Summer Things to Do in Banff with Kids
If you are looking for an amazing trip to take next summer, you are not going to want to miss these summer things to do in Banff with kids. Banff had been on our bucket list for a long time and when we finally made it, we knew what all the hype was about!
Check out our three-day Banff with kids itinerary below to fill up your summer Banff family trip!
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Banff with Kids Planning Logistics
How to Get to Banff National Park
The closest major airport to Banff National Park is Calgary International Airport. From there it’s about a 1.5-hour drive to the town of Banff. I recommend getting a rental car to get there. There is a bus right in Banff that circles the town and goes to most hotels. However, to get to many attractions that are further out from the town, you will need a car.
You can also drive to Banff from several northern states in the United States. We drove from Colorado (a 19-hour drive) and crossed the Canadian border in Sweet Grass, Montana. It was an incredibly easy process and saved our group of 6 a lot of money on flights and rental cars. Banff is a 4-hour drive from the US border.
Getting a Canada Parks Pass
There are several ways to get a pass for your trip into Canada. All prices below are shown in USD and are subject to change. Please check here for current CAD pricing.
The three options are:
- Daily pass and pay around $8 per person (children 17 and under get in free).
- Daily family pass for around $15 (makes sense if you have more than 2 adults).
- Yearly pass for around $100 and is good for all family members in one car (makes sense if multiple adults and more than a couple days). If you plan on going this route, you can order ahead and have it delivered to you at home so that when you arrive at the park you don’t want to wait in line to purchase your pass.
Where to Stay in Banff National Park with Kids
There are a lot of options for accommodations in Banff National Park that range from camping to incredibly luxurious resorts.
If you want to camp, make sure to plan way early! We met one woman who makes her RV reservations in January for Labor Day weekend because spots sell out quickly. There may be travel agents or companies who have reservations you can book as well. Here is some basic information from Parks Canada about camping in Banff.
We opted for a resort where could get a condo with a kitchen. With a group of 6 (our family of four plus my parents) and it was great to be able to stay together in one condo and have access to dishes, cooking and a fridge.
The Hidden Ridge Resort was perfect for our stay. We loved the location just a few minutes outside of town. There is a stop for the Banff bus for easy transportation, the condo had the perfect amount of space for our group and we were able to eat at our condo. Plus, can you beat this hot tub and pool view?!
Book now through Bookings.com by clicking here!
Kid-Friendly Rafting on the Bow River in Banff
A great way to experience the views and learn about Banff’s geographical points of interest is a kid-friendly raft on the Bow River. Rocky Mountain Raft Tours offer a one-hour float for almost all ages (children must be at least 2) that travels down on of the most scenic rivers I’ve been on!
Rafts typically run from the middle of May through the middle or end of September depending on the snow melt and level of the river.
We loved learning about the history of the area and the various mountains and areas in Banff. Our guide also had a lot of local expertise and recommendations for the group that we were able to work in to the rest of our trip.
For more on our rafting trip, check out our post here.
Best Hiking for Kids in Banff
One of the best summer things to do in Banff with kids is hiking! In fact, you can’t go to Banff without doing some hiking! But not all hikes are created equal and not all hikes are kid-friendly. Our kids are pretty good like hikers, so we did a mix of flat and uphill hikes for a great weekend of hiking in Banff.
You can find a lot of great kid-friendly hikes in town and even more just a short drive away. Enjoy fantastic views, secluded spots and maybe even some wildlife.
Our favorites include Tunnel Mountain, the Hoodoos hike, Bow Lake, Peyto Lake and hiking in Sunshine Meadows. For more about these hikes, check out the best kid-friendly hikes in Banff.
Sunshine Meadows Gondola and Village
By far, our favorite day of the trip to Banff was spending the day at Sunshine Meadows. This is a ski resort in the winter but runs a summer gondola and has some of the best views in Alberta. And as a bonus, you can actually cross into British Columbia while hiking through Sunshine Meadows.
The gondola is a 20-minute ride up to Sunshine Village where there are restaurants, an interpretive center, chair lifts up to the hiking and a hotel.
For more about this incredible experience, check out this post.
Visiting Lake Louise with Kids
Lake Louise is probably the most famous lake in Banff National Park and for good reason. The lake itself is a gorgeous aqua color and surrounded by incredible rocky peaks. The lake is secluded and quiet and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise creates a gorgeous backdrop for enjoying the lake.
My grandparents honeymooned at Lake Louise so it was really fun to visit there with my Dad.
Are you sensing a theme here? Spending time on the water is one of the best summer things to do in Banff with kids!
Our favorite thing to do was canoeing on the lake. This is an activity that is definitely pricey, but in my opinion, completely worth it. We spent an hour on the lake and completely enjoyed the serene experience. Canoes can hold either two adults plus 2 small children, or some combination of 3 adults and older kids.
There is also a great hike/walk around the lake that you can see in this post.
