A Canadian bucket list item for many is an adventure to Banff and Canmore in Alberta. Whether it’s a part of a Canadian Rockies road trip or an addition to the beautiful train journey from Vancouver BC on the Rocky Mountaineer, it’s the perfect place to experience everything the Canadian Rockies have to offer. From hiking and canoeing to rafting and rock climbing, caving and everything else in between, these are the best things to do in Canmore and Banff without the crowds.
After this you’re going to want to plan a trip to visit Canmore or plan a Banff vacation for next spring/summer. If snow is your thing, go for a winter trip, but know that most of our recommendations won’t be available during the snowy months. But if snow and apres ski is your thing, this is the spot.
If you have any questions about things to do in Banff and Canmore, or if you have your own recommendations, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and love helping others plan amazing adventures!
Planning a Banff and Canmore Trip
We could find things to do in Banff and Canmore until the cows come home. The mountains and towns are really wonderful and since the first time we visited (I visited a lot as a kid) we’ve really fallen in love with the area more each time. Each time we plan a trip to Banff we look at a few key things: the weather, the projected crowds, and what things to do we HAVEN’T done before. From there we build our plans.
I think four days is perfect for a trip to Banff, five if you’re adding Canmore or Kananaski Country to your travel plans. Once you’re in the Canadian Rockies, is very easy to continue planning beyond Banff National Park up into Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay and more. If that’s more of your goal, don’t worry, we have an amazing Canadian Rockies road trip plan that will take you EVERYWHERE!
Easy addition to a trip to Canmore: a few days in Calgary or up in Edmonton, Alberta!
Where to Stay for Visiting Banff
When you’re looking at all the things to do in Banff and trying to plan a great trip, choosing where to stay is important. Should you plan to stay in walking distance of downtown Banff and its restaurants, or is it better to save a bit of money and stay outside of town? That’s up to you and what you want, but if you want to ensure you have plenty of time to relax without crowds, just make sure you book a hotel or accommodations that reduce the amount of time you have to spend in the car each day and that are peaceful to return to.
Having stayed in downtown Banff, up at Lake Louise, camped in the National Park and stayed in Canmore, I can say that each holds a specific value very different experiences. When it comes to visiting Banff and enjoying the town, there is no substitute for staying downtown. I love the Mount Royal Hotel on Banff Avenue. It’s in a great location, has a beautiful restaurant/bar and, the best part, it has rooftop hot tubs!
There are also a fair number of vacation rentals around the town of Banff stretching all the way to Canmore. If you need more space and amenities like a full kitchen or just want to have that style of accommodations, you’ll for sure find something just right. For vacation rentals in the summer, look to spend no less than $250 CAD per night, with rentals closer to downtown Banff being more.
For a luxe stay you could choose from quite a few beautiful properties in Banff, but there’s really something to be said for the level of luxury and classiness of the Fairmont properties. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is beautiful (amazing to visit for winter in Canada), but the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is my favorite. Both come with top tier services and amenities, and the views are epic.
Search for a Banff hotel or vacation rental here:
Should I Stay in Canmore or Banff?
If you would’ve asked me five years ago if you should stay in Canmore or Banff, I would’ve suggested Canmore because it was so much more quiet. Canmore has really grown though, and now the town offers lots of great dining and cool things to do, just like Banff. When it comes to costs, Canmore is still less expensive for summer travel than staying in downtown Banff, but the cost has significantly increased in recent years.
Canmore is more quiet than Banff still, and there are actually less crowded trails and scenic areas around Canmore than when you get into Banff National Park, so that’s a bonus. Most of the things to do in Banff aren’t difficult to get to from Canmore, so if you really want to give a different home base a shot, Canmore is a great option.
We’ve only stayed at the MTN House by Basecamp here in Canmore, but it was great. The rooms were huge and the location was great for getting over to downtown Canmore or up to some really cool hiking trails. It’s a great pick!
