A Complete Guide to Banff National Park (7 Things Not to Miss)

If you're planning a trip to Banff then chances are you're either visiting from Calgary or Vancouver. However, if you're like us then you came all the way from Alaska! Although most people drive in on their own, there are also some tours that do all inclusive options and drive you around like this full day tour from Calgary or Banff. With multiple entry points, the East Banff Gate is closest to the Park town of Banff, however the North Gate which will bring you through the incredible Icefields Parkway and up to Jasper National Park. The West side of Banff National Park brings you to Kootenay National Park and multiple hot springs!

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Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.

This is a great time to remind you that if you plan to enter the Canadian National Parks you'll need a Canada Parks Pass, very similar to in the United States. You can purchase these in person at the booths when you enter the park or online. There are two different types of passes, a Day Pass or a Discovery Pass - which is good for an entire year.

Places to Stay & Camping in the Park

Since we visited the Parks in October, a majority of the campgrounds in Banff were closed for the season. However, there are plenty of places to camp inside the park. In order to camp, you'll need a valid national park camping permit, national parks entry pass, and a reservation. (Check out each campground and it's services here!) Unfortunately it was a little late in the season and we weren't able to camp ourselves, but we stayed in two different Basecamp Resorts locations in Banff. We truly loved our stays and highly recommend them, plus you can use code : Raarup10 for 10% off any stays at Basecamp Resorts!

Best Places to Eat

The town of Banff has an incredible amount of delicious places to eat, and although we aren't going to list them all here, our top 3 in the town of Banff are Haankii Korean Streetfood, The Bear Street Tavern, and Beaver Tails for dessert. Outside of Banff there aren't too many options, but we did try the the Grill and Bar at Lake Louise Village and stocked up on some food from the Village Market since our stay at Basecamp Resort's Baker Creek had a nice kitchenette.

I think it's essential here to point out that there are no food options at Lake Louise unless you are staying at the Fairmont itself. We visited after the tea houses were closed for the summer season, and all food/beverage locations at Lake Louise had signs saying they were only open to hotel guests. So if you go I highly recommend packing a lunch and snacks!

Banff Adventures - 7 Things You Shouldn't Miss

Alright, there is SO MUCH to do in Banff - I'm sure if you've been researching your trip then you already known - so this section might be a long one. Starting with the most famous area, Lake Louise (pictured below, left). Personally we didn't think this lake was quite as pretty as the other spots in Banff. It was also SO overcrowded and there were no places to eat. Hangry friends feel our pain, lol, which led to a not so enjoyable day.

The tea houses in the area seem to close after the summer season, and all the other food spots that were open were only open to hotel guests, so we couldn't even buy anything to eat. It's also worth noting that the parking lot at Lake Louise fills up pretty quick, so you'll most likely have to park at the Park 'n Ride across the freeway and pay to take the shuttle (which also requires a reservation). Even if you don't take the shuttle, there is also a parking fee at Lake Louise. In addition to taking in the views, you can actually easily spend an entire day here hiking, kayaking or horseback riding!

Another spot you won't want to miss in Banff National Park is one of our personal favorites, Lake Moraine (pictured above, right) - not only did we think it was the prettiest lake in the area, but it also was not too crowded and the color of the lake was absolutely mind blowing. The parking for Lake Moraine also fills up pretty early, we were told between 2-4 am in the Summer and Fall, so you'll most likely have to take the Park 'n Ride shuttle again. (Since we visited, we've heard everyone is now required to take the shuttle.) Similar to Lake Louise, there's plenty of extra adventures at Lake Moraine too, think kayaking and lots of hikes! The two easiest (that we enjoyed) were the Moraine Lake Shoreline Trail and the Rockpile Trail.

Our second favorite was Peyto Lake (pictured above, left) - the colors were an unreal shade of blue, and we've truly never seen anything like it before, not even in Alaska. This lake requires a short hike uphill to get there, and can be a bit steep so we recommend wearing shoes with good grip. There's a great overlook that's been built up there too, with another trail that goes underneath the wooden overlook with a less obstructed view (and less crowded too). 

​Next up on our list is the Banff Upper Hot Springs. Although it was very manmade - the views were incredible and there were 4 pools with varying temperatures. When we visited it was a little crowded (except for the cold plunge), and cost $16.50 per person. The great thing is it's located right near the Banff Gondola (pictured below, left) - an experience we loved that gave us incredible views of the entire area! Not to mention there's an excellent restaurant at the top and you have the option to hike out to the Cosmic Ray Station for some more stunning views. Another great lake area to explore is Banff's largest, widest, and deepest lake - Lake Minnewanka! (pictured above, right) Another experience run by the Pursuit Collection, we took the Lake Cruise and learned so much about the area's history! (For example, I bet you didn't you know there's a flooded town at the bottom of the lake!) The fall colors were truly stunning as well and it was such a great new perspective of the park!

Our last recommendation, if you have time, would be to explore the other National Parks that border Banff. Directly north you'll find Jasper National Park (the Icefields Parkway is one of the most beautiful in the world, and right afterwards is the Columbia Icefield Skywalk - another mind blowing experience by Pursuit but not technically in Banff National Park), and west you'll find Yoho National Park, Kootenay National Park, Glacier National Park, and Mount Revelstoke National Park. Each park has many unique attractions, so you can spend quite a few days exploring outside the Banff Park area!

Watch our Canada Adventures here!

Check out our other Canada blogs :

• Banff Gondola
• Banff National Park
• Canada's Hot Springs
• Columbia Icefield Skywalk
• Lake Minnewanka Cruise​
• Niagara Falls - 24 Hours
• Top 10 Tours at Niagara Falls
• A Guide to Vancouver

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