Things to do in Banff in winter for non-skiers
This post may contain affiliate links, which earn me a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Banff is notorious for having some of the best skiing in the world. That being said, I know that skiing is not an activity that everyone enjoys. If you happen to find yourself in a situation like mine, where you've been brought along on a Banff ski trip, but aren't a big skier yourself, this post is for you!
Luckily Banff offers a variety of activities that you can do to keep yourself busy while everyone is out skiing, from shopping to eating to hiking to other activities, we're going to cover it all here!
Banff Gondola
Probably my favourite activity that I did during my time in Banff was taking the Banff Gondola. The Gondola takes you to the top of Sulphur Mountain, and you get breathtaking views of Banff town as well as the surrounding mountains.
The top of the mountain has a restaurant and gift shop as well as some walking platforms so you can get a variety of viewpoints.
Tickets start around $66 per person and you can get there by driving (although its extremely difficult to find parking) or by taking the line 1 bus from Banff town.
Tickets can be purchased here.
Shopping/Banff Town
Another fun activity is wandering around Banff town and checking out the shops, cafes, and restaurants. Banff Avenue and Bear Street in particular had lots to do. Some of my favourite restaurants were The Bison and Lupo. Cafes I enjoyed were The Uprising Bake Shop + Espresso Bar and Whitebark Cafe. Some cool experiences and shops were Park Distillery and Big Bear Trading Company.
Johnston Canyon
Another fun activity if you're looking for something more outdoorsy is Johnston Canyon.
Johnston Canyon is a 2.5km hike through a canyon where you will witness beautiful views of waterfalls and rapids. Be warned that this hike does tend to be quite crowded with people. I would also strongly recommend purchasing crampons if you plan to do this hike or any other similar ones as conditions are often extremely icy. I purchased mine off Amazon here.
Canmore
Canmore is another town just a 20-minute drive from Banff. It's similar to Banff but a bit smaller and quieter. It's known for the three sisters mountain which can be seen from town. The town has some nice shops and restaurants. I would definitely recommend the Rocky Mountain Bagel Co. for a breakfast or lunch if you happen to go in the morning.
Banff Hot Springs
The Banff Hot Springs are a series of thermal pools just outside of the town of Banff near the Banff Gondola. They're open every day from 10 am-10 pm and admission costs $17.50.
The hot springs are a nice way to spend a relaxing couple of hours and to learn more about some of the unique natural phenomena in Banff!
Tickets for the hot springs can only be purchased on site. They also offer towels and lockers for additional fees.
Lake Louise/Fairmont Lake Louise
The Fairmont Lake Louise is about a 45-minute drive from the town of Banff, so this activity is definitely further away than the rest, but well worth it in my opinion.
The Fairmont always does ice sculptures on the lake in the wintertime time which are really cool to witness. They also do skate rentals if you want to go skating on the lake, which is another fun activity. Inside the hotel there's a cafe and some shops which are cool to check out too.
I will give a warning though that the drive into the Fairmont Lake Louise can be a bit chaotic, and it is usually very full of people.
Fairmont Banff Springs
I'd also recommend checking out the Fairmont Banff Springs. I personally found the architecture of this hotel to be more impressive than the Fairmont Lake Louise, and Banff Springs does a great job of showcasing the history of the hotel and the town of Banff.
We dined at The Vermillion Room when we went. Our meal was great, although I would've preferred to try 1888 Chop House, as I've heard it's one of the best restaurants in Banff. If you're planning to go during the day, the Rundle Bar is a nice place to grab and drink and some snacks with a gorgeous view of the mountains.
Hotels
Luxury:
Mid-range:
Budget: