doc_id: banff

section: Overview

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*For the Scottish town that Banff was named after, see Banff (Scotland)*
300px|thumb|Banff from Sulphur mountain
The town of **Banff** in Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies, is the larger of the two populated areas in Banff National Park, about an hour and a half drive west of Calgary and four hours south of Jasper. Banff is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like many mountain towns, Banff has a very different character in winter and summer. There is a decent selection of bars and restaurants but predictably a few too many souvenir shops and boutiques. European travellers will especially welcome the sidewalks that facilitate exploration of the town on foot.


section: Understand

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Banff is a tourist town full of visitors and seasonal workers from across Canada and around the world. It is a convenient base for seeing some spectacular scenery with little effort. However, with convenience comes crowds. Banff Avenue can be very busy on summer afternoons and evenings, but it is a great place to stay for any length of time. There are a wide variety of restaurants and clubs and plenty of tours and activities to keep you busy. Staying in Banff during the winter gives easy access to the nearby ski areas of Norquay, Sunshine Village, and Lake Louise.

The area was named Banff in 1884 by George Stephen, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, recalling his birthplace in Banff, Scotland.

### Climate

At an elevation of 1400m above sea level and surrounded by mountains, the climate is subarctic. Banff has experienced snowfall even during the summer months. With daily mean temperatures of +15°C in the summer and -8°C in the winter, the climate is very similar to northern Scandinavia.


section: Get in

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### By plane

The park is easily accessible for international travellers via Calgary International Airport, which has international scheduled and charter flights. The Banff Airporter ($63.99 one way) and the Brewster Airport Express ($69.99 one way) run regular scheduled trips between the airport and Banff several times daily.

Alternatively, On It transit provides a direct Calgary downtown to Banff central service for a flat rate of $10. It's less convenient than the direct shuttles, as getting from the airport to downtown requires either an expense taxi or an hour-long trip on public transit.

### By car

From Calgary, take the Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) west. The first exit to Banff is about an hour and a half from the airport.

The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93) is a scenic drive from Jasper.

**Parking** can be tricky, but the five-storey Bear Street Parkade near downtown is free. Look for it in the 100 block of Bear Street, one block west of Banff Avenue. The Bear Street Parkade also has an **EV charging station**. The Town of Banff website has parking maps.

### By bus

 - Banff Airporter

 - Brewster Express

 - Red Arrow

 - SunDog Tours

 - FlixBus

### By train

Regularly scheduled passenger trains no longer stop at Banff's historic train station, but luxury **Rocky Mountaineer** sightseeing trains run from Vancouver between late April and early October (reservations required), requiring two days to complete the journey with an overnight stop at Kamloops. You can take VIA Rail Canada train service to Edmonton or Jasper, and then either take a bus or rent a car and drive to Banff.

### Park entry fees

All visitors stopping in Banff National Park (even just for gas or in the town) require a park permit. If you are driving through non-stop, the pass is not required. Day passes and annual passes are available; see Banff National Park for details.


section: Get around

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400px|thumb|Each Roam bus is decorated with images of different animals from the National Park and area. This one is Wolf.

### By foot

The Banff townsite is small, and you can walk just about anywhere you want to go. Walking is quick, easy and allows for random adventures down to the river, through the forests, and up the mountains. All of these activities are within a 5- to 15-minute walking distance.

### By public transit

 - Roam Transit

### By taxi

 - Banff Transportation Group

### By bike

Biking around town is popular too. There are several shops to rent bicycles if you are interested in either mountain biking, quick travel downtown, or trail riding to the historic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. You can also combine cycling with public transit, as buses are equipped with bike racks. Banff is filled with trails that take you through forested areas, along streams and waterfalls, to incredible lake and mountain views.


section: See

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The Canadian Rockies offer some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. It may seem a daunting task to try to see it all in a limited amount of time.

Many tour companies will eliminate the hassle, giving you the opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy the view. The friendly guides offer fun and informative sightseeing tours in and around the Banff area in comfortable vehicles.

