Free things to do · Banff · Canada
7 free things to do in Banff
Banff without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Odysseus1479, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 2 days in Banff without paying an entry fee: Johnston Canyon, Lake Minnewanka, Bow Falls and Fairmont Banff Springs are all free. Stay in Canmore, outside the park, for noticeably lower accommodation prices.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 7
- Low-cost extras
- 7
- Cost level
- Expensive
- Lowest hotel prices
- November
Free sights and experiences
Nature · Bow Valley Parkway
1.Johnston Canyon
Start before 9am or after 5pm in summer to avoid the queues on the catwalks; ice cleats help in winter.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Active
- Photo spot
Nature · Minnewanka Loop
2.Lake Minnewanka
Stop at Two Jack Lake at sunrise for reflections of Mount Rundle.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Nature · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
3.Bow Falls
Combine with the Hoodoos trail or the Surprise Corner viewpoint for the classic view of the Banff Springs.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
Architecture · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
4.Fairmont Banff Springs
Afternoon tea or a drink in the lounge is the easiest way to see inside without staying.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Couples
- Rainy day
Nature · Tunnel Mountain
5.Tunnel Mountain hike
Start from the St. Julien Road trailhead and allow about two hours return.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
- Kids
Viewpoint · Downtown Banff
6.Vermilion Lakes
Cycle out from town on Vermilion Lakes Drive in the evening for reflections and wildlife.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Nature
Experience · Bow Valley Parkway
7.Bow Valley Parkway drive
Part of the parkway has seasonal restrictions to protect wildlife; check Parks Canada before planning a dawn or dusk drive.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Views
- Photo spot
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bow Valley Parkway | Johnston Canyon and Bow Valley Parkway drive | 2–3 hours + 2–4 hours |
| Minnewanka Loop | Lake Minnewanka | 1–3 hours |
| Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs | Bow Falls and Fairmont Banff Springs | 45 minutes + 1 hour |
| Tunnel Mountain | Tunnel Mountain hike | 2 hours |
| Downtown Banff | Vermilion Lakes | 1 hour |
Worth a small ticket
Nature · Lake Louise
Lake Louise
Arrive by Parks Canada shuttle or Roam bus rather than driving; the lakeshore parking lot fills very early in summer.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Nature · Lake Louise
Moraine Lake
Book the earliest shuttle or a sunrise tour for calm water and softer light on the peaks.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Views
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Experience · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
Banff Upper Hot Springs
Visit in the evening or on a winter day; swimsuits and towels can be rented if you arrive without.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- Rainy day
Historic site · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
Walk or cycle the flat Sundance trail beyond the site for an easy river outing.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Nature
Museum · Downtown Banff
Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies
A good rainy-afternoon stop on Bear Street, a block from Banff Avenue.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Downtown Banff
Banff Park Museum
Visit with children before a hike so they can recognise the animals you might see.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Lake Louise
Lake Agnes Teahouse and Plain of Six Glaciers
Carry cash for the teahouses and start early; the trails get crowded by late morning.
- Time needed
- 3–5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Nature
More ways to save
- Stay in Canmore, outside the park, for noticeably lower accommodation prices.
- If you stay a week or longer, or will visit other national parks within a year, compare the Discovery Pass with daily admissions.
- Use Roam buses and Parks Canada shuttles instead of paying for parking and tours.
- Many top sights — Johnston Canyon, Lake Minnewanka, Bow Falls, Vermilion Lakes — cost nothing beyond the park pass.
- Buy picnic supplies at grocery stores in Banff or Canmore; lakeside food options are limited and expensive.
- April, May, October and November have the lowest hotel rates.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Banff expensive to visit?
Banff is expensive for most visitors, but 7 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Banff?
Johnston Canyon: Start before 9am or after 5pm in summer to avoid the queues on the catwalks; ice cleats help in winter.