How to Spend 3 Summer Days in Banff, Canmore & Yoho National Park

We spent three unforgettable days (July 27–30) exploring the stunning beauty of Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada—and as someone who's traveled to 17 countries and countless breathtaking destinations, I can confidently say this is one of my all-time favorites. This trip had it all from incredible dining,jaw-dropping Rocky Mountain views at every turn, and the most vibrant, glacier-fed lakes we’ve ever seen. The striking blue water comes from finely ground rock particles that suspend into the lakes from melting glaciers. I’ve experienced plenty of icy-blue waters on my coastal adventures, but being surrounded by the dramatic peaks of the Rockies made these views truly next-level.

Where To Stay near Banff National Park

We stayed in Canmore and I truly can’t  recommend it enough! Canmore is a more budget-friendly alternative to staying in the town of Banff, but it still offers incredible beauty, charm, and access to all the surrounding parks.We expected to spend more evenings dining in and strolling around the town of Banff but we loved Canmore so much that we enjoyed 2 dinners here and spent plenty of time adventuring locally. 

Located just 20 minutes from the town of Banff, 55 minutes from the Lake Louise & Moraine Lake shuttle, and about 1.5 hours from Yoho National Park, Canmore made for the perfect home base to explore the Canadian Rockies without the higher price tag or bigger crowds.

Planning Ahead

Visiting Lake Louise & Moraine Lake: What You Need to Know About the Shuttle

If you're planning to visit Lake Louise or Moraine Lake, here's your heads-up: shuttles are required, and these can’t-miss destinations definitely require some planning ahead!

When I went to book our shuttle to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake about two months before our trip, I was frustrated to find that every time slot was already sold out. I had read that shuttles can fill up quickly, but I also knew that Parks Canada releases additional tickets 48 hours before each travel date at 8:00 AM MST. Since we were visiting midweek (Monday to Wednesday), we hoped we would get our sunrise slot tickets then no problem.

I had read that sunrise is the best time to visit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake—not only for the stunning reflections on the water, but also to avoid the largest crowds. We logged on to the Parks Canada website at exactly 8:00 AM MST, two days before our planned visit (when the final batch of tickets is released). We even tried from three devices at once—but the sunrise slots were gone instantly. Luckily, we managed to grab a 9:00 AM shuttle, which ended up being perfect for us.

You’ll find the full details of that day under “Day 2” in this blog post, but let this be your reminder: book your shuttle as soon as you know your travel date, or be ready to jump online exactly 48 hours in advance.

While you can also book through Viator and other tour companies, the Parks Canada shuttle is by far the most affordable option—we paid just $14 USD total for two people. If it’s sold out when you are visiting, don’t worry! Send me a DM on Instagram, and I’ll happily share the backup options we found during our planning to have back up options 🙂

Renting a car

We always love renting cars from Turo when we travel out of state. We booked a car nearby Calgary airport, ubered to the pick up spot, and had convinence everywhere we went and never any trouble finding parking.

Here’s a look at our full itinerary:

*** skip to the bottom if you just want a mini guide ***

Day 1 - Yoho National Park and Dinner in the town of Banff

9:00 AM → Breakfast at The Bro’Kin Yolk (Canmore)

We kicked off our trip with breakfast at The Bro’Kin Yolk,  right next to our airbnb. When researching restaurants close to our bnb I spotted Gluten Free Peach Cobbler French Toast on the menu and knew we had to come here!!!! IIt did not disappoint! My boyfriend ordered the eggs benedict, served on quarters of a waffle, and loved it.

After breakfast, we walked next door to Beamers Coffee Bar for some drip coffees for the road. Then we headed to our first adventure—Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, about 1.5 hours away. (Tip: There are a handful of convenient rest stops along the drive if needed!)

12:00 PM → Emerald Lake + Loop Trail

We arrived at Emerald lake  right at noon and had to park about a mile down the road — so expect a bit of a walk if you're visiting during peak hours. . Right when we arrived we were blown away by the color of the water framed by the snow-capped rockies.

We hiked the Emerald Lake Loop Trail, stopping along the way to take photos and soak in the views. It’s a flat, easy trail that hugs the shoreline and offers stunning views at every turn. 

1:20 PM → Lunch at Cilantro on the Lake

We ate lunch right on the water at Cilantro on the Lake, and it was one of the most beautiful spots I’ve ever dined.  Stunning clear waters and mountains surrounded us at every angle. The food itself was average (our favorites were the beer and the hibiscus & jam mocktail), but the setting made it 100% worth it. It’s easy to see why they call it “the best patio in the Rockies.”

