Banff. Have you heard of it? If not, you’ve likely seen photos. Its jaw-dropping beauty is often featured in those Xfinity screensavers on your television screen or in your Instagram feed. It’s so hyped in travel circles that I questioned whether it could live up to all the accolades. Happily, it does.
Banff is a small resort town located in Canada’s Alberta Province. It’s a year-round destination with a full complement of summer and winter activities, set among of the most impressive mountain scenery that I’ve ever seen. However, when most folks refer to Banff, they’re really talking about a larger area that includes Banff, Yoho and Jasper National Parks plus the Icefields Parkway and the resort area of Lake Louise. The itinerary that I describe below hits the highlights of the region, leaving plenty to explore on a return visit when you’re ready to get more off-the-beaten path. Why wouldn’t I suggest taking the road-less-traveled on your first visit to Banff? Because Banff’s most popular spots really are pretty darn spectacular and not to be missed!
That also means that the Banff region is not undiscovered, and it’s not cheap. When we visited in mid-August, the town of Banff was buzzing. Accommodations of all sorts book up months in advance; dinner and activity reservations should be made weeks in advance, as well. And just about everything suffers from “resort pricing,” with few exceptions.
Where to Stay?
I ran into a unique problem when trying to book accommodations for this trip. As a family of four with two young adults, I was looking for lodging that included two separate sleeping areas. That limited my choices. But what was more limiting was the minimum night stay requirements. In the height of summer, nearly every hotel has a 2-night minimum or more. The few Airbnb properties have similar requirements. Normally, I would have planned for a night in Banff, a night in Lake Louise and a night in Jasper, but that just wasn’t possible.
Another factor: cost. Lodging in this area can be off the charts! For example, the famous Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise was over $1,200 per night, and other hotels and lodges were not far behind. (After seeing the Fairmont, I’m so glad that we didn’t splurge. I found the property to be dated and the lake itself to be overrated, but more on that in a moment.)
So I ended up booking the modest Mountaineer Lodge in the town of Lake Louise. It was a good decision. Our family stayed in the King Explorer Suite which included a king-sized bed in the primary bedroom, twin bunk beds in an alcove, and a queen-sized sofa sleeper in the living room, complete with fireplace. The room was about $340 per night and included a full hot breakfast buffet each morning. Best of all, it made for a good home base for exploring all the sights.
KidTripster Tip: Don’t splurge on a hotel room in the Banff area. You won’t be spending your time at the hotel. The real magic of a Banff trip is outdoors.
Day 1: Exploring Banff
From our home in Portland, Oregon, it take less than two hours to fly to Calgary aboard Canadian budget airline and Delta partner, WestJet. We then jumped in a rental car and drove 1.5 hours to Banff, just in time for lunch at open-air El Patio, a colorful and hip taqueria bar on the roof of Stump & Magpie, another restaurant. I highly recommend the carnitas pork tacos with pineapple salsa and the housemade paletas (popsicles).
KidTripster Tip: The town of Banff is located inside Banff National Park. As you drive in on Highway 1, you’ll need to stop at the park gates and purchase a park pass.
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Banff separately. The boys headed to the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course, known for its panoramic mountain beauty. What the boys didn’t know is they’d be playing golf with a herd of elk on Hole 5!
The girls headed to the Banff Gondola for a ride up to the Mt. Sulphur summit at 7,486 feet where the panoramic views were even more expansive. Kids ride free with a paying adult. Kids also can download the Agents for Discovery app and use it to explore the interpretive center at the summit. If you have time, walk along the 1.2-mile boardwalk to Sanson’s Peak for another vantage point.
KidTripster Tip: Parking can be a challenge here. Consider riding the free shuttle from downtown Banff.
Next, we headed to the Banff Canoe Club along the Bow River in downtown Banff. If you’re looking to have a first-time canoeing experience, this is one of the less expensive places to rent canoes in the area. For about $38, you can paddle the river for an hour. You also can rent paddle boards here, but I’d only recommend it for experienced SUPers, as the glacier-fed river is incredibly cold; you’ll definitely want to stay on your board.
Or consider taking in the same views by renting bikes at nearby Banff Adventures Activity Centre. You can ride the paved path along the river or head off on one of the many trails. Just ask for suggestions at the shop.
After reuniting for dinner, our family drove about 45 minutes northwest to Lake Louise and checked into the aforementioned Mountaineer Lodge.
Day 2: Seeing Miraculous Moraine Lake
Remember how I wondered if Banff could live up to the hype? On this day, I answered that with a resounding YES! But to experience the wonder that is Moraine Lake, you need to plan ahead.
It’s about a 30-minute drive from Lake Louise to Moraine Lake; however, to score a coveted parking spot here, you need to arrive no later than 6:30 a.m. A better plan? Reserve a spot on the Moraine Lake Shuttle that runs from the Lake Louise Park & Ride to the lake. I’d recommend the first shuttle, which during the summer is typically at 7:30 a.m. Why so early? Because you want to experience the magic of Moraine Lake with as few people as possible.
Once you arrive, prepare to stand at the water’s edge with your mouth agape. I’m serious about this. I’ve had the privilege to visit some of the most beautiful places in the world, and Moraine Lake is definitely on my Top Ten list. For an even more sensational view, hike the short trail to the Rockpile on the north end of the lake. From here, you can truly appreciate the aquamarine water. How is that color even real? I’m glad you asked! Silt flows into the icy water where most of it sinks to the bottom, but some fine particles remain suspended in the water. The “rock flour” scatters blue-green rays of light, giving the lake its stunning color. And yes, you’ll take about a hundred photos from this one spot!
In my opinion, the best way to experience Moraine Lake is from a canoe. Admittedly, at about $92 per hour, this is a splurge, but if you’re going to canoe just once in this area, this is the place!
