Most Amazing 3 Days in Banff Itinerary for Summer Travel
The first time I visited Banff, I didn’t like it. I was doing a cross-country drive during the height of summer and the town was crowded and everything felt inaccessible and expensive. The main road through the park is a highway and if you go unprepared, it can feel more like a drive through the mountains than a visit to one of the best National Parks in Canada.
Luckily, since that bad first impression, I’ve been able to spend more time in Banff. On one visit, I spent three days in Banff and got off that main highway to some of the most beautiful mountain scenery I’ve ever seen. Mountains feature pretty heavily in most of my vacations. I grew up in southern Ontario which really has a deficit of mountains so I find myself drawn to them now.
This three-day itinerary features some of Banff’s most famous sights including Johnston Canyon (probably my favourite hike in Alberta!) as well as Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. There are also copious amounts of mountain views and glacial rivers.
This itinerary can easily be combined with a trip to nearby National Parks like Yoho, Jasper, or Kootenay if you are spending more than 3 days in Banff National Park. Before you head out, make sure to check out Banff’s seasonal closures and restrictions page, even if you go in the summer as popular sights can be restricted for construction or other reasons.
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Where to Stay in Banff
When visiting Banff National Park, you have three main places you can stay: Lake Louise, Banff, or Canmore. Banff is going to be your most central location to stay at for this itinerary. While Canmore isn’t located inside the park, it’s close enough to be within a reasonable driving distance and can be cheaper. I stayed in Canmore for this itinerary and it worked quite well. Getting a campsite in Banff can be quite difficult as many of the more popular spots are taken as soon as the sites are released.
Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge– Located in Canmore, this hotel is in a great location for exploring Banff from. It has great views of the mountains and nice rooms.
Banff Rocky Mountain Resort– I stayed here and liked how it was in a quiet area of Banff. It isn’t very close to the centre of town but it’s very affordable and there are nice rooms as well as a pool and fitness centre. You do have to drive into Banff for food as it isn’t walking distance, but I would definitely stay again here.
Red Carpet Inn– I stayed here on a trip to Banff and loved how it was only a 5 minute walk to the centre of town. It’s very convenient for going out for breakfast or dinner and reasonably priced for its location. The room are nice and comfortable.
Fairmont Banff Springs– Located right next to the Bow Falls set in the forest, the Fairmont in Banff is styled after a Scottish castle and has a heated outdoor pool. This luxury 5-star hotel is conveniently located just outside of Banff so you will be close to everything.
Fairmont Château Lake Louise– This iconic hotel is located right on the shores of Lake Louise. If you are looking for a more luxurious stay, this is where I would splurge. If you stay here, you will get to enjoy the lake when all the day-trippers have left for the day. This is probably the best view you can get from a hotel room in Banff.
Getting from Calgary to Banff
By Car The best way to visit Calgary is by car. It will give you the most flexibility in your visit. Even if you have to make use of some of the shuttle buses to get between places within Banff, a car is worth it. It will allow you to do some of the scenic drives mentioned here and stop as often as you want for photos.
Rental cars do get booked up in the summer so make sure you book your car well in advance. I use Discover Cars to find and compare car rental prices.
By Bus If you are traveling without a car, there are options to get from Calgary to Banff. The cheapest is by On It bus service.
Keep in mind that for Banff National Park, there is an entrance free. The pass does cover adjacent parks including Yoho and Jasper if you are visiting more than one park on your trip. You can buy the ticket at the gate or to skip waiting in line, you can purchase your Banff entrance ticket in advance here.
Getting Around Banff
Depending on the season you visit, you may have to use shuttle buses. Many of the popular sights have limited parking so if the lot is full, the only way to visit is by bus. Especially for the lakes of Banff like Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, parking lots do become full.
Shuttle buses for Moraine Lake and Lake Louise require a reservation in advance. You can find information for the shuttle bus pick up location and schedules here. Last-minute reservations aren’t accepted, you only have until 4 hours before the shuttle time you want to make a reservation. If you miss out on tickets, they release “last-minute” tickets 2 days before the scheduled departure at 6am local time.
If you aren’t making use of a car or if you are worried about parking, you can also use the local buses to get to popular sights. Check out Roam Transit for schedules and routes around Banff. Roam Transit also covers Canmore to Banff routes.
Another option to get to the popular sights including the lakes and Johnston Canyon is to join a hop on hop off bus tour.
Where to Eat in Banff
While it’s convenient to head to a restaurant for breakfast and dinner, I recommend packing a lunch to take with you. Most of the time, you will be far away from a lunch place in the middle of the day. Banff and Canmore both have grocery stores and Subway restaurants where you can grab cheap sandwiches for your day out.
