Banff travel guide
Banff Tourism | Banff Guide
You're Going to Love Banff
With a population of 7,502, Banff is a must-see destination in Alberta, Canada. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Banff deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Activities & attractions in Banff
Tours
Where to Eat in Banff
If you’re looking for affordable options, Sleeping Buffalo (700 Tunnel Mountain Road) and Fairmont Banff Springs – Special Events (405 Spray Avenue) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Chimney Corner (1 Sunshine Access RoadPO Box 1510 Stn Main) and Earls Kitchen + Bar - Banff (299 Banff Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Banff.
When to visit Banff
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Banff in July, when the average temperature is 15 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as -13 °C, with an average temperature of -9 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 68 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Banff, with an average rainfall of 17 mm.
How to Get to Banff
Plane
Although Banff doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Calgary Airport (YYC), which is located 67 miles from Banff. Calgary Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Air France, Avianca and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest domestic flight to Banff departs from Vancouver and takes around 1h 25m.
Car
Another option to get to Banff is to pick up a car rental from Calgary, which is about 66 miles from Banff. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Thrifty, among others, in Calgary.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Banff, including Rider Express, Red Arrow and Ebus. From Edmonton, the bus ride to Banff takes 165 miles and will cost you around C$ 41. From Kelowna, the ticket costs about C$ 278 for a journey of 550 miles. The most popular bus station is Banff Banff, Ab, located 0.5 miles from downtown Banff. Banff Red-Carpet Inn is also a commonly used station, and is 0.4 miles from the city centre.
Airlines serving Banff
Where to stay in Banff
If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hi Banff Alpine Centre and Homestead Inn Banff.
Where to stay in popular areas of Banff
Most booked hotels in Banff
Renting a car in Banff
Renting a car in Banff costs C$ 86 per day, on average, or C$ 173 if you want to rent it for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Avis and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Banff is the Avis branch at 317 Banff Avenue, which is 0 miles from the downtown.
You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 12% more expensive than at Calgary.
Expect to pay C$ 1.96 per litre in Banff (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 23.46 and C$ 31.28. The most frequently booked car type in Banff is Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Kia Rio or similar) are, on average, 48% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.