“I’d think these pictures were AI if we weren’t in them or the ones who took them.” - Bran M.
I feel like it’s very rare for people from the US to consider Canada for vacation. Let alone anything that isn’t Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver. That is not meant to be shady, as the average American likely hasn’t explored most of the US - myself included. Anything that is too close to home is usually overlooked or taken for granted in favor of some romanticized or overly popular destination, or the price tag feels way too high for the distance traveled. And if you’re Black, forget it - there are just certain places we aren’t going or that we’ll keep going back to. So naturally, I put my adventurer hat on and went into uncharted territory - the Alberta province of Canada.
But first, some background context on my relationship with Canada. Earlier in my career, I was in a client-facing role that covered the Northeast US and Canadian territories. I spent a lot of time in Toronto & Ottawa. I had a favorite hotel, favorite restaurants, and even braved my first Canadian snowstorm for a client presentation in Toronto. My current company has a Canadian HQ in Vancouver, so I’m there once a year. So as you can see, Canada keeps calling me - I’ve seen both the east and west coasts but nothing in between. And boy, was I missing out.
For my 35th birthday, my partner and I headed to Banff - a nature lover and burnt out person’s dream. If you’re looking for stunning backdrops that look like you’ve been dropped in a Bob Ross painting and restorative time that resets your nervous system, Banff is for you. So let’s get into it.
Where TF is it
Banff is situated along the picturesque Canadian Rocky Mountains. If you’re looking at a map, it sits just above Montana and a little east of British Columbia (where Vancouver is). It is in the Mountain time zone. Unfortunately for you, you will be seeing the word mountain one million times in this post.
How to get there
The easiest way to get to Banff is to fly into Calgary (YYC airport code) and drive 2 hours. If you’re on a multi-city trip or taking the scenic route like I often am, you can fly into Seattle or Vancouver and drive a longer stretch.
What to bring
You’ll need:
Your passport
Bear spray (not joking, though you can also buy or rent it when you arrive - more on this in a bit)
Layers of clothing, as the weather in Canada can be unpredictable no matter the season
Hiking gear, including comfortable boots/sneakers and a hat
Swim gear for pool/hot tub/kayak time
The best camera you’ve got
Things to know
Before booking the trip, there are some things to know and be 100% comfortable with.
Banff is grizzly bear country. While it is unlikely you will see one (that’s what the brochures tell you, but of course we saw one in the first 30 minutes of the tour lol), you need to prepare for any wildlife encounters. As mentioned above, you can pack bear spray with you, or you can buy or rent it when you arrive. Rentals are available because bear spray is expensive and you won’t get through a whole can in one trip - so best to rent from a local hotel, gift shop, or tour company. Hike with a buddy, follow park rules like traveling in groups of 4 for certain trails, avoid open areas at night, and make lots of noise if you’re on a trail.
Banff is also subject to extreme elements. You could either experience a wildfire or an avalanche depending on the season and weather conditions. Again, follow park rules and pay attention to any signage/warnings.
Because the cold season tends to last a bit longer in Canada, there’s an art & science to timing your visit. You want it to be warm enough for the lakes to have defrosted (they’re fully frozen in the winter), but not hot enough to run into peak travel season. For context, Lake Louise can get 7-8k visitors per day. We went the first week of June and it was perfect. Moraine Lake had just opened a few days prior and was only open to registered tour companies, so our tour group had the lake to ourselves.
French is an official language, so all signage will have a French translation - a good place to start learning and practicing if you’d like.
Where to stay
I don’t like giving people lodging advice because I recognize that everyone has different preferences. Some people like luxury, others might be cool with camping in the woods. I’m going to focus this on how you should think about finding lodging instead.
We stayed in Canmore about 20 minutes south of Banff. Our reasoning was that we’d be away from the hustle & bustle of Banff, there’d be more affordable AirBnBs, and Canmore would be another city to explore as it has its own downtown area as well. Since this was the second stop on a multi-city tour, staying at an AirBnB (vs a hotel) was non-negotiable because I needed in-unit laundry.
When deciding where to stay, think about whether:
This is your first and/or only stop
I find that the longer I travel, the more luxury I need as I go. When you’re exhausted, you want someone to help with your bags, easy-to-access meals, and a bed that’s hard to get out of. You also may need to do laundry to re-wear and mix & match some pieces.
You want to walk/take local transit or drive to attractions
Banff for the former, Canmore for the latter
Luxury or bare bones amenities are needed
I needed a hot tub and a firepit, sorry
Any tour companies operate from the city or hotel you’re considering
This is important. You need to be able to get to the designated pickup spots or be in a hotel that’s on the route. Look at TripAdvisor, GetYourGuide, or good ol’ Google.
Our AirBnB was perfect. It was 5 minutes from downtown Canmore where we had access to a grocery store, liquor store, restaurants, shops, and trails. We were able to get to Banff in 20 minutes and most of the main attractions of Banff National Park in under an hour. We had 2 patios, one off of the living room and another connected to the bedroom. We had a community hot tub that we could reserve in 30-minute blocks. There was also a sauna and fitness center, though we didn’t use either. There was private, secure parking for our rental car. Beautiful space, conveniently located.
Getting around
If you stay in Banff, you have lots of options. There are local buses (Roam Transit) and shuttles that go to all of the main attractions. People are also often just walking around the town of Banff. Tour companies will even pick you up from your hotel. If you stay in Canmore, you’ll need to first drive to Banff, park up, then take a bus/shuttle to the things you want to see. Parking can be scarce so get there early for a day of exploration. Some tour companies will also pick you up in Canmore, but not directly from your AirBnB - they’ll give you a designated pickup spot that you’ll have to drive to.
What to do
As a general rule of thumb, I use Google, Trip Advisor/Viator, and GetYourGuide to find things to do when I’m traveling.
I went to Banff solely for Lake Louise - the bad b*tch of all lakes. If that was the only thing I accomplished for the 5 days I spent there, I would’ve been okay with that. Depending on when you visit Banff, you may need to purchase a Park Pass - a permit to see Banff attractions for the number of days you’re visiting. In the high summer season, no park pass is required. Check your travel dates and don’t get caught lacking without a pass if you need one.
But anyway. Here’s my list of things to see
Lake Louise
The Fairview Lookout offers the best aerial view of the lake. It is a 30-minute hike entirely uphill, so be prepared for that. You can kayak here for $160/hr
Moraine Lake / Valley of the Ten Peaks
We did a sunset/stargazing tour here that included blankets, tea & hot cocoa, binoculars & a telescope for stargazing, and a hike up the rockpile.
The Bow Valley Parkway
Where we saw a bear and a moose. Canadian checklist complete.
Cascade Mountain
Driving towards or past this mountain will make your jaw drop. I couldn’t even find my phone fast enough to capture it properly. My man and I were speechless for about 5 minutes
Morant’s Curve
This is stunning. Even more picturesque if a train passes through when you arrive.
Tunnel Mountain
You will essentially drive through this as you’re making your way around Banff
Lake Minnewanka
Banff Gondola
Banff Hot Springs
Where to eat
We (read: my man) cooked most of our meals, but we had two places that we really liked - both in Canmore:
Bella Crusta - delicious sandwiches. We grabbed these to go before driving to Banff.
The Grizzly Paw - had a really good burger and glass of beer here before our sunset tour
My overall take
Banff was incredible. You need at least 7 days to fully enjoy it. Bring a friend, bring your lover, bring the family, bring everybody honestly. It could be a good solo trip, but simply because of the wildlife, nature’s elements, and spotty cell signal, I think it’s best to go with someone.
If you made it this far, here are the usual obligatory photos for the road.
