Banff Holidays

Banff National Park

Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park and the most popular in the country, attracting more than four million visitors every year. Famous for being home to the Canadian Rockies, one of the main draws of Banff National Park is the unspoiled wilderness that can be explored. The park spans more than 6,000 sq. km that are packed with snow-capped peaks, picturesque lakes, glaciers, meadows, and forests.

Whilst you are on a holiday in Banff National Park, we highly recommend visiting the below natural landmarks:

Johnston Canyon - A breathtaking natural attraction formed by thousands of years of water erosion. Expect to see overhanging canyon walls, waterfalls, lush forest and the deep pools of Johnston Creek.

Sulphur Mountain – Ride the Banff Gondola to the summit of the mountain and enjoy 360-degree views of six mountain ranges, the Bow Valley, and the town of Banff.

Lake Minnewanka – Just three miles from Banff, the 13-mile-long lake is a popular spot year-round. Enjoy hiking and canoeing in the summer or snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter.

Vermilion Lakes - A network of lush marshlands and lakes in the Bow Valley, it offers spectacular views of Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain and is a great place to watch a sunrise or sunset and to see wildlife.

Banff holidays in the summer

Summer holidays to Banff in Canada are perfect for anyone looking for a true Canadian adventure as there are lots of outdoor activities you can enjoy. Going hiking, kayaking, rafting or horse riding are just some of the best ways to explore the natural beauty that surrounds the town.

By staying at one of the Banff National Park hotels we offer, you will have endless hiking trails and spectacular mountain vistas on your doorstep. It doesn’t matter whether you are an adventure seeker or are after a relaxing trip away, Banff has it all.

There’s mountain biking trails and kayaking on offer for thrill-seekers, and golf and horse-riding excursions available for those wanting a more chilled holiday.

Wildlife in Banff National Park

If you are planning your Banff holiday, then something that should be on your bucket list is wildlife watching. Canadian wildlife is famed across the globe and Banff National Park is a nature lover’s dream, being home to an array of animals including grizzly and black bears, wolves, elk, bighorn sheep and moose to name just a few.

To get the best glimpses of the animals you will need to get up early or stay up late as the wildlife is most active at dawn or in the late afternoon a few hours before sunset. Banff National Park is one place where you can view iconic Canadian animals in their natural habitat, and you can see a variety of wildlife at different times of the year. Just remember to respect the wildlife as Banff National Park is their home.

Banff holidays in the winter

Banff is the perfect destination for a winter holiday as it boasts easy access to the Big 3 ski resorts of Mount Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise, and gets great snowfall every year, making it very popular with skiers and snowboarders alike. The local ski resorts are perfect for families, beginners, or more advanced skiers and if that isn’t enough of a draw then the beautiful scenery certainly should be.

Skiing and snowboarding aren’t the only winter attractions, however, as some of the frozen lakes in Banff National Park offer opportunities for ice skating on the most beautiful natural ice rinks in the world and there are also lots of snowshoe trails on offer. Head to Banff in the winter and explore this winter wonderland.

Dining, shopping and entertainment in Banff

The charming mountain resort of Banff caters for tourists year-round. It offers great dining, shopping, accommodation, and entertainment.

From bars to world-class restaurants, foodies will enjoy the array of cuisine that is on offer here. With modern restaurants in the town, elegant dining rooms in grand hotels, unique bistros in mountain lodges, and the oldest pub in Banff, The Rose and Crown, serving ice-cold beer, the dining scene is vibrant and diverse.

The town also offers fantastic entertainment and shopping as you can explore Banff Avenue and Bear Street where you’ll find shops selling everything from clothing and outdoor gear to art galleries, bike shops, and health and wellness stores. There are plenty of speciality stores like bakeries, sweet shops, and wine stores.

Popular summer activities in Banff

The summer is a great time to visit Banff as there is so much to do, including paddling - a hugely popular activity you can try during your holiday. Whether you decide to explore the lakes by canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard (SUP), you will enjoy the unforgettable mountain vistas all around you.