Search for a Canmore area hotel or vacation rental here:
Need to Know for Banff National Park
Banff National Park is pretty large, and you may not even realize when you enter it. Something to be sure of if you’re planning to stop at all is that you have a Banff National Park entry fee receipt. If you’re coming in on the TransCanada Highway there are toll booths, but depending on the time of day or if there are any detours, you might miss these. If that happens, be sure that you do indeed visit the National Park headquarters in downtown Banff and obtain a receipt. I know from experience that you WILL GET A TICKET if you stop in the National Park and don’t have a receipt on display.
Note: if you do get a ticket for not displaying your Banff NP entry fee receipt, you can go to the park headquarters with that ticket and trade it in for a paid receipt… and then be sure to display your receipt for the during of your visit, as many things to do in Banff are indeed in the National Park boundaries.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Banff is very popular to visit and it’s pretty close to Calgary. On the weekends and all summer long the park and town are hoppin’ with tourists. If you’re able to plan your visit to fall midweek, you’ll find fewer people and better hotel rates.
Best Things to Do in Banff, in and near town
We’ve been to the Canadian Rockies so many times, and specifically have spent a lot of time in Banff National Park and the town of the same name. From peak summer season to springtime when the lakes are still frozen, we’ve done it all. Our picks for the best things to do in Banff take you all around the great outdoors of both the National Park and the Canmore and Kananaskis areas. There’s a lot to do and be said for these beautiful spots, and they have far fewer people than the town of Banff.
We could list off all the famous sights light Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake, Lake Louise, Johnston Canyon… but we’re talking about great things to do in Banff that aren’t crowded and busy. All the spots I just listed really are beautiful and worth your time, but you’ll find EVERYONE else going there too. So we’re recommending some other fun options for things to do in Banff.
Tip: as you explore Banff, Canmore and beyond watch for the big red Adirondack chairs. They make for great photo ops and are usually found at the most iconic sights.
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
There’s a reason the Banff Springs Hotel has “springs” in its name. Cave and Basin National Historic Site is actually the home of a collection of hot springs that used to be considered healing waters. People would come from Calgary and beyond to hang out here, enjoy the mountains and feel better. Today, you too can soak in the hot springs, or you can enjoy the rest of the park fully clothed.
What I really enjoyed about exploring Cave and Basin National Historic Site was actually the birdwatching. I geek out over birds and there were plenty here! From owls to ducks and herons, following the many boardwalks through the woods, up the hills and down to the ponds makes for an on-foot wildlife adventure. This is not one of the most popular spots in Banff, so is one of the best things to do without a lot of people around.
Watch the Sunset on the Hoodoos
Geology always fascinates us and the Canadian Rockies are full of fascinating spots. The Hoodoos on the Bow River in Banff National Park are a beautiful example of time and its effect on the earth. Walking trails to several viewpoints make this a wonderful place to watch the sunset. The Hoodoos are in the valley below, so enjoy sitting and taking in the view of the mountains above watching the colors change and the wildlife emerge. And this is one of the spots with the big red Adirondack chairs!
Tip: if you’re into geology, specifically hoodoos and geologic time, you should plan trips to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah or Mammoth Lakes in California. Really cool geology to see!
Hike the Tunnel Mountain Trail for the Views
On the edge of downtown Banff, when everybody else is heading up to Moraine Lake or Johnston Canyon, give yourself a quiet little challenge in the woods. The Tunnel Mountain trail is a great hiking spot just minutes from downtown. One of the best things to do in Banff, especially without people, Tunnel Mountain takes you up the hill behind the town, opening up into sweeping views across the valley. Yes, it’s a challenge, but only if you live at sea level normally.
Tip: if you’re visiting Banff and the Canadian Rockies and you normally live at sea level, if you’re not careful you may suffer from altitude sickness. Drink lots of water, minimize your alcohol intake and give yourself plenty of grace, and that should keep you from being too impacted by the elevation.
Sunrise Wildlife Watching at Vermillion Lakes
A highlight in Banff National Park, the Vermillion Lakes are a gorgeous collection of small lakes full of wildlife and reflections. The surrounding mountains show on the Vermillion Lakes like a mirror. Pepper that with loons, eagles, deer and moose and you’ve got a magical spot. One of the best things to do in Banff is visit the Vermillion Lakes, and if you do it at sunrise you’ll both avoid the crowds AND you’ve got great chances of seeing wildlife.
