If you have chosen Banff for your honeymoon, you have made a very good choice. It may not seem like the honeymoon destination you have pictured without white sand and warm beaches, but there are so many impressive mountains, lakes, and endless nature here that you won’t regret a Banff honeymoon. We’re confident you’ll remember your Banff honeymoon as one of your fondest memories.
We didn’t honeymoon in Banff, but that’s only because we already live in the Rockies, so we felt we needed to go somewhere different. That being said, we did get engaged in the Canadian Rockies and live a very romantic life here in general, so we know just what to recommend for your own Banff honeymoon.
While there isn’t a blue ocean, there are plenty of turquoise-blue glacier-fed lakes, fantastic restaurants, and many hiking trails to celebrate love. Here’s how to enjoy a Banff honeymoon properly!
The Ultimate Banff Honeymoon Planning Guide
When Should You Plan a Banff Honeymoon?
That depends on if you want a winter Banff honeymoon or a summer Banff honeymoon. If you seek a honeymoon filled with fluffy snow and frosted mountains, you should honeymoon in Banff between December and February – though you’ll want to dress warmly.
Most people don’t want a winter honeymoon, and if this is you and you want a summer in the mountains kind of honeymoon, plan to travel to Banff between mid-June and September. For a honeymoon in the fall, with golden larch leaves all around you, the last two weeks of September will be your best bet for getting those fall vibes.
The only times we would not advise planning a Banff honeymoon are November, April, and May unless you want to visit Banff on a budget. These are off-season months, and in general, the weather isn’t so great. Many hikes aren’t accessible, and the beautiful blue lakes are far from their prime. If you are on a budget, this is the best time to visit to get off-season prices on accommodation and car rentals.
The Most Romantic Places to Stay on a Banff Honeymoon
Being a small Alberta town that’s located in a national park, Banff doesn’t have a crazy number of hotels. But there are some romantic places to stay in Banff on your honeymoon. Here’s where we recommend!
Banff Springs Hotel
One of the most romantic places to stay in Banff is the Banff Springs Hotel. None of the luxury hotels in Banff National Park are more iconic than the long-standing Banff Springs Hotel.
When you glimpse this grand landmark for the first time, you’ll see why it’s known as The Castle of the Rockies. The hotel has seen guests from all over the world for more than 100 years.
Storm Mountain Lodge
Storm Mountain Lodge has some of the best cabins in Banff National Park. If you’re a true outdoor lover who enjoys the experience of removing yourself from everyone and everything, a cabin in the forest offers an outdoor escape. Storm Mountain Lodge has one that’ll meet all your backcountry needs as a couple! Note that it is not located Downtown and is for those that wish to be removed.
Baker Creek
Baker Creek has some of the best cabins in Banff National Park, and offer extremely cozy lodging no matter the season (though we really love winter here!).
Situated halfway between Banff town and Lake Louise, the remote location of this lodge along the Bow Valley Parkway means you are far from the crowds. In the winter, they even have their own ice skating rink!
Rimrock Resort
The Rimrock Resort Hotel is one of the best luxury hotels in Banff. Located near Sulphur Mountain, this hotel is seriously dream-worthy. Facilities at the resort include two restaurants, an indoor heated pool, hot tub, steam room, sauna, and fitness studio.
If you are heading to Banff with your pet it’s good to know that the hotel policy is very pet-friendly. Rooms are prepared with a dog bed, bowls, poop bags, and freshly baked dog biscuits ready for their canine guests. Plus the hotel’s location on the outskirts of town means there are nice walking trails for dogs.
See Other Hotels and Airbnbs in Banff Here
Things to do on a Banff Honeymoon in the Summer
Stroll Through Cascade Gardens
One of the most romantic and straightforward things you can do with your sweetheart is take a stroll around Downtown Banff. Make sure to head to the end of Banff Ave and take a walk through the beautiful Cascade Gardens.
Ride a Horse Through Canada’s First Park
One of the best things to do in Banff in the summer is hop on a horseback and get deep into Banff. It’s a massive park that very few people get out to; most stick to the main sites.
Having a horse will help you get far back into some unknown passes. Now you can either book an hour or some sort of half-day adventure, but for something truly unique that you can’t do anywhere else in the world, you should really try and get on an overnight trip with Banff Trail Riders.
We embarked on a 5 night trip with Banff Trail Riders last summer. They took us deep into the backcountry where hardly anyone gets to. It’s one of those genuinely romantic bucket list experiences you’ll remember for the rest of your life. Read all about that experience here.
