The town of Banff, Alberta has got to to be one of the cutest resort towns I have ever been to. Home to tons of shops, restaurants, scenic viewpoints, and the perfect home base for exploring Banff National Park. It’s located right off of the Trans-Canada Highway and is an easy hour and a half drive from Calgary. If Banff isn’t on your bucket list, it should be! Here’s how to spend a day in Banff, Alberta!
Ride the Banff Gondola
Taking a ride up the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain is a picture-perfect way to start your day! I’d recommend reserving a time as early in the morning as you can (click here for their seasonal hours). The earlier you go, it will be less crowded and far more enjoyable! I visited about an hour after it opened and was able to have entire gondola to myself – no sharing with strangers! Grab a coffee at the Starbucks at the base, and make your way to the loading area for your 8 minute ride. Once at the top, there is a restaurant, scenic overlook, gift shop, and boardwalk trail for the best views. Pro tip- book your tickets in advance to save money!
Read More: 6 Ways to Save Money in Banff National Park
Walk Banff Avenue
Banff Avenue is the heart of the town of Banff. After your gondola ride, make your way back into town and stroll up and down the car-free street. The street offers head-on views of Cascade Mountain (pictured above) and enough stores to shop-till-you-drop. My favorite was Roots, which was kind of like a Canadian Patagonia. I’ve seen them pop up in other cities in Canada, and always make a stop in. They have gear and clothing that are location-specific, that you cannot find online. It makes for a great, practical (and non-tacky) souvenir. Plus, the exchange rate makes for good deals!
Lunch
For lunch, I stopped at The Eddie Burger Bar. It was a low-key, easy stop and didn’t take a ton of time away from exploring. Since I was traveling solo, I was able to walk in and get a seat at the bar right away. Otherwise it would have been a wait, but nothing too crazy. It was a perfectly casual place to hang for a bit and fuel up. Plus, the prices were on point! Tip: get the kid’s size burger if you’re not starving. It’s plenty big in itself!
Walk the Bridges
In the town of Banff, there are two bridges that cross over the Bow River. The Banff Pedestrian Bridge and the Bow River Bridge. Both offer fantastic views of the river and town and are not to be missed. It’s easy to walk over both, and even while they are so close, they are pretty different. I preferred spending time on the Banff Pedestrian Bridge. It was just slightly out of town and was a little quieter. There was no traffic or bicyclists I had to look out for and it was a nice moment of “zen” during the day.
Bow River Trail
Connecting the two bridges is a section of the Bow River Trail. The entire trail is about 1 kilometer, so it’s easy to squeeze into even the busiest of days. Walking alongside the river was very peaceful and a great way to “get out of town” while still being – in town. As an added bonus, there are public restrooms just off the trail that, not to be dramatic, saved my life when I was in a pinch. They were large, clean, and really came in clutch!
Cow’s Ice Cream
Arguably the highlight of my day in Banff? An ice cream cone from Cows! This Canadian ice cream chain is predominantly found in the eastern providences of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. However, it has made appearances in resort towns across Canada. Expect a line out the door, but the wait is sOoOo worth it. I had such a tough time choosing between their homemade flavors but ultimately landed on a mix of Wowie Cowie and Moo Crunch in a fresh waffle cone. To die for! Do yourself a favor and get a container of Moo Chips to go!
Norquay Overlook
Just outside of the town of Banff, across the TCH is the Mount Norquay Lookout. To get to the viewpoint, you’ll drive up Mount Norquay towards the ski resort. There is a small parking lot and a huge grassy area to explore and take in the view from. Here, you’ll be able to see the entire town of Banff, the Trans Canada Highway, the Bow Valley, and Rundle Mountain. Right before I got arrived, the group that was there before me saw a black bear sighting so be alert! I can’t think of a better place to watch a sunset and end great end to your day in Banff!
Read More- Visiting Banff in May: Pros and Cons
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