Strolling and Birdwatching at Cascade Ponds
There are lots of overlooked sights in Banff National Park, and the Cascade Ponds is one of them. Just eight minutes by car or fifteen minutes by bike from downtown, strolling the ponds and watching to wildlife is one of the best things to do without people when you’re in Banff. There are walking trails, footbridges, picnic tables and lots of open space. It’s beautiful.
By now you know that I love birdwatching. The Cascade Ponds are only a few minutes outside of the town of Banff and it’s some of the best birdwatching in the Canadian Rockies. While you may not get to watch loons here on the ponds (at least not often) there are lots of of species that hang out here or make stops on their migration.
See the Bighorn Sheep at Lake Minnewanka
There are lots of cool things to do at Lake Minnewanka, from boat tours to hiking, but my favorite thing is always visiting for the bighorn sheep. I’ve never NOT seen bighorn sheep at Lake Minnewanka. There are lots of places to see this particular wildlife in Banff National Park, including along the Bow Valley Parkway, but the road to and along Lake Minnewanka is all but a guarantee. The bighorn sheep are really cool and beautiful, and although they may come very close to cars, they’re very much wild.
One of the most important things to keep in mind whenever you come in contact with bighorn sheep, or any wildlife for that matter, is to give them their distance, both for your safety and theirs. Enjoy and appreciate the wildlife, but don’t become a problem. Check out our guide to wildlife safety in National Parks.
Ride the Banff Gondola to the Top
If you’re afraid of heights, this may not interesting to you, but riding the Banff Gondola is one of the best things to do in Banff. It’s a great way to get amazing views and then at the top you can enjoy a meal or drinks and explore Sulphur Mountain. What makes the gondola so cool is the incredible view from the car and the top. The Canadian Rockies are absolutely remarkable from the heights of the gondola. Book your Banff Gondola tickets here!
Explore Banff on Foot
Whether you want to do a pub crawl through downtown Banff or if you just want to check out all the shops and galleries, Banff on foot is fun and beautiful. Start at the edge of town and wander the neighborhood until your downtown. Head towards the river and cross it to get a view of the town and surrounding mountains. It’s gorgeous.
If you’re staying in downtown Banff, you’ll find that anything directly in town is walkable. Even doing the longer jaunt over to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel isn’t that far if you’re in the mood.
Seeing Banff via Bike or EBike
Biking is always a fun way to see a destination, especially when it’s a place like Banff where the scenery around every corner is different and beautiful. Our next pick for fun things to do in Banff is renting bikes or EBikes or doing a pedicab tour. The town itself is very walkable and bikeable, so that lends itself to sightseeing in a fun, open air style.
For an easy route, start downtown and ride out to the Vermillion Lakes, one of the prettiest places in the Canadian Rockies. Next, ride back to town and continue down to Bow Falls. After that you can just call it good or you can keep going.
There’s a great route if you’re looking for a beautiful, longer bike ride around Banff, which is one of the best things to do without crowds. Start downtown and ride Check out this biking map of Banff!
Tip: if you’re staying in Canmore, there are EBike tours of the town that offer their own beautiful sights and go around the town. Book a Canmore EBike tour here!
Note: there used to be a wonderful pedi-cab tour in Banff and you could see much of the town and Vermillion Lakes, but as of 2023 this service isn’t available. We’ll see if the 2024 season brings back the amazing Banff pedi-cab tours.
Family Rock Climbing in Banff National Park
When Adventure Hub said that they were adding some family rock climbing to our itinerary we really were shocked and didn’t even know what to make of it. We’re tough dudes though and knew that we could make it work together, and it did! We went up to Rundle Rock with Ridgeline Guiding to both learn the basics and actually go rock climbing. Success!
Patrick, the owner of Ridgeline Guiding was amazing at both teaching us dads the technical and safety side of climbing and showing the kids how to scale the rocks safely and have fun. We had an awesome time, all four of us, doing a completely new activity and getting some sweeping views from atop the rocks. Really amazing! Thank you Ridgeline Guiding!!!
