Three Days in Banff: A Practical Itinerary

Start Day 1 in the Banff townsite, the heart of Banff National Park and Canada's first national park. Begin at the Banff Avenue bridge for the classic view of Cascade Mountain at the end of the street. Walk Banff Avenue, the main street, and browse the shops, restaurants, and galleries. Visit the Banff Park Museum (93 Banff Avenue), a 1903 natural history museum and National Historic Site, for a look at the early days of the park. Walk to Central Park and along the Bow River to the Bow Falls, a short, wide waterfall on the Bow River, with a view of the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel on the hill above. After the townsite, drive or take the Roam transit bus to the Banff Gondola (100 Mountain Avenue), at the base of Sulphur Mountain, for a 8-minute gondola ride to the summit (2,281 metres), with a panoramic view of the Bow Valley and the surrounding peaks.

For lunch, eat in Banff townsite. Try the Park Distillery (219 Banff Avenue) for a distillery with great food and a patio, or the Eddie Burger Bar (137 Banff Avenue) for a casual burger bar. For a quick pick, grab a sandwich at the Wild Flour Bakery (211 Bear Street) and eat it in Central Park.

After the gondola, drive or take the Roam transit bus to Lake Minnewanka, Banff's largest lake, for a scenic drive along the lake and a boat cruise (May to October). Stop at Two Jack Lake, a smaller, quieter lake with a view of Mount Rundle, for a photo. On the way back, visit the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (107 Tunnel Mountain Drive), a world-class arts campus with galleries and walking trails. For a seasonal activity, in winter, visit the Banff Upper Hot Springs (1 Mountain Avenue) for a soak in the hot springs with a view of the valley — a classic Banff experience. In summer, rent a canoe at the Banff Canoe Club (159 Cave Avenue) and paddle the Bow River.

For dinner, eat in Banff townsite. For a classic Banff experience, try the Maple Leaf (137 Banff Avenue) for a Canadian steakhouse with game meats, or the Grizzly House (207 Banff Avenue) for a fondue restaurant in a historic building. For a mid-range pick, try the Balkan Restaurant (110 Banff Avenue) for Greek food, or the Keg Steakhouse (210 Banff Avenue) for a steakhouse. For a more affordable pick, try Melissa's MisSteak (219 Lynx Street) for a casual steakhouse, or the Tooloulou's (201 Banff Avenue) for Cajun food.

After dinner, walk Banff Avenue at night, when the shops and restaurants are lit and the mountains are dark. For a drink, try the Rose & Crown (203 Banff Avenue) for a classic Banff pub with live music, or the Park Distillery (219 Banff Avenue) for a distillery with a great bar. For a quieter end, walk to the Bow Falls and the grounds of the Fairmont Banff Springs, which are atmospheric at night.

Start Day 2 early at Lake Louise, the most iconic lake in the Canadian Rockies, 45 minutes from Banff. Arrive before 9 AM in summer to find parking, or take the shuttle. Walk the Lakeshore Trail (2 km, 1 hour) along the turquoise lake to the back of the valley, with a view of the Victoria Glacier. For a longer hike, take the Plain of Six Glaciers trail (10.6 km, 4 hours) to a historic tea house, or the Lake Agnes Tea House trail (7.6 km, 3 hours) to a tea house above the lake. In winter, skate on the frozen lake and walk the Ice Magic sculptures (January). After the lake, visit the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the iconic hotel on the shore, for a coffee and a view.

For lunch, eat at Lake Louise. Try the Fairview Bar and Restaurant (in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise) for a fine-dining pick with a view, or the Lake Louise Station Restaurant (200 Sentinel Road) for a mid-range pick. For a more affordable pick, grab a sandwich at the Laggan's Mountain Bakery (111 Village Road) and eat it by the lake.

