Mention Banff and chances are you’ll receive two types of responses:
1.) Oh my God! I’ve been dying to go to Banff! It is on my bucket list!
2.) Where?
Such were the two responses T and I received most. Most seasoned travelers and nature enthusiasts are familiar with the awe-inspiring raw natural beauty surrounding Banff and the Canadian Rockies. Known for its rugged and soaring snow-capped mountain peaks, clear piercing turquoise lakes, and alluring small mountain-towns brimming with charm, relaxation, and hospitality, it’s clear to see why Banff is regularly regarded as a world-class destination.
So what brought the Hills to Banff? Um, Instagram for one thing. That’s right. I follow a number of travel bloggers and nature photographers and Banff has been consistently flooding my Instagram feed for years. Few places live up to the remarkable perfection that’s often depicted in photos due to modern-day editing and filtering tools, but let me tell you, Banff does. Its incomparable natural beauty lives up to all of its astounding hype and then some.
And two, with a recent purchase of a new home, along with a slew of other things we call life, we decided that a smaller-scaled trip was more feasible than our typical several-week summertime jaunt to a faraway and exotic destination.
Banff was the perfect compromise. It is absolutely stunning–it is gorgeous and remarkable beyond words. It’s still international [yes, these things matter to me], there was enough to do to fill a 5-day itinerary, and it offers an ideal balance of beauty, activity, and relaxation. Win. Win. Win.
Below is how we spent 5 spectacular days in Banff. If it’s not already on your travel radar, I hope after reading this post, you’ll strongly reconsider.
Day 1
Arrival & Hotel
Our flight landed in Calgary in the early afternoon. We rented a car [booked in advance with Avis], and then made the 1 hour and 20 minute drive to Canmore, a charming town nestled into the towering Canadian Rockies, and somewhat lesser-known younger brother to big-brother neighbor, Banff. In case you’re wondering, yes, you absolutely need a car here.
Canmore is just as charming and inviting as Banff. Tree-lined streets are brimming with art galleries, boutiques, cozy restaurants, and comfy coffee shops. Local vendors can be found selling handicrafts, baked goods, and other regionally-inspired souvenirs. A short 20 minute drive separates the delightful two towns.
We stayed a few miles outside of Canmore at the Copperstone Resort by CLIQUE, a rustic and laid-back mountainside property. Our suite was spacious and comfortable and the resort was right off the main highway, making it extremely convenient when driving into town and other points of interest.
Worth noting: Typically, accommodations in and around Canmore are significantly more affordable than staying in Banff. Overall, we were pretty shocked by how expensive the accommodations in the entire area were. While our hotel was nice and had everything we needed, it was relatively expensive considering it offered very little in terms of amenities and service. Rates were about $400/night. For reference, we have stayed at both the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton for less, both being significantly more luxurious and offering many more bells and whistles than Copperstone. In addition, I booked our hotel about 3 months prior to our trip and pickins were pretty slim. Accommodations book quickly, especially in the summer, so plan accordingly.
Lunch in Banff
Warning: it is extremely easy and pretty much inevitable that you will fall in love with Banff from the moment you step into all of its splendor and undeniable adorableness. Banff is a quintessential mountain town, complete with a variety of wonderful restaurants [some casual, some higher end], coffee shops, bookstores, breweries, ski and snowboarding retail shops, and souvenir stores. Banff reminded me of Breckinridge in Colorado. It turns out that this city girl has developed a bit of a crush on these enchanting mountain towns. Cannot get enough.
We enjoyed a lovely lunch and innovative cocktails at Block, a winsome neighborhood gem that prides itself on serving fresh global cuisine.
Banff Gondola
After filling up our bellies and quenching our thirst, we drove over to the Banff Gondola. Yes, a bit touristy, but still an excellent way to orient yourself to Banff and its breathtaking surroundings. The scenic gondola provides arresting views of the six Canadian Mountain ranges. Once you arrive, there are a number of pathways, hiking trails, viewing decks, and expansive sweeping views that will undoubtedly make your jaw drop.
Tips: Ticket prices range depending on season. In the summer, we paid around $55 CAD, which is about $40 USD per person. Opening hours vary base on season and day of week. The last ride of the day is 30 minutes prior to closing. Tickets can be purchased on-site or in advance. Expect long lines and expect to spend a few hours here.
For more information on how to visit the Banff gondola, click here.
Dinner at Bison
Easily our favorite meal of the trip, I cannot recommend the delightful restaurant Bison enough. The space is warm and inviting and the food was absolutely delicious. Ingredients are locally sourced from nearby farms. Top-notch cuisine and stellar service without any pretension and high prices. We loved this restaurant.
Day 2
Lake Louise & Lake Moraine
The highlight of any Banff trip and certainly ours. We chose to go to Lake Louise and Lake Moraine on the best weather day of the trip, and since they’re only about a 20 minute drive from one another, we opted to do both in the same day. There are of course advantages and disadvantages to going to the two highlights of your trip on the same day.
Advantages:
1.) We took advantage of a perfect weather day and experienced both magical lakes in their maximum splendor and glory.
2.) The Park Service provides bus service to both lakes as well as transport between the two. Doing both back-to-back saved us time and money.
