Banff, Canada, is a resort town that is located within the beautiful Banff National Park. The town and it’s surrounding area form one of the most popular wilderness destinations in all of North America, and for good reason! Sitting along the Canadian Rockies, visitors to the town will have plenty to do and see at any time of the year. From hiking around Sunshine Meadows to learning about Canada’s First Nations at the Buffalo Nation Luxton Museum, join ViewCation as we take a look at the best things to do in Banff, Canada.
Go Hiking Around Sunshine Meadows
During the winter months around Banff, Canada, one of the best skiing resorts in the area is Sunshine Village. The area surrounding Sunshine Village is named Sunshine Meadows, and it’s just as popular during the summer months thanks to it’s incredible hikes and mountain-biking trails. The scenery around the area is incredible, with vibrant, lush meadows.
Go Ice-Skating on Lake Louise
Lake Louise is one of the preeminent locations to visit in all of the area surrounding the town of Banff, Canada. Like Sunshine Meadows, Lake Louise is a popular area to visit at all times of the year. While the hiking around Lake Louise is incredible during the spring and summer months, it also happens to be one of the safest and most fun lakes to ice skate on during the winter. Ice skating is understandably a pretty big deal during Canada’s winter months, and Lake Louise is widely considered to be the best stop to do it for those visiting the town of Banff when it’s freezing.
If Lake Louise is too crowded, or if you simply want to see some of Banff National Park’s other beautiful lakes, there are plenty of other lakes that you can ice skate on during the winter and hike around once the sun comes out. Besides Lake Louise, some of the other more notable lakes in the area include Two Jack Lake and Lake Minnewanka.
Try Your Hand at Whitewater Rafting
If you’re the adventurous sort who has found themselves visiting the greater area of Banff National Park, one of the most thrilling activities that you can engage in is whitewater rafting. One of the best locations near the town of Banff to go whitewater rafting is the Kicking Horse River. Rafters will encounter Class V rapids, and even a few waterfalls!
Of course, some whitewater rafting excursions can get pretty crazy, but you may also be able to find some trips that you can take older children on. An intense ride along some of the most rapid waters in Canada might not be the best way to take in Banff National Park’s incredible views, but whitewater rafting is still something that some visitors will want to try out.
Check Out the Athabasca Glacier
The Athabasca Glacier has come to be known as the most-visited glacier in the entire continent of North America. It is part of the larger Columbia Icefield, which itself is considered to be the biggest body of ice along the entire range of the Canadian Rockies. It’s understandable that so many people have come to visit the glacier over the years, as it’s certainly the kind of grand sight that you don’t see everyday!
There are a few different ways that visitors to Banff National Park can experience the Athabasca Glacier for themselves, with one of the more popular and accessible ways being to take the Ice Explorer. The Ice Explorer is a bus that drives along the glacier, allowing it’s rider to get a great view of the incredible naturally occurring sight. However, those that are more adventurous may prefer to experience Athabasca Glacier on foot themselves. Thankfully, you can do this!
Visit the Banff Upper Hot Springs
Banff can get pretty cold, so it’s understandable that the Banff Upper Hot Springs have become incredibly popular amongst tourists! Lore has it that the water of the hot springs was once considered to have healing powers by Canada’s First Nations. They may have been right!
The Banff Upper Hot Springs are open to the public, with amenities available for visitors. The water can provide some much-needed relaxation for tourists, and the area surrounding the location features some beautiful views.
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Take a Scenic Drive Along the Icefields Parkway
Fans of scenic drives that are visiting Banff, Canada, will certainly want to take some time out of their trip to drive the Icefields Parkway, which has become legendary as a result of it’s incredible sights. In fact, there are many who feel that the drive along the Icefields Parkway offers the best natural sights that the country of Canada has to display.
The drive along the Icefields Parkway is around 150 miles, or 230 kilometers. This means that the drive can be easily completed within a day, and you’ll even have some extra time leftover to get out of the car and stretch your legs. The lush mountain scenery offered along the drive cannot be described, so visitors will have to see it for themselves! One of the most beautiful sights along the drive is Peyto Lake.