All bodies of water within Banff National Park allow for non-motorised vehicles like canoes and kayaks, so you are free to explore. If you’d prefer to stay on dry land, then why not explore by bike?

Banff National Park features some of Canada’s most scenic roads and trails and you can cycle alongside lakes, tackle road climbs, or enjoy the thrill of a tree-lined downhill trail. A popular route is the 17km stretch of the Bow Valley Parkway as the route is closed to vehicles.

Experience Banff’s Gondola rides

A must for any Banff holiday is to ride on the famous Banff Gondola that travels to the pinnacle of Sulphur Mountain. From here you can enjoy an awe-inspiring 360-degree panorama of sheer mountain majesty and lots of hiking trails that lead along the ridge of the mountain.

Although the Banff Sightseeing Gondola is the most famous, there are actually four sightseeing gondolas and chairlifts in Banff and Lake Louise. 

There is the Banff Sunshine Sightseeing Gondola to the Mt. Standish Sightseeing Chairlift which offers stunning views of the Canadian Rockies, the Banff Norquay Sightseeing Chairlift which takes guests on an open-air ride to the summit of Mount Norquay, and the Lake Louise Gondola which will offer you stunning views of the lake and the Victoria Glacier.

Experience the Banff Hot Springs

One of the top places to visit in Banff is the Upper Hot Springs as they are the last remaining springs open to the public for bathing. The Upper Hot Springs are a popular attraction to visit all year round, allowing visitors sit in the pools in the wintertime and take in the snowy scenery, or to watch the sunrise and sunset during the rest of the year.

The water in the Banff Upper Hot Springs is heated geothermally and its temperature can vary depending on the time of year you are visiting, reaching temperatures of 47°C in the winter and 27°C in the spring. The Banff Hot Springs are open until late in the evening year-round and are accessible to all. There is also a large pool and a café for drinks and food.

Ski and snowboard holidays in Banff

Being home to Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mt. Norquay, the three world-class ski resorts, also known as the Big 3, it should come as little surprise that Banff ski holidays are among the most popular in the world. The two towns of Banff and Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies are only half an hour apart and the Big 3 ski resorts are all accessible from the same lift pass.

What makes skiing in Banff so popular is the great powder the area receives, the unique scenery you can enjoy and the hundreds of different ski runs on offer, making it perfect for beginners, intermediates, and expert skiers and riders. Ski and snowboard holidays in Banff also offer the best après with bars like Mt. Norquay's Lone Pine Pub and Sunshine Village's Mad Trapper's Saloon.

Banff: a winter wonderland

If you are looking at booking a Banff holiday in the winter months, then there are many more activities on offer than just skiing and snowboarding. Dog sledding is a unique experience not to be missed on your winter holiday. Tranquil at times and exhilarating at others, it's a great way to explore the snowy landscapes of the Canadian Rockies.

Alternatively, swap out the dogs for horses on a sleigh ride through the winter wonderland of Banff and Lake Louise. Ice skating is a must and the indoor and outdoor ice-skating rinks are all free unless otherwise stated, including Lake Louise, which has been named one of the world’s best ice-skating rinks. Cross-country skiing is something else to try as there are lots of trails around Banff ranging from easy to moderate.

Delve into the history of Banff

Being Canada’s oldest national park, Banff is steeped in history and there are lots of historic sites and museums you can visit to get an insight into what life used to be like for people living in the area. Some of these sites and museums we’ve listed below:

• Buffalo Nations Museum: we highly recommend visiting this museum to learn about the fascinating history of the First Nations people of the Northern Plains and Canadian Rockies. Expect to see arts, hunting equipment and decorated tepees.
• Banff Park Museum: Housed in a log cabin, it is the oldest museum of natural history in Western Canada. You can see historical collections of flora and fauna and it has been designated a Heritage Site of Canada.
• Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies: This iconic museum preserves the history and culture of the Rocky Mountains through artwork and photography.

