Since 2013, Flytographer has captured millions of vacation photos all around the globe and know our customers have the best travel tips to share! Explore their favourite things to do in Banff, best restaurants in Banff, and general travel tips to get fresh inspiration and start planning your trip to Banff.
Hello Sunshine! Great quality sushi and the servers were very knowledgable.
Lake Louise hike - its so magical, even in the winter. A visit to the Sulfur Hot Springs.
If you are arriving from another time zone, on the first night - be sure to take your kids to a busy pub to keep them awake and possibly sleep in. Stay in town so you can walk to the restaurants. The local IGA has "to-go" sandwiches and charcuterie which are perfect to take on a hike or the ski hills.
Visited Banff in March
Photo Shoot Location: Fairmont Banff Springs
Hiking at the Johnston Canyon and visiting Lake Minnewanka after a fresh snowfall.
Be spontaneous!
The hot springs, walking around the town, Lake Minnewanka
Favorite restaurant was in Canmore: Tank 310
Johnston Canyon hike was our favorite, and Emerald Lake, Lake Louise and Two Jack Lake.
Rose and Crown! On Wednesday and Thursday they have free pool, so we took advantage of that with the kids during lunch time. Employees said that the evenings get really busy (it is the oldest bar in Banff-circa 1985), but lunch was very chill. The food was amazing and the four of us had a great time playing pool!
Hiking! But that goes without saying. We did 5 pin bowling at the Fairmont which was such a fun experience (and they have Canmore Brewing Company Soda there-YUM!). The bowling alley also has free pool and foosball in the back room for when you are done bowling and the best smelling pizza! The kids loved the Banff Trading Post and we went there two times. They have authentic Indigenous handicrafts there (and have for almost 120 years!) and unexpectedly, a Merman! I won't explain this here-there are really no words for it, you'll just have to see it yourself! Lake Minnewanka is where we had our photos taken. Bring extra clothes so you can change after the photoshoot and spend some time hiking and enjoying the sites there. We spent a couple hours just hanging around the lake after the photoshoot. We stayed in Canmore, which is about 20 minutes from downtown Banff, and next time we visit would do the same thing. Canmore is gorgeous, very chill and has great restaurants and hiking.
Curb your expectations! After 3 days of hiking, the kids' legs were worn out (and they have hiked around the world!). While I would have continued to hike each day, we changed plans and did the 5 pin bowling at Fairmont, pool at Rose & Crown and Elevation Place. In Canmore there is Elevation Place that you can buy a day pass for the pool (lazy river, hot tub, pool with basketball hoop, laps, and a waterslide). We added $10 a person to rent shoes and a harness for rock climbing, which was such a highlight! Overall we paid about $55 US for this pass and did it for two different days. This was such a highlight for the kids (and us!). It kept us active, but in a different way than hiking. We stayed at Blackstone Lodge (Canmore) in a two bedroom/two bathroom apartment. Fully stocked kitchen, and grills outside to use for the yummy Alberta Beef you can buy at the grocery store down the road. Very clean, great staff, and the room was bigger than our first house, which was so nice for everyone to relax after our long days out. Blackstone also comes with a washer and dryer, and they provide Tide and Bounce!
Tim Hortons!
Hike and plan early. Emerald Lake is a great place to canoe.
UNA had great pizza and appetizers. If the wait is too long, order for pick up. Brazen was a great brunch.
Flytographer and boat tour of Lake Minnewanka.
Definitely book a Flytographer shoot! The tour of Lake Minnewanka was so peaceful and relaxing. Use the Roam transportation to get around.
Bluebird, because we celebrated our anniversary there and the atmosphere and food was fantastic. The view is perfect at sunset as well!
Canoeing on Lake Louise, the Lake Louise trail hike up to the lake, exploring downtown Banff, sunset on Lake Vermillion, visiting Peyto and Moraine Lake, Larch Valley hike, Tunnel Mountain hike.
Make sure you get your shuttle tickets beforehand so you don’t miss out on some awesome sights and adventures and make reservations at one of the many awesome restaurants in downtown Banff with a good sunset view! Anything else you do rather hiking or exploring will be the best adventure.
Crazy Weed! The food and atmosphere was great!
Visiting Lake Moraine! Big Bee Hive Hike
Have fun!
Visited Banff in August
Photo Shoot Location: Cascade of Time Gardens
Lake Minnewanka, Banff Ave
Plan ahead and research to make the most of your trip
We loved Park in downtown Banff and Blake’s in Canamore!
