Your Banff National Park Itinerary
Most travelers spend hours or days trying to figure out the most popular sites and hidden gems to visit. We create detailed itineraries that give you a step-by-step game plan so you can get to the best places at the right times and have a trip your family will remember forever!
Banff is both a city and Canada’s first national park. It was created a decade after Yellowstone as the world’s third national park. Today you will find an abundance of hotels, restaurants, museums, spas, tourist shops, Indigenous markets, and a wide range of leisure activities all within the townsite. After a long day exploring the spectacular mountains, pristine lakes, and the amazing Bow Valley of the National Park, the town of Banff has everything you need for an afternoon stroll or an elegant night on the town.
Places
- Banff Townsite. The hub of activity in Banff National Park!
- Canmore. Gateway town to the park; a beautiful (and lesser crowded) city in its own right.
- Sulphur Mountain. Take the gondola to the top for majestic views of the park!
- Lake Louise & Moraine Lake. The Diamonds of the Rockies.
- Johnston Canyon. Towering canyon with a lot of variety.
- Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The famous and majestic Castle of the Rockies.
- Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Where Banff National Park began!
- Lake Minnewanka. Scenic cruises and other water fun.
- Banff Upper Hot Springs. Take a dip in these popular springs!
- Rimrock Hotel. Overshadowed by the Fairmont, but just as majestic.
- Icefields Parkway. One of the best scenic drives in the world.
- Calgary. Beautiful city and the common starting point for a Banff vacation.
Getting to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake is Complicated!
Download our FREE PDF
Guide includes shuttle, bus, and tour options as well as reservation windows
Read
- Shopping in Downtown Banff: 8 Iconic Stores You Can’t Miss!
- How to Get to Banff (Airports, Roads, Shuttles)
- Do I Need a Reservation to Visit Banff?
- Bear Spray: Everything You Need to Know Before Using It
- How to Get From Banff to Lake Louise: Driving, Parking, Shuttles, and Tours
- Which Banff National Park Gondola is the Best?
- Driving in Banff: 10 Things You Should Know
- Should You Stay in Banff or Canmore? A Local’s Advice
- Vermilion Lakes: Quick and Easy Guide
- What is the Best Entry into Banff? Banff’s Four Main Entrances
- How Long Does it Take to See Moraine Lake? + Tips from a Local
- Cascade of Time Gardens in Banff: Helpful Tips for Visiting
- How to Spend One Day in Kananaskis, Canada
- Where to Eat in Canmore: For Every Type of Traveller
Watch
- Mistakes to Avoid When Visiting BANFF National Park (11 min)
- Banff: Tips for Saving Money! (12 min)
- Riding Banff’s Glacier Monster Truck-Columbia Icefield Adventure & Skywalk (10 min)
- Banff 101 for First-Time Visitors (15 min)
- 11 Great Restaurants in Banff [For Every Kind of Traveler] (13 min)
- The Most Beautiful Mountain Towns in Canada | Best Places to Visit (11 min)
- Two Days in Calgary Alberta: Bow River, Calgary Tower, & More (11 min)
- 8 Great Things to Do in Edmonton, Alberta & Where to Eat (12 min)
- Driving the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper | Scenic Drive Hwy 93 (14 min)
- Watch Before Visiting Banff, Lake Louise, & Jasper | 2024 Trip Planner (50 min)