### Museums and historic sites

thumbnail|Banff Park Museum
thumbnail|Cave and Basin
 - Banff Park Museum National Historic Site

 - Banff Springs Hotel National Historic Site

 - Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum

 - Cave and Basin National Historic Site

 - Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

### Viewpoints (lookouts)

 - Mount Norquay viewpoint

 - Surprise Corner viewpoint

### Natural and botanic attractions

thumbnail|Bow Falls
 - Bow Falls

 - Cascades of Time Gardens

 - Lake Minnewanka Loop

 - Vermilion Lakes

### Whimsy

 For a spot of whimsy, you can check out - Moose and Squirrel
 Rather, the intersection thereof, about 2 blocks east of the train station, diagonal from the school. Nothing more than the signpost, but good for a chuckle.


section: Do

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Mountain town activities are characteristically different in summer and winter.

### Year round

400px|thumbnail|A comfortable ride up the mountain
 - The Banff Centre

- Banff Gondola Mountaintop Experience

### Indoor activities

Banff does offer some indoor activities besides museums and galleries.

- Waterslides at Douglas Fir Resort

- Fairmont Banff Springs Bowling & Entertainment Centre

- Lux Cinema

- Sally Borden Fitness and Recreation Centre

#### Spas

thumbnail|The Banff Upper Hot Springs
Banff National Park was established to protect and promote the natural hot springs at the Cave & Basin (now Cave & Basin National Historic Site). So there is a century-long tradition of visitors coming to take the waters in a spa-type setting. Today, visitors have many spas to choose from, but only the *Upper Hot Springs Pool and Pleiades Spa* allows visitors the opportunity to bathe in water from a hot spring.

- Banff Upper Hot Springs and Pleiades Massage & Spa

- Grotto Spa

- Red Earth Spa

- Rimrock Spa

- Willow Stream Spa

### Winter

#### Skiing and snowboarding

400px|thumb|Sunshine Village
Banff National Park is home to three ski areas, all within easy drive of the Banff townsite. Driving to the hill is not strictly required, as ski shuttles have stops convenient to most hotels. They will take you to the mountain of your choice and back again. Shuttle buses are included in the price of some ski passes, or you may have to pay a fare ($15).


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Of the three Banff National Park ski areas, only Sunshine Village has ski-in ski-out accommodations. However, access to Sunshine is solely through their gondola. The gondola stops running Sa-Th at 4PM, and F at 10PM. Sunshine is a village in name only; there are very few activities there after the ski lifts shut down for the day. Most skiers stay in the town of Banff or the village of Lake Louise.

The ski season in Banff runs from early November to mid-April. The final day of skiing at Sunshine Village is always on Victoria Day, in late May.

- Norquay

- Sunshine Village

See also Lake Louise Ski Resort

All the ski hills are busier on the weekends. Lake Louise tends to get icy if it hasn't snowed in a while, but with fresh snow is hard to beat. Sunshine Village has been giving them some competition with their new terrain and improvements however. Especially in the early season, pay attention to how many runs are open and how much recent snow has been received in the snow reports - they are better indications of the conditions than the generic conditions ratings given by the hills (the conditions are always at least 'good' according to their ratings). If you only have a few hours and want to ski where the locals ski check out Ski Norquay, it has nice long open runs with great views of the town.

#### Lift passes


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If you arrive before December 31 and you intend to ski at least 3 days at Sunshine Village, or a combination of three days at Sunshine and at Marmot Basin in Jasper, consider buying a Sunshine-Marmot card. The card costs about the same price as one lift ticket. The first, fourth and seventh times you use the card you get a free lift ticket, all other times you get $10 off (you are ahead quite a bit by the third day). These cards can be purchased on the hill (either Sunshine or Marmot Basin), or also at Safeway stores in Edmonton and Calgary, and are valid at Sunshine Village in Banff and Marmot Basin ski resort in Jasper. The Sunshine-Marmot cards are available for purchase until December 31 but can be used all season.