2:20 PM → Natural Bridge

After lunch, we made a quick stop at Natural Bridge, just a few minutes up the road from Emerald Lake. On your way out, turn right into the first large parking lot you see and enjoy the views! This isn’t a long stop—just a quick walk from your car. It is a unique rock formation and waterfall created by the Kicking Horse River. It’s a scenic and easy addition to your day.

4:00 PM → Wapta Falls Hike

We arrived at Wapta Falls a little behind schedule because our apple maps deceived us! Make sure to put “Wapta Falls Trailhead” in your maps so you don't end up going down an abandoned dirt road off the freeway like we did !!!

Once we did finally arrive, we did a moderate 3 mile round trip hike to Wapta Falls. It is a mostly flat trail and took a little over and hour to do the whole hike. The falls were massive and so powerful!

6:30 PM → Dinner at Three Bears Brewing (Banff)

We headed to the town of Banff for dinner and split 3 outstanding dishes at Three Bears Brewing Company. The atmosphere was 10/10. We sat at the upstairs bar and split three dishes: the wings, chicken Thai curry and poke. These were some of the best wings I have ever had! 

After dinner we strolled through town, popped into a few shops, and were blessed with a gorgeous double rainbow that filled the sky as we walked back to our car. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Day 2 - Hiking Lake Louise, Canoeing Moraine Lake, and Dinner in Canmore

7:45 AM → Breakfast & Shuttle to Lake Louise

We started our day with a quick breakfast at our Airbnb and grabbed coffees from Beamers before driving about 55 minutes to the Park and Ride lot. Once there, the Parks Canada staff guided us to the ticket booth where we scanned our QR code and hopped on the shuttle—super easy and organized!

9:30 AM → Hike Little Beehive Trail

We began our hike at Lake Louise, heading up Little Beehive Trail. This hike was no joke! I definitely had to take a lot of breathing breaks along the way but every turn was more beautiful than the last! About 1.2 miles up you will arrive at mirror lake. A smaller lake that you will see next to Lake Louise from the top of the little beehive view point.

10:40 am → Lake Agnes Teahouse

About a mile later, a waterfall will welcome you to the Lake Agnes Treehouse! This spot is so amazing! A little teahouse nestled on the trail only accessible by hikers or a helicopter that comes twice a year to transport heavy supplies like sugar and flour! If you do stop here, you will need to carry your trash down on your own so bring a paper baggie to put your cups in! If you order tea, try the maple - it was our favorite! It was less busy than I expected it to be for this time of day.

11:15 AM → Summit at Little Beehive

Next is the final stretch up to Little Beehive. We took our time and found several spots along the way to get photos and sit down to take in the gorgeous views of the powdery blue water. We spent a while up here soaking it all in before heading down. The whole 7/8 miles we hiked took us 4 hours with lots of stops for water breaks, tea, and photo ops along the way and we made our way back down in just under an hour.

2:15 PM → Lunch at the Fairmont Lakeview Lounge

We dined at the Lakeview Lounge in the Fairmont for lunch and it was such a treat! We felt like total VIPs getting to experience this famous hotel and dine with a gorgeous view of the spectacular fairmont property alongside Lake Louise. After lunch we grabbed a drop caramel iced latte from the hotels coffee shop, The Guided Pantry, then headed out front to the shuttle spot for Lake Louise.

If you book the Lake Louise - Morning Shuttle to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake (Banff) shuttle pass it includes a ride to Moraine Lake at any time. Shuttles come every 30 or so minutes.

4:30 PM → Canoeing on Moraine Lake

Our legs were too sore to make it up Rock Pile to see the famous view above Moraine Lake so we headed right to the canoes and made it through with only 1 party in front of us in line. We spent an hour canoeing around the lake and it was worth every penny! It felt so magical to experience the views from the water. It was $130 USD/canoe/hour.

5:45 PM → Back to Canmore + Dinner at The Local

After a very full day we made our way back to Canmore. We stopped at our airbnb to shower and get dressed then headed into town for a cute dinner in the heart of downtown at The Local. We loved our food and the vibes!

9:00 PM → Evening Stroll & Shops

Afterwards we stopped in a few stores before making our way back to get some shut eye before our final day!

