Banff with kids and maybe grandparents
What’s actually easy (and what’s not)
Epic scenery. Charming towns. Great restaurants. So many ways to enjoy the views without hiking.
Open-top cars. Boats. Specialized glacier vehicles. Gondolas. Accessible skywalks. Hot springs.
See the scenery, skip the long hikes. Of course, if you want to hike, there are plenty of options from short, easy hikes to long hikes with elevation, which means if your group likes different things, you can find something everyone will be excited about.
The scenery
You may think you are in Switzerland or Scandinavia, but these kinds of turquoise, breathtaking glacial lakes with snow-covered mountains are closer than you think.
Lake Louise may be the most famous (and with good reason), but there are so many more, including Lake Moraine, Emerald Lake, Maligne Lake, Medicine Lake, and the list goes on. There are endless opportunities to see stunning scenery, and most of it doesn’t require hiking, making it perfect for younger kids and grandparents alike.
Most have flat paths around the lake for easy strolls. Many have options for lakeside dining. Several offer boat tours (some need to be reserved in advance), and on others, you can rent a canoe.
The activities
If you like to hike or walk, there’s no shortage of ways to spend your days in the Canadian Rockies. But there’s so much to do besides hiking. There are open-top cars where you can look at some of the best scenery with your head not just out the window, but out the roof! You also get some creative storytelling about the history of Banff from your entertaining and informative guides.
Views from the lakes? There are boat tours available on Lake Maligne and Lake Minnewanka. Rent a canoe at Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, or Moraine Lake.
Want to get the view from the top of the mountains? That’s easy too. Both Banff and Jasper have gondolas that take you to the top for those really epic views with no hiking boots required.
My all-time favorite activity here is walking on the Columbia Icefield. You can do a guided hike or take one of the specialized vehicles that are designed to take you right on the icefields. After your ride, take an easy walk on the stroller-friendly Skywalk, where you can stand on a suspended glass platform over 900 feet above the rugged and massive glaciers. And the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper is an amazing drive with countless scenic stops that you can take at your own pace.
Ready to just relax? Have an amazing dinner on a patio with mountain views. Or step up your relaxation and visit the hot springs in Banff or Jasper. Soak in natural warm waters surrounded by stunning scenery.
There’s no shortage of things to do here or ways to experience the beauty of the Canadian Rockies.
The towns
Unlike some US mountain parks, which largely shut down in the winter (think, Glacier), Banff and the Canadian Rockies are a year-round destination with charming towns and winter skiing.
Banff is the largest town and is actually in the National Park. It’s a destination in and of itself. It has the most amenities, a range of hotels, and a great restaurant scene, but also tends to be the most crowded and most expensive. There are a handful of hotels right around Lake Louise, including the famous Fairmont Lake Louise, but not much else to do there besides soak up the gorgeous views after the crowds have left. If it’s out of your budget, you can always have lunch or a drink at their Lakeview Lounge restaurant with an amazing view.
Canmore is about 20 minutes south of Banff. It’s smaller, quieter, and adds a bit of daily driving, but also very charming, picturesque, and still has some great dining options.
The town of Jasper is also right in the National Park. It’s a much smaller, more laid-back town with a more rustic mountain vibe than its more upscale neighbor. But you’ll still find some nice places to stay and dine.
The logistics
I absolutely love this destination for multi-generational families, and anyone who likes beautiful scenery, but it’s become an increasingly difficult trip to plan.
You can’t drive to Moraine Lake unless you stay at Moraine Lake Lodge (which requires reservations very far in advance in peak season). You can drive to Lake Louise, but parking fills up quickly, sometimes as early as 5 am in peak season. Probably hard to rally a multi-generational group for a 4 am departure (depending on where you are staying, but it’s about 45 minutes from Banff).
There are shuttles through Parks Canada and ROAM, but they are complicated to navigate, and tickets can sell out in minutes, so you have to know exactly when they are released and be online, hitting refresh the moment at the exact time, and you still aren’t guaranteed to get them.
If that all sounds overwhelming and stressful, there are other options. There are tour operators and many tours act more as a transfer, giving you several hours at a destination or even up to 5 hours if you want to hike at Lake Louise or Lake Moraine.
Why it’s a perfect multi-generational trip
While the pictures speak for themselves, there are so many things that set this destination apart for families of all ages. It’s convenient to a major airport, Calgary (definitely not true of many national parks).
On the scale of relaxed to adventurous, you can have it all. With so many options for different tours and activities originating from Banff, it’s easy for everyone to do what they want, and still so many things that will easily appeal to everyone. Who doesn’t want to see some wildlife like this guy in Jasper?
Need help planning?
From gondola rides to glacier views, Banff is made for unforgettable family adventures. Let’s start planning your trip to the Canadian Rockies. Contact us!
