banff

We took WestJet to Calgary, took about 1h20m. Don’t forget to look out the window! You’ll see your first glimpse of the Canadian Rockies.

On your way back, you’ll have to go through CATSA (Canadian TSA). They are INSANELY strict with the liquids requirements. You need to fit all of your liquids, gels, aerosols in a 1L clear plastic bag. They each have to be under 100mL. All of my stuff (and almost everyone else’s stuff) got taken out and pulled into secondary, and people either had to go back and check in their bag or throw stuff out.

You will absolutely need a car. The car rental facility is right in front of the airport which is lovely, no shuttle necessary.

If you're a Microsoft employee, your MSFT discount should work here. There are two codes you can use, if the first one doesn’t work, use the other. They might ask you for your badge, so make sure you bring it with you. I recommend booking through the Avis app, you’ll see your benefits and the price difference much more clearly.

We stayed in Canmore, because it’s a lot cheaper there. About a 24min drive from Banff, and 50min to Lake Louise. We stayed at the Canmore Inn and Suites, a 3 star hotel. Nothing fancy, but solid and would stay there again.

Small Group Tour

This is the best way to see a lot in a little time. We booked through GetYourGuide, with Banff Scenic Tours. They have authorized vehicles that can take you to all of the parks, and it’s nice not to have to worry about scheduling. Pickup was around 9am, and we were done around 6pm. We saw everything we wanted to see and didn’t feel rushed. Plus you learn more about the national parks on your way through. And the van is air conditioned.

Through our tour, we saw Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Emerald Lake, and Johnston Canyon. We definitely wouldn’t have been able to see all of those in the same amount of time without serious planning. We paid about 90 per person, but I think it was worth it, especially if you consider parking and shuttle costs for each sight.

Lake Louise

Arguably the most popular sight, which also means it’s the busiest. You can access this by private vehicle, but it’s nearly impossible to find parking in peak season. There’s a secondary parking lot about a 30min walk away called Fairview, but that’s limited too. Around 1-3pm, parking will open back up as people leave for lunch. If you’re aiming to go in the morning, you have to be there around 6am or earlier (we got there bright and early at 7am and it was PACKED).

Alternatively, you can book a shuttle through Parks and Recreation Canada, but those spots fill up super quick. They hold 60% of seats open for “last minute” reservations. To book those, you have to reserve 2 days before you’re planning to go. Spots open at 8am MDT Banff time.

St Agnes Teahouse

This is a beautiful hike that starts at Lake Louise. Use AllTrails for the most recent information. At the top of the hike, there’s an actual teahouse that serves coffee, tea, sandwiches, and other light snacks. Super cute, incredible views. Highly recommend this hike. You’ll also see Mirror Lake and a waterfall on your way up.

Big Beehive

You can keep going after the Teahouse to the Big Beehive trail, just be aware that it’ll be a little challenging, especially near the end. It’s a bit of a technical terrain, but my friend survived even though it was her second ever hike. (You can do it)

Moraine Lake

In peak season, you can’t access this lake with a personal vehicle, only authorized vehicles are allowed. So your only options are either to book a guided tour, or to nab some seats through the shuttles.

Emerald Lake

Another lovely lake. We saw this one during our group tour.

Johnston Canyon

Very cute trail. Nothing you’d regret not seeing, but it’s a nice easy hike with 2 waterfalls.

Banff Downtown

Probably the cutest little town you’ll ever see. Parking is free at the Train station—super close to downtown and lots and lots of available spots. Here are the highlight main attractions:

• Cascade of Time Garden (love)
• Bow Falls Viewpoint
• Surprise Corner Viewpoint (meh)
• Banff Pedestrian Bridge

Banff Gondola/Sulphur Mountain

The Gondola is a little pricey, about $50 CAD one way for an 8-minute ride. So instead of paying both ways, we hiked up Sulphur Mountain and then took the Gondola down, which I absolutely recommend doing. When you get to the top, make sure you do the Cosmic Boardwalk! Insane views, truly out of this world, and won’t take a long time.

This gets its own callout: there’s a buffet restaurant in the Gondola visitor’s center on the 2nd floor. About 55 CAD per person, and so worth it, especially if you hike up. Really good food and great selection.

Icefields Parkway

ABSOLUTE MUST DO. Budget an entire day for this and you won’t regret it. The road starts in Lake Louise and goes to Jasper, and there’s many amazing spots along the way. We did it as a day trip, and the views on the way back were stunning, since we got to see some during sunset. Plus, there will definitely be fewer people on your way back.

The best way to experience this drive is through the GuideAlong app. It’s a $20 CAD audioguide that you download through the app for the Icefields Parkway. And the cutest little old man voice will be giving you directions and basically explaining everything you’re seeing on your way. We LOVED this. He (we called him Uncle Tom) made our drive so fun.

Make sure you download offline maps, because you won’t have service for most of this route. If you don’t end up doing GuideAlong and want your own route, you can use this map as a reference. (Although I highly recommend doing the GuideAlong app)

Jasper

Maybe it was because of the forest fires, but we didn’t love Jasper. It’s a lot more rundown than Banff. Good place to stop before heading back on the Icefields Parkway. It burned down a few years ago, and you can still see the ruins. I hear there are some good hikes around the national park, but we didn’t end up doing any.

Canmore

Especially if you’re staying here, it’s worth exploring. Here are some suggestions:

• Policeman Creek's Boardwalk
• Canmore Engine Bridge
• Quarry Lake (sunset)
• Grotto Canyon

Safeway/Grocery Run

We did one grocery run at the beginning of the week and it lasted us the whole trip. We kept packaged snacks in the car and kept some fruits and veggies in the hotel minifridge to bring with us on hikes.

BeaverTails

You’ll see some BeaverTails in Banff—as a Canadian, this is a staple. It’s an insanely messy decadent dessert, but it’ll make your heart happy.

Poutine

Again as a Canadian, it’s a staple. Try it if you get the chance.

Tim Horton’s

Don’t sleep on our Ice Capps. crack cocaine.

• Bug spray in the summer (we got eaten alive by mosquitoes)
• Afterbite—or my mom recommends hydrocortisone (over the counter pharmacy drug) as a better and cheaper alternative
• Portable chargers
• Light water bottles
• Sunscreen
• Hiking backpacks
• Layers—the weather has mood swings

Here is the sample itinerary we followed: Banff Baddies

• Make sure you download offline maps! Download as big of a map area as you can, service can be spotty.
• Keep a charger in the car or bring portable chargers with you.
• Be prepared to see wildlife! Some hotels let you rent out their bear spray. Better to have it and not use it than need it and not have it.
• Please please please drive super carefully. Make sure whoever is driving is going to be responsible. It’s very common for wildlife to suddenly appear on the road, and you have to be able to slow down and pull to the side (you will want to take pics). Most of the time I was actually going well under the speed limit, just taking in all of the views :)

MOST IMPORTANTLY: HAVE SO MUCH FUN AND TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES!!! 😀