Tooloulou’s– This Cajun restaurant serves up an amazing breakfast. It’s probably my favourite breakfast place in Canada and I visit every time I’m in Banff. They do not disappoint, I particularly am a fan of their french toast and omelettes but everything on the menu is delicious. The interior is very cozy and welcoming and the prices are quite reasonable.
Bear Street Tavern– This casual pizza place in Banff serves up seriously delicious pizzas. They have vegan options as well and it’s very affordable. They have local Alberta and British Columbia beers and ciders on the menu.
Banff Itinerary for 3 Days
With three days in Banff National Park, you will have plenty of time to see all the top sights of the park including the lakes it is known for and lots of gorgeous mountain views.
I’ve only listed the main points of interest for the day but there are many viewpoints and smaller points of interest you may want to pull over to get a photo or to look around. While you can move the days of this itinerary around, it is set up to be the best use of time if you are driving to and from Calgary.
Even though it’s tempting to head straight to the lakes, I highly recommend keeping the lakes on day two of this itinerary if you are arriving from Calgary. Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are the furthest points driving from Calgary and their popularity means you may experience crowds and potential difficulty in getting parking.
Before you head out, make sure to check for any trail or road closures here to avoid disappointment.
If you have four days in Banff, there are plenty of longer hikes that you can spend a day at or you may want to consider joining a white water rafting tour. There are tours that can take you rafting in the Kananaskis.
Day 1: Around Banff Town
On your first day in Banff, explore sites close to Banff town. I haven’t included it specifically as a stop but the town itself is a cute little town, albeit quite touristy. There are plenty of shops here to pick up the perfect souvenir or to do some window shopping. The sights of today can be done in any order as they are all quite near to the town.
Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon is my favourite easy hike in Banff and probably one of the most scenic. It’s a very popular spot so I would head there as early as possible to get parking. I have a post on visiting Johnston Canyon for all the details on the hike and more photo inspiration.
The hike takes you along boardwalks that go through a gorge. Along the way you will see several waterfalls and beautiful teal coloured water. The scenery here is gorgeous the entire length of the trail.
There are two main waterfalls here, the lower falls and upper falls. Many people stop hiking at the lower falls, but I recommend continuing on until the upper falls. It takes about 2 hours round trip to the upper falls at Johnston Canyon. If you want to continue on to the Ink Pots (small lakes), add on another 2 hours of hiking.
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
Cave and Basin National Historic Site is located just outside of the main town area of Banff. It’s the location of a hot spring that was discovered by railway workers in 1883. It was this discovery that helped Banff become Canada’s first National Park.
While you can’t bath in the water, you can check out the thermal pool and the short hike around the Marsh Loop gives you views over the Vermilion Lakes and offers the chance for birding. On the hike, you may even see small streams of water that leave behind sulphur residue on the ground from the hot springs. If you have time in your schedule, head to Banff Upper Hot Springs after your day of exploring the park to relax in the thermal pools.
Scenic Drive on Vermilion Lakes Drive
After a visit to Cave and Basin, drive over to the Vermilion Lakes. There is a scenic road here, Vermilion Lakes Road, that gives you gorgeous views of the lakes and Mount Rundle. The road is only 4.3 km long but there are plenty of spots to pull over so you can get out and walk along the lakeside. On my visit, I was lucky enough to spot a bald eagle in one of the trees here.
View Banff from the top of Mount Norquay
For probably the best free views over Banff, drive up Mount Norquay. It’s close to the Vermilion Lakes Drive, you just head straight up Mount Norquay road. And by straight up I mean, there are plenty of switchbacks so it’s slow driving, but the views payoff. There’s a viewpoint up near the top with a large grassy area and chairs to sit it. Worth the drive up for the views over the town and Mount Rundle.
Hoodoos Viewpoint
After visiting Mount Norquay, make a quick stop at the hoodoos viewpoint, just on the edge of Banff Town. Depending on how early you started your day, you may have time to do one of the shorter hikes here that take about an hour. I would plan on just making this a quick viewing stop so you have time to fit in the rest of the day’s activities. These hoodoos aren’t quite as impressive as the hoodoos you can find elsewhere in Alberta at Drumheller, but still quite a scenic stop.
Lake Minnewanka
End your first day in Banff by driving to Lake Minnewanka. At 21km long, this massive lake is one of the longest lakes in the Canadian Rockies. While Lake Minnewanka doesn’t have the same colouring as Lake Louise, this glacial lake is still beautiful.
