I lucked out big time this year. My work sent me on a trip to Canada!! The trip started in Vancouver, and then we traveled on the Rocky Mountaineer to Banff. We had a day exploring part of the Icefields Parkway, and most of a day exploring Banff before flying out of Calgary. Banff is a major destination for so many people for its prime location in the Canadian Rockies! There is a lot more to Banff than you might think!

Whether you come in winter to ski, or come in summer to just enjoy the scenery. Banff will be buzzing with people. The town is mainly hotels, restaurants, and lots of shops (both for outdoors gear, and just general souvenirs). Banff is also home to the Banff Mountain Film Festival, which I’ve seen three years now in York! This is a gorgeous part of the world and a great way to see the Canadian Rockies.

What to See in And Around Banff

Banff Gondola

Your first stop on any trip to Banff should be the Banff Gondola. You get whisked up Sulphur Mountain and exit the gondola to the most stunning views of the mountains. It felt surreal! It doesn’t take long to go up to the summit—although if your car stops half-way on the way down like mine did, you might be a bit nervous!

There’s a lot to do at the top of the viewpoint, but I recommend doing the Boardwalk up to the peak (Sanson’s Peak).

The views were even better here! This is such an amazing experience and I don’t think you should visit Banff without doing this.

Bow Falls

This gorgeous waterfall isn’t far from the Banff Gondola. Bow Falls is a major waterfall on the Bow River, which is 365 miles long. There are a few paths you can take to walk up along the river for even better views!

Surprise Corner

If you’re visiting the gondola and Bow Falls, make sure to stop by Surprise Corner as well. This is just a viewpoint, but it’s well worth a stop for one big reason: it gives a phenomenal view of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Just be careful crossing the road as you go to take a photo from the viewpoint!

Fairmont Banff Springs

If you’re wanting to visit Banff and splurge, definitely head to the Fairmont Banff Springs. This hotel is one of the most luxurious places to stay in the Canadian Rockies! But if you don’t want to pay to stay there, you can still visit the spa and use the gorgeous heated outdoor pool on a visit. I’d check in advance for prices, and if you need to book a timeslot, or if you can just show up.

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is both a village, and the lake that’s not far from the town! They are both are close to Banff, with the lake being one of the most popular places to visit in the Canadian Rockies. You can also stop by the Fairmont Lake Louise, which again is one of the most luxurious hotels to stay in in this part of the Canadian Rockies!

I visited Lake Louise when it was completely frozen and covered in snow. I’d love to go back and see the gorgeous blue water in summertime! There is a shuttle bus that runs from Banff to the lakefront of Lake Louise—otherwise, it’s about a 45-minute drive.

Icefields Parkway Tour

We had a full day excursion (including Lake Louise) with Brewster Sightseeing, which I can’t recommend enough. Our driver was awesome and so friendly. If you have limited time in Banff (and you’re not going on to Jasper), I would really push for a daytrip to the Icefields Parkway!

Crowfoot Glacier

This was our first stop on our tour along the Icelfields Parkway from Banff! It was really just a quick photo stop, but it was definitely something seeing the glacier all covered in snow. The runoff water from this glacier supplies water to Bow River!

Bow Lake

This lake was again completely frozen over when I visited in April! Photos of it in summer make it look so different, and I’d really love to go back. This was a really fun stop on the tour from Banff—a lot of the people I was with had never been on a frozen lake before! So I had a lot of fun as a Minnesotan (who is used to frozen lakes every winter!) seeing everyone have so much fun. This is the closest lake to the headwaters of the Bow River.

Saskatchewan River Crossing

We stopped here at the viewpoint for the Saskatchewan River Crossing. I was blown away—it was definitely one of my favorite stops of the day! The scenery is just amazing, and the views are quintessential Canadian Rockies. Travelers and fur traders in the past used this spot to cross the Saskatchewan River on their way to British Columbia, way back in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. There’s a short 10-minute loop you can walk from the parking to see the views. After this, we stopped for lunch at the Saskatchewan Lodge.

