Anne-Charlotte PasseraTravel to Banff in the Canadian Rockies and prepare yourself to be blown away by the sheer beauty of it.
From snow covered mountain tops, countless lakes and wildlife, Banff is the best place in Canada to travel to with kids and experience the outdoors.
However, Banff is an expensive destination to travel to, especially during the peaks months of July and August. To save money, travel there during the shoulder months or early June and mid-september. However, not all the trails will be open and it’s possible to even see snow around Banff as early as September.
How to get there
The town of Banff is located in a National Park, about 1h30 outside of Calgary and about 3 or 4 hours away from Jasper (if you include stops).
You can take a train or bus from Calgary, but we rented a car. We were on a road trip so it made sense to us.
Getting around
Buses and shuttles are made available to tourists and take you to important sites such as Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. This is great if you are staying in the town of Banff and don’t want to be turned away because the parking lot is full at those locations.
We had rented a car which allowed us to access more remote places and travel around Banff as we wished.
Where to sleep
When I was planning our trip to Banff and looking for lodging options, they were either booked (hostels) or way too expensive for the three of us, at least 300$/night.
In order to find decently priced lodging when you travel to Banff, you need to book well in advance. As mentioned in my Guide to the Canadian Rockies, I did all my bookings only three months before our trip. That was not enough time!
If you plan to travel to Banff during the peak months of July and August, you need to book your lodging a good 6 months in advance in order to have more options available.
So where can you stay if you don’t want to camp and pay a small fortune?
Canmore
The city of Canmore, which is right outside Banff National Park didn’t have any vacancies either at least not at the beginning of our road-trip. We were lucky enough to find lodging in Canmore at the end of our road-trip though.
We slept at Parkgate Chalet . Gosh, it was great to sleep inside a room and have our own little kitchen, a shower, real toilets, and an old TV.
It is very cozy and rustically charming. Plus, it is very close to the park entrance, grocery stores and gas stations. So this could make for a great base camp option.
However, it was pricy for what it was but it was one of the less expensive and available options in that area. We enjoyed it and we wouldn’t mind staying there again.
Kanaskis Country
If you can’t find decently priced lodging in Banff or Canmore, the next best thing will be KANANASKIS country.
While researching other lodging options, I thought about ready-made tents or tepees, and BINGO, I actually found a site: Sundance Lodges.
You can read about our stay HERE.
Kananaskis Country might seem a bit out of the way as it’s located 1 hour away from Banff. However, the area is gorgeous with plenty of outdoor activities to do. You won’t miss out by staying in that area.
What to do when you travel to Banff
We didn’t hang around much in the town of Banff as we were there to hike and enjoy the outdoors. There are lots of boutiques, art galleries and restaurants.
We tried out Melissa’s Miss Steak on our way down from Johnston Canyon. It was packed but I had booked a table on our way down from the canyon in the car.
It wasn’t a memorable dinner. I think the bread tasted funny.
As the wait was long, we had fun looking at all the flags and trying to see what flags we recognized. It gets loud and crowded but the decor is neat as it looks like the interior of a log cabin.
We have nothing to compare it to in Banff. It is an alright option. We were glad to be sitting and having a decent meal for once during our road trip.
First National Park
As we had the Park Pass, we got in for free at Cave and Bassin National Historic Site. It decided to rain at that point, so it was a good thing we were inside at that moment.
If you have time to spare, and patience, as you have to drive across the town of Banff where there is so much traffic, this makes for a nice little halt.
This is the birthplace of the very first National Park of Canada and you get to learn a little bit of the park and the town’s history. They also provide some activities for kids, which is always a good thing.
Johnston Canyon
We got to Johnston Canyon a little after 4pm and we were able to park in the main lot. Near the entrance to the canyon, there are some cottages that looked really comfortable and old school. Definitely not in our budget but still worth a look. I wouldn’t mind spending a night there!
As the first part of the trail is paved and accessible, you will encounter a lot of families and strollers on your way. Although we could tell the crowd had died down when we arrived, we still encountered some strollers which considerably reduced our speed.