Louise Plus cards are very similar to Sunshine Marmot Cards. In addition to Lake Louise, they are also honored at four other ski areas: Castle (near Pincher Creek, Alberta); Revelstoke (Revelstoke, BC); Panorama (Panorama, BC), and Schweitzer (Sandpoint, Idaho, USA).

You can purchase a Tri-Area Pass for Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Mountain Resort and Norquay. This ticket includes the bus transportation and can be used at any of the three hills at any time.

#### Ski and snowboard rentals

thumbnail|Nearby [[Lake Louise]] is another popular ski resort
There are a number of great places in the Town of Banff that will rent high quality skis, snowboards, and boots. Some will also rent winter coats and pants. All Banff National Park ski areas require skiers & snowboarders under age 18 to wear helmets. Adults will find that not only do helmets protect your head when you fall, but they do a great job of keeping your head warm in cold and windy weather.

- Chateau Mountain Sports


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- Rude Boys

- Snowtips-Backtrax

- Soul Ski and Bike

- Ultimate Ski & Ride

- UNLTD Boardshop

#### Other winter activities

**Ice skating**. There are outdoor skating rinks at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (fire, heated shelter) and at Banff Community High School (right next to Banff Avenue). A section of the Bow River is also cleared for skating. However, as always with bodies of natural ice, be careful. There is an indoor rink at Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Ice skates can be rented from some of the ski rental business.
 ** Snowshoeing**. Strap on snowshoes and walk through pristine snow like the fur traders did in days gone by, a true winter experience. Guided snowshoe walks are available, or you can rent snowshoes from some ski rental shops. Snowshoeing is subject to the same **avalanche risks** as cross-country skiing; check the current avalanche risk for your planned route with Parks Canada or at the website of the Canadian Avalanche Centre. In March 2014, four snowshoers were killed when they went into avalanche terrain near Lake Louise without proper training or equipment.
 - Sleigh rides

- Tubing and sledding

### Summer

Summer in Banff, just like winter, is stunning. There are plenty of hiking trails accessible from the main town, as well as tours for horseback riding, white water rafting, mountain biking and more. Be warned though - some smaller tour companies are not as professional as the larger tour companies. If they are overbooked, they may pass your credit card details along to a third party without your knowledge and book another tour on your behalf (not always at the same price, and not always the same tour!)
thumbnail|Hummingbird sitting on a spoke of a bike wheel in Banff
 - Canoeing & kayaking with Banff Adventures Unlimited


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- Holiday on Horseback

- Rocky Mountain Raft Tours

- Banff Legacy Trail

- Mountain biking

- Rock climbing

- Via Ferrata at Norquay

- Fishing

- Banff Springs Golf Course

#### Hiking and wildlife viewing

thumbnail|Bighorn sheep
Banff has the most beautiful trails surrounding it. You can pick up a free trail map at the Visitor Centre, or find many trail maps online, as downloadable pdf files. Please check the trail reports online or with the Parks Canada desk before you go, as high-elevation snow, bear activity, or other factors may close trails or create hazards. Another option is to go with a hiking guide and group, different locations are available.

While in the area, always keep your eyes peeled as there are so many **animals** to spot in the summer in Banff. It is important to keep your distance, though, as wildlife is wild and they should be kept that way, they can be dangerous too! In the spring, female elk are very protective of their calves, who may lie hidden out of sight; in fall, bull elk are extremely aggressive during the rut. For this reason, you will need a telephoto lens to get good photos of wildlife while staying safe.

How can you tell that you are getting too close to wildlife? If the animal stares at you, moves away from you (even just a few steps), or behaves aggressively toward you, then you should back away until that behavior stops. Also, it is illegal to feed wildlife in a national park.