Fun Things to do in the Canmore Area
Not too far from Banff town, Canmore is just a 20 minute drive away. It’s easy to visit for the day or make this your home base for a portion of your Canadian Rockies adventure. Like with Banff, there are lots of great things to do in the outdoors, and the town of Canmore is fun to explore too.
Canoeing on Barrier Lake – Canmore
For all the kayaking we do we rarely do canoes with the kids, let alone doing a BIG canoe. Wow, it is so much easier than kayaking when it comes to small kids activities out in nature. Doing a big canoe tour is one of the best things to do in Banff, especially for getting out on the water and away from the crowds in town.
We went around Barrier Lake to the start of it and loved the beautiful views and the turquoise waters. Our guides shared a good deal of history, naturalist info and talked about survival in the Canadian Rockies. We even got to try our have at using a strike fire starter.
Kananaskis Outfitters was really great to go out with. The tour we did was very kid-friendly, both in tour length and ease, and we’d for sure recommend it to anyone with kids of nearly any age. The kids (and dads) loved it!
Discovery Hike with Canmore Cave Tours
Our kids love hiking and they love caves. I know that going underground isn’t for everyone, but when you get to see a different side of the Canadian Rockies (literally), when paired with the beautiful hike to the cave, this is one of the best things to do in the Banff area.
We had an awesome time with Canmore Cave Tours. We hiked up through the valley and the hills, looking for fossils and listening for wildlife until we made it to Rat’s Nest Cave. Yep, it’s called Rat’s Nest Cave, but it’s really cool though! A very different cave system than Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana or Blue Mounds in Madison, Wisconsin, it’s a unique caving experience.
The highlight of the hike was getting to put on our helmets and harnesses and scale the wall to access the cave. We didn’t go deep into the Rat’s Nest Cave, but just into the entrance since our kids were smaller than the safety requirements for full on spelunking. The layers of history, both geologic and human (pictographs even) were really cool to experience and share with the kids.
Geology Hike into Grotto Canyon
We had an incredible guided hike into Grotto Canyon. This unique geologic feature was beautiful and very different from the more popular trails in Banff National Park. The climb wasn’t terribly tough to do with kids, but the hike into the depths of Grotto Canyon was pretty long. It’s still one of the best things to do in Banff though, and I would do this hike again.
Our guide was wonderful too. She took us up into the Grotto Creek Canyon and it was basically the best worldschooling day ever. Every step was another geologic wonder, and every rock we overturned had a fossil or crystal that was cooler than the last. We hiked all the way back to the waterfall where we relaxed, found EVEN MORE fossils and had snacks. Our guide made the hike just as fascinating for the kids as for the adults, and visa versa.
Bonus: along this hike there are also petroglyphs, thousands of years old. It’s really cool to see them and hear their story, and that they’re related to the petroglyphs found in Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada!
Look for Murals and Street Art in Canmore
We love exploring small towns and Canmore is the perfect alternative to Banff. Don’t get me wrong, Banff is gorgeous and adorable, but Canmore is a fully functioning livable town. We had a great time seeking out tasty meals and relaxing between activities, and this happened to be how we also discovered that Canmore is full of beautiful murals. From street art showcasing the indigenous First Nations culture to wildlife and epic scenery depicted in paint, mural hunting in Canmore is a great thing to do to break up all the hikes and outdoorsy time.
Tip: if you’re interested, you can actually download an audio guide to take you through Canmore, telling you all about the town and its sights.
A Canadian bucket list item for many is an adventure to Banff and Canmore in Alberta. Whether it’s a part of a Canadian Rockies road trip or an addition to the beautiful train journey from Vancouver BC on the Rocky Mountaineer, it’s the perfect place to experience everything the Canadian Rockies have to offer. From hiking and canoeing to rafting and rock climbing, caving and everything else in between, these are the best things to do in Banff and Canmore without the crowds.
If you have any questions about things to do in Banff and Canmore, or if you have your own recommendations, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and love helping others plan amazing adventures!
