went to banff 2 years ago in July for a rushed 3 days, saw the major sites, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake Lookout, Bow Falls, Johnston Canyon, Lake Minnewanka, Emerald Lake, Columbia Icefields, Norquay Lookout.

I have a couple days to burn going to Edmonton from Calgary so figured i should take the scenic route and maybe see some fall colours. I am arriving calgary Friday morning so i have friday late morning/early afternoon by the time i hit the banff area. I'm staying in Banff that night then staying in Jasper Saturday night, sunday night i have to be in Edmonton,

so yeah it's rushed.

But wondering if there is something i missed the first time i really should do this time around.

My wife and I are heading to Canmore later this week and we plan to do lots of day hikes. It’s not a fishing trip, but I was wondering… are there many smaller streams with trout that we might pass along the way? I don’t think I’ll have luggage space or time to bring my 5wt and fish the Bow River, but I’m curious if you all think it would be worth it to pack my little 3wt to bring on hikes with me.

Thanks!

Travelling later this September and really keen to hike the sentinel pass though from what I can see this is only possible if you are lucky to grab shuttle tickets - I’ve done a few practise runs with no luck, so I wanted a plan B if possible if I am unsuccessful getting the tickets.

Apologies if asked before, I have tried to search this forum with no luck.

Appreciate any advice as first time to Canada.

We’re planning our first family trip to Banff December 11–20, staying at the Moose Hotel. We normally make an annual pilgrimage to Whistler for a winter/ski trip, but with the El Niño forecast and concerns about early-season snow at Whistler, we decided to try Banff this year instead.

We’re hoping mid-December in Banff gives us a pretty good chance of actual snowy winter vibes and some skiing, but I’m curious what regular visitors think. If conditions aren’t great yet, is there still enough to do in and around Banff with a 7-year-old to make a 10-day trip worthwhile?

We’re definitely not a “ski from first chair to last chair every day” family. We love the whole mountain-resort experience — snow, cozy hotels, wandering around town, good restaurants, sleigh rides, skating, tubing, hot chocolate, etc. Our daughter will probably do ski school for at least a few days, but we’re perfectly happy mixing skiing with other winter activities.

Would you keep the Banff trip and just be flexible about conditions, or is December 11–20 early enough that you’d consider pivoting somewhere else if snow looks questionable?

And any favorite December/Christmas activities with a 7-year-old would be very welcome!

Hey all, we are looking to book the 8x bus to Lake Louise, and when we fill in the reservation the journey out there is fine but the way back for the same day is all fully booked? Would they really sell a return ticket but have no slots available for the return journey? Would you just be left there lol

Wondering if I am just reading the website wrong

My girlfriend and I are visiting Banff and it happens to fall on her birthday. She has celiac, so I’m wondering what’re the best restaurants with gluten free options? Farm and fire has decent options, but we’re already staying at Elk + Avenue. After countless Google searches, I still can’t find anything decent…

I just had the most harrowing shuttle booking experience. I clicked reserve at exactly 8 am and was elated to see I'd scored shuttle seats. I'm then directed to sign in before checkout. After a buggy checkout experience I find that my cart is now empty. Of course all the slots are now taken.

My last-ditch effort was to spam the reserve button at 8:20 when my cart (and possibly others) expired, which thankfully worked. But this is a truly heinous bug which they need to fix.

Hey everyone!

I’m a guy from Toronto and I’ll be travelling to Banff from October 7-10. This will be my first time visiting Banff, and I’m travelling solo.

I really enjoy hiking and would love to explore places like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Johnston Canyon, Tunnel Mountain, and potentially some other trails depending on the weather and trail conditions.

Since it’s my first time hiking in the Rockies, I’m honestly not very comfortable doing longer hikes completely alone, especially with wildlife and changing October weather. So I’m looking for a travel/hiking buddy or a small group that will be in Banff around the same dates.

A little about me:

• Male, travelling from Toronto
• In Banff Oct 7-10
• First Banff/Rockies trip
• Enjoy hiking, sightseeing and photography
• Beginner/intermediate hiker, not looking for anything extremely technical
• Happy to join an existing group or plan a couple of hikes together

If you're also travelling solo, visiting Banff during those dates, or have a group that wouldn’t mind another person joining, feel free to DM me.

We can chat first and meet somewhere public in Banff before deciding on any hikes.

Also happy to hear any recommendations for good October hikes for a first-time visitor!

Thanks!

Hi everyone! 👋🏻
My friend and I are planning a trip from Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027, and we’re deciding to spend the holidays in banff

We’re based in Toronto and would fly to Calgary and rent a car if we choose Banff.

What we’re mainly looking for is a trip with lots of activities and things to do throughout the week — not just sightseeing, eating and relaxing. We’re interested in skiing/snowboarding, Lake Louise, skating, Johnston Canyon Icewalk, dog sledding, snowshoeing, gondola, hot springs, etc.

We’re also curious about New Year’s Eve in Banff. We don’t necessarily need a huge party, but we’d love to have some kind of NYE celebration, countdown, fireworks/entertainment, or festive atmosphere if there is one.

For anyone who’s been to Banff around Dec 26–Jan 2:

Is there enough to do for a full 7 days without getting bored?

Are most winter activities open during this period?
How is Banff on New Year’s Eve? Is there a good atmosphere/celebration?

Are there usually fireworks or some kind of countdown event?

How difficult is driving around Banff/Lake Louise in late December?

What activities would you absolutely recommend?

We’re really looking for adventure, activities, beautiful scenery, and a memorable holiday, rather than nightlife.

Would love to hear your honest opinions!