The Ultimate 3 Day Banff National Park Road-trip Itinerary for First Timers

There’s something truly special about experiencing a place that’s been on your bucket list for so long and it actually lives up to the hype. Banff National Park quickly became one of our favorite National Parks we’ve ever visited and we seriously can’t wait to go back ASAP!

Banff National Park is known for its breathtaking snowcapped mountain peaks, glowing blue lakes, incredible hikes, abundant wildlife and is one of those places we recommend visiting at least once in your life!

Our 3 day Banff Itinerary will be perfect for first timers or repeat visitors to Banff National Park. You’ll have everything you need like places to stay, best hikes, tips for visiting and more so you can spend less time planning and more time exploring Banff and making memories you will never forget like we did!

Itinerary

Day 1: Lake Louise, Canoeing at Moraine Lake, Hiking Little Beehive
Day 2: Explore Glacial Lakes on Icefields Parkway (Peyto Lake, Waterfowl Lake, Bow Lake)
Day 3: Yoho National Park and Emerald Lake, Downtown Banff

How To Get To Banff National Park

If you’re planning on flying in, the closest major airport to Banff National Park is Calgary International Airport, and only a 90-min drive to the park. To take full advantage of our itinerary, we recommend renting a car or a camper van during your trip. We decided to book a camper van through RoadSurfer.

Renting a camper van instead of a car can help limit the time you would spend driving back and forth from the park and spend more time exploring. Plus it’s super convenient to just hop in your camper, cook yourself a meal and take a nap after a long hike! We will recommend campgrounds and places to stay later in the blog!

Best Time To Visit

Banff National Park any time of the year can be magical!

If you’re looking for the beautiful blue lakes and hiking, we recommend visiting during peak Summer months June - Mid September!

Fall can be another great time to plan your trip as the golden larch trees literally glow through the alpine, most trails are still open and you get fewer crowds! However, the lakes start to turn less blue during this time.

In the Winter, the park turns into a snowy wonderland and it’s open for world class skiing, hot springs, ice skating, luxury winter experiences and more!

Where To Stay

Anytime we visit a national park, we try to stay as close as possible (If not inside the park!) so we can spend as more time exploring. The closest town to the park is Banff, which is about a 20 minute drive. There are tons of hotels, Airbnbs and campgrounds inside the park and the town Banff to choose from for your trip. But during peak season, hotels and airbnb prices can very expensive and book up quickly!

During our trip, we were able to stay inside the park at Emerald Lake Lodge, Morraine Lake Lodge, and different campgrounds throughout the park! Staying at the Lake Lodges were some of the highlights of our trip and was everything we dreamed of (I will go more into detail about our stay later in this blog!)

We camped at Lake Louise, Two Jack Lake, and Silverhorn Creek and all of them were special in their own way. If we had to pick a favorite campground, it would have to Silverhorn Creek! It was so spacious it felt like we had the entire campground to ourselves and I’ll never forget watching the love of my life make us dinner with the breathtaking backdrop of the Canadian Rockies.

Tips For Visiting BanfF National park

Buy Your Banff National Park Pass in advance! You’re going to need an entry pass each time you visit the park. If your trip is longer than 7 days or you plan on visiting the park again within the year, it may be more cost efficient to purchase the Annual Pass! Check out Parks Canada for more information about entry passes.

Wake up early to beat the crowds! Trust us, waking up early will be one of the best decisions you make when visiting Banff National Park if you want those bucket list photos! You’ll beat the crowds and have better luck finding a good parking spot! Plus, nothing beats a catching a Banff sunrise.

Be Wildlife Aware! Carry Bear Spray! Banff = Bears! Make sure to carry bear spray at all times when exploring the park!

Pack Layers! Even in the Summer, the mornings and nights can be quite cold. Especially hiking in higher elevations!

Download offline maps and check hiking conditions using AllTrails! Cell service can extremely limited inside the park.

Day One:

Catch Sunrise at Lake Louise

Catching sunrise at Lake Louise is one of the most breathtaking experiences in the Canadian Rockies! We highly recommend getting to Lake Louise about 45 minutes before sunrise to make sure you find a good parking spot!

Hike Little Beehive
After catching sunrise at Lake Louise, you have to hike Little Beehive! This 5.8 mile, out and back hike offers some of the best views of Lake Louise and a great spot for Banff bucket list photos!

Moraine Lake

One of our favorite places in Banff! Moraine Lake is another iconic, breathtaking, turquoise lake surrounded by towering snowy peaks. It’s truly stunning! Private vehicles aren’t allowed on Moraine Lake Road so you will need to take a shuttle. Tickets become available for the shuttle 6 months in advance or two days in advance.

