I’ll keep it short and sweet: stay at the Samesun hostel! This youth hostel is great for backpackers looking for a good time and is situated on Banff Avenue. 

Therefore, you’ll be in the midst of the action as soon as you walk out the door. The hostel is equipped with a huge kitchen, which is great if you’re looking to save money by cooking your own meals. For instance, I cooked a large batch of pasta on my first night and had dinners for the whole time I was there (more money for cocktails!).  

Along with the great emplacement and the beautiful kitchen, you’ll find a nice chilling room where you’re very likely to make friends from around the world!

Moreover, the staff is lovely, the facilities are super clean, the price is reasonable, and I could keep going. I had a great time there. Not only is the hostel great, but it’s also paired with the Beaver Bar which is a huuuge plus, but more on that later!

Sulfur Mountain

The view you get at the top of Sulfur mountain is one of the most spectacular ones I have seen in my entire life. The impressive heights of the mountains coupled with the kilometers of untouched fir forests are absolutely breathtaking. To see such a wide landscape that has survived the touch of Men is a significantly moving experience.

You get two options for getting up there: Either put on your best shoes and climb to the top or do as I did and hop in the gondola. Taking the gondola itself is an experience, as the whole mountain unravels under your eyes through a wonderful bird-eye viewpoint. 

Gratitude tip: while up there, take a long moment to let go of your phone and camera and just sit still in the marvel of the world. Take a moment to be thankful that we get to be on such an extraordinarily beautiful planet and absorb it all! 

Lake Louise Big Beehive Trail

Yeah, you’ve heard of that one astonishing turquoise blue lake in Canada and yeah, it IS worth it!

Now it is not directly in Banff but not too far, and there are loads of buses leaving for Lake Louise every day so get in one asap. You’ll remember this view for the rest of your life.

Take the time to appreciate the view at the bottom of the mountain next to the lake, and then walk up to the Big Beehive. You’ll be immersed in the dense forest, not to mention getting multiple different viewpoints of the lake.

If you go during the summer season, you can even stop at the Lake Agnes teahouse to catch your breath and grab a drink!

The Beaver Bar

Remember how I said this bar was paired with the hostel? This makes it the perfect place to start your night out strong by meeting a bunch of like-minded travelers. It’s (almost) like going out with your roommates.

The bar offers a different deal or activity each day of the week so you’ll never get bored, and it’s quite small which makes it super cozy. Go get a pint and talk to strangers! 

Devil’s Gap

Pretty funny to see how the Google reviews of this place are terrible because I had a blast there! I’d say it’s quite a trashy grunge bar, where you’ll find walls full of graffiti, cheap drinks, rock music, pool tables, and really easy-going people.

It’s the kind of place where the more people you are, the more fun you’ll have. If that’s your vibe, definitely try it out! 

High Rollers

If you’re looking for a mix of pizza, a large selection of craft beers, a vintage look, bowling alleys, pool tables, and a few arcade games, you found your guy! High Rollers has many entertaining options regardless of what you are into, so go have a look!

Dancing Sasquatch

As you might have guessed by the name, that’s the perfect bar to end up the night! This club will have you dancing all night long. Not only does it have a huge dance floor, but it also offers fun karaoke on Wednesday night.

I ended up signing Summer Nights with a random English guy, turns out we became really good friends and I went to see him back in England a few years later!

You never know what kind of experiences traveling will bring you. So go sing your lungs out on stage 😉

These are just a few of the numerous bars situated on Banff Avenue. They turned out to be the ones where I had the most fun, so grab a beer in my honor if you try them out!

Banff Upper Hot Springs

An unmissable! Go bathe in the naturally hot water coming from the springs while gazing up at the Rockies. It’s a very relaxing activity that you can pair with a demanding hike. After climbing a high mountain, the hot water will help with muscle soreness and you’ll feel fresh as new once you escape the pool! 

Stroll down Banff Avenue 

Quite touristy that’s for sure, but who doesn’t like to enter the cute little gift shops and grab homemade fudge in a candy factory? Just walk around and go inside whatever shop speaks to you, the avenue is filled with really pretty ones!

Banff Skateboard Park

Ok, I get it, this is a very specific one and chances are you are not a skateboarder. But I had to include it because I was blown away by the place. So if by any chance you are a skateboard adept, you have to go there! The emplacement of the park is just too majestic not to go land a few tricks.

Banff Park Museum, National Historic Site

This small museum in the heart of the town will allow you to see wildlife animals from up close. It’s filled with stuffed animals from the Rockies, and it’s super interesting to see and read about the different species.

Actually, it’s the oldest natural history museum in western Canada, built in 1903. So go educate yourself on the life that surrounds you and who knows, you might catch one of these creatures in the wild while hiking the mountains! 

Walk by Bow river

The Bow River is a wonderful clear river that runs through the village and it’s definitely worth walking by. Here is a picture I took while walking next to it, to give you an idea of the grandeur and beauty of the place!

This is an important question to ask yourself because your experience will drastically change depending on when you go. If you’re not a big fan of the cold, don’t ever come to Canada during winter, because you’re likely to freeze quite a bit! 

However, if the cold doesn’t bother you, Banff is well known for being a nice place to stay to explore the different ski resorts in Alberta. In that case, coming in winter might be great for you, especially if you are fond of skiing. 

If you’re not sure of when to go, I would recommend you do like me and go during the fall. My trip to Banff was during October and I LOVED it. 

The air was crisp, the trees were starting to change colors, I was comfortable just wearing a warm sweater while in town but, best of both worlds, the top of the mountains were already white with snow!

There is something absolutely magical about having a little snow falling from the sky at the top of Sulfur mountain, look at that! 

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