11 Best Things to do in Banff National Park 2023
Banff National Park and the surrounding area is a breathtaking place. With endless hiking, restaurants, and relaxing mountain vibes, Banff is one of those places you won’t want to leave! Below is a list of our favorite things to do in Banff and the surrounding area.
For planning purposes, I’ve listed each under either the “All Day” or “Shortie” categories so that you can get an idea of how much time you need at each spot.
All-Day Activities – Banff National Park:
1. Visit Lake Louise & the Lake Louise Fairmont
Lake Louise is a really special spot in the Canadian Rockies. Firstly, when the lake is thawed you have glacial blue water that’s perfect for photos. We visited in the evening and saw a couple taking engagement photos.
Secondly, you get views from different angles because you can walk around part of the lake. We really liked that this trail was flat and relatively long for a lake walk, taking around 40 minutes to reach the end of the lake.
Lastly, you have the hustle and bustle of the Lake Louise Fairmont. Normally I don’t like having an area be built up, but the restaurants and cafe options at the Fairmont pair well with a stroll around the lake and made for a great stop on our trip.
2. Hike to Lake Agnes & Hike the Beehive Trails
Another great thing about Lake Louise is that it’s one of the starting points for the hike to Lake Agnes and Beehive hikes. One of my favorite days in the Canadian Rockies was spent hiking around this area.
Although there are multiple trails and ways to see this area, this was the itinerary for our day here, which we really enjoyed:
- Morning:
- Pack a lunch (we went when the Lake Agnes tea house was closed)
- Start at Lake Louise and hike up towards Lake Agnes ~2.7 km / 1.7 mi uphill
- Stop at Mirror Lake on the way (it’s well-marked, so don’t worry about missing it)
- Reach Lake Agnes and eat lunch
- Midday/Afternoon:
- Hike to the Little Beehive and back to Lake Agnes ~1.0 km / 0.6 mi each way with incline
- Hike to the Big Beehive and back to Lake Agnes ~2.3 km / 1.4 mi each way with uphill switchbacks
- Big Beehive is more challenging from Lake Agnes than Little Beehive, so we had some members of our group hike to the Big Beehive while others waited at Lake Agnes. Hiking Big Beehive as an out and back from Lake Agnes gives you the ability to meet back up at Lake Agnes then hike back down to Lake Louise all together.
- Evening:
- Hike back down to Lake Louise and grab something to eat at the Fairmont
- Our pick for sit-down: Alpine Social – The Chicken Sandwich or Quinoa and Kale Salad are both good
- Our pick for quick: Guide’s Pantry – Pastries/cookies/snacks to-go and eat by the lake
- Hike back down to Lake Louise and grab something to eat at the Fairmont
If you do the Little Beehive hike be sure to see the secret spot where you can see all three lakes (Louise, Mirror, and Agnes)! It’s not actually a secret, but I just thought it was neat! It was on the way to the Little Beehive summit.
3. Banff Gondola & Sky Bistro
After debating whether this excursion would be worth it, I can safely say that it was very impressive and, in our opinion, well worth the price. We paid around $60 CAD each, but keep in mind prices can change depending on the season/time and there are combination tickets you can buy with other excursions too. The Banff Gondola takes you up a mountain where there’s a little complex that houses a boardwalk with 360 degree mountain views, restaurants, some shops, and an area with exhibits and information as well as a short Banff film that cycles throughout the day.
Although the boardwalk had a lot of steps, the views were worth the walk and we thought the short film and exhibits were interesting.
Ideally buy tickets ahead for the Banff Gondola and make a reservation for the Sky Bistro restaurant. There are other places to eat when you get atop the mountain, but we thought Sky Bistro was very special. For more info on the Sky Bistro restaurant and our meal and experience you can view my Banff food and lodging post here.
4. Bike to Moraine Lake
This ride almost didn’t make the list because of how challenging it was. But, this ~11 km/6.8 mi (each way) bike ride ended up making the list because I figured some thrill-seekers would like the challenge and even though I was miserable actually biking up to Moraine Lake, the payoff and memory as a whole was so unforgettable that I wouldn’t change anything.
The deal with Moraine Lake is that it’s one of the most popular and most beautiful lakes near Banff National Park. Subsequently, as of 2023 personal vehicles are no longer permitted at Moraine Lake which means your options for seeing this amazing place are limited to the Parks Canada shuttle, biking, or hiking. Keep in mind that the shuttle only runs in the warmer part of the year and ideally to bike or hike the road is plowed.
Since we did not have enough time to hike and frankly based on the bike ride, I think it would have been a long/rather boring hike, we rented bikes. You can rent an e-bike or a mountain bike from local shops. We chose Wilson’s in the town of Lake Louise and ended up with mountain bikes, which again, was VERY challenging, but ultimately worth it to have the lake to ourselves (since when we went the shuttle was not yet running).
For more info on biking to Moraine Lake and the different options for paths, view my post about planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies, where I give the details for our Moraine bike excursion.
5. Make the Short Journey to Yoho National Park for Emerald Lake
You may think, “why would I go to another National Park when I already have everything to do in Banff?” I hear you, but I’m here to tell you that Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park was one of our three favorite days on the trip with the other two top days being Lake Agnes/Beehive hikes and the day we biked to Moraine Lake.
It’s about an hour drive from Banff to Emerald Lake. We embarked in the morning and then had an early lunch at the most adorable restaurant right on the lake called Cilantro Café. The atmosphere, service, and food were all INCREDIBLE. Since there was a chance of rain we sat inside and had a view of the lake through the window.
Lastly, as we always have the budget on our minds, I wanted to note that the prices here were not bad for the location! My panini was $20 CAD. There’s also a take-away snack bar right next to this cafe if you want something quicker.
After we ate we walked around the lake on the Emerald Lake Loop trail (5/1 km / 3.2 mi ) which took about 1.5 hours, but we stopped for a lot of pictures. My favorite picture spot was on a large rock right off the trail at the end of the lake opposite the cafe.
Next time I go to Emerald Lake I hope to hike the Emerald Basin hike, but didn’t have time this trip.
6. Drive the Icefields Parkway to Jasper
If you have time, definitely spend at least a night or two in Jasper National Park. I thought Banff had more to offer, but we still had a fantastic time in Jasper. Plus, seeing the Icefields Parkway, one of the main ways to get from Banff and Jasper, is a MUST!
I plan to make a separate post about the stops that we recommend on the Icefields Parkway journey, so I will link that as soon as it’s finished. But overall this drive is beautiful with incredible mountain views, lakes, short hikes, and for us multiple bear sightings! Some of the largest grizzlies we saw on this trip were spotted on the Icefields Parkway.
Shortie Activities – Banff National Park:
7. Hike Johnston Canyon
This 5.5 km/3.3 mi out and back is a Banff classic. We hiked to the lower and upper falls and definitely recommend this short/easy hike while you are at Banff National Park.
I found out after we left that there is a secret cave here! Be sure to investigate that if you plan to go.
8. Visit Lake Minnewanka
My group had mixed feelings about Lake Minnewanka. Some of us thought it was a gorgeous lake and others were not as impressed with Minnewanka as some of the other lakes. Let’s be honest, it has a lot of competition.
But we only visited for a couple hours to hike to Stewart Canyon bridge, so I definitely don’t have the scoop on all the things to do here, but in my opinion Lake Minnewanka is worth at least a stop, maybe even a short hike or picnic in the area.
There is a popular boat tour of the lake which may be a better way to see the area. If you have done the boat tour, please comment your thoughts below. We were definitely conflicted on this excursion and in the end decided did not go, but I’m curious what people think.
9. See Bow Falls
This is a gushing waterfall that you can see from the parking lot, so no need to hike! It’s right by the Fairmont at Banff Springs and has a nice path to walk along the river.
10. Go to a Brewery
There are tons of restaurants and some breweries in downtown Banff. Our favorite was 3 Bears Brewery. For more details about our meals at 3 Bears and insights on other restaurants in downtown Banff, check out my post on food and lodging in downtown Banff.
11. See the Fairmont at Banff Springs
In Banff and the surrounding area there are three major Fairmont Hotels that are a treat to see. The Fairmont at Banff Springs is the closest to downtown Banff, but the Fairmont Hotels at Lake Louise and Jasper National Park are also fun to visit.
For more information on what each has to offer view my post on tips for planning a trip to this area.
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