Moraine Lake Lodge

Did you know there’s an all inclusive in Banff National Park?! Well sort of! Everything about this hotel screams luxury! Along with spacious cabins, jaw-dropping views of the Canadian Rockies and Moriane Lake right from your balcony, the best part of staying Moraine Lake Lodge is everything that’s included! Wrapped into the price of your stay is free breakfast, lunch and UNLIMITED canoeing! And hotel guests are the only ones allowed to drive their personal cars to Moraine Lake.

Canoeing Moraine Lake

This has been on our bucket lists for so long and it was everything we dreamed of and definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Canoe rentals are first-come, first served and can run out quickly specially during peak season so make sure to show up early! Check out Parks Canada website for up-to-date information on canoe rental rates and hours.

TIP - If you stay at Moraine Lake Lodge like we did, canoeing is included!

Day Two:

Wild Flour Coffee in Downtown Banff

Start your day by exploring downtown Banff and grabbing a hug in a mug at Wild Flour Coffee! They offer delicious specialty coffee drinks, fresh baked goods and more. Make sure to grab some extra snacks for your adventures.

Drive Icefields Parkway

Often called one of the most scenic drives IN THE WORLD! The Icefields Parkway connects Lake Louise to Jasper with non-stop mountains, glaciers and some of the most beautiful lakes we have ever seen.

TIPS - Make sure you fuel up before you go as there’s only one gas station on the entire parkway. And there’s no cell service so make sure you have offline maps downloaded.

Peyto Lake

Another highlight of our trip! After seeing this lake for years on social media, this famous wolf-shaped glacial lake is a must see on your trip to Banff National Park!

Tip - There are a few trails to different viewpoints at Peyto Lake. If you want that viral photo on top of the rocks, you will want to hike the Upper Viewpoint trail and it’s only a short 5-10 minute walk from the main viewpoint!

Waterfowl Lake

Another classic turquoise glacier lake that you can view right outside your car! One of the most beautiful lakes on the parkway but with a lot less hype! Making this a great place to relax and avoid the crowds of the more popular lakes in the park.

Bow Lake

Bow Lake is another stop you can’t miss while driving the Icefield Parkway! One of the largest lakes on the parkway, this glacier lake glows a stunning turquoise hue, especially during the Summer months. If you’re able to get there early, it can be a great spot for reflection shots! We highly suggest taking a pit stop at Bow Lake during your drive and taking a shoreline walk around the lake.

TIP - Although the lake is big, it can be very popular around mid-day, especially with tour buses!

Day Three:

Yoho National Park

Only a 20 minutes drive from Lake Louise, Yoho National Park is another stunning Canadian Rocky gem. Home to Emerald Lake, one of Canada’s tallest waterfalls and more, makes Yoho National Park a must stop while visiting Banff.

Emerald Lake

One of Yoho National Park's crown jewels! Famous for it’s beautiful scenery, vibrant teal colored water and reflections of the surrounding mountains. Emerald Lake is another great spot for canoeing or you can even hike the Emerald Lake Loop, a flat, easy 3.2 mile hike perfect for all skill levels! Although it can be less busy than more popular places like Lake Louise, it can still get quite crowded especially during peak season so make sure to get there early to find a good parking spot.

Emerald Lake Lodge

During our trip, we were lucky enough to stay a night at Emerald Lake Lodge! The lodge offers rustic, chalet-style cabins, with private balconies with panoramic views of the lake and forest! There is no parking at lodge so you will take a shuttle from the guest parking lot. If you’re able to book a stay here during your trip, it’s worth every penny!

Takakkaw Falls

Canada’s 2nd tallest waterfall, Takakkaw Falls can be a breathtaking experience for seasoned hikers or a casual visitor! The out and back trail to get to the falls is only 0.9 miles round trip, filled with scenic views and is mostly paved making it wheelchair and stroller-friendly.

TIP- There is a parking lot near the falls but it can fill up quickly!

LUPO Italian Ristorante

Some of the best Italian food we have had since Italy! Inspired by traditional Italian marketplaces, LUPO ranked 6th in Canada’s 100 Best Top 10 New Restaurants in 2023 and it definitely lived up to the hype. We ordered the Margarita pizza and the Spicy Vodka Rigatoni and ate every bite! Trust us, make a reservation, you won’t regret it.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS BANFF NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY!

We hope this itinerary helps make your trip as unforgettable as ours! Have you been to Banff National Park before? Let us know if we missed something so we can add it to our itinerary!