After years of wanting to visit Banff, I recently spent some time there this spring, so I’m sharing my long weekend Banff itinerary for those looking for a relaxing few days of sightseeing in one of the most beautiful areas of Canada!

Banff is one of the most iconic towns and areas in Canada for good reason: it has something for everyone. From hiking and skiing to kayaking, horseback riding, guided tours, shopping, hotel lounging… you name it, Banff has it. I’m someone that likes a long walk or a scenic trail ride over a big hike, so if you’re like me and you’re not the biggest hiker, skier, etc., this itinerary is for you! I wanted to hit some of the most popular spots and attractions without overdoing it, and I was really happy with the amount of time I spent sightseeing balanced with the time I spent exploring Banff town, eating at restaurants, and having down time to myself.

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Logistics/Specifics

A few things to note before/during your trip planning:

Transportation to Banff: Many people rent a car or drive their own to Banff — I did not do this, so I don’t have any specific info on bringing a car to Banff. I’m a solo traveler moving around between countries from month to month, and frankly cannot be bothered to deal with the cost and stress of car rentals, especially when I’m trying to relax as much as possible! It’s incredibly easy to get to and around Banff using public transportation, and I’ll highlight that more in the day to day breakdowns, but for now: the Banff Airporter shuttle will get you from Calgary airport to Banff and back again, and Roam Transit buses will get you around the Banff area during your stay.

Park Passes: Everyone visiting Banff National Park is required to buy a park pass for each day of their visit, regardless of how they enter the park (i.e. driving or not). You can buy your passes here, and the pass you choose will depend on the length of your stay, where you want to go, and what you want to see. I just chose the normal day passes for my trip, but the website will give you information on the Discovery Pass if you’re interested. The Canada Strong Pass is also back this summer 2026, meaning admission to Banff National Park is free for all from June 19 – September 7!

Where to Stay: This is twofold — whether you want to stay in Banff or Canmore, and where you want to stay in either of those towns. I chose to stay in Banff (at Irwin’s Mountain Inn) because I wanted to be directly in town and minimize my travel as much as possible. The actual town of Banff is half the reason I wanted to visit, so it just made more sense for me to actually stay in Banff rather than a town 20 minutes away and have to take a bus every time I wanted to walk around and explore. Obviously, staying directly in Banff will usually be more expensive than staying in Canmore, but both are good options and will depend on what you want for your own trip! Lots of hotels will include a Roam Transit pass with your booking as well. There are no shortage of hotels at varying price points in both towns, so choose whatever fits your budget and your personal itinerary.

Long Weekend Banff Itinerary — Quick Overview:

Day 1:

Fly to Calgary
Shuttle to Banff
Bakery stop
Explore Banff Town
Lunch in Banff
Walk to Bow Falls
Hotel check in
Banff Gondola
Dinner at Sky Bistro

Day 2:

Bus to Lake Louise
Breakfast at Lake Louise
Lake Louise Lakefront Trail
Bus to Banff
Relax (optional shopping)
Dinner & dessert in Banff

Day 3:

Brunch in Banff
Horseback riding
Happy hour hop in Banff
Explore Banff Town
Dessert in Banff

DAY 1: FRIDAY

Arriving to Banff

I flew from Vancouver to Calgary as early as possible on a Friday morning, then took the Banff Airporter from the airport directly to Banff. There are similar shuttles to use, but I can only personally recommend Banff Airporter, and I really enjoyed my experience! It was super easy to navigate through the Calgary airport to the shuttle pickup area, and after about a 2 hour ride, I got dropped off right at my hotel in Banff. My flight landed around 9am in Calgary so I booked the 10am-12pm shuttle and had a few hours to explore Banff before my hotel check-in time.

I definitely recommend this type of itinerary on the first day to maximize your time — it’s an early wakeup, but you get to relax on the plane and on the shuttle to Banff, then store your luggage at your hotel until check-in and have ample time to explore Banff during the afternoon and evening.

Explore Banff Town (Lunch & Bow Falls)

As mentioned, I stored my luggage at my hotel when I arrived around 12pm, and then I headed out to explore the town of Banff for a few hours before check in. I grabbed a drink from a bakery and wandered around the streets of Banff, checking out the shops and the gorgeous views of Cascade Mountain down Banff Avenue. Be sure to walk over the different bridges crossing Bow River, too! The Nancy Pauw Bridge was my personal favorite. There are tons of great spots to grab a bite to eat for lunch, so take your pick when you’re feeling hungry, and then head over to Bow Falls. This will be a mostly leisurely 25 minute walk from town along the Bow River (though do note, there are some stairs near the viewpoint that are pretty steep!). By the time I finished my walk back from the Bow Falls area, it was time to get my bags, officially check into my hotel, and get ready for the gondola.

