Justifiably one of the most popular places in Banff NP, Johnston Canyon is a great family friendly trail that takes you through a scenic canyon with river and multiple waterfalls.

It's beautiful and accessible year round, but we particularly love it in the winter when the waterfalls freeze over! Johnston Canyon trail is 5.5 km out and back and the elevation gain is almost 300 meters.

PS: This is a busy spot, come early to get a parking spot.

The best easy spot to view and photograph Castle mountain.

There's a pullout along the road that you can park to, then continue down to the river. There are gates, but they aren't locked or restricted.

There’s probably no need to introduce Lake Louise, as it’s one of the most iconic lakes in the world and a MUST SEE if you're visiting Canadian Rockies for the first time.

In the summer, the lake has vibrant turquoise waters and it's an amazing spot for photography (especially at sunrise), hiking or canoeing. Winter means it transforms into a winter wonderland perfect for ice skating, snowshoeing, and skiing at the nearby resort. We particularly love the shoulder season between summer and winter when the lake hasn’t frozen yet, but everything around it is covered by snow and it's usually a lot quieter too.

Due to its popularity, parking can be challenging, especially during the summer. You'll either have to arrive super early or late in the day or consider using Parks Canada Shuttle.

Some amazing trails that start at Lake Louise:
- Lake Agnes (+ tea house)
- Little Beehive or Big Beehive
- Devil's Thumb
- Plain of Six Glaciers (+ tea house)
- Saddleback Pass

Baker Creek By Basecamp is a cozy mountain resort that feels incredibly tucked away, yet it’s only a short distance from some of the top locations in Banff National Park.

The resort offers stunning private wooden cabins with fireplaces as well as lodge rooms on a beautiful property surrounded by mountains and river. It’s a place to truly unwind, hang out around the fire, play board games and soak in all the views that this property has to offer. We'd recommend it to anyone who wants to stay somewhere peaceful and quiet.

Lake Louise Ski Resort is the Canadian Rockies biggest ski resort and boasts an incredible amount of vast and varied terrain for all. Plus the views are absolultely breathtaking.

Snow tubing is one of the most fun winter activities in Banff outside of skiing and the tube park at Mt Norquay has the longest snow tubing lanes in Alberta. Just make sure to pre-purchase your tickest as the tubing sessions are limited in capacity.

Baker Creek By Basecamp is a cozy mountain resort that feels incredibly tucked away, yet it’s only a short distance from some of the top locations in Banff National Park.

The resort offers stunning private wooden cabins with fireplaces as well as lodge rooms on a beautiful property surrounded by mountains and river. It’s a place to truly unwind, hang out around the fire, play board games and soak in all the views that this property has to offer. We'd recommend it to anyone who wants to stay somewhere peaceful and quiet.

Bow Lake is another stunning lake and highlight of the Icefields Parkway (we'd say in top 3 stops with Peyto Lake and Columbia Icefield).

There are many photo opportunities and you can spot lots of wildflowers around the lake in the summer. This is also a starting point for some great trails in the area - like Bow Glacier Falls or Jimmy Simpson Jr.

We've been visiting and photographing Peyto Lake for years (even watched one of the best auroras here) and it's one of those spots that truly never gets old.

While it is a touristy spot, it's an absolute must see along the Icefields Parkway. There is a short trail leading to the main viewing platform, but if you want to get a more peaceful experience, there is another less visited viewpoint with a big rock located around 500 meters further southwest from the main one.

The Banff Gondola is a must do activity if it's your first time in Canadian Rockies. Yes, it's touristy but it provides absolutely amazing 360° views of the town of Banff and surrounding mountains from the top of Sulphur Mountain.

It runs year round and from mid-November to end of March, you can experience Nightrise which is an after dark multimedia experience at the top. Note that the daily spots are limited, so make sure to do your booking in advance.

Parking can be challenging during the summer months, but you can take a bus from downtown for free if you show your gondola ticket.

PS: If you feel like not spending on gondola tickets and hiking to the top instead, it's possible! Sulphur Mountain trail is very well maintained year round and goes up through switchbacks. It's a 10.8 km out-and-back with around 750 meters of elevation gain.

Banff Upper Hot Springs is the highest operating hot spring pool in Canada.

Even though it's just one pool and it usually gets quite busy, it's still a super nice thing to do after a long hike or day out skiing in Banff, especially with its location just 4 km outside of the downtown and a quite affordable price.

Note that entry to Banff Upper Hot Springs is first come, first served. The parking lot is same as for the gondola and it gets full during the summer, so you might have to take a bus form downtown.