KidTripster Tip: Wait until the sun starts to hit the lake. In our case, that was around 10 a.m. The sunlight dramatically changes the color of the water for the hundred more photos that you’re about to take.
If you opt not to canoe, walk around the lake on the Lakeshore Trail. (But really, rent a canoe. You only live once.)
After being blown away with natural beauty, we hopped on the Lake Connector Shuttle (same shuttle ticket) to Lake Louise. We arrived and immediately were underwhelmed. Don’t get me wrong, Lake Louise is a pretty lake, but its beauty is not in the same league as Moraine Lake. The area also is very crowded with visitors. Our plan was to escape the crowds by hiking up above the lake, but before we did that, we needed fuel.
Thus began a frustrating search to find food. I don’t know if this will be a long-standing practice, but none of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise’s restaurants would serve non-guests, and shockingly, there were no other restaurants in the area. Having not packed a lunch, we were stuck. So what did we do? We broke the rules, and despite the sign warning non-guests not to eat at the take-away cafe, we did anyway and paid for the overpriced wraps and yogurt parfaits.
Feeling like rebels, we then headed off on the moderately strenuous 3-hour (RT) hike to the Lake Agnes Tea House (cash only). Unfortunately, so did everyone else. This is a very busy trail. When you arrive at what you think will be a serene setting for a spot of tea, it’s ringed with people — so many people, that we didn’t even stand in the long line for refreshments! For a more intimate setting, you’d want to hike first thing in the morning or during the off-season.
KidTripster Tip: Unfortunately, there aren’t really any views of Lake Louise on this trail. To see those, you’ll need to take the .7-mile offshoot trail to Little Beehive from Lake Agnes.
We descended back down to the lake. You can rent canoes at the Fairmont, but they’re even more expensive than Moraine Lake, and again, the lake is not as picturesque.
We boarded the shuttle back to the Park & Ride (same ticket) and headed 25 minutes south to dinner at the Storm Mountain Lodge Restaurant. Don’t let the appearance of this rustic lodge fool you. The food here was amazing — the best of the trip! From the homemade lodge bread to the enormous and flavorful summer salad to the pepper-crusted bison tenderloin and duck breast with dark cherry jus, we were stuffed. Somehow, we made room for desert — dark chocolate mousse tart with a berry coulis and Grand Marnier chocolate truffles. We should have hiked more to offset the calories!
KidTripster Tip: This restaurant is small. Make reservations several weeks in advance.
Day 3: Driving the Icefields Parkway
Rated as one of the top drives in the world by Condé Nast Traveller, the Icefields Parkway stretches 144 miles from Lake Louise to Jasper along the Continental Divide and passing through two national parks — Banff and Jasper. It’s painted with soaring mountains, placid lakes, canyon waterfalls and vast glaciers. To drive to Jasper and back with stops along the way takes the entire day, so we got an early start and were selective about where we stopped.
Our first stop may have been my favorite: Bow Lake at Num-Ti-Jah Lodge. In the morning, the water is still, and the mountains reflecting on the water are picture-perfect. The lodge has a cafe where theoretically, I could have enjoyed a coffee sitting in one of the Adironack chairs, but regretfully, the cafe doesn’t open until 9:30 a.m.
We stopped to stretch our legs at the waterfalls at Mistaya Canyon before embarking on a 4-mile, out-and-back hike on the Parker Ridge Trail to the Saskatchewan Glacier overlook. We stopped for lunch at the Jasper Brewing Company in downtown Jasper before turning around and heading back. On the return trip, we took in Athabasca and Sunwapta Falls before seeing impressive Peyto Lake, which is shaped like a wolf’s head.
It was a very long and tiring day. If we had it to do over again, we wouldn’t drive the full length of the Icefields Parkway. I would recommend driving as far as the visitors center at the Columbia Icefield and then turn around and head back to Lake Louise.
KidTripster Tip: If you’ve never had the opportunity to walk on a glacier, you can do it at Columbia Icefield. Because we’ve had this experience in both Alaska and Iceland, we passed.
Day 4: Climbing to New Heights
I saved our most unique experience in Banff for the last day. After checking out of our hotel, we drove back to Banff and up to Mt. Norquay and the Via Ferrata for the 4-hour Ridgewalker Tour. In Italian, via ferrata translates to “iron road.” First constructed in the Dolomites during World War I, the military used metal cables coupled with iron pins and footholds to move men and equipment into strategic mountain positions. Today, those routes are open to tourists. In Banff, this assisted-climbing route to the top of Mt. Norquay affords you some eye-popping views along the way.
KidTripster Tip: For the Ridgewalker and shorter 2-hour Explorer routes, climbers need to be 12 years old. For the longer Skyline and Summiteer routes, they need to be 14 years old. And don’t worry about packing gear. The outfitter provides windbreakers and climbing boots for free.
After gearing up in a waist harness, climbing boots and helmet, we rode the gondola up the mountain to the starting point. This is a guided tour, and our guide Eli was excellent. Despite hanging off the side of a mountain, we never felt unsafe. The climb is physical, but completely doable for folks of average fitness. The most tiring part is the hike down the mountain. While the 4-hour tour felt about 45 minutes too long, the 2-hour version definitely would have been too short for my family. Admittedly, the 4-hour Via Ferrata route is expensive at around $187 per person. But three out of four of us chose it as our favorite experience of the trip. My husband will always chose golf, which also was pricey!
After lunch in Banff, we headed back to Calgary. We stayed at a hotel near the airport, since we had an early morning flight the next day. Four days felt like the right amount of time for a first-time visit to Banff.
Yes, Banff is expensive, but I can’t recommend this destination enough for its epic natural beauty.