Set amid the mountains, Lake Minnewanka is popular for divers as dams caused the water level of the lake to rise, submerging a village. It’s a really peaceful drive to the lake and a lot calmer than some of the other popular lakes in Banff.
Day 2: Lakes of Banff
On your second day in Banff, you’re going to want to wake up early. The lakes of Banff are some of the most popular spots and parking lots can fill up very quickly. If you are going in peak times during summer or not getting there early, you will likely need a shuttle bus reservation.
Scenic Drive on Bow Valley Parkway
Either on your way to or from the lakes, I recommend driving one way on the Bow Valley Parkway. This less busy road gives some spectacular viewpoints in the park. My favourites are the view of Castle Mountain (Miistukskoowa) and Morant’s Curve. Morant’s Curve is a fantastic photography spot in Banff where you get a view of mountains in the background and train tracks curving around the Bow River. There are parking lots at these viewpoints so keep an eye out for those on your drive.
You will have driven part of the way on this road to get to Johnston Canyon on Day 1 but it is past there that the views get really beautiful. As it is a slower road, there is also a reasonable chance of spotting some wildlife like black or grizzly bears.
Moraine Lake
Moraine Lake should be either your first or last stop to try and beat the crowds. Try to arrive before 9 am or after 5 pm if you can. It’s very close to Lake Louise but up a winding mountain road. While Lake Louise used to be the lake to visit, Lake Moraine has gained a lot of popularity online. It’s even known as ‘Reddit Lake’ for how often a photo of Lake Moraine is posted there.
The road to Moraine Lake is closed for the winter and is open from mid-May till October. You are only allowed to drive up if there is parking still available. The drive up by itself is full of gorgeous mountain views. The parking lot here is not very large so it can easily become packed with cars which is why you may not want to chance it and just book a shuttle bus instead. Even as early as 5:30 am the lot can be full.
Moraine Lake is some of the tealest water I’ve seen and is beautifully set amid the Valley of Ten Peaks. When you visit, make sure to walk to the top of the rockpile for the best views of the lake. It’s also worth it to do a walk along the shore of the lake. There are some trails you can hike here as well but because of bears, there may be some restrictions.
The best time to visit Moraine Lake is from late June onwards when the ice has melted off of it and it’s at its fullest.
Lake Louise
After visiting Moraine Lake, head down to Lake Louise. Another spectacular alpine lake, Lake Louise also has beautiful turquoise waters. There is a large viewing platform here just at the edge of the lake that is usually quite busy. Lake Louise is easily accessible and a very popular spot for tour buses so you can expect crowds at almost all times here.
At Lake Louise, you may want to take the gondola up for scenic views or rent go canoeing on the lake.
There are a lot of trails in the area if you enjoy hiking. One of the most popular here is the Lake Agnes hike which takes you up forested trails and to Lake Agnes, where there is a tea house you can stop at for drinks and snacks. The hike features spectacular views over Lake Louise where you can really see how colourful the water is. It takes about 2-3 hours to do the hike and even in June, there can be slushy conditions. You can also add on a hike from Lake Agnes to the Little or Big Beehive if you are looking for a longer hike.
Scenic Drive on the Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway has been listed as one of the most spectacular drives in the world. Having driven just a small part of it, I agree, it’s absolutely stunning. The Icefields Parkway goes from Lake Louise up to Jasper National Park. While there isn’t time in this itinerary to drive the entire thing, Peyto Lake is on the Icefield Parkway so you have an excuse to explore just a bit of it. While driving it, I recommend a stop at Bow Lake to get views of the lake and Bow Glacier. Bow Lake can also have a beautiful emerald colour depending on the time of year you visit.
Peyto Lake
The final lake of the day is no less spectacular than Lake Louise or Moraine Lake. From Lake Louise, Peyto Lake is about a 40-minute drive up the Icefields Parkway. Peyto Lake is very easy to access. From the parking lot there is a very short hike to a viewing area for the lake. Rather than a turquoise colour, when I visited, Peyto Lake was a vibrant blue that looks almost unnatural. You can do a short hike here that takes you to the upper viewing platform at Peyto, this should take about 1 hour.
Day 3: The Kananaskis and Canmore
On your final day, spend some time outside of Banff. While Banff is a beautiful park, there are provincial parks adjacent to it that also have some really wonderful mountain scenery. One of the advantages is, no entry fee so all of the activities of today are free. There are also generally fewer people in the Kananaskis region. Even though there are only two activities for today, I assure you it’s a full day.
Grassi Lakes Hike
Start your day with a hike at Grassi Lakes. Grassi Lakes is located just outside of Canmore and it’s a spectacular easy hike.
