How to Plan the PERFECT Banff Honeymoon
If you have chosen Banff for your honeymoon, let me reassure you that you have made a very good choice. It may not seem like the honeymoon destination you have pictured with white sand, palm trees, and warm beaches, but there are so many impressive mountains, lakes, and endless nature here that you won’t regret a honeymoon in Banff.
We didn’t take our honeymoon in Banff, but that’s only because we already live in the Rockies and 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 special trip.
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 in the outdoors.
When Should You Plan a Honeymoon to Banff?
That depends on if you want a winter honeymoon or a summer honeymoon. If you seek a honeymoon filled with fluffy snow and frosted mountains, you should travel 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 April, May, and November unless you want to visit Banff on a budget. These are off-season months, and in general, the weather isn’t so great for a honeymoon. 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 flights, accommodation, and car rentals.
Honeymoon Activities 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. After the gardens, continue your walk to Bow Falls.
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 the park. It’s a massive park that very few people get out explore properly; 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, which 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 are 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. The Spa at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise offers luxurious body and massage treatments.
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.
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 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!
Head Up the 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.
Catch Sunrise on Moraine Lake
Many visitors to Banff have one main thing on their list – catch sunrise at Moraine Lake. Moraine Lake is arguably the most beautiful lake in the world, and every summer, people wake up before 3am to catch sunrise there.
You can book a sunrise shuttle with the Moraine Lake Bus Company. They’ll get you to the lakeshore in no time where you can hike to the top of the Rockpile Trail and witness the most stunning sunrise over the Ten Peaks.
Canoe on Lake Louise
Head to Lake Louise for a paddle on this bright blue, iconic lake. If you happen to be traveling with one, you can bring your own canoe or paddleboard. Most likely, you’ll need to rent one from the Lake Louise Boathouse. Canoe rentals operate during the summer season. While they are expensive, it’s a bucket-list activity. How often can you say you’re going to canoe on the most stunning lake in Canada?
Hike to the Lake Agnes Teahouse
If you’re looking for an epic hike together, consider the trek to Lake Agnes! 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 Agnes. If you’re the really adventurous kind of couple, continue hiking to the Little Beehive, Big Beehive, or Devil’s Thumb.
Honeymoon Activities in the Winter
Go Dog Sledding
Howling Dog Tours runs dog sledding adventures out of Canmore and into Kananaskis Country, which neighbors Banff National Park. 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 to enjoy figure skating and a game of hockey. Take a skate around this beautiful area and then enjoy some hot chocolate together.
Go Skiing or Snowboarding
SkiBig3 is a collection of three mountain resorts, all within Banff National Park. Lake Louise Ski Resort, Banff Sunshine, and Mt. Norquay are fantastic and unique ski resorts – each providing visitors a different ski experience. 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.
The Most Romantic Places to Stay
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.
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.
The Rimrock
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.
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!).
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.
Sky Bistro
- Location: On top of the Banff Gondola
- Cuisine: Upscale Canadian
- Price: $$$
The Sky Bistro is fine dining in the sky, located at the top of the Banff Gondola, so it’s best to combine with your time up there. You can have unparalleled mountain views up here while drinking delicious cocktails and even better appetizers, entrees, and desserts. This one will require reservations and advanced planning as it’s quite popular and books up fast in the summer. Window seats are not guaranteed.
The Bison
- Location: 211 Bear Street
- Cuisine: Canadian/ Americana
- Price: $$$
- 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.
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 vehicle. 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, and Lake Louise 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
- 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 if you plan on hiking, which I highly recommend!
- Down Jacket: Even in the summer, the weather in Banff can turn very cold at any second. 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 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.
↓ Ask Your Questions ↓
The Banff Blog Private Facebook Group is your headquarters for Canadian Rockies travel advice and information, including hike and off-season travel information. You can also meet new adventure buddies.
Plan Your Trip to the Canadian Rockies
- Recommended Experiences: There are many things to do in the Rockies, but our top recommendation is the Banff Gondola – a must do experience! If you want to get active, consider snowshoeing on top of the world. Lastly, enjoy nighttime in Banff on this Sunset and Stars Tour!
- Want an all in one tour? Pursuit is running this special Winter Wonder tour on weekends!
- Transport in the winter: If you don’t want to drive to Banff in the winter, we totally get it. To avoid this book with the Banff Airporter.
- Hotels in the Rockies: There are many places to stay, from luxury hotels to wilderness cabins. See all our favorites here.
- Get Around: We suggest renting a car to get around. You can search for rental cars on Rentalcars.com. For a campervan trip, you can check prices and compare on Outdoorsy.
- We can help you plan your 2025 trip to Western Canada! If you’re feeling overwhelmed by planning we can assist! We’ll personally go over your itinerary, hop on a 1 on 1 phone call, or create a bespoke itinerary just for you! See our services here.
