We started early from Calgary to reach the beautiful resort town of Banff.
The route to Banff is as enchanting as the town itself....
The town has many old villas and chateaus converted into hotels and the vibe is unmistakably touristy. There are souvenir shops and restaurants on the main street called Banff Avenue where you can see the peak of Cascade Mountain peering from a distance.
Banff was our second stop in Alberta after Calgary. Learn more about our 5-day road trip in Alberta in a separate blog by clicking on the link here
https://www.journeys2memories.com/post/5-day-road-trip-in-alberta-the-westernmost-province-of-canada
We did not stay in Banff, but instead in the nearby town of Canmore. There are 2 reasons for this -
Banff is highly touristy. There are only hotels, lodges and premium residences in Banff. If you're travelling with your family and looking for spacious accommodations like Airbnb with more rooms, you should stay in towns closer to Banff like Canmore.
Being touristy makes Banff also very expensive. If you wish to stay for multiple days then staying in the quieter nearby towns is a more economical option which are as scenic as Banff.
We reached Banff quite early and could easily find free parking space but I remember the mad rush at the parking lot by the time we got out in the afternoon.
Let me start by stating a few handy pointers about visiting Banff National Park and Jasper National Park :
You don't need a pass to enter the town of Banff.
You do need to buy a Parks Canada pass to enter the national parks.
You can make reservations online on the official website of the parks in advance at https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/passer-passes or you can also buy tickets at the counter on the same day.
A list of counters where passes can be purchased is mentioned on the website.
If you're travelling as a family, then there is an option to buy a family group ticket.
Remember, the pass has to be displayed on the windscreen of your vehicle at all times while you're travelling in the park.
This entry pass is valid across Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho, Mount Revelstoke, Glacier, Waterton Lakes and Elk Island national parks.
The pass expires at 4:00 pm on the day of departure.
Google map signals can be a bit sketchy in a lot of places especially close to mountainous terrain, it's better to download offline maps before starting the journey and play safe.
We had allocated only 3 days for the national parks which proved to be very little to cover the multitude of attractions that the parks offer. So, if possible plan at least 4 to 5 days to see all the attractions.
The 2 most popular lakes in the region are Lake Louise and Lake Moraine and their inevitable comparison. I've discussed this in greater detail in a separate post on the link pasted here
Day 1 - Drive Calgary to Banff
Banff is as touristy as it gets. The entire region is bursting with activity and tourists jostling in queues at popular sights is common.
It's important to plan your visit to Banff if you want to utilize your time optimally.
There are many activities to do in Banff, like the famous Banff Gondola, museums, cave tours, lots of walking trails and the lakes, of course.
The national park has many must-see lakes like Lake Moraine, Lake Minnewanka, Lake Louise, Lake Peyto, Lake Emerald and Bow Lake to name a few. We wanted to see the beautiful glacial lakes with Lake Moraine and Lake Louise at the top of our list. I will discuss this in greater detail in a separate post.
We decided to spend our first day in Banff exploring this beautiful town and seeing as many attractions as possible.
We started our day in Banff National Park with a trip to Bow Falls. The falls lie at a distance of 128 km from Calgary via the Trans Canada Highway. The falls are free to visit but you will need the Parks Canada Pass since they lie inside Banff National Park.
Close to the falls is the Surprise View Corner. This viewpoint offers great views of the Bow Valley and the famous hotel Fairmont Banff Springs across the Bow River. You can walk along the river and the falls and get some amazing views! Surprise View Corner is located at the corner of Tunnel Mountain Road, it's best to walk along the river and then take the stairs to Buffalo Street.
The parking lot here is very small, it can accommodate barely 4 to 5 cars but wait for your turn since people keep moving in and out fairly quickly.
There are also a lot of exciting hiking trails all around Bow Falls, after spending a couple of hours in the area, we set out to see Johnston Canyon which is about 26 km away from Bow Falls.
As we drive deeper into Banff National Park, the stunning beauty of the mountains starts unfolding in front of us...
Johnston Canyon is the busiest trail in Banff owing to its easy incline in the canyon, which makes it a popular destination among families travelling with kids and the elderly.
Quickly hugged my reluctant grown-up son on the pretext of getting a picture clicked...
The wooden path along the canyon has a firm railing to hold on to and a very easy incline. The Bow River meanders through the narrow canyon creating stunning scenery...
The hike takes you to the last point in the canyon which ends in a waterfall next to a cave. You will see a long queue of tourists waiting to enter the cave. We followed suit and waited for almost an hour, only to see what? The same waterfall gushing from inside into the canyon!! You can avoid this queue and the cave too!
After spending close to 3 hours at Johnston Canyon, we headed to Lake Minnewanka.
The lake is about 36 km from the canyon and is every bit stunning but less crowded. We spent some quiet time around the lake, clicking pictures on the cliffs and listening to the sound of silence!
Day 2 - Calgary to Lake Louise, Overnight at Canmore
Lake Louise
Fairview Lookout Trail
We drove back to Calgary in the evening from Lake Minnewanka.
Early the next morning, we set out for Canmore with our bags in tow via Lake Louise on the Trans-Canada Highway.
The day was bright and sunny so we decided to go straight to the lake instead of first checking into our apartment in Canmore.
The direct route from Calgary to Lake Louise takes about 2 hours to cover a distance of 185 km.
Read more about Lake Louise and Fairview Lookout Trail by clicking on the link pasted above in this post.
If you have an extra day to spend on the road and are open to staying overnight somewhere along the way to Lake Louise, then you must take the scenic route from Calgary to Lake Louise, the Bow Valley Parkway instead of taking the regular Trans-Canada Highway.
This roadway is known for its stunning scenic views and picnic spots along the way. When we visited Alberta in June 2024, this parkway was closed. Please refer to the official website of Parks Canada for updated information on this route.
To sum up, I'd say that one can cover most of the touristy locales, the must-see attractions in Banff in 2 days, hopping from one attraction to another, but if you wish to soak in this surreal beauty at leisure, then 2 days are not enough.
There are so many stunning lakes and walking trails at every turn, we would have loved to spend more time around the lakes. So, plan your trip accordingly.