Banff National Park is one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever been, so much so that we’ve visited for the past two years. Here’s what we’ve learned about having an incredible experience with small kids.
Free Flights from Tulsa to Calgary
We booked five round-trip flights on American Airlines for 16,500 miles each. We earned those miles with the Citi AAdvantagePlatinum Select World Elite Mastercard, which currently offers a 50,000-mile welcome bonus after meeting the spending requirements.
One of the best ways to earn more AA miles is by booking hotels through aadvantagehotels.com. It allows you to earn thousands of points on hotel stays you’d normally book anyway. For example, we booked two nights at the Kinzie Hotel in Chicago through that website and earned 9,500 AAdvantage miles from the stay.
If you’re paying for flights, keep an eye out for sales. We’ve seen fares (from our area) drop below $300 at times, while the normal price is around $600.
Stay in Canmore
Canmore, a town just a 15–20 minute drive south of Banff, is a great base for exploring the area. It has fantastic restaurants and bars, such as Tank310 and Bridgette Bar (both of which offer great happy hour specials on drinks and pizza). Kain Tayo is another highly rated restaurant with a good happy hour.
For wildlife spotting, drive around the outskirts of Canmore at dawn and dusk. We’ve seen bears and elk along the edges of town during these times.
Go During Shoulder Season
Visit in early October, at the tail end of the tourist season. Snow usually starts falling in mid-to-late October, and major attractions like the Columbia Icefield Adventure shut down around early-to-mid October. In 2025, the final date for this experience is October 14th (weather-dependent), so be sure to check exact dates if this is on your list.
If you want to save even more money and see snow, consider visiting in mid-to-late October, when lodging prices are about half of what they are during peak summer season.
Save With a Pursuit Pass
You can save up to 40% on popular attractions by purchasing a Pursuit Pass from BanffJasperCollection.com. The pass covers seven attractions, most of which operate from May to October. However, the Banff Gondola and Open Top Touring are available year-round.
The Banff Gondola takes you to the top of Sulphur Mountain, where you can enjoy breathtaking views of six different mountain ranges. For families, one child rides free for each paying adult. At the summit, there’s a scenic boardwalk, a restaurant, and spots selling hot chocolate and coffee, which were favorites for our kids.
We also loved the Columbia Icefield Adventure, where you get to explore the Athabasca Glacier on foot after riding a massive Ice Explorer vehicle onto the glacier itself. Kids under five are free, and the experience includes access to the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, which offers incredible views (and makes for great family photos).
Incredible Hiking Trails
Banff is packed with amazing hiking trails, and the AllTrails app is great for finding ones that match your ability level.
We did the Grassi Lakes Trail, a loop at the edge of Canmore, with our kids. We recommend taking the lower route on the way up and the upper route on the way back. The lower route is steeper and sometimes has running water, making it slippery when descending. We learned that the hard way!
The trails around Moraine Lake and Lake Louise are also must-dos. We especially loved Moraine Lake for its stunning turquoise water and dramatic mountain backdrop. Keep in mind that you’ll need to book a shuttle to Moraine Lake in advance, but last-minute passes are sometimes available the day before (which is how we got ours).
At Lake Louise, be sure to stop by the Fairmont Hotel’s coffee shop for some hot chocolate before exploring the area.
Pro tip: Many Airbnbs in Canmore include a Banff National Park pass and often have bear spray available for guests. We didn’t check before our first trip and ended up buying bear spray, only to find several cans already provided in our rental.
Visit Banff Town, but Be Ready for Paid Parking
The town of Banff is absolutely worth exploring, with lots of charming shops and great restaurants. However, expect to pay for parking, as free spots are limited. Even Canmore has started charging for parking in most areas.
For families with picky eaters, Banff even has a McDonald’s in the center of town, just in case your kids refuse to eat anything other than chicken nuggets.
Other Tips
- Dress in layers as 40–50°F temperatures feel surprisingly warm when you’re hiking.
- Don’t spend too much time in Calgary, get to the mountains as soon as possible.
- Take the scenic 1A route from Calgary to Canmore for stunning views.
- Use Advance Declarations to speed up your time through Canadian customs.
- Get Global Entry to breeze through U.S. customs (many travel credit cards will reimburse the fee).
So fun!!! This is on my bucket list!