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Visitors often confuse bighorn sheep with mountain goats. Goats are white with black noses and short black horns, and are usually seen high up on rocky ledges. Bighorn sheep are brown, with white rump patches and brown horns. They are usually seen by roadsides and grazing on grasses close to rocky outcrops. You'll never forget the difference after you watch this Parks Canada music video, "GOat Sheep GOat".

thumbnail|The Bow River trail
 - Sulphur Mountain Trail

- Tunnel Mountain Trail

- Fenland Trail

- Marsh Loop

- Bow River Trail

thumbnail|Hoodoos in the winter
 - Hoodoo Trail

- Sunshine Meadows

- Lake Minnewanka Loop

- Bow Valley Parkway

- Banff Springs Golf Course

- Mount Norquay Road

### Events and festivals


section: Buy

text: Enjoy strolling alongside locals and world-travellers as you discover a cosmopolitan collection of galleries, boutiques and cafés. Shops range from internationally recognized clothiers or independently-owned establishments to Canada's oldest department store. A recommended way to experience the highlights is to start on Banff Avenue at the Cascade Plaza mall, do a quick circuit of the shops there, then head down Banff Avenue towards the Bow River. This is the retail, cafe, and restaurant heart of Banff. Once you get near the river, turn around and head back on the other side of Banff Avenue to complete the Banff shopping loop.


section: Eat

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thumb|400px|Banff Avenue

Banff is an exciting place to visit on all fronts, and the palate is not excluded. There are pubs, fast-food, fine dining, steakhouses (this is Alberta, after all!), traditional fare from around the world, and candy shops.

Banff can be an expensive place to dine as it is a tourist destination.

*Alcoholic beverages:* Visitors to Banff can sometimes be perplexed by Alberta's liquor laws. The legal drinking age in Alberta is 18. A restaurant that does not serve alcohol can admit diners of all ages. However, some restaurants that serve alcohol may be required to bar anyone under 18 from entering — even if they are just going to use the toilet. A second type of liquor licence allows both adults and minors to enter. To further confuse things, the same restaurant may be allowed to accept diners of all ages at certain times, but be open only to ages 18+ at other times of the day (usually evenings). All establishments that serve alcoholic beverages are legally required to have a food menu as well.

In a hotel, guests cannot take their unfinished alcoholic drinks from the hotel restaurant to their hotel room.

These are not rules imposed by management; they are legal requirements, and the business could forfeit their liquor licence if they are caught breaking them. Similarly, younger drinkers may have to show proof of age before they are served. Again, the business could lose their liquor licence if they are found serving under-aged patrons, so they need to be very careful.

### Budget

 - Chaya

 - Nesters Market

 - IGA

 - Wild Flour Bakery

### Mid-range

thumbnail|Meal with a view, on the top of Sulphur Mountain
 - Balkan Restaurant

 - Magpie and Stump

 - The Meatball Pizza & Pasta

 - Seoul Country Korean Restaurant

 - Rose and Crown

 - Vistas Dining Room

### Splurge

 - Grizzly House

 - The Keg Steakhouse and Lounge - Caribou Lodge

 - The Keg Steakhouse and Lounge - Downtown

 - The Maple Leaf

 - Saltlik Steakhouse

 - Eden

 - Chucks Steakhouse

 - Three Ravens Restaurant and Wine Bar

### Desserts & sweets

Every tourist destination has stores that specialize in tempting visitors with sweet delights.
 - Beaver Tails

 - Cows Ice Cream

 - The Fudgery

 - Mountain Chocolates

 - Welch's Chocolate Shop


section: Drink

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Banff has a large variety of places to sit and enjoy a drink whether it is après ski or a patio.

Most of the pubs have live music, both open mike and hired bands. Dancing is definitely encouraged!

 - St. James Gate

 - Wild Bill's Legendary Saloon

 - Rose and Crown

 - Elk and Oarsman

 - High Rollers

 - The Beaver

 - Pump and Tap Tavern

 - Dancing Sasquatch

 - Banff Avenue Brewery

 - Park Distillery


section: Sleep

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Being a national park, Banff has plenty of accommodation. However, book early, because places fill up quickly in winter and summer. To live in Banff, as opposed to being a perpetual tourist, residents must have a business in town. If you have access to a car, another often cheaper alternative is to stay in Canmore and drive to the ski resorts or into Banff.

