Banff, Canada is legendary for its breathtakingly beautiful views filled with mesmerizing blue-green waters and scenic landscapes. My husband and I had never visited before, so we decided it was the perfect destination to celebrate our 9-year wedding anniversary! We spent 5 days and 4 nights relaxing, exploring the National Park (also a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and eating/drinking our way through town. Banff has so much to offer and we enjoyed every minute of it! I posted some highlights of our trip on Instagram, and wanted to share some more details and recommendations that weren’t captured.
GETTING AROUND
The closest airport is Calgary Airport, which is about a 1.5 hour drive to Banff. We rented a car because it’s the most convenient way to get around. If you’re driving, don’t forget to purchase a National Park permit! It’s required for all vehicles and has to be displayed on your windshield. We got ours at the information desk at the entrance of the National Park, but you can buy one online and print it out, or purchase one at the Visitor Center in Banff.
LODGING
Fairmont Banff Springs
Located in the heart of Banff (5 mins from downtown via complementary shuttle), we were beyond impressed by the grand scale and luxurious feel of the famous Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Also known as the “Castle in the Rockies”, the stonework, lighting, and texture throughout the common areas really made us feel like we were staying in a castle! This hotel has everything from restaurants, bars, lounges, coffee shops, golf course, fitness center, bowling alley, spa and an outdoor heated pool. The incredible view of the Canadian Rockies and Bows River can be seen from the outdoor terrace, restaurants, lounges, hotel room and through the self-guided tour of the grounds. The rooms are on the pricey side, so even if you don’t stay here, I still recommend visiting and exploring the property.
We stayed in the Fairmont Mountain View room for one night. Although the room was on the smaller end, the bed was very comfortable, the view was amazing, and the toiletries, robe and slippers were good quality.
The Rimrock Resort Hotel
This hotel is just a short walk to the Upper Hot Springs and the Sulphur Mountain Gondola, and also has a free regular shuttle to downtown Banff. While lesser known than the Fairmont Banff Springs, we preferred our stay at this 4-star (AAA/CAA 4 Diamond) hotel, nestled on top of Sulphur Mountain. We found this hotel to be priced reasonably and better suited to our comfort level. We loved sitting by the huge glass wall in Larkspur Lounge, and stepping onto the terrace to enjoy the exceptional up-close view of the Canadian Rockies. There’s even a huge glass enclosed fireplace with surrounding cushion seats in the center of the lounge.
When we weren’t exploring the multiple dining and bar options, we spent a lot of time in our spacious and modern Premium Mountain View room. My favorite part was relaxing in my robe and sipping coffee in the seating by the floor to ceiling windows while taking in the views. We stayed here for the remaining 3 nights of our trip.
ATTRACTIONS
Moraine Lake
My absolute favorite part of Banff and the most picturesque lake we’ve ever been to. The best view of the entire lake can be seen by taking the Rockpile Trail. It took us less than ten minutes to complete a very easy hike to a flat landing, where you can walk around and take some beautiful pictures. There are some additional stairs to get higher to view different angles of the lake and the shoreline. We wish we could’ve canoed, but it’s only available in the mid-summer when the lake is fully thawed.
Lake Louise
This is the most popular lake in Banff, known for its vibrant turquoise waters melted off the Victoria Glacier. This lake is larger than Moraine Lake and also attracts larger crowds. One side of the lake is surrounded by mountains and the other is a view of the Fairmont Lake Louise Chateau. There are lots of photo opportunities here! Some of my favorite moments were canoeing across the entire lake – it’s one thing to see all of this natural beauty, but it’s another to be up-close, navigating the water. Canoeing is available in the summer and we were able to paddle across the entire lake and back within an hour. It’s very relaxing and fun, I highly recommend! We weren’t in the mood for hiking, but you could hike around the perimeter or do the popular Beehive hike to the Agnes Tea House.
Lake Minnawana
Lake Minnewanka is the 2nd longest lake in the mountain parks of the Canadian Rockies and the only lake in Banff National Park to allow limited use of power boats. At the dock you can book a guided cruise or rent kayaks, canoes and motorized boats. We decided to rent a motorized 5-seater boat over a canoe or kayak to get around this vast lake a lot faster. The rental was for an hour and you can go in any direction as long as the dock is still within view. My husband, Niu, and I loved how tranquil and romantic it was on the water. There are trails and picnic areas available around the lake as well as a coffee/snack shop, but unfortunately we didn’t have time to check it out.
Banff Gondola
We took an 8-minute ride up 7,486 feet in a fully enclosed glass gondola cabin to the summit of Sulfur Mountain. From the top, you can see 6 mountain ranges, Bow River, Lake Minnawana, the town of Banff, and Fairmount Banff Springs. After taking in the views, you can walk along the Sulphur Mountain Boardwalk, go to the 360-defgree Rooftop Observation deck, visit the interpretive centre and theatre, and eat at two dining options. We spent 30 minutes on the observation deck and interpretive centre and theatre. Taking the boardwalk leads to better views with very informative interactive displays along the way and wished we had allotted more time to explore.
Bow Falls
We thought this was worth a quick 10-minute hike since it’s located right behind Fairmount Banff Springs and close to the town of Banff. You can take a good look at the fast moving waterfall a few steps from the parking lot or walk a trail to get a closer view.
Canmore
We stopped in the town of Canmore on our way to Banff to check out the Canmore Swing, 25 mins from Banff. Unfortunately, someone had taken it down, but the view from our short 3 minute hike was still worth the trip. We didn’t have time to explore the town, but it’s similar to Banff with lots of good cafes and dining options.
