, you’re provided with virtually every outdoor activity available on a lake in in the mountains. It’s the perfect getaway – for those that can afford it.

If the lavish lifestyle is out of your budget, the nearby town of Banff has plenty of accommodations for all budgets available. A quaint shopping district and delicious restaurants make it a favorite weekend retreat all year round. A return visit is a must during the summer to appreciate the sparkling blue/green water.

Lake Louise was absolutely stunning. You can view more photos of my visit on my facebook fan page here.

What’s you’re favorite winter activity? Share by commenting below.

I’ll see you out there!

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I’m officially tired of winter. I live in Orlando, Florida; The Sunshine State. The state surrounded by beaches on three sides. I should have been to those beaches several times by now.

I haven’t been once.

Mother Nature gave us a bit of a reprieve this past weekend with a tease of warm weather. Many Floridians (including myself), took advantage of it by going to the 2010 Plant City Florida Strawberry Festival. I should hopefully have those posts published in the next few days.

But now I’m returning to the cold weather of Canada for week 3 of my 5 week adventure through the country.

Canadian Province Count: 2

Today’s photo is of my patio – in the springtime. I need some inspiration. Maybe if I think of warm weather, I will feel warmer. Let’s hope it works. There’s so many wonderful things to accomplish on my summer list.

Are you getting cabin fever? What’s your favorite place to visit in the warm weather? Leave your comment below.

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Do you remember the feeling you felt the first time you saw snow fall? If you live in colder climates, chances are you don’t – simply because you were probably very little. You never had that feeling of wonderment, magic and beauty that is a snowfall. For all you readers in the warmer climates, that memory of seeing that first snowflake is probably more vivid.

I grew up in Massachusetts. All of my family lives there now. I’ve shoveled more snow and scraped more ice than I care to. Yet when I arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland I was met with mixed emotions.

Staring out the plane window I knew it was going to be cold. And no doubt it was. Living in Florida has spoiled me as of late. My mind was thinking that I should be at the beach right about now. But looking out at the scenery as the plane taxied along this one-runway airport made me pause…it’s been years since I’ve seen snow. I can’t recall the last time it was. Perhaps when I went home for Christmas in 2007, but I’m not entirely sure.

Much to my surprise, I felt this childlike sense of awe as we made our way to the terminal; the anticipation of stepping outside and doing all those wonderful winter activities.

St. John’s, is situated amidst a backdrop of icy rocks and evergreen trees. It was that picturesque vista of a wintery wonderland. All that was missing was a mountain to ski down. I bundled up, stepped outside and all those memories of childhood came flooding back. I cleaned off the snow on the rental car, saw my breath escape in front of me and the fog on the windshield accumulate as the defoggers fought to catch up.

The next day I had to make a snow angel. I had to escape from the handcuffs of maturity and do something silly.

We often take for granted all that is right in front of our noses. That’s part of the mission of adventureswithben.com, to remind us all of the amazing world that exists beyond and right next door. Sometimes the smallest of moments are often the most special. Those times when we forget we’re adults. We ignore the bills, responsibilities and chores that come with age and return to that place where the possibilities seem limitless.

Thank you Canada for reminding me of that.

What was your memory of your first snowfall like? If you can’t remember, then what is your favorite activity to do in the snow? Add your comments below.

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Growing up, we made a lot of family vacations to New Hampshire. In fact as I’ve been writing these last few posts I’ve opened an itch I need to scratch by going back. We used to ski in New Hampshire in the winter, camp in the summer and in this recent trip, leaf peep in the fall. New Hampshire is a great place to visit. Yet on every vacation we took to New Hampshire there was one thing I wanted to do that never happened – ride the Mt. Washington Cog Railway.

Isn’t that a great shot? I love the greens and red of the train under the bright blue sky. It’s the kind of photo that describes the day, perfect. The Cog Railway is a trip up Mount Washington in New Hampshire. It takes you from the bottom all the way to the top. It is my preferred route over hiking it and driving it. Who doesn’t like a train?

At the bottom of the mountain you board the train and it chugs up to the top. The seats aren’t that comfortable, but that’s okay. The ride takes about an hour. The fall is a perfect time to visit, because you can admire the leaves as you journey up the first mountain-climbing train.

One of the best moments is the track switch. there is only one track up and down. Passing trains need to carefully schedule their ascent and descent to meet at the track switch and pass each other. Essentially one train stays to the right, while the other stays to the left as they pass the water tower. The tracks merge again to the single track.

Be prepared for a climate change at the top. You are on a mountain after all. And this mountain has the record of the highest recorded wind speed. There’s an observatory with some small exhibits and displays, and a cafeteria with snacks. If you’re dressed appropriately, make an attempt to climb the rocky peak and take the official photo. It’s cold and windy so bundle up.

The trip back down is just as great as the trip up. The track is steep and one can only hope that the brakes have been inspected recently.

The price is a bit steep for the trip. As of this writing, it’s about $59.00. Is it worth it? For a one-time weekend activity sure. Remember, you’re on an adventure so save your pennies for a memorable trip in the mountains.

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Don’t forget, Ben and Brian are applicants in the Ultimate Thailand Explorers Contest. Please follow us on twitter@benandbrianthaiand share our Ultimate Thailand Explorers Application Video to Pattaya, Thailand with your friends and family.

I’m often asked what do I think about living in Orlando? And for many years, I would answer that I didn’t particularly care for the city. Growing up near the cities of Boston and Providence, there seemed to be more options for adventures than I found in Central Florida. My intention for living here in Florida was purely work-related.

After too many nights and weekends sitting on the couch, frustrated at the lack of “things to do” in Orlando, I set out to change that, and in doing so, started this blog. The first sentence of the About Ben page sums up my approach “Everyday is an adventure – if you want it to be. I do.”

I started seeking out things to do in Florida, no matter how dumb they seemed, how far away they appeared and how boring they could be. What I found out was, there is actually quite a bit to do in the Central Florida area, but you have to work a bit to find it. And while Orlando may not be what I grew up with, I’m getting used to it.

There is one element (actually 2 – I’ll share the other in a few months), about living in Orlando that I miss considerably, and that is Autumn. I miss the leaves changing color, the cool, brisk air when you step outside and the wearing of sweaters and jackets. Fellow Florida-resident Jeff Noel wrote a few days ago about how to keep this in perspective here.

Yesterday was cool enough in the morning that I wore a jacket. Those opportunities are rare. In the spirit of fall, today’s post features a photo I took on a family trip to New England in 2007. We went leaf peeping. If you’ve never been, find out about my trip next week. Until then, comment about your favorite part of Autumn. I’d love to hear what you like best about this wonderful season.

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Don’t forget, Ben and Brian are applicants in the Ultimate Thailand Explorers Contest. Please follow us ontwitter@benandbrianthaiand share our Ultimate Thailand Explorers Application Video to Puttaya, Thailand with your friends and family.