Here's my 4-day family itinerary for Banff Natl Park that's built around Canmore as your home base (cheaper, less crowded than Banff townsite, and only 20 min from the park gates). Easiest route would be to rent a car from Calgary airport (and drive 1 hr+) to get to Canmore.
Critical reservations to lock in early (book months out in peak summer):
Parks Canada shuttle for Moraine Lake & Lake Louise — private vehicles aren't allowed at Moraine Lake at all, and Lake Louise parking fills before sunrise. Book at reservation.pc.gc.ca.
Private tours: guarantees a shuttle ride in/out of the Morain Lake/Lake Louise and pickup/dropoff from your Bnb/Hotels. Early morning options available, book ahead through https://viaviamorainelake.com/
Banff Gondola tickets: go online, pick a morning slot.
Lodging in Canmore: significantly cheaper than Banff and 20 min from the park gate. Look at areas anywhere walkable to Main Street.
Park pass: You'll need a Parks Canada Discovery Pass or daily pass for everyone in the vehicle, recommend to buy online beforehand/print at home.
Best season for this itinerary: Mid-June through Early October. Any earlier or later you may see Moraine Lake/Bow Lake be frozen or the access road closed.
WHAT
sightseeing, hiking, dining
WHERE
Canmore, Banff, Jasper
DURATION
>3 days
Day 1 - Arrival in Canmore
Canmore is beautiful, you will want to spend a chill afternoon to settle in and casually check out this lovely city.
Grassi Lakes Trail (easy hike, ~1.5 hrs), turquoise lakes
Main Street Canmore - lots of restaurants and shops
Canmore Engine Bridge - amazing view of the mountains and river
Day 2 - Lake Louise + Moraine + Banff Town
Moraine Lake (shuttle only — book Parks Canada)
Lake Louise (Lake Connector shuttle from Moraine)
Surprise Overlook (view point), get a peek of the chateau in the background
Rent a canoe at Banff Canoe Club
Banff Gondola (book ahead)
Stroll around Banff Town, shops/restaurants/cafes in the evening. You can walk on the Bow Bridge that will lead you to a cute garden.
Banff Upper Hot Springs - it was full when I went, but a nice treat if you could squeeze it in
Day 3 - Icefields Pkwy towards Jasper
Bow Lake limited parking, but gorgeous lake with a cafe/lodge
Peyto Lake (easy, short hike with a view of the blue lake)
Crowfoot Glacier (viewpoint) crispy mountain air!
Johnston Canyon - (medium hike, multiple stop options) lovely waterfalls along the way, caution: slippery when wet.
Option to keep driving to Jasper Natl Park (2hrs +) to visit the Columbia Icefields Skywalk and stay overnight or return back to Banff/Canmore.
Dining
Shoku Izakaya (Banff) easygoing, fresh sashimi
Yama Onigiri perfect treat to take on hikes
Beaver Tails a local staple, tastes like Buccees nuggets but in a bread form
Wild Orchid (Canmore) thai resto for the rice fix on day 3
(Updated October 2025)