With kids · Banff · Canada
Banff with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 5of7, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Banff is a classic family mountain trip: easy walks to waterfalls and lakes, a gondola ride, hot springs and wildlife spotting from the car. Distances are short around town, and shuttles reduce the stress of parking at the lakes. Top picks: Banff Gondola, Johnston Canyon and Banff Upper Hot Springs. Families usually base themselves in Tunnel Mountain.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 8
- Best area for families
- Tunnel Mountain
- Rainy-day options
- 3
- Busiest months
- July–August
Best things to do with kids
Viewpoint · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
1.Banff Gondola
The gondola rises to the summit of Sulphur Mountain in about eight minutes. Up top, a boardwalk leads along the ridge to the Cosmic Ray Station and a weather observatory, with views over six mountain ranges, the town and the Bow Valley.
Go late in the afternoon in summer; the ridge walk is quieter and evening light falls across the valley.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Tickets are cheaper and faster online, and timed slots can sell out on summer days.
- Views
- Iconic
- Kids
- Couples
Nature · Bow Valley Parkway
2.Johnston Canyon
Catwalks bolted to the limestone walls lead through a narrow canyon to the Lower Falls (about 1 km) and the Upper Falls (about 2.5 km). In winter, guided ice walks visit the frozen falls.
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
Experience · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
3.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. It is run by Parks Canada and is especially atmospheric when snow is falling.
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
Nature · Minnewanka Loop
4.Lake Minnewanka
The largest lake in the park, about 10 minutes' drive from town, is 21 km long and edged by peaks. Summer cruises run to Devil's Gap, and the scenic Minnewanka Loop drive passes Two Jack Lake, one of the best sunrise spots near Banff.
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
Historic site · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
5.Cave and Basin National Historic Site
The thermal springs found here by railway workers in 1883 led to the creation of Canada's first national park in 1885. Exhibits tell the story of the parks system, a tunnel leads into the warm, sulphurous cave, and boardwalks cross the marsh outside.
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
6.Banff Park Museum
Western Canada's oldest natural-history museum, a log building from 1903 filled with Victorian-era mounted animals and display cases. It is a national historic site run by Parks Canada.
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 · Spray Avenue and the Banff Springs
7.Bow Falls
Wide, low falls on the Bow River just below the Fairmont Banff Springs, reached by an easy riverside trail from the Bow River bridge. The viewpoint near the hotel looks down the valley to the 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
Nature · Tunnel Mountain
8.Tunnel Mountain hike
A switchbacking trail of a little over 2 km each way climbs the small mountain right beside the town to a summit with views over Banff Avenue, the Bow Valley and the Banff Springs. It is the easiest summit hike in the park.
Start from the St. Julien Road trailhead and allow about two hours return.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
- Kids
Rainy-day ideas
- Banff Upper Hot Springs — Visit in the evening or on a winter day; swimsuits and towels can be rented if you arrive without.
- Cave and Basin National Historic Site — Walk or cycle the flat Sundance trail beyond the site for an easy river outing.
- Banff Park Museum — Visit with children before a hike so they can recognise the animals you might see.
Where families should stay
$$ · Best for families, budget and quiet stays
Tunnel Mountain
Tunnel Mountain Road climbs east of town past lodges, condo-style hotels with kitchens and the park's large campgrounds. The trailhead for the short Tunnel Mountain hike and the Hoodoos viewpoint are close by, and Roam route 2 links the area with downtown.
- Good
- Larger rooms with kitchens; Lower rates than downtown; Forest setting with views
- Watch out
- Bus or car needed for the evening; Uphill walk back to the hotels
- Nearby
- Tunnel Mountain trail, Hoodoos viewpoint, Banff Centre
Family travel tips
- Children 17 and under get free admission to national parks.
- The Parks Canada Xplorers booklet, available at visitor centres, turns park visits into activities for children.
- Carry layers and snacks for every outing; mountain weather and long drives make children cold and hungry quickly.
- Choose hotels with kitchens in Tunnel Mountain or Canmore to save on eating out.
- Johnston Canyon's Lower Falls is an easy first hike with a cave to peer through at the end.
Day trips for families
- Icefields Parkway and Columbia Icefield (About 2 hours 30 minutes each way without stops) — Highway 93 north of Lake Louise runs past Bow Lake, Peyto Lake, the Mistaya Canyon and the Athabasca Glacier at the Columbia Icefield, with glacier tours on specialised vehicles in summer.
- Yoho National Park (About 1 hour by car) — Just across the Continental Divide in British Columbia, Yoho has Emerald Lake with its canoe rentals and lakeside trail, the natural rock bridge on the Kicking Horse River and Takakkaw Falls, one of Canada's highest waterfalls.
- Kootenay National Park and Marble Canyon (About 45 minutes by car) — A short trail at Marble Canyon crosses footbridges over a narrow limestone gorge of glacial blue water, and the Paint Pots trail leads to ochre-coloured mineral springs.
- Canmore (About 20 minutes by car or 25 minutes by Roam bus) — The mountain town just outside the park has the Grassi Lakes trail, the Canmore Nordic Centre and a relaxed Main Street of cafés, galleries and breweries.
- Calgary (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car or shuttle) — Alberta's largest city has Studio Bell, the Calgary Tower, Heritage Park and the river pathways, and during July the Calgary Stampede.
When to go with children
The best months overall are June–September. July–August are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Banff good for kids?
Banff is a classic family mountain trip: easy walks to waterfalls and lakes, a gondola ride, hot springs and wildlife spotting from the car. Distances are short around town, and shuttles reduce the stress of parking at the lakes.
+What can kids do in Banff?
Banff Gondola, Johnston Canyon, Banff Upper Hot Springs, Lake Minnewanka and Cave and Basin National Historic Site.
+Where should families stay in Banff?
Tunnel Mountain: Hillside lodges, condo hotels and campgrounds above the town.