Rainy day · Banff · Canada
5 things to do in Banff when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Gorgo, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Banff Upper Hot Springs, Fairmont Banff Springs and Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 5–7 hours across 2 areas; 1 is free. June is usually the wettest month, with about 15 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 5–7 hours
- Areas
- Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs and Downtown Banff
Banff on a rainy day
Experience · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
1.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
Architecture · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
2.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
Historic site · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
3.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
4.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
5.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
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs | Banff Upper Hot Springs, Fairmont Banff Springs and Cave and Basin National Historic Site | 1–2 hours + 1 hour + 1–1.5 hours |
| Downtown Banff | Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies and Banff Park Museum | 1–1.5 hours + 45 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 1 free, 4 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Banff Upper Hot Springs; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs): Banff Upper Hot Springs → Fairmont Banff Springs → Cave and Basin National Historic Site, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Downtown Banff): Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies → Banff Park Museum, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- June: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 15 rainy days, busy crowds. Lakes thaw and turn turquoise, often by mid-June for Moraine; frequent showers and long daylight.
- May: highs of 14°C (57°F), about 13 rainy days, moderate crowds. Valley trails open and wildlife is active, but high lakes and passes remain frozen or snowy for most of the month.
- July: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 13 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warmest and busiest month: all trails open, lakes at their brightest, and very busy roads and parking.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown Banff — Banff Avenue hotels, restaurants and outfitters beneath Cascade Mountain
- Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs — South of the Bow River: Bow Falls, the castle hotel and the road to the gondola
More of Banff
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Banff?
Banff Upper Hot Springs. A heritage bathhouse on Sulphur Mountain with an outdoor pool fed by natural hot springs at around 37–40°C, looking across to Mount Rundle.
+Which of these are free in Banff?
Fairmont Banff Springs.