RESTAURANTS/BARS
Park Distillery
To kick off the start of our anniversary trip, we went to have a celebratory toast at this gastropub and distillery. They have a huge selection of cocktails and beers, and award-winning spirits distilled in-house. Our drinks were excellent and although we didn’t get to try any of the food, it looked delicious! They also offer a free distillery tour with tastings at 3:30 p.m. daily.
Drink Recommendations: The Beehive, Mount Bourgeau, Plain of Six Glaciers. If you’re looking for a stiff drink, try the Barrel Aged Flight Board- 1oz each of Park Negroni, Alpine Martinez and Glacier Manhattan.
Ramen Arashi
We didn’t plan to have ramen as our first meal in Banff, but while searching for a place to eat, we were excited to see a highly rated ramen place right in downtown Banff. The Arashi Tan Tan Men noodles are rich with a unique flavor I’ve never had anywhere else – it was so good and is some of the best ramen I’ve ever had. Located inside a shopping plaza on the 2nd floor, it gets crowded, but it’s worth the wait. They also have a convivence stand on the 1st floor with ready to go Japanese food, drinks and treats. We picked up poke bowls, onigiris and skewers to enjoy during the plane ride home and it was the best idea ever.
Recommendations: Arashi Tan Tan Men noodles and Appetizer Sampler
Cows
My husband LOVES ice cream and has to get it everywhere he goes, so this place was a must do for us. Cows is located in downtown Banff and is a nice treat to get after dinner. The ice cream is very rich and creamy and they have a large variety of flavors to choose from with fun names like Wowie Cowie, Cownonut Cream Pie, and Gooey Mooey.
Recommendations: Our favorite was the Moo Henry.
Ramsay Lounge
This is a spacious lounge in Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. They offer a full menu, but we only came for drinks and sat near the windows to enjoy the view. Their cocktail list was fun and creative, and we enjoyed our drinks and atmosphere.
Fairview Bar and Restaurant
After canoeing on Lake Louise, we came here for a quick snack and drink before heading back to Banff. Fairview is a recent addition to the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Hotel and the décor is modern and elegant. I wanted to sit at the bar because it was so impressive, but we opted to sit at a table along the windows to view Lake Louise. We got the onion soup for our snack and their cocktail list was so appealing, we ended up ordering several.
Drink Recommendations: Fairview Mule, Grizzly Gondola, Pigeonholed
Block Bar + Kitchen
We came here almost every day of our trip whether for food or drinks or both! This small and intimate restaurant offers a global menu and creative cocktails. Everything we ordered was delicious and the drinks were amazing. It easily became our favorite restaurant in Banff.
Recommendations: Blockalicious Burger, Naanwich, Curry Ramen, Char Siu Pork Belly
Drink Recommendations: Gin Beetroot Sour, Lavender Mule, Margaritin la vida Coco, Unbeetable, Flow like a Butterfly, Moto Madness. Honestly, everything on the food and drink menu looks good.
The Maple Leaf
We made dinner reservations here for our 2nd night in Banff with every intention to explore the menu but we got ahead of ourselves and overindulged throughout the day. In an attempt to not miss out on a good restaurant, we ordered the Maple Leaf Signature Dish: B.C. Wild Sockeye Salmon & Prawns. It’s poached in Dijon and maple syrup, served in a beurre blanc sauce with a side of chive mash potatoes. It was so good that we easily cleaned the plate.
Recommendations: The Maple Leaf Signature Dish: B.C. Wild Sockeye Salmon & Prawns.
Chuck’s Steakhouse
We wanted to make our last night in Banff special by celebrating our anniversary here – they’re known for having the best in-house dry-aged Alberta beef. We sat in the formal dining area upstairs where every wall had windows with beautiful mountain views. It had great ambiance and I liked the cowboy charm of the décor.
We started with fresh oysters, followed by bone marrow toast. The oysters were delicious, and the bone marrow was rich and creamy. For our sides to share we ordered asparagus in a smoky hollandaise sauce and mac-n cheese sticks covered in bechamel sauce, bacon bits and truffle oil. The asparagus was cooked perfectly and the hollandaise complimented it nicely without making it heavy. The mac n’ cheese sticks were good with lots of flavor, but they lacked the cheesy creaminess I prefer. For the main course, we shared the Alberta Raised Wagyu Bone-in Ribeye and a lobster tail and they were both AMAZING. The ribeye was cooked and seasoned perfectly. It was so juicy and melted like butter in our mouths. The lobster was delicious, fresh and extremely succulent. It was also nice to have it as lighter fare when eaten with all of the meat and fat.
Recommendations: The Alberta Raised Wagyu Bone-in Ribeye and lobster tail were the best I’ve ever had!
Primrose
We came here for breakfast on our last day because it was conveniently in The Rimrock Resort Hotel. This was our favorite breakfast, and at a great value too. They have a lot of standard prepared dishes like pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict, sausages, and bacon as well as made to order omelets and eggs. There’s also a variety of smoothies and desserts. My favorite was the variety of yogurts and the smoked salmon bar. There are multiple tables along the window so you can enjoy your breakfast with stunning views.
Recommendations: Get the breakfast buffet because it’s only a few more dollars than the continental.
TRAVEL TIPS
-If you want to see the lakes in all of their beautiful blue glory, visit no earlier than mid-July when the lakes are completely thawed. We went in early July and Moraine Lake was still partially frozen and Lake Louise had just completely thawed the day before we arrived.
-The summer is the busiest time in Banff. Parking is limited at Lake Louise and Moraine Lake so it’s recommended to arrive before 8am or after 7pm to beat the crowds and secure a parking spot. Since we went at the beginning of summer, the crowds weren’t bad and we arrived at both lakes after 9 AM without any issues.
I hope you find this guide helpful and make plans to visit Banff. Let me know if you have any questions or if you have any helpful tips or recommendations. I would love to go back again!
