Overview

Banff not only lays claim to one of the most gorgeous settings for Alberta towns, but also can profess to be one of the oldest mountain towns in the Northern Rockies. Canada's transcontinental railroad founded the town to lure the eastern gentry to the mountains in the 1880s. Banff soon became the place to soak in hot pools while soaking up the scenery of the spectacular Canadian Rockies.

The town of Banff, which sits inside Banff National Park, crams its several blocks beneath towering slabs of rock. Canada's first national park surrounds the town with lush forests, mountain lakes, and wildflower meadows. Spires and peaks swathed in blue glaciers covered with snow add drama. Those just driving through may glimpse grizzly bears and bighorn sheep; those staying a while to enjoy the park will revel in wildlife.  

The Banff Townsite hops in summer with tourists and sometimes elk walking right in town. Accommodations range from barebones hostels and campgrounds to sumptuous historic lodges. Town restaurants boast an ethnicity that surpasses some of the most diverse cities in the world. The townsite attracts hoards of visitors for its cultural events, shopping, dining, and nightlife along with golf, gondola rides, and the hot springs.

Sunshine Village, which sits outside town, runs its gondola up to the ski slopes where the lifts operate well into May for bikini- and shorts-clad skiers. Once the snows melt and wildflowers take over the meadows, hikers hop a bus to the village area to walk to lakes strewn along the top of the Continental Divide.

Lake Louise, located 32 miles from Banff, is a smaller twin, with only a few hotels and restaurants. The cloudy blue-green water of its namesake lake reflects the ice-crusted Mt. Victoria and the storybook Chateau Lake Louise. Plan to hike to one of the tea houses and take a gondola ride at Lake Louise Ski Area to see the sights.

Some visitors prefer to stay in Canmore, a small town just east of the national park. It provides a less hectic ambiance compared to Banff's bustle, but the last decade has brought on a boom in building hotels and lodges. Canmore is the  gateway for exploring the Kananaskis, a far less-traveled, but equally gorgeous section of the Rockies.

The real reason to visit Banff isn't so much the towns as the park itself. Banff National Park, the world's third largest national park, stretches a monstrous 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 square miles). But don't be intimidated by its immense proportions. You can find a guide here for anything: heli-tours, rock climbing, hiking, horseback riding, caving, whitewater rafting, and float trips. Or if you have the skills, strike out on your own.

Getting here is easy, for Calgary has an international airport 1.5 hours away by car on the uncrowded, four-lane Trans Canada Highway (#1). Shuttles depart frequently from the airport. Rent a car at the airport or in the Banff Townsite, and you'll be on your way to an adventure.