After Lake Louise, drive 15 minutes to Moraine Lake, one of the most photographed lakes in Canada, with the Valley of the Ten Peaks behind it. Moraine Lake is accessed by shuttle or personal vehicle with a reservation (parking is limited and fills by sunrise in summer) — book ahead. Walk the Rockpile Trail (0.8 km, 15 minutes) to the top of the moraine for the iconic view. For a longer hike, take the Lakeshore Trail (2.9 km, 1 hour) along the lake. After Moraine Lake, drive back to Banff via the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A), a scenic alternative to the Trans-Canada Highway, with wildlife viewing (look for elk and bears) and pull-offs. Stop at Johnston Canyon (30 km from Banff) for a walk through the canyon on suspended walkways, to the Lower Falls (1.1 km, 30 minutes) and the Upper Falls (2.7 km, 1 hour).

For dinner, eat at Lake Louise or back in Banff. For a classic Lake Louise experience, try the Fairview Bar and Restaurant (in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise) for a fine-dining pick with a view. For a mid-range pick, try the Lake Louise Station Restaurant (200 Sentinel Road) for a restaurant in a historic train station. For a more affordable pick, try the Laggan's Mountain Bakery (111 Village Road) for a casual bakery and café, or head back to Banff for the restaurants on Day 1.

After dinner, walk the lakeshore at Lake Louise at dusk, when the crowds are thinner and the mountains are lit by the last light. For a drink, try the Glacier Saloon (in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise) for a classic hotel bar, or the Lake Louise Inn (210 Village Road) for a casual bar. For a quieter end, drive back to Banff on the Bow Valley Parkway at dusk, when wildlife is most active — drive slowly and watch for elk, deer, and bears.

Start Day 3 on the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in the world, 230 km from Lake Louise to Jasper. For a day trip, drive as far as the Columbia Icefield (130 km from Lake Louise) and back. Stop at Bow Lake (30 km from Lake Louise) for a view of the Wapta Icefield, and Peyto Lake (40 km from Lake Louise) for the iconic view of the wolf-head-shaped lake from the Bow Summit. Continue to the Mistaya Canyon (70 km from Lake Louise) for a short walk to a narrow canyon, and the Saskatchewan River Crossing (80 km from Lake Louise) for a view of the river and the peaks. At the Columbia Icefield, visit the Columbia Icefield Centre and take the Ice Explorer tour (a 6-wheel-drive vehicle onto the Athabasca Glacier) or walk the Glacier Skywalk (a glass-floored walkway 280 metres above the valley).

For lunch, eat on the Icefields Parkway or back in Banff. For a classic pick, try the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge (on the Parkway, 60 km from Lake Louise) for a historic lodge restaurant with a view of Bow Lake. For a more affordable pick, pack a lunch and eat at a picnic area on the Parkway, or head back to Banff for the Eddie Burger Bar (137 Banff Avenue).

After the Icefields Parkway, drive back to Banff for a final afternoon in the townsite. Visit the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies (111 Bear Street) for the art and history of the Rockies, or the Luxton Museum (1 Lynx Street) for the history of the Stoney Nakoda people. For a seasonal activity, in winter, ski at Mount Norquay (15 minutes from Banff), Sunshine Village (20 minutes), or Lake Louise Ski Resort (45 minutes). In summer, hike Tunnel Mountain (2.8 km, 1 hour) for a view of the townsite, or soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs. For a relaxing pick, visit the Banff Springs Golf Course (Fairmont Banff Springs) for a round of golf on a Stanley Thompson course.

For dinner, eat in Banff for a final night. For a classic Banff experience, try the Maple Leaf (137 Banff Avenue) for a Canadian steakhouse, or the Grizzly House (207 Banff Avenue) for a fondue restaurant. For a mid-range pick, try the Balkan Restaurant (110 Banff Avenue) for Greek food, or the Tooloulou's (201 Banff Avenue) for Cajun food. For a more affordable pick, try Melissa's MisSteak (219 Lynx Street) for a casual steakhouse.

After dinner, end the night with a walk along the Bow River or a final drink at the Rose & Crown (203 Banff Avenue) for a classic Banff pub. For a quieter end, walk to the Bow Falls and the grounds of the Fairmont Banff Springs, which are atmospheric at night, and then head back to your hotel.