Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Banff travel guide

Banff Tourism | Banff Guide

You're Going to Love Banff

With a population of 7,502, Banff is a must-see destination in Alberta, Canada. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Banff has to offer.

Article

Where to Eat in Banff

If you’re looking for affordable options, Fairmont Banff Springs – Special Events (405 Spray Avenue) and Bluebird Woodfired Steakhouse & Fondue (214 Lynx St) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Earls Kitchen + Bar - Banff (299 Banff Ave) and Coyotes Southwestern Grill (206 Caribou St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Banff.

When to visit Banff

Banff in March
Estimated hotel price
$407
1 night at 3-star hotel
Banff in March
Estimated hotel price
$407
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Banff in July, when the average temperature is 15 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as -13 °C, with an average temperature of -9 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 68 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Banff, with an average rainfall of 17 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Banff

Plane

Although Banff doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Calgary Airport (YYC), which is located 108 km from Banff. The shortest flight to Banff from New Zealand departs from Christchurch and takes around 34h 10m.

Car

Another option to get to Banff is to pick up a car hire from Calgary, which is about 106 km from Banff. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Dollar, among others, in Calgary.

Plane

Although Banff doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Calgary Airport (YYC), which is located 108 km from Banff. The shortest flight to Banff from New Zealand departs from Christchurch and takes around 34h 10m.

Car

Another option to get to Banff is to pick up a car hire from Calgary, which is about 106 km from Banff. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Dollar, among others, in Calgary.

Airports near Banff

YYCCalgary
YQFRed Deer

Airlines serving Banff

Lufthansa
Good (8,229 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,578 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,228 reviews)
SWISS
Good (2,074 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,576 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,249 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,650 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,732 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,662 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (960 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (10,214 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,984 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,197 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,639 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,536 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,430 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (430 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,486 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,385 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (1,354 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Banff

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hi Banff Alpine Centre - Hostel and Bow View Lodge. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Banff, with prices from $129 to $2,879 per night. Downtown is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Banff are about 24% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Banff

Most booked hotels in Banff

See all
Fairmont Banff Springs
4 stars
Excellent (9, Excellent reviews)
$902+
View
Hotel Canoe and Suites
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
$346+
View
Moose Hotel and Suites
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
$364+
View
Canalta Lodge
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
$254+
View
Elk + Avenue Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$181+
View

Hiring a car in Banff

Hiring a car in Banff costs $63 per day, on average, or $189 if you want to hire it for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Avis and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Banff is the Avis branch at 317 Banff Avenue, which is 0 km from the city centre.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 77% cheaper than airport locations in Banff.

Expect to pay $2.62 per litre in Banff (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $31.33 and $41.78. The most frequently booked car type in Banff is Compact (Nissan Kicks or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Ford Escape or similar) is, on average, 48% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Banff costs $63 per day, on average, or $189 if you want to hire it for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Avis and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Banff is the Avis branch at 317 Banff Avenue, which is 0 km from the city centre.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 77% cheaper than airport locations in Banff.

Expect to pay $2.62 per litre in Banff (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $31.33 and $41.78. The most frequently booked car type in Banff is Compact (Nissan Kicks or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Ford Escape or similar) is, on average, 48% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Banff