So you’re planning a trip to the Bow Valley to visit Banff National Park, climb some mountains, hit the slopes and explore the foodie scene?! Sweet! You’re probably wondering which mountain town is the best spot for you to call homebase during your trip. Should you stay in energetic downtown Banff, it’s quaint and quiet neighbouring Canmore or deeper into the National Park, in Lake Louise?
Whether you’re travelling as a family, a corporate retreat or party-seeking adventurers, this post will help you choose which town to set up camp during your trip. In this article, we break down each of the three towns, their highlights, and for whom we recommend them. We hope this is valuable for you and that you have an incredible time in the Bow Valley, wherever you choose to stay!
Canmore
Known for its unmistakable and ragged rocky summits such as Three Sisters and Ha Ling Peak, Canmore is a charming mountain town with a vibrant dining scene. Just minutes from the Banff National Park gates and less than 30-minutes from downtown Banff, Canmore shares a border with Kananaskis country and can be reached from Calgary’s city limits in just an hour.
Highlights
Calmness: A little extra distance from the ski hills and Banff’s most popular tourist destinations makes all the difference in preserving Canmore’s quiet, charming and homey atmosphere.
Dining: For a small town, Canmore’s foodie scene is eclectic and impressive. It also has a homely, local vibe in contrast to the more tourist-focused dining scene of Banff. Crazy Weed, The Iron Goat, Communitea Cafe, Rocky Mountain Flatbread and Tapas are among local favorites and some of the best dining experiences in the Bow Valley.
Climbing: If you’re a climber, or interested in learning to climb in a safe indoor environment with instruction from staff, check out the new Climbing Gym at Elevation Place to fill some time.
Access: Just minutes from the Banff National Park gates, a homebase in Canmore gives you quick and free access to a ton of trails and adventures while being only an hour and twenty minutes from the Calgary Airport. Canmore is a thriving town and features many excellent spas, grocery stores, ice skating, cafes, golf, yoga, shopping boutiques, artisan galleries and bars.
Who Should Stay Here?
We recommend staying in Canmore to families, corporate groups and solitude seeking travellers who prefer smaller crowds and a sleepier town while still having easy access to an abundance of adventures and amenities.
If you’d like to stay in Canmore, we may have the perfect place for you! Click here to view our modern mountain accommodations for families and groups.
Resources
Banff
Surrounded by 6,500 square kilometers of National Parkland and towered over by the peaks of Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade, Banff is a lively mountain town within 20-minutes of both Sunshine and Norquay ski hills. It’s also know for being home to an exciting nightlife scene and unforgettable dining experiences.
Highlights
Energy: The lively and upbeat environment of downtown Banff will keep you energized for a party by night, even after an epic day hiking, biking or skiing.
Indulge: A world-renowned resort town, guests to Banff enjoy upscale experiences such as dining with panoramic views atop Sulphur Mountain, relaxing at hot spring spas and socializing over English inspired afternoon tea in a Castle.
Variety: Being centrally located among some of the world’s most astonishing rocky peaks, turquoise glacial lakes and scenic mountain drives, a homebase in Banff gives you quick access to endless adventure all year round, no matter what you like to do. Also, as home to a number of historic sites and museums, a movie theatre and gondolas it provides plenty of variety to travelers of all interests and physical abilities.
Nightlife: With a reputation for hosting a great party, Banff is also known by young travelers around the globe for its nightlife. The town is also more condensed than Canmore, making it very walkable.
We recommend Nourish for terrific cocktails, Highrollers for New York style pizza, 48 beers on draft and bowling, Dancing Sasquatch for the party and Wild Bill’s for live music, karaoke and line dancing.
Who Should Stay Here?
If it’s important to you that you wake up as close as possible to the ski hill each morning and have plenty of options for fun-having by night, Banff is your spot!
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Lake Louise
Located 40-minutes up Hwy 1 from Banff, Lake Louise is a hamlet a with a population of just over 1,000 people. It sits at the base one of the world’s most beautiful ski resorts and is known around the world for the majestic, turquoise, glacier-fed lake of the same name, or Lake of the Little Fishes as it was called by the Stony Nakota First Nations people.
Highlights
Wildness: 74km into National Parkland from Banff’s eastern gates, Lake Louise is more remote and less developed than Banff and Canmore. A homebase here will also give you a jumpstart for your day trips to Lake Moraine, Yoho National Park, Jasper and the Icefields Parkway.
A Photographers Dream: A bucket-list destination for professional photographers and models around the world, you won’t waste much time searching for a scene for your next photo, and it will be hard to take a bad one.
Ski Terrain: At 4,200 acres and over 145 runs, Lake Louise Ski Resort is Banff National Park’s largest and most versatile ski area. It is a true wonderland for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels and is considered one of the world’s top winter sport destinations.
A Hikers Paradise: Whether you seek a scenic stroll or an extreme summit, you will find yourself within reach of dozens of trails suitable for all kinds of hiker.
Plain of the Six Glaciers Trail, The Beehive Trails, Paradise Valley to Moraine Lake and Giant Steps are a few incredible hikes listed by Parks Canada.
Who Should Stay Here?
We recommend staying in Lake Louise to the summit seekers that intend to pack as much adventure into their trip as possible, keeping a distance from the dining, nightlife and amenities of the bigger towns.
Resources
There you have it! Is this article helpful? Have you chosen which town you will stay in? Do you have any remaining questions?! Please let us know by commenting below. Thanks for reading!