The hike takes you up the mountainside and by a waterfall. You get fantastic views of the reservoir lake below as well as Ha Ling Peak across from you. At the end of the hike, you are rewarded with two small lakes. The lakes here are really more like pond size but they have beautiful clear-as-glass teal water. The area at the top is also popular with rock climbers. Budget about 1.5-2 hours for this hike.
Scenic Drive through the Kananaskis
After Grassi Lakes, you will already be on Highway 742. This scenic drive loops you from Highway 742 in Canmore, which is gravel, all the way to Hwy 40, which is asphalt. The loop ends at the TransCanada highway that will take you back to Calgary. The road on Highway 742 is quite rough and dusty with some washout areas, so you need to drive slowly.
The drive takes you between many mountains with tons of gorgeous scenery. You will pass by mountains like the Three Sisters, which is one of the most prominent you can see from Canmore and plenty of other mountains with striking features.
I’ve done this drive a few times and you will encounter few other vehicles. Make sure you have plenty of gas before doing this drive and watch out for wildlife. Each time I’ve done this drive I have encountered groups of bighorn sheep that take their time crossing. Ground squirrels are also quite common and they will suddenly dart across the road.
Rather than specific viewpoints, there are many places you are going to want to stop and take in the scenery. This area is frequented mostly by local Calgarians rather than international tourists so there are plenty of hidden gems in this area for hiking like Chester Lake.
The drive does take a long time so you may not have time to do any more hikes today but Highway 742 does have lots of places to pull over for quick stops.
When is the Best Time to Visit Banff
In general, if you can visit during the weekdays instead of the weekend, you will have a better experience at Banff. Lots of people do weekend trips from Calgary so it can get quite crowded at the top sights in the park.
The peak time (and therefore the busiest!) to visit Banff is July and August. Banff in summer is a very different experience than off-peak times. Summer is great for all of the hikes and sites being open though as there can be snow at high altitudes right into mid-June. Having been to Banff in August, the park gets seriously crowded. For places like Moraine Lake that feature heavily on people’s Banff bucket lists, you will likely need to take a shuttle bus to it.
A much better time to visit Banff is in the shoulder seasons. June or September are good months to visit Banff. There are fewer crowds, nice weather, and most sights are open, depending on the snowmelt.
Banff in Spring
I’ve been at the end of May and June and had very pleasant weather though some of the higher lakes, like Moraine, may still have a bit of ice on them. May and June are great months for spotting wildlife as the bears will be out and about you will likely see many while driving around.
Spring’s bear mating season at Banff does mean you need to be aware of bear safety precautions. Check for any hiking trail closures, especially around Lake Louise which has the highest number of breeding grizzly bears in the park.
Banff in Autumn
The fall is a great time to visit Banff if you want great weather for hiking and fewer crowds. Some trails will be better than others for viewing the fall colours. Outside of Banff in the Kananaskis, Chester Lake is a great hike to view autumn colours. October can start to get snow so make sure to pack accordingly.
Banff in Winter
This itinerary isn’t suitable for a winter visit to Banff. Some of the sights mentioned are closed during winter or because of ice, is a completely different experience. In the winter, Lake Louise for skating and Johnston Canyon for the iced-over waterfalls are popular spots.
Visiting Banff National Park
With only three days in Banff, you can see many of the park’s top sights. While this is a very packed three days, it is some of the most spectacular scenery Canada has and certainly will be a trip to remember. I love Banff and all of the mountain scenery it has to offer.
Banff is postcard-perfect and really is a bucket list item. Hopefully this three-day Banff itinerary has inspired you to travel to this amazing destination.
Wow you took some amazing shots. Moraine Lake looks beautiful! I didn’t know there was so much good hiking around Banff, a great post!
Thank you! Banff has so many fantastic hikes, I really only scratched the surface with what I have in this itinerary.
I wanted to go to Banff for ages and now am aching to be there even more! 🙂 Love this comprehensive guide, I’m definitely saving it for the future!! Moraine Lake looks unbelievable 🙂
Thanks! Hope you get a chance to visit Banff, it’s a great vacation 🙂
Wow Banff has been on my list for some time and I am saving this guide for later. I never knew there is so much to see. I only knew about 2-3 lakes.
Glad the guide is useful for you! A lot of people only know about a couple of the more famous lakes but there is definitely plenty to see there.
What incredible photos! I was planning to roadtrip across Canada this year with one of my friends (Hopefully that’s still possible if travel restrictions ease!). Banff was one of our top places that we wanted to visit but I hadn’t realised just how much there is to see and do there! We are planning to rent an RV when we finally get to Canada so perhaps it’s worth staying there a few days. Thanks for sharing this. Bookmarking for later!
