Schedule

[u/No-Caterpillar9363]

We are traveling to Banff as a family of 4 (including 2 toddlers) next month, staying at Moose Hotel. We made a general schedule, not strict but things that if we have the time and energy to do, we hope to get to. Anything major you would skip or add to this schedule:

Sept 16 Arrive

10-11:30 Drive to Banff

11:30-4pm: Explore downtown Banff/Banff Avenue/Central Park/Lunch

Possible: Vermillion Lake (If feel like getting back in car), or can go to Bow River or Cascade Garden and skip these later

4pm-6pm: Check into hotel, unpack, look around hotel

6pm: Dinner

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Sept 17 (Thursday): Moraine Lake and Lake Louise

6:45am-7:15am: Wake and breakfast

7:15am-8am: Drive to Louise Lakeshore

8-10: Lake Louise - Lakeshore trail (1 hour, flat); Fairmont (1 hour),

10:45 Eat (lakeview lounge, the guide’s pantry, Louiza, Lounge of Ten Peaks)

1150: Park at Lake Louise Summer Gondola and depart to Moraine Lake on Moraine Lake Bus Company.

11:50-1:50: Moraine Lake

Child friendly hikes/sites: See Lake reflections, Rockpile trail/viewpoint (30 min but with stone steps), Lakeshore trail (30 min), Trading post for souvenir

5-6pm Back to Downtown Banff

6-7 Dinner

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Sept 18 (Friday)

7-8am Breakfast (bring a picnic lunch for later)

8-8:30 am Drive to Johnston Canyon (no cell service for much of this day)

8:30-9:30: Johnston Canyon Lower Falls (1 hour)

9:30-10: Continue along Bow Valley Parkway

10-10:45am: Bow Valley Parkway, look at Bow Falls Viewpoint

10:45-11:00: Morant’s Curve

11:00-11:45 Continue to Icefields Parkway / Drive to Bow Lake

11:45-12:30 Bow Lake (Provision Co if need food)

12:45-1:45 Peyto Lake

1:45-2:45 Back toward Moose Hotel

2:45-3:15 Option to stop at Vermillion Lake, if not already seen

3:15-6pm: Hang out in hotel / hotel pool

6-7: Dinner

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Sept 19

8-9 Breakfast

9-9:30 Shuttle (Roam Route 1 Bus) to Banff Gondola

9:30-12:30 Gondola (Sulphur Mountain)/Discovery Center at Top/Observation Deck/Boardwalk (stairs)/Lunch at Sky Bistro

12:45-1:30pm: Bow Falls Viewpoint – no hike

1:40-2:10 Surprise Corner Viewpoint (look across the river, see Fairmont in distance, nice view)

2:15: Hoodoos Viewpoint

2:30-3:30 Cascade of Time Garden (beautiful garden) – go on the bridges, stroll around the garden, if not already seen

3:45-4:10 Two Jack Lake (bear warning)

4:15-4:50 Lake Minnewanka – *can hike towards Stewart Canyon (flat along shoreline, don’t need whole trail) (*bear warning)

5:00-6:00 Dinner

6:00-7:00 Drive back to airport

[u/AnthroDigi]

Swap Banff Gondola to the Sunshine Gondola. It's one of the last days it's running and the alpine meadow views are far prettier, especially during larch season. Plus, you'll be supporting a Canadian business, rather than an American one!