A family adventure that’s not beachside.
The Canadian Rockies are something to behold. There is mind-blowing beauty everywhere you turn. Lake Louise, Lake Moraine, Athabasca Glacier, and Columbia Ice Fields will all take your breath away. While our kids were 5, 8, and 11 at the time, there’s fun for all. Sure, if you’re willing to limit your level of trek to what the kids (or you) can manage, there’s hiking, but, aside from trails, there is more–so much more.
The Three Sisters Mountain
We started our trip in Calgary, the closest airport to Banff. From the Midwest, it was a four-hour, non-stop flight from Detroit (with similar flights available from Chicago). We got a great deal on WestJet, a Delta affiliate, for about $300 a person round trip. Set a Google Flights alert, and see what deals you can find!
The drive from Calgary to Banff/Canmore is about 1 hour and 15 minutes of beauty. As you leave Calgary, the scenery lends a similar vibe to when you’re leaving Denver–leaving a city and heading out to the mountains–but even more majestic. We often travel with several other families but break off for what suits each family best, and there are several worthy stops along the way for adventuring and hiking. One family went to the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary. We skipped this due to age restrictions on our youngest (minimum age is 6) but substituted it for some extra time in our Calgary hotel pool and barrel sauna before heading out.
Marriott Residence Inn Calgary Airport
We made our first hiking stop in Kananaskis, a skiing area in the winter with loads of hiking in the summer. We parked in the Village and had a quick lunch at the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge before heading out on a hike. (Aside: in this area there was the most amazing looking Nordic Spa that had we found a place to store the kids for a few hours I’d definitely be partaking in. Going without kids or traveling with a sitter? Check it out!)
We stretched our legs on a short hike here to Troll Falls (2.8km loop). It worth the stop and time to let the kids run.
Troll Fall Trail
Canmore
For cheaper lodging and equal charm, consider staying in Canmore. It’s about twenty minutes from downtown Canmore to Downtown Banff, and there are tons of Airbnbs and VRBOs for larger groups as well as chain hotels. We loved this area because it had tons to do–scenic trails and rivers on the walk to a quaint old-west vibe downtown where there were tons of adorable shops and cafes. There are breweries, local coffee bars, and frequent farmers markets. There’s an amazing library/rec center with climbing walls and a waterpark-style pool if you find yourself in the rain one day.
Endorsable Eats:
Rocky Mountain Bagel, Blondies Café, Canary Coffee, Eclipse coffee, Grizzly Paw Brewery
Banff
We went into the glorious town on Banff several times to explore and eat. The city is very walkable, with a gorgeous park and riverside walk. We explored the Bow River on a giant canoe via the Banff Canoe Club. We chose the evening Nature Watch, which leaves at 6pm, but there are trips at all hours of the day.
Canadian Pacific views from Bow River in Banff
Eat here: 3 Bears Brewery, Bluebird (great food and cocktails- cool vibes + patio), Park Distillery (good food and cocktails – cute national park themed liquor bottles, Banff Poutine, Beavertails
Lake Louise/ Moraine
Lake Louise and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Be aware! There’s some planning required to get here. Unless you’re staying at the hotels at these lakes (Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise or Moraine Lake Lodge) you can no longer just drive there and park. It’s required to park off-site and bus in. This requires tickets and reservations made well in advance. Be sure to grab these early. Visit parks.canada.ca for more info. Reservations for 2024 open in late January.
Shuttle bus from parking at Lake Louise Ski base to Lake Louise and Moraine
A popular hike at Lake Louise is to the Agnes Tea House. It wasn’t for the faint of heart, but we managed to get all five adults and five kids (one being sherpa’d by her parents in a carrier) up the 4.5 miles (7km), which includes a 1300 ft gain at an altitude of 7000 ft. We felt it. It was tough, but we made it to the top and had tea as our reward, which wasn’t the drink of choice for our worn-out, sweaty selves. There’s two outhouses for your use and snacks and water are pricey as they have to helicopter supplies in and waste out. The views, however, were spectacular, and so was the muscle soreness the next morning.
Lake Agnes
After Lake Louise and the Agnes hike, we were pretty excited to take it easy at Lake Moraine. Alongside the hotel is a nice cafe/shop where we got snacks and relaxed with lake views. Be advised, however, you cannot enter the Fairmont Chateau or use their restaurants without having a reservation there. Both lakes feature the same beautiful blue-green waters seen in much of this area. There are canoes available for rent much of the season as well.
Moraine Lake
Johnston Canyon
If you’re seeking a scenic but more manageable hike, head to Johnston Canyon. Go early, as it gets busy on the trail, and the walkways are narrow. The upper waterfall trail is worth the hike.
Johnston Canyon official site
Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Icefields
Glacier walking is a must-do experience while you’re here. The Columbia Icefield is located at the continental divide in Banff and Jasper National Parks. This glacier is the most visited in North America. It’s actively receding and is expected to disappear between 2040 and 2100. It’s VERY important to secure your tickets ahead of time and ALSO book a time to ride the glacier bus. We discovered quite late into the process our tickets purchased on Viator still needed us to call the Glacier center to book a time slot. We saw many people make the same mistake and some had to return another day.
Enjoy a nice walk on the glacier, a facial dip in the glacier water “a glacial facial” and drive in and out on a monster ice explorer.
Canada Day in Canmore
We were lucky to round out our trip with a Canada Day Parade (July 1st) on our last day in Canmore. If you can be there during this time be sure to find a parade and bring your water guns and raincoats as its tradition for those in the parade to soak the observers. Between the Mounties and the firefighters prepare to get wet! There are dry zones if that better suits you. Our kids declined, of course.
Reach out to us on Instagram with any questions you have!
All photograhy by Hunter Fiers. More at ShotsFiered