Thank you! I’ve road tripped across Canada before and Banff, along with Yoho, were two of the highlights of the trip. I would definitely recommend staying a few days in Banff and perhaps add in Jasper as well!
Love Banff! I am actually driving through there next week to pick up my Fiance in Saskatoon and can’t wait to stop there again for part of the day. I missed Morraine Lake last time because of a family emergency so I am making sure to stop there first this time 🙂
I hope you got to see Moraine Lake on your trip through! I know it can be super busy but hopefully there are less people there right now.
Banff is one of my favorite places in the world. I went a few years ago, but would love to go back and do more hikes. I definitely want to see Johnston Canyon next time. 🙂
It’s so beautiful, I also want to return and do some more hiking. Hope you get a chance to visit Johnson Canyon, it’s one of my faves!
We were planning on Banff this summer, but with that out of the picture this year, I can’t wait to use this guide and plan a longer trip for next summer! I had no idea how much there was to do!
Banff definitely has plenty to do. I would even add in a couple days for Yoho and a couple days for Jasper. The region is just gorgeous. Hope you get a chance to visit next summer!
We loved Banff! Love you blog. Will use your info when we go back!
Glad you like the blog! Banff is wonderful
It’s hard to find the right words to describe this place! All the photos are so impressive and I am sure it’s even better in real! I hope to visit it one day!
It definitely is a difficult place to describe. The water is just such an unreal teal colour! It’s definitely better in real life, hope you get a chance to visit Banff in the future!
Banff is jusu picture postcard perfect isn’t it? The snowcapped mountains and glacial blue rivers are unsurpassed. Thank you for sharing all these wonderful places to explore. Grassi Lakes is now on my list.
It definitely is postcard perfect. Before visiting I thought that Lake Louise photos were exaggerated, but nope, it really is that pretty. Grassi Lakes is a great hike, glad I could introduce you to it.
Great itinerary for Banff! I would love to visit the area sometime in the future!
Thank you! Hope you get a chance to visit Banff, it really is beautiful.
Can this place even be anymore beautiful!??! Saving this guide for later for the next time I make it to Banff. This is a “visit again” kind of place.
I don’t think I could handle if it was more beautiful. As is I was already just gaping in awe as I kept saying wow. It’s definitely a visit again kind of place! There is always something else to discover there.
I loved your honesty! I’ve never visited Banff but it looks amazing, I’d like to see Johnson Canyon!
Thank you! It was totally my fault I didn’t like Banff the first time, I should have done some more research before visiting! Banff is gorgeous and Johnston Canyon is definitely one of my favourite parts of the park.
Wow, Canadian nature is so beautiful. Never been to Banff, but visited British Columbia last year and I fell in love with its nature. Even in the worst season – mid of January – it was incredibly beautiful and all green.
British Columbia is just on a whole different level! It’s just so green and lush. The rainforest of the West coast is a really nice contrast with the Rocky Mountains – and it’s all so beautiful!
Banff is one of my dream places to visit! The nature looks sooo incredible here!
I hope you get a chance to visit Banff! It’s definitely a dream vacation spot, I’m planning on visiting again!
Your photos are absolutely stunning!! I’d never heard of Banff before, but now I definitely want to visit! I love spending time in nature, so it would be perfect!
Thank you! It’s a great destination, I’m glad I could introduce Banff to you. Hope you get a chance to visit.
So far, Banff is the only national park in Canada that I have visited. BUT it seems like one of the best national parks not just in the country but in North America. There is just an endless amount of exploring to be done there.
There’s so much exploring to be done there! In three days in Banff you can barely just scratch the surface of all the amazing sights there. It’s definitely one of Canada’s top National Parks.
Beautiful photos! Banff is on. my bucket list of places to visit one day. Thank you for sharing your itinerary.
Glad you enjoyed the article! I hope you get a chance to visit Banff!
The place looks extremely beautiful. I can relate to your love for mountains as I too grew up far away from mountains and while planning every holiday, my first pick is a mountain destination.
Banff is gorgeous! Good to know I’m not the only mountain seeker out there.
I have been looking at multiple blogs as I would like to fly from New Brunswick to Calgary then rent a car to head to Banff. near the end of Summer. This is the best itinerary I have read so far. I really liked how you added the car rental, bus shuttle schedule etc. you didn’t miss any details. Much appreciated!
Hi Donna, thanks so much for your comment! I’m happy to hear that this Banff itinerary has been useful for you. Hope you have a wonderful trip this summer.