Cheap
Moraine Lake
A glacier-fed lake below the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Reached by shuttle or licensed bus only. Park pass required.
Canadian Rockies, Alberta
Banff
A mountain town inside Canada's first national park: glacier-fed turquoise lakes, canyon walks, hot springs and the Icefields Parkway starting just up the road.
Photo: Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Tobias Alt, Tobi 87, CC BY-SA 4.0
Canada's first national park started in 1885 around the Cave and Basin hot springs. Today the town of Banff sits in the Bow Valley, ringed by peaks, with Banff Avenue pointing straight at Cascade Mountain.
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are about 45 minutes west. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles, so take the Parks Canada shuttle or a licensed bus. Everyone stopping in the park needs a park pass. Then go and find a turquoise lake.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Cheap
Lake Louise
The famous turquoise lake below Victoria Glacier, with a lakeshore trail and teahouse hikes.
Cheap
Johnston Canyon
Catwalks bolted to canyon walls lead to the Lower and Upper Falls.
Cheap
Bow Falls and Bow River trail
A short walk from town to wide falls below the Fairmont Banff Springs.
Cheap
Vermilion Lakes
Wetland lakes just outside town with reflections of Mount Rundle.
Cheap
Icefields Parkway
The highway north toward Jasper, past glaciers, lakes and lookouts. Park pass required.
Paid
Banff Gondola
A gondola up Sulphur Mountain to boardwalks along the ridge.
Paid
Lake Minnewanka cruise
A boat tour on the largest lake in the park.
Season Runs roughly early May–mid-Oct (check before you go).
Paid
Banff Upper Hot Springs
A hot pool on Sulphur Mountain with mountain views, run by Parks Canada.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Banff Avenue
The town's main street of shops and restaurants, with Cascade Mountain at the end.
Cheap
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
The hot springs where Canada's national parks began.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Parks Canada shuttle to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake
Reserved seats on the park shuttle.
Season Lake Louise from mid-May, Moraine Lake from June 1, both to mid-Oct (check before you go).
Columbia Icefield Adventure
Ice Explorer ride onto the Athabasca Glacier, on the Icefields Parkway.
Season Runs roughly May–mid-Oct (check before you go).
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Banff Gondola Experience
- Lake Minnewanka cruise Cruise
- Banff Upper Hot Springs Tickets
Part of our Canadian Rockies guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Johnston Canyon each deserve a morning.
- Seeing sunrise at the lakes means sleeping close by.
- The Icefields Parkway toward Jasper is one of the world's great drives, so give it a whole day.
Nearby and worth the drive
Lake Louiseabout 45 min
Canmoreabout 20 min · Guide ↗The turquoise lake below Victoria Glacier.
A mountain town with trails and a quieter base.
Ready-made trips with Banff
Good to know
- Park pass: Required: Parks Canada: Banff.
- Moraine Lake and Lake Louise: Parks Canada shuttle reservations open in spring; Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles.
- Tourism: banfflakelouise.com.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Tobias Alt, Tobi 87, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Lake Louise from above, Banff National Park, Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Falls in Johnston Canyon, DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bow Falls, DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0