Banff 
Winter in Banff is a cause for celebration! The Rocky Mountains come alive during the coldest and snowiest Alberta months, with a nearly overwhelming number of things to do inside and out. And the town’s excitement for winter ramps up towards the end of January as Banff welcomes Snow Days, an 11-day festival that further helps liven things in January.
Credit: Devaan Ingraham / Banff Lake Louise Tourism
During the event, there are special festivities to experience on Banff Avenue and within the entire town, and a Craft Spirits Festival which lasts the entirety of the event. The Tribute Festival invites you out to Banff’s many local bars and restaurants to try their special Snow Days menus. And beyond the in-town dining, drinking, and artistic displays, there are all the usual winter activities you and your family can enjoy: snowshoeing, skiing, tubing, sledding, or simple sightseeing.
Banff Snow Days Festival runs from January 19 to 30, 2022.
Snow Sculptures
Banff & Lake Louise Tourism
No matter your reason for coming to Banff, the Snow Sculpture event in town can easily be a part of your itinerary. If you’re here for the start of the festivities, you’ll get to see the sculptors hard at work, carving their large creations on-site. The works of art remain on display for the rest of the Festival.
When: throughout the festival
Where: Bear Street, Banff
How much: Free
Tribute Craft Spirits Festival
While some of the outdoor events for Tribute are postponed, you can still get out for cocktail, beer, or wine tastings around Banff. Each bar has their own special menu for the Tribute Craft Spirits Festival, and you are encouraged to visit and support Banff’s local bar, brewing, and distilling industry. You can expect a host of unique cocktail creations, many with a winter or local twist.
When: January 19-30
Where: various Banff establishments
How much: various prices
Snowdays Play Zone
The Banff Snowdays Festival offers a few free opportunities for fun outdoors. This includes their Play Zone which is designed as an outdoor playground in the snow, suitable for all ages. Free rentals for outdoor equipment will also be available at the Play Zone; you can rent fat bike tires, snowshoes, helmets, sleds, GT Racers, or snow tubes.
Skating at Lake Louise (or other mountain lakes)
Credit: Canadian Tourism Commission
Lake Louise may just be the most scenic place in Alberta for skating: the mountains, the ice-blue lake, and the Chateau, all help make this spot incredibly gorgeous for skating, sightseeing, hiking, or just a quick photo stop. But beyond this popular spot are other frozen lakes and ponds which make just as pretty skating locations.
These include:
- Vermilion Lakes
- Johnson Lake
- Two Jack Lake
- Lake Minnewanka (because of its size and depth, it will not freeze to a safe level until mid-winter)
- Cascade Pond
In order to stay safe while skating on lakes, contact Parks Canada before venturing on natural ice.
Skiing & Snowboarding
There are areas for skiers and snowboarders off all levels in Banff! You can learn and take in the experience for the first time on some ‘greens,’ or bunny hills; you can work on your technical skills in the terrain parks; or challenge yourself to some black diamond hills- or even double black diamonds. Banff is one of the premiere skiing and snowboarding destinations in the world so you can expect some big hills, gorgeous scenery, and several places to stay close to the hills.
Snowtubing
Lake Louise Ski Resort
Mt. Norquay and Lake Louise are both great ski hills (part of the Big 3), with several ways to enjoy the snow aside from skiing or snowboarding. And both now offer snowtubing tickets, which can be purchased separately from the lift tickets. This exhilarating and family-friendly activity is a bit more cost-efficient than skiing for larger groups, too!
- Mt. Norquay: Adult 18+ $42.00, Youth 13 – 17 $36.00, Child 4 – 12 $28.00, Seniors 65+ $36.00
- Lake Louise Ski Resort: Adult (18+) $35, Youth (13-17) $30, Child (6-12) $20, Senior (65+) $30, Tiger (3-5) FREE
Banff Avenue Dining
There are a huge variety of dining options between Banff and Lake Louise, including several tasty options within the hotel lobbies, too. But to simplify things, you can park at any number of public areas in town, head to Banff Avenue (or the side-streets) and combine other Snow Days activities with your search for food. There are all levels of dining from casual, to fine, to formal, as well as options for every budget. Banff Dining Guide
Banff Gondola Experiences
Credit: Banff Gondola
The site of the Gondola is a short drive from Banff’s main street and will be open during Snow Days. You can combine the skating, tubing, or sculpture viewing with a daytime trip up the Banff Gondola. Or you can wait until the end of your day for the gondola’s evening light show and experiences through Nightrise.
Where: the end of Mountain Avenue (accessed from Banff Avenue)
How much:
Banff Gondola Admission – Adult $59.00, Child $29.50
Nightrise Admission – Adult $62.00, Child $31.00
Sky Experience Lunch – Adult $85.15, Child $42.08
Northern Lights Nightrise Dinner – Adult $85.00, Child $50.50
Nightrise Sky Experience Dinner – Adult $128.00
Soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs
Banff & Lake Louise Tourism
After so much outdoor recreation you could do in Banff, you do also have a way to relax and unwind outdoors, and in the warmth. The Banff Upper Hot Springs offer a wide-open area for an outdoor soak or swim, while also giving you excellent views of the mountains and the town.
Where: 1 Mountain Ave, Banff (on your way to the Gondola!)
How much: Adult (18-64) $9.25, Youth (3-17) $8.00, Child (Under 3) Free, Senior (65+)$8.00, Family*$29.00, Extra Youth $5.00
Snowshoe Tours
There are a few different tour companies in Banff that offer some pretty unique ways to see and experience the Rocky Mountains. You can choose from a wide variety of ways to get out and enjoy some fresh air, with snowshoe tours being one of the more family- and kid-friendly options. These snowshoe tours take you places where a hike could not and come with expert guides who know their way around the fields and forests.
Lake Louise Ski Resort
Cross Country Skiing
Banff National Park may house some of the best downhill skiing in the world, but it also has some of the best cross-country ski areas. The Canmore Nordic Centre, on your way into Banff from the west, has over 20 trails to explore on skis for different skill levels, as well as a skating rink, fat bike trails, and a toboggan hill. Once you’re in the National Park, you will also have the option of 10 groomed trails.
Guided Hikes and Ice Walks
Photo Credit: Canadian Tourism Commission
Book yourself the ultimate hiking adventure through the Banff tour companies and get access to unbelievable scenery/photo opportunities. These hikes and tours can be booked for daytime or evening slots. But if you’d rather venture out on your own, there are a few shorter hiking trails around the National Park that are open and accessible over the winter months.
