The Banff City Guides answer what every visitor to the Rockies wants to know: which dinners are worth the bill in a town of mountain prices, which free viewpoints beat the paid ones, how to fill a snowy day with children and how to reach Lake Louise, Canmore or Yoho without a coach tour. Each guide is a short, opinionated list with the reason to go, what to order or bring and one practical tip for every place, and it opens in your browser the moment you pay.
About the Banff City Guides
- 139 places
- 6 guides
- 13 languages
- Works offline
- Print or PDF
- Instant access
- Free updates
The six Banff guides
Food guide
24 places
Quick bites and the locals’ supermarket deli, classic fondue and Alberta bison, modern bistros with good vegan plates, and bakeries and coffee for cold mornings.
Things to do guide
24 places
Small museums and mining ruins, the hot springs and the gondola, three ski hills, free viewpoints over the Bow Valley and walks that start in town.
Family guide
22 places
Easy outdoor walks, a hot pool with a shallow end, public skating, rainy-day museums full of stuffed bears and food that works for children.
Nightlife guide
22 places
Cocktails with a mountain view, brewpubs and an Irish pub, country music and live bands, and where to eat once the kitchens close.
Day trips guide
22 places
Frozen lakes and ski hills within 20 minutes, Lake Louise and Yoho by bus or car, Canmore and Kananaskis, and three long days further out.
Budget guide
25 places
Free walks and summit views, cheap museums and warm pools, meals that keep the bill low, and the passes and buses that save real money.
Why an interactive guide beats a list
Tick places off
Mark each place as done and watch your progress, so you always know what is left.
Your own notes
Write notes on any place and add your own finds. They stay on your phone.
One tap to Maps
Every place opens in Google Maps, and the day route puts your picks in a sensible order.
Open now, near me
Filter by what is open right now or what is closest to you.
Works offline
Open the guide once with a connection and it keeps working without data.
Print it or save as PDF
On a computer, print any guide or save it as a PDF to take with you.
Three places from the guides
Nourish Bistro Banff
Bear Street
A plant-based kitchen that keeps meat eaters happy too: ramen in a deep vegan broth, avocado tacos and polenta fries. The right call after a few nights of steak. From the food guide.
Surprise Corner Viewpoint
Buffalo Street, below the Fairmont Banff Springs
The postcard view: the Bow River curving beneath the stone towers of the Banff Springs, with Mount Rundle rising behind. A few steps from the car park, free, and best in the low light of a winter afternoon. From the things to do guide.
Johnston Canyon
Bow Valley Parkway, 25 minutes’ drive west of Banff
Steel walkways fixed to the limestone walls lead through the gorge to the Lower Falls in about half an hour. In winter the falls turn to blue ice, a walk children over five remember; leave the pushchair behind from November. From the family guide.
Plan your days in Banff
Day one: walk to Surprise Corner and Bow Falls from the things to do guide, ride the gondola up Sulphur Mountain late in the afternoon and finish with a booked dinner from the food guide. Day two: take the Roam bus to Lake Louise with the day trips guide, or ski Sunshine Village or Mount Norquay, then end the night in a brewpub from the nightlife guide. On a grey or slow day, the family and budget guides send you to the Upper Hot Springs, the Banff Park Museum, the Whyte and Cave and Basin.
Questions about the Banff guides
What do the Banff City Guides include?
Six guides with 139 places in total: food, things to do, family, nightlife, day trips and budget. Each place comes with the reason to go, the area and a practical tip, sorted into clear sections.
How do I get the guides once I have paid?
The links show up on your order page as soon as payment goes through, and again in your confirmation email. They open in any browser on a phone or laptop, with no app or account.
Can I use the Banff guides without signal?
Yes. Open each guide once while you are online and it keeps working offline, ticks and notes included. Only the map links need mobile data.
Which languages are the guides available in?
The guides open in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Greek, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Arabic. You can switch the language inside the guide at any time.
How much do the Banff guides cost?
One guide costs C$7.99, two cost C$13.99, four cost C$24.99 and all six cost C$30.99. You pay once and keep them.
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