8 Family-Friendly Things To Do in Banff

8 Family Friendly Things to do in Banff:

We spent 3.5 days in Banff, Canada last weekend. My husband was a groomsman in a wedding there, so we decided to make a family trip out it.

The last time I went to Banff was as a young girl with my family and the only thing I remember was the Hot Springs. This time around, I was just astounded by the amazing beauty of mother nature all around us!

Our amazing view of Cascade Mountain as drove into Banff.
Our amazing view of Cascade Mountain as drove into Banff.

We flew from Vancouver to Calgary and then drove to Banff. It was a short 1.5 hour drive and totally worth it. Because we were there for a wedding and we had rain some of the time, we didn’t get to do a ton of sight-seeing. We did do a few things from our list and the rest will saved for our next trip because we will definitely be going back!

There are lots of family friendly things to do in Banff, so I thought I’d share them in case you ever decide to take a trip.

8 Family Friendly things to do in Banff

Things to Do in Banff with the Family

1. Upper Banff Hotsprings
This is the one memory I have from my trip to Banff as a child. We loved swimming around in the naturally hot mineral water and the view from there is amazing. The Hotsprings is one of the most popular and oldest attractions in Banff.

Banff Hot Springs
2. Bow Falls
We wanted to take the kids on at least one trail walk so we picked Bow Falls. It was perfect for a family with kids. It was an easy path, about 15 minutes one way and the reward of the amazing Bow Falls at the end was totally worth it! If you’re not up for the walk, you can drive to Bow Falls as well.

Bow Falls

Bow Falls 2

3. Banff Avenue
It was fun just walking along Banff Avenue. There were lots of great stores that you don’t conventionally see, great shops for souvenirs and tons of great restaurants. We enjoyed the most delicious Greek Fries from Balkan Restaurant and of course we had to get ice cream from Cows.

Photo Source - Wikipedia
Photo Source – Wikipedia

4. High Rollers Bowling Alley
If it’s a little too rainy,  you can head inside to High Rollars, Banff’s new bowling alley which had 10-pin bowling, a cool retro theme and food, fun for the whole family.

Banff - bowling alley

5. Gondola Ride
The Sightseeing Gondola apparently gives you an spectacular view of Banff and the surrounding areas from 2281m (7486ft)!

Photo Source: Brewster.ca
Photo Source: Brewster.ca

6. Banff Lake Cruise
This is one we all wanted to do but time didn’t allow for it this time. We love the idea over cruising over different lakes and getting a different view of the mountains and waters!

Photo Source: Tweed Telegraph
Photo Source: Tweed Telegraph and Canoe Wedding

7. Horse Drawn Carriage Ride
What kid doesn’t like horses. And to take a ride with them around the city seems like the perfect, kid-friendly activity.

Banff Horse Drawn Carriage Ride

8. Banff Park Museum and Playground
This museum is a national Canadian historic site. It’s an interesting place to visit with the kids, educational and fun. There is also a really nice wood-based playground, right outside.

Those are just 8 of the great things to do in Banff. We only got to do a few of these kid-friendly activities during our short trip. But we will definitely be doing the others on our next visit.

If you liked this travel post, you might also like:
Tips for Families Going to Great Wolf Lodge
10 Family Friendly Things to do in Winnipeg
Great Canadian Family Vacation Destinations

11 thoughts on “8 Family-Friendly Things To Do in Banff

  1. Gorgeous pics of Banff and the family.
    Last time I was there was 1985!!!
    Looks like Keyan enjoyed himself on his birthday.
    Your meal plan is always interesting.

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