Is Banff worth visiting?
Yes, Banff is worth visiting for a number of reasons. This is a town that everyone should explore, and we loved our time here. We first visited in 2017 and have returned several times. During our time here, we fell in love with its quaint downtown and stunning natural beauty.
Whether you're a traveling as a family, a couple, or a backpacker, this town has a lot to offer. Any local will tell you what makes it special is the amazing skiing and fantastic hiking.
Banff is a popular ski town in the heart of Banff National Park. It's surrounded by the Canadian Rockies and has a charming downtown. The town offers easy access to three different ski resorts and is near many spectacular hiking trails. During the summer visitors enjoy the natural setting, wildlife spotting, and adventure activities while during the winter it's a famous ski destination.
Moraine Lake, Banff National Park
5 Reasons to Visit Banff
1. Skiing
The town makes a great base for experiencing the three nearby ski resorts: Banff Sunshine, The Lake Louise Ski Resort, and Mt Norquay. You can purchase a SkiBig3 Lift Ticket and experience the area's best skiing. There's a long ski season and a stunning setting within the Canadian Rockies.
2. Hiking
The town is set within Banff National Park, and is surrounded by world class hiking. There are more than 1,000 miles of trails that wander alongside rivers, lead to waterfalls, or climb mountain peaks. You may also see local wildlife.
3. Food
The downtown has bistros, taverns, and many casual eateries. For a more fine dining experience, you can go to one of the luxury hotels, which have nice dining areas. Throughout town you'll find classic Canadian food like poutine, as well as pizza and bar food.
4. Nightlife
It's a great town for partying and it's compact and easy to barhop if you want. For the town's size, you'll find a huge number of bars and breweries to choose from, and there's always something going on.
5. Shopping
There are tons of downtown shops that sell local items, art, sports gear, or clothing.
Related
What is Banff most famous for?
Banff is most famous for its stunning beauty, pristine nature, and nearby lakes. The town is very popular for its skiing and hiking. It's also known for food and nightlife. And many travelers come for the shopping, as well. It is often described as scenic, outdoorsy, sporty, and adventurous.
What is the most famous sight in Banff?
The most popular sight in Banff is Lake Louise. You can see prices and costs for this and other sights in Banff on our travel costs page.
Or, see tickets, activities, and tours for Lake Louise and other attractions here.
How touristy is Banff? Is it a popular town to visit?
Banff is a popular town for tourists and travelers. Here are some of the most popular activities and tours. (Prices in US Dollars)
- Canmore: Wilderness & Wildlife Walking Tour - 2hrs: $67
- Icefields Parkway & Ice Bubbles of Abraham Lake Adventure: $191
- Moraine Lake and Lake Louise tour from Canmore or Banff: $114
- Experience Moraine & Lake Louise from Calgary, Canmore and Banff: $132
- Moraine Lake & Lake Louise Sunset & Wildlife Adventure: $165
- Johnston Canyon Frozen Waterfalls & Banff Backroads Wildlife Tour: $82
- Guided E-Bike Tour of Canmore: $91
- Canmore: Lost Towns and Untold Stories Hiking Tour - 3hrs: $66
How long should I spend in Banff?
The ideal length of time for a trip to Banff is two to five days. Since Banff has a variety of activities such as skiing and hiking, most people need this much time to see and do everything here.
If you have a specific amount of time for your trip, see our advice about how much time to spend here: Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Banff?, Should I spend 3, 4, or 5 days in Banff?, and Should I spend 1 or 2 weeks in Banff?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
Expert Advice from Local Travelers
We're asking our community members and registered users to contribute their experiences about Banff.
What makes Banff a budget-friendly destination? Or not?
We spent more than we had planned to while we were in town, but it was still worth it. Some of the restaurants are pretty expensive.
How can you save money during your time in Banff?
There are actually a couple of hostels in town so we stayed at one. It was convenient to everything and pretty social, which was nice.
What was your favorite thing about Banff?
We loved Banff! It's this idyllic town that's surrounded by absolutely stunning beauty. We were there in the summer and there were so many hiking trails!
We love the local atmosphere and natural beauty of Banff. It really is second to none!
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