Drive the Icefields Parkway

If you are staying in Banff, you just have to drive the Icefields Parkway. Named as one of National Geographic’s fifty drives of a lifetime, the Icefields Parkway connects Banff to Jasper, and you will need to take a full day to explore its beauty and many roadside attractions.

These attractions include towering mountains and dozens of enormous glaciers. One such glacier is the Columbia Icefield, which forms one of the largest masses of ice south of the Arctic Circle. You can enjoy trips such as the Ice Explorer snow coach that takes you directly onto the Athabasca Glacier – which represents a substantial portion of the entire ice blanket.

The Glacier Skywalk is also worth a visit as you can step out on a cliff-edge walkway where giant glaciers perch above you and the spectacular Sunwapta Valley spreads out below.

Fly drive holidays to Banff, Canada

A great way to explore Banff and the Canadian Rockies is via a car as you can choose to stop and enjoy the spectacular scenery at any point. If driving through the mosaic of landscapes and towering mountains of the Rockies sounds like something that would interest you, then we have a variety of fly drive holidays that are perfect for you.

We have adventure holidays to the West Coast and Western Highlights holidays which take in all of the highlights Banff and the surrounding area have to offer. Our fly drive holidays include flights from the UK, car hire, accommodation and a quality itinerary that you can enjoy. Speak to our experts to organise your fly drive holiday today.

Motorhome holidays to Banff

One of the most popular ways to explore Banff and the Canadian Rockies is on a motorhome holiday. By hiring a motorhome for your holiday in Banff National Park you are free to do what you want, from exploring the charming towns within the park to driving epic roads where you can stop and take in the striking scenery.

Here at Canadian Affair, we can tailor-make your perfect motorhome holiday, but we do offer special motorhome holidays such as our Roaming the Rockies holiday. This 13-night motorhome holiday in the Rocky Mountains starts in the Stampede City of Calgary before delving into the mountains of Banff and Jasper National Parks. Our motorhome holidays include flights from the UK to Canada.

Rocky Mountaineer holidays including exploration of Banff

One of the best and most luxurious ways you can visit Banff and the Canadian Rockies is by travelling on the iconic Rocky Mountaineer. The Rocky Mountaineer route snakes through the majestic Canadian Rockies and along the journey you can enjoy a fantastic onboard service, complimentary drinks and storytelling.

With Canadian Affair you have a choice of booking a rail only holiday on the Rocky Mountaineer and we can organise the First Passage to the West trip as this route visits Banff or Lake Louise, Kamloops and Vancouver. If you want the ultimate holiday, we can organise a rail and cruise holiday. This combines two amazing experiences, a two-day journey onboard the Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver, and then a magical cruise from Vancouver to Alaska.

Escorted tours in the Rockies

If you find planning which attractions you want to see and organising your mode of travel on a holiday too stressful, then an escorted tour to Banff and the Canadian Rockies is your best option as it takes all this stress away so you can just enjoy all the stunning scenery. We have a selection of classic tours such as our Rockies Trail holiday and premium tours such as our Spectacular Rockies and Glaciers of Alberta holiday for you to choose from.

Our escorted tours to Banff include flights from the UK to Canada, accommodation at the best locations in Banff and other places in Alberta and British Columbia, luxury tours to the likes of Lake Louise and the Athabasca Glacier, breakfasts and some lunch and dinners with wine. Call our experts now to find out more about the all-inclusive holidays to Banff that you can go on.

Ski holidays in Banff

Another great way to explore Banff is to go on a ski holiday as the town is one of the most popular destinations in the world. Nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, you can go on one lift ticket and ski three different resorts: Mount Norquay, Lake Louise and the Sunshine Village ski resorts.

Winter Banff holidays offer everything you could want from a ski and snowboarding trip with more than 8,000 acres of varied terrain to suit every desire, a lively town with après ski options and top-class restaurants, and lots of shopping and entertainment available to you. From an Alberta ski safari to other ski trips in Banff, we have a range of ski holidays on offer.