The drive starts you out around Lake Louise, and you’ll end up around Jasper National Park. Taking it offers visitors to Banff National Park a great chance to see some of the more diverse types of wildlife that the region has to offer.
Take a Look Around Johnston Canyon
Besides Sunshine Meadows, another exceptionally popular location for tourists visiting Banff, Canada, to go hiking is Johnston Canyon. Johnston Canyon isn’t all that far outside of the town of Banff itself, meaning that visitors won’t have a hard time getting there. The hikes featured around the area aren’t all that challenging, but the sights make them a must for tourists regardless. The sights that can be found around Johnston Canyon become particularly impressive during the winter months thanks to a plethora of frozen waterfalls.
Visit Cave and Basin National Historic Site
Cave and Basin National Historic Site was given it’s designation thanks to the immeasurably impressive hot springs that run through it’s namesake cave. Those hot springs were once open to the public, but are now preserved for the sake of the region’s history and purity. While those who wish to take a soak in some of the area’s hot springs have plenty of options to do so, including the aforementioned Upper Banff Hot Springs, those who wish to get a taste of the region’s rich history may prefer to visit Cave and Basin National Historic Site, despite fewer soaking opportunities.
While the natural sights of Cave and Basin National Historic Site themselves are awesome enough, visitors will also be treated to a number of educational and interactive displays that shed some light on why exactly the site has developed such an importance around the region.
Take a Ride on the Banff Gondola
One of the greatest ways for tourists to experience the vistas of Banff National Park is to ride the Banff Gondola, which goes up the glorious Sulphur Mountain. Not only is the gondola ride a ton of fun, but the scenery that visitors will get to check out at the top of the mountain is even better!
Sulphur Mountain is 7,500 feet tall, which makes it’s summit an excellent place to catch a view of the greater area of Banff National Park. The summit has become an incredibly popular tourist location, meaning you’ll also find a few gift shops and eateries at the top of the mountain.
Hike Up Cascade Mountain
Sulphur Mountain may be large and looming at 7,500 feet, but it’s nowhere near as looming as Cascade Mountain. Visitors to Banff, Canada, will notice Cascade Mountain right off the bat, as the 14,000 foot mountain is hard to miss! The staggering mountain looms over the entire region, but it can be conquered relatively easily thanks to a finely worn hiking trail that takes you all the way up to the top of it.
Climbing Cascade Mountain may seem like a tough prospect for those seeing the staggering peak from afar, but the hike itself isn’t all that much of a challenge. So long as visitors have the endurance, they likely won’t encounter much along the well-worn path that they can’t handle. However, this is a different story during the winter months, as snow and ice can make the path much more difficult to navigate.
It goes without saying that the climb up Cascade Mountain is incredibly rewarding. Not only will you feel like you’ve conquered the world, but you’ll be treated to one of the most expansive views that the region has to offer.
Learn About Canada’s First Nations
The First Nations are the Indigenous peoples of Canada, and learning about their culture can be an incredibly diverting pastime for visitors to Banff. One of the best ways to learn about the history of Canada’s First Nations is to visit the Buffalo Nation Luxton Museum, which is conveniently located in Banff’s downtown section. The museum first opened up in the 1950s and offers a vast wealth of knowledge regarding Canada’s Indigenous peoples.
Try to Spot an Elk!
As with any National Park, Banff National Park features a very diverse array of wildlife. Some of the most exciting animals to spot while visiting the region are caribou and elk, though it’s much more common to spot a simple deer if you’re just sticking around the town. The further you get into Banff National Park, the greater your chances of seeing more diverse wildlife. However, keep in mind that you run the risk of spotting a grizzly bear or a cougar!
The resort town of Banff and it’s surrounding National Park contain some of the most impressive natural landscapes that can be found in all of Canada. Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that Athabasca Glacier is considered the most-visited glacier in North America, and that the waters of Upper Banff Hot Springs were once considered to have healing properties by Canada’s First Nations? As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more informative ViewCation videos are on their way!