Athabasca Glacier

Our final stop of the day was Athabasca Glacier. By the time we got here, it had started snowing! We didn’t have time to do a full excursion out on the glacier itself, but nearly everyone in our group walked out a bit to see it. With the blustery snow all around, it was definitely atmospheric even if you can’t see much in my photos! The drive here from the Saskatchewan River Crossing is beautiful too—make sure to give yourself time to pull over (when it’s safe to do so) and take photos! This was our last stop of our Brewster Sightseeing tour before we headed back towards Banff and Lake Louise.

Helicopter Ride With Alpine Helicopters

By far the highlight of my entire trip was at the end: a helicopter ride with Alpine Helicopters! We did this on the way from Banff to Calgary. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever done on all of my travels. I even lucked out and got the seat up front with the pilot!

We watched a safety video, then were transferred on a minibus to the landing pad where we got on the helicopter.

The scenery really was amazing. I couldn’t believe my eyes!!! If you splurge on one thing on a trip to Banff, it should be this. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, bucket list moment and I’ll never forget it! You can find out more information about Alpine Helicopters here.

Where to Eat in Banff

I ate out a couple times in Banff during my trip. There is the obligatory Tim Horton’s, which you have to pass through on any trip to Canada. My favorite restaurant was the Elk and Oarsman. I got a burger with a side of poutine—and oh my god, it was literally amazing. I also really enjoyed the food at Earl’s, and Boston Pizza was great for a quick bite for lunch. They even had a Minnesota Twins baseball game on! There are also LOADS of bars in Banff. If you want to go out, you’ll have plenty of options from local dive bars to nicer cocktail bars.

The Basics

Banff is one of the major tourist towns in the province of Alberta, Canada. Banff has a population of roughly 7,800 while Alberta has a population of 4.3 million. Canada as a whole has a population of about 37 million people. English is the official language, along with French—although in western Canada, I found that no one would ever speak French first over English. (This is opposed to the Quebec province, which is predominantly French-speaking.) The official currency is Canadian Dollars (CAD). Banff is almost synonymous with skiing in winter, as the ski hordes descend on the town for the opportunities in the surrounding Canadian Rockies!

Getting Around Banff

Most of the downtown area (center) of Banff is walkable. There is one main street with most hotels, restaurants, and shops. Going a bit further out of Banff (such as the Banff Gondola or Bow River) would be much easier with a car. Banff does have a public transportation system, and you can take a shuttle bus out to places further afield like Lake Louise. You can find out more information on shuttle buses in Banff here.

Where I Stayed in Banff

I only had two nights in Banff, and I stayed at the Moose Hotel and Suites. As this was a work trip, I didn’t book this myself. But I absolutely loved this hotel. The rooms were really nice, and there is a restaurant/bar that does quick and tasty breakfast food (and other meals, but I didn’t have them there!). But the main stunner is the rooftop hot tub. WOW! I would have happily stayed an extra week in Banff just to be able to use this hot tub! Not only was it the perfect way to relax after a long day, but just look at that view with the mountain!!

The Canadian Rockies are on so many people’s bucket lists. It’s an incredible region with world-class scenery! I always use Skyscanner to book my flights—the nearest airport to Banff is Calgary Airport. You can search for hostels here, and search for hotels here! You can also sign up to and search accommodation through Airbnb here. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

Banff is a really popular, gorgeous, mountain town. It is well worth a stop and staying a few nights on any Canadian Rockies itinerary! I hope this helps you in planning your own trip to Banff!

This trip was sponsored by the Rocky Mountaineer, and made possible through my job as a Tour Advisor—all opinions and photos remain my own.

You might like my other Canada posts:

Photoessay: Vancouver To Calgary Through The Canadian Rockies

How To Spend 24 Hours In Vancouver

All Aboard The Rocky Mountaineer: Vancouver To Banff!

Have you ever been to Banff or the Canadian Rockies? What was your experience like?

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