Lake Louise was the best, we loved lake moraine, Johnston canyon, sulpher mountain and the gondola, Icefields tour, and grassi lakes!
Book in advance!
Our favorite restaurant was Nourish- amazing, creative vegetarian options and the service was wonderful.
We loved The Tunnel Mountain Trail Hike, the Johnston Canyon Lower Falls Hike and of course Morrain Lake and Lake Louise. The Art In Nature trail was also really fun and the tour at the Cave & Basin Monument was very informative.
Plan ahead, keep your itinerary realistic and don't overdo it. Also, pack lots of layers, snacks and water to keep everyone ready for weather, happy & hydrated.
For breakfast, you must try Bare Bistro. Limited items but they are all super delicious. We also enjoyed Roaring Rolls and Anejo in downtown Banff.
Do not skip out on Via Ferratta at Mt. Norquay!!
Bluebird is a wonderful restaurant in the heart of downtown Banff. The ambiance inside is cozy and elegant and it makes a great date night. The food was delicious and the cocktails were creative
Hiking to the tea house at Lake Louise because it was such an adventure and a challenge.
Book a bus to Morraine Lake prior to your trip.
Bison was an amazing restaurant, and Farm and Fire was a great little brunch spot!
Meadow Spa at the Moose Hotel was a really relaxing experience - they have a hot tub on a balcony with wonderful views of the mountains.
Lake Louise is a must, but be sure to arrive between 6:30-7:30 to experience it without the crowds, and to even snag a canoe (first come first serve). Also check out the Nordic Spa in Kananaskis! If you’re not a massage person, you can get a day pass to just use the hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms. It’s a very relaxing experience to share with your partner!
All the lakes!
Downtown Banff is super cute! We liked everywhere we ate. Definitely try poutine at Banff Ave brewing. We love Chucks Steakhouse! We got the surf and turf platter to share and it was amazing. The staff is awesome and we had great conversations with them. Brazen was also great! Great ambiance, food and drinks, but they did kick us out 10 minutes after close.
The skywalk and banff gondola were terrifyingly great. I didn't think I was scare of heights until I rode up on the gondola, but it is worth it! I loved Bow River Pedestrian bridge. I wish I would have jumped in the river when I had the chance! I would definitely go canoeing next time I go back. If you're looking to hang out in downtown banff, banff ave brewing has a beer flight option. There are tons of cool things to do around Banff.
Grizzly Paw Brewery in Canmore!
The Gondola, hot springs, and shopping downtown!
The Block. Incredible food and service.
The cruise on a Lake Winnewanka was a must. Lake Louise. Peyto Lake was my favorite.
Sky Bistro was our favorite restaurant. Have to buy tickets to Banff Gondola and I would recommend making a reservation but it was one of the best dining experiences we have ever had!!
Johnston Canyon hike—beautiful waterfalls and great for kids!!
Loved the Bison Restaurant! The food was amazing😍
We went for snowboarding, and recommend Lake Louise🙌🏻
Book a photo shoot with Darine💖
Chuck's steakhouse - very pricy but the absloute best service and steakhouse in town! Save room for the caramel cheesecake!!
High tea at the Fairmont Banff Springs - you get to sip tea and view some of the most majestic mountains and feel like royalty for the afternoon!
We stayed at the lodge of Kananaskis and all the food at the hotel was amazing and very kid friendly
We love to explore any beautiful mountain scenery and take in a few hikes, my dog loves water so naturally we ended up at Wedge pond in Kananaskis. The water park and indoor/outdoor hot tub is always a must as well at the Lodge in Kananaskis as well.
Pack snacks, dress for colder weather than you think it will be. Let them explore, through rocks and be kids !!
I was quite surprised at the amazing food options in Banff; I can’t just choose one place. Park Distillery has some really delicious food as well as liquors (per my husband). The Sensory in Canmore is also worth trying; it’s pricy but quite the experience.
My favorite part of the trip was driving the Icefields Parkway. There are so many picturesque pull offs to capture on film or to hike and explore. I highly recommend the Columbia Icefield Adventure where you can tour the Athabasca Glacier. Also, whether you stay in Canmore or Banff, both towns have their own hidden beauties worth exploring.
While I wasn’t able to do a lot of really physical activities (I was 32 weeks pregnant), there was still plenty of gorgeous walkable sites to see and things to do.
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