Most hotels are along Banff Avenue or on Tunnel Mountain Road.

### Budget

thumbnail|[[Northern lights]] over Banff
 - Banff Ptarmigan Inn

 - Banff International Hostel

 - YWCA Banff Hotel

 - HI-Banff Alpine Centre

 - King Edward Hotel

 - SameSun Backpacker Lodge

 - Tunnel Mountain Campgrounds

 - The Dorothy Motel

### Mid-range

 - Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa

 - Banff Inn

 - Banff Rocky Mountain Resort

 - Best Western Plus Siding 29 Lodge

 - Fox Hotel & Suites

 - Hidden Ridge Resort

 - Hotel Canoe & Suites

### Splurge

thumb|Banff Springs Hotel
 - Banff Springs Hotel

 - Rimrock Resort Hotel


section: Connect

text: All phone numbers must be preceded by a local area code. The area codes 403 and 587 are used for Banff & Lake Louise and most of Southern Alberta. If you see a Banff phone number without an area code, use the older area code, 403.


section: Stay safe

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thumbnail|You may encounter bears, although the risk is much smaller than it used to be
Banff has a lot of **wildlife** roaming in and around the town. Be careful of elk and deer when driving in the town. The most dangerous wildlife in Banff National Park are not bears or cougars, but elk. In spring, female (cow) elk are very protective of their offspring and will charge anyone who they consider a threat. In the fall, male (bull) elk are rutting and very aggressive. Cow elk weigh roughly 230 kg (507 lb), while bull elk weigh about 320 kg (705 lbs). Both sexes are capable of seriously injuring a person, and rutting males have also damaged cars.

Thirty years ago, **bears** used to be quite common within the town but conservation efforts have largely fixed this problem. Garbage and litter within the town must be discarded into bear-proof containers. In Banff National Park it is illegal to feed any wildlife, and both stupid and illegal to feed bears. "A fed bear is a dead bear": bears who learn to associate humans with food engage in behaviours that are threatening to humans and ultimately fatal to the bear.

**Avalanches** are a risk in winter. This risk is not limited to people engaging in activities like cross-country (Nordic) skiing, skiing off piste, ice climbing, or snowmobiling. The winter of 2013-2014 was particularly tragic in Banff National Park because four people were killed by an avalanche when snowshoeing and two people were killed by an avalanche when sledding. None of them had any avalanche gear with them.

Learn to identify avalanche hazards. An avalanche slope has enough of a slope to it that you can ski or sled down, but is not so steep that it won't hold snow. If you're not familiar with how to spot avalanche risks and you want to engage in outdoor activities like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or even sledding, check with Parks Canada staff or the Canadian Avalanche Centre for more information.

Be alert to your surroundings. Not all cliffs or other unsafe areas are marked with signs or blocked off by railings. Some travellers disregard railings and warning signs of unsafe terrain, when they exist, because they are keen on getting a closer look or taking photographs. Even if the risk is not obvious to you, it's best to assume that someone put up the barriers and safety messages for a good reason.

### Emergency contacts

Ambulance/Police/Fire: 9-1-1.
 - Banff Mineral Springs Hospital


section: Go next

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If you are staying in the Banff and Lake Louise area and don't mind the slightly longer drive, you may also consider the **Kicking Horse Ski resort** just over the border in Golden, British Columbia west of Yoho National Park, Banff's sister park and Canada's second protected area.
 **Drive along highway 1A** west of Banff.
 **Johnston Canyon** hiking.
 **Bow Falls** is close to the Banff townsite.
 **Peyto Lake**, in Banff National Park, is 40 km north of the town on the Icefields Parkway.
 Jasper National Park — even more magnificent Rockies landscapes and hiking trails.
 **Calgary** — the largest city in the province, world famous for its Stampede and an access point to many of the region's national parks.
 **Edmonton** — set in a beautiful river valley park system, Edmonton is a great place to experience live theatre and music.