Banff Gondola & Dinner at Sky Bistro

You can take a Roam Transit bus directly from downtown Banff to the Banff Gondola — I highly recommend this instead of driving there just to keep things easy and to avoid any crowded parking lots. From mid-May to mid-October 2026, there’s even a free shuttle from Banff to the gondola so you don’t need to pay for the Roam buses! You’ll be dropped off right outside the gondola, so you can time your bus ride based on the starting time on your ticket. I also recommend buying your gondola tickets in advance to make sure you get the time slot you want, especially if you’re having dinner at Sky Bistro. I bought mine online day-of once I got to Banff and made sure I had enough time to get from my hotel to the gondola, plus enough time to explore before dinner, so my timeframe looked like this:

Hotel check-in & freshening up: 4pm – 4:25pm
Bus to Banff Gondola: 4:30pm – 4:45pm
Gondola Upload Time: 5:10pm (They let me get on at 5pm because it wasn’t crowded!)
Explore Sulphur Mountain Summit: 5:15pm – 6:15pm
Dinner at Sky Bistro: 6:15pm – 7:15pm
Gondola Return Ride: 7:30pm
Bus to Banff: 7:50pm – 8pm

This timeframe gave me enough time to get my bags and check into my hotel, then get over to the gondola and explore a bit before dinner without feeling completely rushed. You can buy gondola tickets when you arrive, but depending on the time of year, they could be more expensive or sold out for your time slot if you wait until you get there to buy them.

The gondola ride lasts about 8 minutes and has some gorgeous panoramic views! They typically seat 4 people to a gondola, but since it wasn’t too busy when I went, they let me ride by myself which was awesome. If you’re anxious about heights, it’s a pretty smooth ride up and down, and if you look straight out at the scenery instead of down, you won’t feel like you’re up so high. You really get a breathtaking view during the ride, so be sure to take some photos and then just take in the sights!

Once you get to the top, you’ll deboard the gondola into the main building at the summit of Sulphur Mountain, which has interactive exhibits, a gift shop, two restaurants, and a rooftop patio to explore. You can exit the building and take in the scenery from the boardwalk as well, spanning all the way up to Sanson’s Peak. Definitely take some time to walk around outside and look out over the Rockies from a bunch of different points of view. If you have a few extra minutes before dinner, I personally loved going up to the roof and just taking a seat to relax with a complimentary fuzzy blanket and an incredible view.

When you’re done exploring the summit, head inside to the third floor for your reservation at Sky Bistro! The views are incredible, especially if you’re lucky enough to get a window seat (they’re first-come, first-served), and the ambiance is the perfect balance of elegant and laid back. The staff here is extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, which is amazing if you’re not sure what you want to eat! After my server explained the menu to me, I ordered the alpine tagliatelle for my main dish and the lemon and thyme brown butter tart for dessert. Both dishes blew me away — you can really tell how much passion, care, and pride goes into the food here, which makes the dining experience all the more lovely. This will be a highlight of your trip for sure!

When you’re finished with dinner, take the gondola and bus/shuttle back to Banff and call it a night before an early morning the next day.

DAY 2: SATURDAY

Bus to Lake Louise

You’ll start off day 2 with an early morning bus ride up to Lake Louise to do some sightseeing! The drive takes about an hour, starting at Banff High School Transit Hub and ending right at the lakeshore. You can book tickets for the 8X bus on the Roam Transit website, and tickets cost bout $13 CAD each way — be sure to book as far in advance as you can, because this route sells out quickly! Since this is a leisurely trip without any lengthy hikes, I suggest booking the earliest bus you can (ideally the 6AM slot) and giving yourself a couple of hours at the lake to take pictures, eat, do your activities, and relax with a lovely view before heading back to Banff (I took the 10:30AM bus).

If spots are available, you can shift this trip a bit later in the morning if you want to sleep in more, too. Just remember that the earlier you go, the fewer crowds there will be, especially in peak season! Also remember to book your destination as Lake Louise Lakeshore rather than Lake Louise Village so you arrive right at the lake instead of the town 15-20 minutes away.