Enjoy a Spa Treatment
Even a small mountain town like Banff has places to get a nice spa treatment. Treat one another on your Banff honeymoon to a day of indulgence. Red Earth Spa and Meadow Spa both have spa packages for couples.
However the nicest places to book a spa appointment is at the Fairmont properties. The Fairmont Spa at Fairmont Banff Springs offers a diverse range of more than 20 treatments, spanning from facial massages to revitalizing body scrubs, ideal for unwinding after a day of adventure. And The Spa at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise offers luxurious body and massage treatments.
Hike to the Lake Agnes Teahouse
The Lake Agnes Teahouse trek is one of the best easy hikes you can do in Banff. After visiting Lake Louise, keep going and take the trail to the teahouse. It’s an easy and gradual climb up to one of the oldest teahouses in the park, situated on beautiful Lake Ages. If you’re the adventurous kind of couple, continue hiking to the Little Beehive, Big Beehive, or Devils Thumb.
30 Easy Hikes In Banff For The Whole Family
Catch Sunrise at Two Jack Lake
Just a 10 minute drive from Downtown Banff is Two Jack Lake, a fantastic lake with Mount Rundle views, and a great place to watch the sunrise over the mountains together.
In the summer, you can rent some paddleboards or kayaks from Banff Canoe Club (Downtown) and enjoy Two Jack Lake from the water together!
Catch Sunset at Vermilion Lakes
One of my favorite places to catch the sunset in Banff is on the dock at Vermilion Lakes. You’ll get the best views of the famous Mount Rundle here, and if you’re lucky, the colors of the clouds might really give you something special.
The Best Banff Photography & Picture Spots (and How to Get To Them)
Drive the Icefields Parkway
The Icefields Parkway is one of the most beautiful road trips you can take in the entire world and has many Banff must-sees. The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North) connects Lake Louise with Jasper in Jasper National Park (a great extension to Banff!)
Pack a picnic basket and plan out some stops with our Icefields Parkway guide – you are in for the drive of your life!
Banff Gondola
Heading up Sulphur Mountain on the Banff Gondola is a unique experience, that nearly every visitor to the park wants to experience. Enjoy this short gondola ride, which provides excellent views towards Cascade Mountain, with your spouse.
Once at the top, you can enjoy the entire elevated boardwalk and walk to the Sanson’s Peak Meteorological Observatory. In the summer, the Banff Gondola is one of the most popular experiences in the park so we recommend heading here on weekdays right when they open or in the evening for a quiet experience.
Winter Banff Honeymoon Activities
Go Dog Sledding
Discover Banff Tours runs dog sledding adventures at Lake Louise and in Canmore. We’ve done this four separate times, and it’s always a fantastic experience. I particularly love the quiet ride, with only the sound of the dog team’s steps against the snow.
Ice Skate on Lake Louise
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more scenic ice rink than Lake Louise. Every year the lake freezes over, and the Chateau Lake Louise marks out multiple ice rinks made for families, figure skating, and hockey. Take a skate around this beautiful area and then enjoy some hot chocolate together.
Where to Go Ice Skating in Banff and Canmore
Go Skiing or Snowboarding
Snowboarding at all of the SkiBig3 resorts was our primary reason for heading to Banff in the winter before we moved here. SkiBig3 is a collection of three mountain resorts, all within Banff National Park.
You have Lake Louise Ski Resort, Banff Sunshine, and Mt. Norquay, all fantastic and unique ski resorts. Skiing or snowboarding here is one of the best things to do in Banff in the winter. Even if you’re not a pro, there are plenty of beginner hills to learn on together!
Go on a Romantic Sleigh Ride
In the wintertime, you might not be able to take to the trails on horseback, but you can ride on a horse-drawn sleigh at Lake Louise or around Downtown Banff. There aren’t many places you can still ride on a real sleigh through a winter snowglobe, which makes it such a fantastic thing to do in Banff in the winter. Check out Banff Trail Riders for magical rides around Downtown Banff!
The Most Romantic Places to Eat in Banff
Eden
- Location: The Rimrock Resort Hotel
- Cuisine: Modern French
- Price: $$$$
Experience fine dining with incredible views at Eden in the Rimrock Hotel. This Banff restaurant serves up some of the best food in the province, let alone Banff, as it is the only Five-Diamond Restaurant in Western Canada. The modern French restaurant serves playful and delicious dishes that leave a lasting impact, much like the views. If you guys are really in the mood for a special evening in Banff, this is the restaurant to go to.
