← BANFF TRAVEL GUIDE🏔️
NORTH AMERICA · CANADA
The 6 Best Things to Do in Banff
Turquoise lakes, glaciers, and Rocky Mountain peaks
Banff is the Canadian Rockies at their most jaw-dropping — glacier-fed lakes in unreal turquoise, snow-capped peaks, wildlife, and a cozy mountain town at the center of it all.
BEST TIME
June–September (and December–March for skiing)
TYPICAL BUDGET
$1,300–$2,800 per person for a week
6 best things to do in Banff
1
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
3
Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain
6
Wildlife spotting (elk, bears)
How to fit it into a day
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
Spend the morning on the highlight, then in the afternoon or evening: icefields parkway drive.
See it laid out day by day: the 4-day Banff itinerary →
LOCAL TIP
Moraine Lake needs a shuttle or pre-dawn arrival — private cars are restricted.
Turn this list into a real trip
ShowUp builds a personalized Banff plan around these — real hotels, restaurants, and live prices, booked piece by piece, with one honest all-in total. Free.
Build my Banff trip — free →Banff itineraries by length
Things to do elsewhere