Banff
The small resort town of Banff is a holiday
destination situated inside the spectacular and unspoilt Banff
National Park, Canada's first national park and most popular
tourist attraction. About an hour and a half's drive west of
Calgary, the surrounding national park offers 2,564 square miles
(6,641 sq km) of unparalleled mountain scenery in the heart of the
Canadian Rockies, including glaciers, ice fields, jagged peaks,
crystal clear lakes, and raging rivers.
Holiday attractions in the town itself include the
Banff Park Museum on Buffalo Street, which is the oldest natural
history museum in western Canada and features a fantastic
assortment of wildlife specimens, minerals, and other artefacts.
Not far away is the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, dedicated
to the rich cultural history of the area with four art galleries, a
heritage gallery, and a research library.
The Cave and Basin National Historic Site, in Cave
Avenue, tells the story of the discovery of the hot springs that
led to the establishment of Canada's first national reserve in
1885. Visitors on holiday here can also take a gondola ride to the
top of Sulphur Mountain to enjoy the spectacular views from the
observation deck at the top, or soak in hot mineral waters at the
Upper Hot Springs in Mountain Avenue.
Winter is low season in Banff National Park, but
skiers and snowboarders who brave the low temperatures are
delighted with what they find. From steep couloirs to gentle
cruising, the slopes have something for everyone, and the snow is
some of the coldest, driest and most reliable anywhere in the
world. And there's a lot of it, particularly in the Sunshine
Village ski area.
The staggering scenery and mountain wildlife
impresses visitors, as well as the welcoming Banff locals and
excellent value. Lake Louise is the most extensive and popular ski
resort in the Banff region. See our separate Lake Louise ski resort
guide.