Great Things to Do in Banff

Being an Albertan, Banff is a place that is top on my vacation list whenever I want a quick getaway.


Nestled in the crook of the Canadian Rocky Mountains 128 kms west of Calgary is the picturesque town of Banff, Alta. Surrounded by what many consider the most spectacular scenery in North America, it was named after Canada’s first national park, in which it is a municipality. 

Now surrounded by five other parks—Glacier, Jasper, Yoho, Waterton Lakes and Mount Revelstoke—Banff National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.


The Town: Banff


Banff is a resort town in the province of Alberta, located within Banff National Park. The peaks of Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade, part of the Rocky Mountains, dominate its skyline. On Banff Avenue, the main thoroughfare, boutiques and restaurants mix with château-style hotels and souvenir shops. The surrounding 6,500 square kilometres of parkland are home to wildlife including elk and grizzly bears.



Bow Falls

Bow Falls is a major waterfall on the Bow River, Alberta just before the junction of it and the Spray River. The falls are located near the Banff Springs Hotel and golf course on the left-hand side of River Road.


Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies is located in Banff, Alberta, Canada. The museum collects, preserves, and exhibits materials related to the cultural heritage of the Rocky Mountains of Canada, making them available for education as well as research.



Cave and Basin National Historic Site

The Cave and Basin National Historic Site is a lot more than just a pretty pool — though the pool is quite pretty — as it is known as the birthplace of national parks in Canada.
According to Parks Canada, the site, known to Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years, was found by three railway workers in 1883, which inadvertently led to the Government of Canada deeming the springs and the 16-sq-km around it as off-limits for sale or settlements.



Cascade of Time Garden


Tranquil, terraced gardens featuring landscaped paths & sitting areas amid diverse trees & flowers.


Sulphur Mountain and the Gondola
The Banff Sightseeing Gondola is located just 5 minutes from the Town of Banff, on the shoulder of Sulphur Mountain, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.




Lake Minnewanka


Lake Minnewanka is a glacial lake located in the eastern area of Banff National Park in Canada, about five kilometres northeast of the Banff townsite. The lake is 21 km long and 142 m deep, making it the 2nd longest lake in the mountain parks of the Canadian Rockies.


 Two Jack Lake
Two Jack Lakeside is on the Lake Minnewanka loop road, 12 km from the town of Banff.

Johnson Lake








 Moraine Lake

Moraine Lake is a glacially fed lake in Banff National Park, 14 kilometres outside the Village of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. It is situated in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, at an elevation of approximately 6,183 feet. The lake has a surface area of 50 hectares.







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