3 Day Banff National Park Itinerary

Planning a trip to Banff? Keep reading for inside tips, must-see sites, and local recommendations!

Getting to Banff

To get to Banff, you must fly into Calgary Airport, rent a car, and drive about two hours west to the national park. Once you arrive at the border of the park, you will be required to pay a fee to get in depending on how many days you are visiting. Renting a car is the best way to travel within the park as there is limited public transportation in the area.

Where to Stay

We stayed at the Rimrock Hotel which is located on the mountains. We upgraded our room to a Mountain View suite and it was worth it! Each morning we woke up to an unbelievable view of the evergreen trees and the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Day One: Banff

Morning: Sulphur Mountain

Early Sunday morning, we began our drive to Banff national park. On our drive, we enjoyed seeing wildlife, mountain peaks, and natural creeks. We arrived to Banff in the late morning and started our Banff trip visiting Sulphur Mountain. To get to the mountain top, you can either hike up which takes about 2-3 hours or you can purchase a ticket for the Banff Gondola. I highly recommend purchasing tickets for the gondola in advance. The ride is about 8 minutes long and is soooo serene. We were in awe of the 365 views of the Rockies. When we reached the top of the mountains, we spent a few hours walking around, taking pictures, and admiring the view.

Afternoon: Sky Bistro

We made lunch reservations at Sky Bistro which is located on top of Sulphur Mountain. Reservations are often difficult to get here so book plan ahead! While dining, we enjoyed breathtaking views of the snow covered mountain tops, locally brewed beer, and delicious food! The building also has an observation deck that you can visit— we only spent a few minutes here because it was so cold!! Check out my previous post what to pack for a trip to Banff! After spending a few hours on top of the mountain, we took the gondola back down. We had it all to ourselves — it was magical.

Evening: Eden Resturaunt

Our hotel, the Rimrock, was located right next to the Sulphur Mountain so we checked into our stunning Mountain View room and had some hot chocolate while enjoying the view. For dinner, we made reservations at Eden restaurant, an award winning spot located right in our hotel. They offered a 3 or 6 course tasting menu featuring authentic Canadian cuisine. Anup and I both agreed, it was some of the best food we had ever eaten! And that was day one!

Day Two: Lake Louise

Morning: Lake Louise

On day two we woke up early and drove out about 45 minutes to visit the iconic Lake Louise. The drive was filled with snow covered mountains and glacier water creeks. Parking is very limited at the lakes because it is so popular so many people use the shuttle service to transfer between the lakes. Luckily we got a spot in the very small lot and paid at the meter. If you are visiting Alberta for the first time Lake Louise is a must! The lake is massive and a beautiful teal/blue color. It is perched right beneath the Rocky Mountains — it was unreal. We decided to walk along the path around the lake— this took about 50 minutes since we kept stopping to take pictures. After our walk, we had lunch reservations at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Lakeview Lounge which just as the name suggests faced the lake. We were surprisingly tired from our walk so it was nice to relax and just enjoy the beautiful view. The food here was just as amazing — Beets, Rhubarb & Goat Cheese Salad, Spicy Crab & Cheese Fondue, Chili Prawn Spaghettini, and Homemade Bison Ravioli.

Afternoon: Lake Morraine

Afterwards, we visited Lake Morraine which was about a 25 minute drive from Lake Louise. There is a shuttle you can purchase that includes a fare for both lakes. When we arrived it was pouring rain but luckily were we prepared and were able to enjoy the lake. As with Lake Louise, here you could rent a canoe for two hours and explore more of the lake.

Evening: Banff Town

In the evening, we explored Banff Town. My favorite thing to do in any new place is walk around the town and visit all the little shops. The town is so special because it's surrounded by huge mountains. We had dinner at Kegs Steakhouse, a casual steakhouse right in the town that was recommended by a local. Obviously we got steaks and they were so juicy and flavorful! We ended the night with drinks at the Fairmont Banff Hotel, also known as Banff Castle.

Day Three: Lake Minnewanka Loop

On our final day before heading back to the airport to go home, we did the Lake Minnewanka Loop. This path loops around three major lakes: Lake Minnewanka, Two Jacks Lake, and Johnson Lake. Each lake was so distinct from another so it is worth visiting them all! On our way from the lakes, we even saw a rainbow in the mountains which was the perfect way to end our trip!

While we were able to pack so much into three day, it wasn't enough to see everything that this beautiful park has to offer! If you're staying longer, you may want to visit other places like the Banff Spring, Johnston Canyon, Bow River, or The Cave and Basin National Historic Site! Thank you so much for following along my Banff content on my blog and on my socials!