Disadvantages:
1.) No matter how stunning the second lake is, it’s probably not going to live up to the first, and by the time you reach the second lake, you’re most likely all-laked out.
2.) No other day of the trip can hold a candle to this day.
There isn’t much more I can write that hasn’t already been written about these two wondrous bodies of water.
Encircled by towering snow-capped mountains, the glistening crystal-clear turquoise-sometimes-emerald Lake Louise is a sight to be seen. I’m not sure we’ve ever seen a lake so lustrous and spectacular in person.
The fantastic day we spent here was comprised of exploring its meticulously-kept and pristine grounds and trails, sipping on [delicious, I should add] Canadian wine at the iconic Fairmont Lake Louise Hotel while surrounded by staggering scenery, and canoeing along its tranquil and luminous waters.
Lake Moraine may be only half the size of its sister Lake Louise, but it’s as every bit as beautiful. Its brilliant blue-green waters are enveloped by the Valley of Ten Peaks.
Maybe it’s because of all of the fanfare that Lake Louise gets, or maybe it’s because we arrived at Lake Moraine much later in the day, but Moraine was much less crowded and noticeably more tranquil than Louise. There were times we almost felt like we had the lake to ourselves. It was the perfect way to wind down an incredibly whimsical day surrounded by Mother Nature’s boundless gifts.
Tips: Start your day here as early in the day as possible. The parking lots fill up very quickly. Park Service buses transport visitors to and from the lakes [you can’t drive to the actual lakes yourself]. Expect longgggg lines and slowwww service. Parking is free. Tickets are purchased to board the bus and to go to the lakes. Ticket prices vary dependent on time of year, age, etc. Our tickets were less than $10 CAD per person. Whether you are planning to visit both lakes on the same day or not, allocate your entire day here. You won’t regret it!
Dinner at Tapas Restaurant
After a long and tiring day hiking [read: walking flat and paved pathways, but stilllll], canoeing, and exploring the lakes, an intimate dinner at Tapas Restaurant was a fabulous way to close out our night. The dimly lit eatery evokes a romantic setting and the food, wine, service, and quiet ambience make for a winning combination. No photos that night. Just romantic bliss 🙂
Day 3
Rocky Mountain Bagel Co is a great spot in Canmore to start your day. Hot coffee, delicious bagel sandwiches, and comfy couches and lounge chairs. Not much more in this world makes me happier.
Brewery Hopping
Our third day was plagued by rain [now you see why we visited both lakes the day before?]. No worries here–there are plenty of breweries, shops, and indoor activities to satiate your traveling hearts. The Hills love breweries, so breweries pretty much dominated our rainy day.
Grizzly Paw Pub & Brewing Company
Lake Minnewanka Cruise
Because you can’t just drink beer all day. Ok, you can. And we sometimes do. But I wanted a bit of a break from all the beer and fried food and so we went on a one-hour covered boat cruise of Lake Minnewanka. I can’t say it was amazing. It wasn’t. And it was raining pretty hard , so we could barely see out of the glass windows. But let’s be honest: any day on a boat with T is a good day in my book.
Dinner at Saltlik in Banff
This Banff institution was highly recommended by a number of locals. Its typical comfort food and caters to carnivores–very much like a steakhouse. As someone who doesn’t eat, I can’t say I loved it here. T did, though. The restaurant is described as Canadian upscale, and honestly, I don’t think I could better describe it if I tried. If you are a meat eater, this popular restaurant is a great option. And in all fairness, there were plenty of things I could eat, too. It’s centrally located in town and a good option for dinner.
Day 4
Lunch at Baker Creek Bistro
I know I’ve used the words charming and intimate several times in this post, but I just can’t help myself. If any restaurant embodies these two words, Baker Creek Bistro is it. About 20 minutes from Johnston Canyon along Bow Valley Parkway is one of the best bistros you’ll ever encounter, or at least in this neck of the woods, that is. Burning fireplace, savory soups and stews, a delicious wine list, and a whole lot of wooden logs made us Hills one happy couple. We loved it here.
Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon is a wonderful place for hiking, picturesque scenery, cascading waterfalls, and exploring Canada’s stupendous beauty.
The highly popular Johnson Canyon Cave looks out to a rock formation teetering in Johnston Creek. Be prepared to wait in line and get wet!
For more information on how to visit Johnston Canyon, click here.
Day 5
Our last day of our trip was a day of leisure. We slept in and didn’t leave our resort until noon. Eeeeekkk–I rarely do that by the way. Once we finally were out and about, we visited a farmer’s market, went to various local shops, including a soap shop [T’s doing, not mine] bookstores, a few art galleries, a photography exhibit, and of course, some local candy and coffee shops. We had a casual dinner at our favorite brewery of the trip, Banff Ave Brewing Co. Overall, a fabulous way to end our trip.
Bottom Line:
If you like nature at all, and I mean even in the slightest, go to Banff. Even if your idea of enjoying nature is drinking wine on your deck. Or porch. Or while sitting on your grass. Really, there’s no judgement.
In all seriousness, Banff is relatively close, easy to travel around and explore, and offers pure stunning natural phenomenal bliss. It is an absolute must on any traveler’s and nature enthusiast’s [including those of you who solely like to drink outside] list.
Happy Traveling, All!
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