Our Essential Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For flights, we recommend Hopper to compare the cheapest travel dates. Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you! We always use Expedia's easy to use platform for hotels. To keep cell service while traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy eSIM’s (no installation required), and NordVPN to stay safe while connecting to different wifi. For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Get Your Guide also does the trick. Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance. Lastly, my packing list for any international or domestic travels.
Getting to Banff and Where to Stay
Although most people drive in on their own, there are also some tours that do all inclusive options and drive you around Banff, like this full day tour. Banff National Park has multiple entry points, the East Gate is the closest to the town of Banff, however the North Gate will bring you through the incredible Icefields Parkway and Jasper National Park. The West Gate brings you through Kootenay National Park and near multiple hot springs.
Depending what time of year you're visiting Banff, a majority of the campgrounds in Banff might closed for the season. In order to camp in the park, you'll need a valid national park camping permit, national parks entry pass, and a reservation. We typically like to visit in the late Fall, so campgrounds are usually closed during our stay, but there's plenty of places to stay in Banff and we've previously stayed at these cozy cabins across the highway from Morraine Lake.
Our Favorite Tours in Banff :
- The Banff Gondola - Banff Day Trip to 4 Lakes - Lake Minnewanka Cruise
7 Best Summer Things to Do in Banff
1. Lake Louise
There is a lot of hype around Lake Louise, rightly so because it is so beautiful (top right photo), but because of this it was also so overcrowded - and there were no places to eat, which led to a not so enjoyable day. It's worth noting that the parking lot at Lake Louise fills up very quick in the summer, so I highly recommend parking at the Park 'n Ride across the freeway and paying to take the shuttle over (which requires a reservation). In addition to taking in the views, you can actually easily spend an entire day here hiking to the tea houses, kayaking, or even horseback riding! 2. Lake Moraine Not only did we think Moraine was the prettiest lake in the area, but because we visited early in the day we were able to beat the crowds. Watching the sun peak over the mountain tops and begin shining on the beautiful blue water was an experience we'll never forget. For Lake Moraine you'll be required to make a reservation on the shuttle system, which makes it a bit more difficult to beat the crowds, but it's worth a stop. Similar to Lake Louise, there's plenty of extra adventures at Lake Moraine too, like kayaking and lots of hikes! The two easiest hikes that we enjoyed were the Moraine Lake Shoreline Trail and the Rockpile Trail.
3. Peyto Lake
It's likely that you've seen this lake all over social media, and it truly might be one of the bluest lakes we've ever seen. The viewpoint requires a little uphill hike from the parking lot to get here, so I recommend wearing comfortable shoes you don't mind getting muddy. There's a giant viewing point that's been built up here, and because of erosion they highly encourage you to stay on the trail. 4. Minnewanka Lake Cruise Another great lake to explore is Banff's largest, widest, and deepest lake - Lake Minnewanka! We took the Minnewanka Lake Cruise and learned so much about the area's history, as well as getting to enjoy the incredible views along the way. Legend has it, there's a flooded town at the bottom of the lake, and you'll even get to explore the famous Spirit Island before turning around and making your way back. It was such a great way to enjoy an area of the park that isn't quite as crowded as others in the summer months.
5. Ride the Banff Gondola
The Banff Gondola is an entire experience in itself. Not only are the views amazing, but at the top you get an entire panoramic view of the town of Banff. You can also enjoy multiple dining experiences, and there's even a hike out to the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station. You could easily spent half to a full day just at the Banff Gondola. 6. Hot Springs Next up on our list is the Banff Upper Hot Springs, conveniently located right next to the base of the Banff Gondola. Although technically a hot spring, it did feel very manmade (more like a public swimming pool feel) but the views were incredible and there were 4 different pools with varying temperatures. When we visited it was a little crowded (except for the cold plunge), and cost $17.50 CAD per person. 7. Day Trips Near Banff Our last recommendation if you have time is to explore the other National Parks that surround Banff. Directly north you'll find Jasper National Park (the Icefields Parkway is one of the most beautiful drives in the entire world), 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 and fun things to do - meaning you can easily spend a few days in each spot.
Watch our Canada Adventures here!
Other posts you might be interested in :
-> Best Places to Eat in Banff -> Banff Gondola Guide -> Lake Minnewanka Cruise Guide
Pin this Banff Guide for later!
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Hi! We're Deborah & Tyler. After our first move to Alaska, we decided to take a gap year and visited 30+ countries on a budget of $100 a day! This blog shares our best budget saving travel tips & international itineraries.
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