Breakfast & Exploring Lake Louise

Once you arrive at Lake Louise, head right to the lakefront to get some good photos with as little a crowd as possible. Then feel free to explore the lake at your own pace until your bus ride back to Banff! You can get started right away by walking along the Lakefront Trail first, or grab a bite to eat for breakfast and then rent a canoe for a leisurely paddle across the lake (in the summer months only).

If you’re up for a bit more activity that still allows for relaxing in the afternoon, the Lake Agnes Tea House Trail is a wonderful hike open from June to October! Just note that it can take around 3 hours round-trip, so plan accordingly when booking bus tickets. I personally opted to take a good amount of photos before the crowds arrived, enjoyed a hot chocolate, walked the Lakefront Trail for about an hour, then had a breakfast burrito and people-watched with a gorgeous view of the lake and mountains until my bus came.

Relax in Banff (+ optional shopping)

Once you’re back in Banff, this is your chance to wind down and relax before dinner. If your hotel has any spa treatments or a pool/hot tub, this is the perfect time to treat yourself! Nap, read, stroll around town with no destination — however you recharge, this is the time to do it. I’m not really a nap person, but even I enjoyed a small rest after my morning in Lake Louise! It’s easy when you give yourself permission to do nothing and not feel guilty about it.

Dinner & Dessert in Banff

After you’re well-rested, head out to a nice sit-down dinner around Banff — there are endless options to choose from! I got pizza & a cocktail at Pizzeria Sophia, a cute spot in town with great pizza & friendly staff. Some other spots that I definitely want to visit eventually were Lupo, The Grizzly House, and Bear Street Tavern. After dinner, if you’re up for dessert, there are tons of cute ice cream shops & stores with sweet treats to end your day! COWS has great ice cream, or you can try Beaver Tails for their iconic fried pastries.

DAY 3: SUNDAY

Brunch in Banff

Sunday morning is your chance to sleep in, relax, and have a slower start to your day. Grab some mid-morning brunch at one of Banff’s many restaurants offering weekend breakfast — I got a delicious French toast at Bluebird and would highly recommend! Some other brunch spots I had my eye on were Farm & Fire, The Fat Ox, and Good Folk. Wherever you choose to go, savor your meal without rushing, have a brunch cocktail or an extra side of bacon (or both), and enjoy your morning to the fullest!

Midday Trail Ride

Your big adventure for the day is a trail ride through the Canadian wilderness! You’ll find the Banff Trail Riders stables a short walk from downtown Banff. They offer a number of hourly trail rides to choose from. I did the 2-hour Sundance Loop trail, and I highly recommend for both beginners and anyone just wanting a shorter ride. The guides are super nice, helpful, and informative, and the scenery is lovely! First-time riders might be a bit sore afterward, but it’s still a fun, relaxing way to take in some sights while staying close to town.

The Sundance Loop rides have multiple start times throughout the day, so I chose the 12:30pm ride to give me enough time to relax in the morning and get some food in the afternoon. Be sure to book in advance because they fill up fast, and check the website for any pre-ride requirements!

Happy Hour Hop in Banff

By the time you walk back to Banff, it’ll be around 3-3:30pm, which is when happy hour starts! I love happy hour hopping because it’s an awesome way to try a few restaurants without breaking the bank, rather than only visiting one. My personal favorites were Brazen and Banff Social, but there are plenty of restaurants offering weekend happy hour deals to choose from. Pick a few to try and hop from spot to spot enjoying discounted bites and drinks all afternoon!

Explore/Shop & Dessert in Banff

While you’re enjoying your happy hour bites, you’ll be wandering around Banff anyway, so it’s the perfect time to get some more shopping in! Pick up some souvenirs, grab some treats for your flight or drive home the next day, stop into some local galleries, and enjoy a final dessert in Banff before the night is over.

DAY 4: MONDAY

Last Day & Heading Home

Your final day in Banff is yours to plan! Fly right home in the morning, enjoy another brunch before a midday flight, or even spend another full day in town before heading home in the evening. I personally took the Banff Airporter back to Calgary as early as possible on my last day so I could get to my next destination quicker, but if you want to soak in those last hours as much as you can, you totally should! If you didn’t have a spa day on day 3, this could be a great time to get a rejuvenating massage or facial before your travel day, and as mentioned, there are no shortage of great restaurants to get breakfast or lunch before heading on your way.

I hope this itinerary helps you have a wonderful, relaxing long weekend getaway in Banff! I, for one, know I’ll definitely be back someday to do it all again.