We were not running a marathon but as the path is not necessarily wide and mainly caught between rocks and a guardrail it is hard to bypass at some points.
Just like Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, in order to appreciate Johnston Canyon, be able to park and beat the crowds, either arrive very early (before 9 a.m) or late in the day (after 5 p.m).
TIP: You can bypass the crowds if you start your hike from Moose Meadows to the Upper Falls.
Lower Canyon Falls
As you arrive at the first waterfall which is Lower Canyon Falls, 1.2km from the entrance, the path breaks loose. This is the end of the line for strollers.
You can’t miss it as there is an actual line for it. Why is there a line? To admire the underskirt of the falls. It’s great, but you can only go 4 people at a time as space is tight and slippery. Expect at least a 30-minute wait.
I think the long wait is not due to people admiring the view for so long but more like trying to take a selfie that resembles like a picture. Good luck with that!
This is due to all the water condensation from the falls but don’t take my word for it, definitely go and check it out.
You need to have a great camera and be a great photographer in order to capture something that would be Instagram worthy. Get there early!
As we went to Johnston Canyon at the end of the day, we stopped at the Lower Canyon Falls on our way back.
I can only assume that the line must be longer during peak hours. It’s not worth staying in line for more than 30 minutes, that’s for sure.
Upper Canyon Falls
Further up, roughly 1.2km from the Lower Canyon Falls, there is another waterfall, Upper Canyon Falls.
It makes for a steep but enjoyable hike. This time you are not walking along the canyon but through the forest.
Maybe the 16km hike the previous day and the horseback riding in the morning made it harder for us…just maybe.
The Ink Pots
The path then continues on to the ink pots which we didn’t see as we ran out of time. But if you have time, it is highly recommended to continue on the off beaten path to see the ink pots and picnic there and relax to enjoy the view.
What are ink pots? They are mineral springs that bubble up in a meadow surrounded by nearby peaks. This is an extra 3 km hike.
Johnston Canyon is definitely worth a visit. The canyon is gorgeous with an array of various colours. The path is fun to walk on for everyone and the further up you go, the harder it gets.
You might want to consider using a baby carrier if you want to be to appreciate the natural beauty of the canyon more.
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
If you want to make it to Lake Louise, you need to arrive before 9 am to hope to be able to park. Another option is to park nearby and grab the shuttle (it is indicated where to do so).
So we got lucky and started our walk at 9:17 am. Loads of people, very annoying. Not impressed by the lake probably because it was cloudy. I changed my mind later on.
There were already a bunch of canoes on the lake. That is something that we didn’t do as a canoe rental around there cost anywhere from 40$ to 60$ for 1 hour!!!!
Oh and before setting out for your hike, remember to go to the bathroom as there are none (except at the teahouses). We used the one in the hotel as the public one was being cleaned (such bad timing with all that crowd).
As you start walking around the lake, the crowd thins out. I had read about the teahouses and there are 2 above the lake. They are both only open during the summer months, including the trails leading up to them.
They are what make Lake Louise so special. You can read about our hike to the tea houses right HERE.
Moraine Lake
So Moraine Lake… a bit odd but great picture opportunities if you are the adventurous type.
It took us 4 tries to see this lake. We tried twice in the morning before 9 am and the parking lot was full. Another attempt was after our hike above Lake Louise at the end of the day. Our last and finally successful attempt was around 6pm on our way back from Jasper.
On the tail end of the lake is a rock mount formation which you have to climb up to get a great view of the Lake BUT to get to climb it you have to cross over some logs floating on the water.
Amazingly, Blondie Bear did not fall once!
So we took our pictures and left as it was getting late, it started raining and we were just so tired.
What else can you do in Banff?
If you don’t mind the crowds and spending money, you can try the hot springs or the gondola.
The gondola takes you on top of a mountain with breathtaking views. However, the less than 15 minute ride costs at least $50 per person depending on the season.
In my opinion, if you make the effort to travel to Banff, it’s to experience and explore the wilderness. Unless you are in a wheelchair, are elderly or have health problems, do the hikes which are FREE instead of getting sucked into some tourist trap.
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