Storm Mountain Lodge
- Location: Highway 93 South, Banff National Park
- Cuisine: Americana/Canadian
- Price: $$$
Not inside the town of Banff, but a half-hour away from town is the Storm Mountain Lodge. The lodge restaurant serves up meals with freshly baked sourdough bread, braised short ribs, and fondue. A great menu that changes seasonally, so check their website for the latest offerings. It’s the perfect spot to go have a meal in a quiet, cozy setting amongst nature.
Park Distillery
- Location: 219 Banff Ave
- Cuisine: Modern Camp Food / Canadian / Distillery
- Price: $$
With a prime location on Banff Ave, it’s tough to miss the local distillery. Park Distillery is where we take friends and family and head to ourselves when we are in the mood for a date night. Park Distillery has quickly made a name for itself in town for their spirits, such as Gin and Vodka distilled with Rocky Mountain water. We love the modern mountain interior, and they have large garage doors to open up the restaurant to fresh mountain air in the summer months.
The Bison
- Location: 211 Bear Street
- Cuisine: Canadian/ Americana
- Price: $$$
- Make Reservations: Opentable
Our favorite restaurant in Banff with a great atmosphere and high-quality farm-to-table food. They have a seasonal menu and won several national awards in Canada for exceptional service.
The menu is more varied than several other restaurants in Banff, with several options for vegans or vegetarians. You’ll find options like elk poutine, butternut bruschetta, duck breast, steelhead trout, and roasted cauliflower.
Lake Louise Railway Station & Restaurant
- Address: 200 Sentinel Rd
- Cuisine: Canadian
- Price: $$
- See Menu
If you want a unique restaurant experience around Lake Louise, head to the Railway station! Wondering why you would go to a train station for a meal? Well, this is no ordinary train station. This former train station serves Canadian cuisine in multiple areas, including in an old dining car!
How to Get to Banff
Most people visiting Banff will fly into Calgary International Airport (YYC). YYC is about 1.5 hours away from Downtown Banff, which is crazy that a major city has such close access to the mountains! To get to Banff from Calgary, you’ll either have to rent a car and drive, take the Banff Airporter, or book another shuttle service. Read more about how to get from Calgary to Banff here.
The other option is to fly into Edmonton. Edmonton is the bigger city, but the airport isn’t as well connected. It will also take you four hours to drive from Edmonton to Banff, so this isn’t the best option, and flights are almost never cheaper than flying right into Calgary.
Getting Around Banff on Your Honeymoon
Though it’s possible to visit Banff without a car, the best way to get around Banff and explore all the park offers is with your own car.
There is a public bus system in Banff, the Roam Transit, that can get you to some of the main sites like Johnston Canyon, Lake Minnewanka, Lake Louise, and Moraine Lake in the summer, but it is limited.
So unless you plan on spending most of your time in Downtown Banff, I would go the car rental route. Read all about renting a car for Banff here.
What to Pack for Your Banff Honeymoon
- Waterbottle: Please don’t buy bottled water while in the Canadian Rockies. The water from the taps is perfectly fine and delicious to drink. Bring a reusable water bottle to keep your water in!
- Daypack: You’ll definitely want a daypack while in Banff, that is if you plan on hiking. Which I highly recommend doing!
- Down Jacket: Even in the summer the weather in Banff can turn at any second and become very cold. Bring at least a down jacket!
- Sweater: If you’re visiting in the winter, bring some cute sweaters!
- One nice outfit: Since it’s your honeymoon and you’ll be doing a few nice things (presumably a nice dinner), you should bring at least one nice outfit.
- Hiking Shoes: You definitely want a pair of outdoor shoes, or hiking shoes for your trip to Banff. They are essential!
Hopefully, this helped you determine what to do on your Banff honeymoon
If you have any other questions leave a comment or see our Canadian Rockies travel guide for more articles about photography spots, lakes, hikes, and everything else.
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Plan Your Trip to the Canadian Rockies
- Tours (New in 2024): The Banff Blog is partnering with one of the leading tour companies in Western Canada so readers can experience the magic of the Rockies with other travelers – without having to think about a thing. See all our 2024 tour offerings here!
- Hotels in the Rockies: There are many places to stay, from luxury hotels to wilderness cabins. See all our favorites here.
- Get to Banff or Canmore Without a Car: The Banff Airporter provides fantastic service connecting you from the Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Banff or Canmore.
- Get Around: We suggest renting a car to get around. You can search for rental cars on Rentalcars.com. Or embark on an epic campervan trip. We like to compare prices on Motorhome Republic and Outdoorsy.
- Cheaper Airfare: We also use Going to watch for cheap airfare deals!
- Hop On, Hop Off: This tour is taking Banff by storm. It’s exactly what it sounds like, hop on and off a bus bound for all the best attractions at your own pace!