Day 3 - Morning in Canmore, Afternoon hiking Grassi Lakes, and Evening in Canmore

10:30 AM → Breakfast at the Rocky Mountain Bagel Co

After a long, active day yesterday, we let ourselves sleep in before heading to breakfast at The Rocky Mountain Bagel Co on Bow Valley Trail. The rooftop patio offered stunning mountain views—absolutely worth the wait in the long line. I ordered a gluten-free bagel, and we split the maple and caramel lattes, which were delicious (though definitely on the sweeter side!).

11:45 AM → Scenic Stroll at Policeman’s Creek

Policeman’s Creek Walk is the most peaceful, scenic walks in Canmore. We loved soaking up the mountain views as we strolled along the quiet stream, completely surrounded by the Rockies. It felt like the perfect way to start a slower-paced day.

12:45 PM → Shopping in Town

After about an hour on the trail, we made our way into town to explore some local shops and pick up a few gifts and souvenirs. Then we headed back to our Airbnb for a quick outfit change before driving 25 minutes to Grassi Lakes for an afternoon hike.

2:15 PM → Hiking Grassi Lakes (Upper Trail)

We hiked the upper trail to the falls—about a mile of steady uphill climbing. It was a relatively easy trail overall, but our legs were definitely feeling sore after our Little Beehive hike the day before! The view at the top was absolutely unreal. The water was completely clear and vibrant and so unique to the others we saw in Banff National Park.

The lakes sit atop ancient reef beds formed 370 million years ago, and if you look closely, you can actually spot sponge-like fossils in the water (stromatoporoids). We took tons of photos, explored both lakes, and then made our way back down feeling totally in awe.

4:30 PM → Drinks + Small Bites at Tank 310

We stopped at Tank 310 for wings and drinks with a view. We’d heard good things and wanted to check it out, but the gluten-free options were limited, so we kept it light and saved our appetite for dinner.

6:00 PM → Dinner at Aprés Canmore + Ice Cream

For dinner, we headed to Apres Canmore and shared a delicious spread of poke, butter chicken, and chicken tacos. We loved the vibes and flavorful food—it was the perfect spot to relax after a busy day. We ended the night with a stroll through downtown and ice cream from The Scoopin Moose—highly recommend!

Mini Guide

Where to Eat

• Cilantro on the Lake

• The Bro’Kin Yolk

• Lakeview Lounge at Fairmont chateau Lake Louise

• The Local Canmore

• Rocky Mountain Bagel Co

• Tank 310

• Apres Canmore

Things to do

• Walk the Emerald Loop around Emerald Lake

• Explore Natural Bridge, a beautiful arch carved by running water (10-15 min stop) 

• Hike to Wapta Falls

• Hike Little Beehive Trail at Lake Louise

• Canoe at Moraine Lake

• Walk Policemans Creek Trail

• Hike to Grassi Lakes

• Explore the shops/restaurants in the town of Banff

• Explore the shops/restaurants in the town of Canmore

What to pack (3 full days)

• 3 to 5 workout outfits (I always like bringing extra in case I want to outfit change between activities)

• 3 dinner outfits

• Hoodies and jackets to layer -we visited at the end of July and mornings were cold enough for a puffy jacket/hoodie and afternoons got hot !!!

• 1 to 2 pajama/lounge outfits

• Medicine, toiletries, & make-up

• Purse for evenings

• Hiking shoes, sneakers, flip flops, & sandals for if you want to dress up for dinner

• Underwear and lots of socks including good hiking socks!

• First aid pouch: bandages, blister bandaids, Neosporin/Polysporin, gauze wrapped around a card to keep it compact, mini sunscreen, mini scissors, antiseptic wipes, ibuprofen, chapstick, plastic bags [ shop my first aid pouch essentials on amazon ]

• Hat and sunglasses

• Backpack that is comfy to hike with! 

• Water bottles & or camelback 

• Sunscreen & bug spray - to be extra prepared have bear spray and a whistle

• Snacks 

• Plastic bags - I always travel with extra baggies to have just in case - If you stop at Lake Agnes teahouse you will need to bring your trash back down the mountain with you so I recommend bringing a plastic bag you can put your trash in to carry it down in your backpack!

• Fanny Pack - I liked having a fanny pack to hold my camera, lipgloss and essentials while my boyfriend did the heavy lifting with everything else in our backpack

• Camera, tri-pod, extra SD cards, adapter, chargers - if you want to create content along the way!