First Time to Banff?

Must See & Do

Take a stroll along the Bow River interpretive trail to the Bow Falls. Visit the Whyte Museum (current exhibition is outstanding - Group of Seven to Tako Tanabe). Ride up the Banff Gondola to see spectacular scenery and wildlife. Take a wander around the historical Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, don’t miss the medieval Mount Stephan hall.

Try to See & Do

Walk along the short Marsh Trail at the Cave and Basin, a winding boardwalk though a unique and sensitive hot springs ecosystem, great bird watching. Take in a performance at the world class arts venue the Banff Centre, book yourself onto a Banff Tour with Brewster, a fantastic way to see the area with experienced guides. Go for a dip at the Banff Upper Hot Springs or visit the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum, a great look into the native cultures of the area, they have a wonderful gift shop.

Outside Banff

Hike in the high alpine at Sunshine Meadows to see a plethora of stunning wildflowers. Take a rafting tour, hike up Johnston Canyon, a gorgeous deep canyon with an excellent interpretive trail – grab an ice cream from the little hut at the start of the trail. Visit the famous hamlet of Lake Louise, wander around the lake trail to the trail head for the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House - a very rewarding hike with some of the best scenery in the Rockies. An absolute must is a ride on Brewster’s Ice Explorer on the Icefields Parkway half way to Jasper, this is a once in a life time experience.

Banff Sightseeing Tours

Brewster excursions offer some of the best tours available in Banff and Banff National Park. Whether you would like to go on a tour of Banff and its immediate surroundings, or you would like to explore Lake Louise, the Columbia Icefield, or Jasper, you are sure to find a tour to suit your itinerary.
Brewster have been showing visitors the Canadian Rockies for over 100 years, and still today offer an ideal combination of tours and must-see attractions that should form a part of any visitor’s itinerary.

Banff Gondola and Hot Springs

The Banff Gondola is one of Banff’s ‘must do’ activities and it gives you the best mountain view in the Banff area, a view normally reserved for mountaineers. Access to the gondola is from the base of Sulphur Mountain, which is a 5 minute drive from downtown Banff, and is serviced by Banff’s transit bus. Also in the vicinity are the Banff Upper Hot Springs, a naturally heated spring-fed outdoor pool, where you can ‘take the waters’ and admire the view year round. A ride on the gondola and a visit to the hot springs is a great way to spend half a day. You could also include the gondola ride as part of a Banff sightseeing tour.

Ice Explorer

No trip to Banff National Park is complete without visiting the Columbia Icefield and taking a tour on Brewster’s Ice Explorer. This once in a lifetime experience takes you out onto 400 year old ice with an interpretive guide on a 5km round trip journey. The Columbia Icefield is located on the border of Banff and Jasper National Parks, and is an ideal place to stop while travelling between Banff and Jasper. You could also visit the Icefield on a day trip from Banff, either in your own car or on a guided tour.

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

When looking for a Banff hotel, you can’t fail to come across some mention of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The “Castle in the Rockies” has been welcoming visitors from all over the world since 1888. William Cornelius Van Horne, general manager of Canadian Pacific Railway, was responsible for its construction and famously said ‘Since we can’t export the scenery, we’ll have to import the tourists.’ The hotel boasts grand public rooms, a variety of excellent restaurants, a championship golf course and a world class spa. There are almost 800 guest rooms and many visitors to Banff choose to stay here, but even if you stay in a different hotel in Banff, you should make time in your itinerary for a visit to this impressive historic building.

The B&B Option

Staying at a Banff bed and breakfast is a great way to save some money while enjoying the more intimate surroundings a B&B can offer. B&Bs are perfect for those who like to experience a ‘home away from home’ and meet and share travel stories with like-minded people. Breakfast is usually included, and the restaurants of downtown Banff are never very far away for lunch and dinner options. There are several Banff B&Bs to choose from, usually run by long-time locals who can be the best people to advise you on how to make the most of your vacation in Banff.

Location Matters

When looking for a hotel in Banff, one thing you should consider is where that hotel is located. There are several Banff hotels in the downtown area, and staying in the centre of Banff has the advantage of being close to all the usual amenities, such as restaurants, shopping and nightlife. Some popular downtown hotels are the Mount Royal Hotel, Brewster’s Mountain Lodge, and the Banff Park Lodge.
Many hotels are just a short walk from the centre along Banff Ave, such as the the Rundlestone Lodge, the Royal Canadian Lodge, and the Caribou Lodge. While staying out of the centre may involve walking into town for dinner, it is a pleasant walk and these hotels are normally quieter.
No matter where you are staying in Banff, you will not be far from the Town of Banff’s hybrid-electric public transit bus service. These environmentally friendly buses are easily recognized by the wonderful wildlife depicted on the exterior, and just cost $2 for a ride!

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a destination in its own right with a good range of hotels and a small village centre with shops and a small number of restaurants. The lake itself is 3km from the village and is one of the most stunning sites in the Canadian Rockies. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise lies on the lakeshore and is a magnificent place to stay or dine.
Lake Louise is home to some of the best hiking in Banff National Park and several days can be spent in the area by keen walkers or climbers.

Banff Springs Hotel

It is difficult to plan a visit to Banff without coming across some reference of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The sheer grandeur of the building and its stunning setting have been enticing visitors to Banff for over 100 years.
For skiers and snowboarders it may be difficult to believe that the Banff Springs Hotel used to close its doors for the winter until the 1970s when it finally became a year round resort. If you ever get the chance to spend Christmas or New Year in Banff, you will see that the Banff Springs now captures the holiday spirit better than most people can imagine.
For many lucky visitors to Banff, the Fairmont Banff Springs will provide a temporary home, but if you are staying at another hotel in town, you should certainly make the effort to visit the Castle in the Rockies.

Fun, Fun, Fun

So you’ve taken in the sights and done a couple of hikes, and now you just want to have some fun? The following tips should help you do just that…

For breakfast, slip into a booth at Brunos, right downtown. Then for a fun, yet relaxing activity you can’t beat floating along the Bow River courtesy of Blue Canoe Rentals. Shopping for treats at Mountain Chocolates or Cows is hard to beat, and fashion and beauty lovers will adore 3 Wild Women and Smashing Cosmetica.

For lunch, you could try the Sushi Train or Timbers Patio, and then relax in the afternoon with a couple’s massage at Mountain Spa.
Earls or Chilis both offer great food and a fun atmosphere for dinner, and then work off the food by dancing at Banff’s best night club, Aurora. If all that boogying has built up an appetite, then a late night pizza at Aardvarks is the perfect way to round off the night.
For this fun filled schedule, the best place to stay is the Mount Royal Hotel, right in the heart of the action.

Enjoy!

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