15 COSTLY Mistakes to Avoid in Banff

No matter the season or plans, a trip to Banff is unlikely to disappoint. However, travelers should consider some pitfalls and details when planning a trip. Most of these mistakes may not even cost money, but could cause a little extra stress.

Some quick tips to save your trip are to grab the important reservations, not plan too much, pick the right season to visit, come prepared, and follow the park rules. Most mistakes are simple to make and easy to fix, ensuring you have a stellar trip to Banff and the Canadian Rockies.

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Avoid These Mistakes in Banff

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Not Booking Ahead of Time in the High Season

I will start this with the first offense, and that’s not planning ahead, especially during the high season. Between mid-June and September, booking ahead of time during the summer season is crucial. This is encouraged even further if visiting in July, August, or on weekends.

We recommend booking your hotels and car rentals as soon as you know you’ll be traveling to the Canadian Rockies. You must also book in advance if you hope to take the Parks Canada shuttles to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise. Tours in Banff are a bit more lenient and can be booked closer to your travel date.

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Only Traveling in the Summer

July and August are the best times in Banff for reliable weather. A good summer day in Canada is undoubtedly glorious. However, while it is some of the most promising sunny and warm weather, it also means crowds, high prices, and a risk of wildfire smoke.

If you want to escape the crowds and high prices in Banff, the first thing to do is plan your trip outside the summer months. May, early June, late September, and October are great times to travel and see fewer visitors. You may be gambling a bit with the weather, but it’s always beautiful in the Rockies.

Those who don’t mind a bit of snow and cold weather should also consider a winter trip to Banff. You’ll trade in the canoes and hiking trails for ice skates, skis, and snowshoes. And there is nothing more beautiful than seeing the peaks in the Rockies topped with a fresh layer of white. Just make sure to bring warm clothes! Curious about what each month will bring? Check out our month-by-month guide to Banff!

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Booking Too Many Tours

From the Banff Gondola to the Lake Minnewanka Scenic Cruise, there are many paid attractions to enjoy in Banff. While these tours are fun, you don’t have to visit the Rockies and spend money on tours to enjoy your time.

There are plenty of free things to do in Banff and many hikes and viewpoints. We recommend researching what you want to do and seeing if your chosen tours are worth the cost.

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Using USD

In Canada, the currency is the Canadian Dollar, and all prices are in CAD. Though the $ symbol is the same as the USD, it’s best to pay for all items with the Canadian Dollar and not the US Dollar.

At the time of writing, 1 United States Dollar equals around 1.36 Canadian Dollars. So, if you are an American looking at the prices in Canada, you can think of everything as getting a discount, though we find prices are slightly higher in Canada than in the US. Given the exchange rate, you might find that American and Canadian pricing are similar.

While USD is occasionally accepted by tour operators and restaurants, we have never tried to pay with USD. Why? Well, you’ll get a pretty poor exchange rate if you pay with USD. Most Canadians don’t have USD to exchange or give you back change, meaning you will often get a 1:1 exchange rate, essentially losing 35 cents or more per US dollar spent.

We recommend paying for most items with your credit card, Apple Pay, or pulling out Canadian Dollars from the ATM upon arrival. If you’re coming from abroad, make sure your card has no foreign transaction fees. We love the Capital One Venture X card for this. If you need to exchange currency in Banff, you can do so at the Clock Tower Village Mall on Banff Ave.

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Not Preplanning Your Trip to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise

If you plan on visiting the famous Lake Louise and Moraine Lake on your summer trip, know that you must plan your trip in advance. These are the two most famous lakes in Banff.

Driving to Moraine Lake is no longer allowed, so you must book a Parks Canada shuttle, private tour, or bike to reach the lake. All the details for getting to Moraine Lake are here. Parking at Lake Louise is still allowed, but it is very limited, so we recommend strategically planning your visit there to avoid disappointment.

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Trying to Park at Lake Louise

Speaking of parking at Lake Louise, yes, you can still park your personal vehicle there. However, between June and October, parking is very problematic. It’s a small parking lot at Lake Louise, and visitors arrive well before sunrise to get a parking space. Before 7 a.m., the parking lot is typically full (and it costs $37!). We recommend finding an alternative way to get to Lake Louise.

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Ignoring Wildlife Rules

Please remember that feeding or approaching wildlife can be dangerous for humans and animals. Feeding wild animals is illegal, and accidentally leaving food out or not properly disposing of garbage teaches animals that humans provide food, which can harm them.

If you make wildlife change its course, you are way too close. You should stay at least 30 meters away from deer, moose, and elk and at least 100 meters away from bears, wolves, coyotes, and cougars.

If you see a bear on the side of the road, please do not stop and pull over, as this creates a “bear jam.” The stopped car quickly devolves into a traffic mess, with visitors stepping out of their vehicles. Approaching a bear on foot is dangerous and dumb. If you spot a bear, slow down and take a quick photo if you want, but give the bear its space.

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Not Researching Car Rentals

Being in North America, your options for transport are limited. Most visitors to Banff will find renting a car in Calgary beneficial. Having your own car is the easiest way to get around the mountains. Renting a car for Banff ensures you can get to where you want to go on your own schedule. However, having a car is not essential for your trip to Banff (more on that below).

Depending on your travel season, car rentals in Calgary can be affordable. We’ve rented with Enterprise for less than $40 daily in the winter. However, prices can be expected to rise quite drastically during the high seasons. This is when you will want to reserve your rental car well in advance. Most car rentals have flexible cancellation policies, so you can always rent now and cancel later. We recommend doing a search on Expedia to compare rates and agencies.

If visiting in the winter, it’s best to get a car with winter tires, so make sure to check with your car rental agency. Just because it’s winter and you’re renting a car in Alberta does not mean the rental car agency will automatically outfit your car with the necessary tires. If you rent a car in Calgary, they don’t know that you are driving into the mountains and need all-wheel drive or winter tires.

Keep in mind that snow/winter tires are mandatory if you decide to drive from Alberta into BC or if you are driving the Icefields Parkway between November and April! You can see road conditions here, which are helpful between November and late April.

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Not Using the Public Transport

It’s possible to enjoy the Rockies without renting a car. The Banff Airporter is a good option for getting from YYC to Banff without a car and costs about $150 CAD round trip. You can see all the ways to get from Calgary to Banff here.

Once in Banff, there is the Roam bus system to get around town and to the Banff Gondola. In the summer, it runs to sights like Lake Minnewanka, Johnston Canyon, and Lake Louise, and in September, they even have buses that run to Moraine Lake. In the winter, there are buses that will quickly get you to Lake Louise Ski Resort and Banff Sunshine Ski Resort.

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Only Staying in Banff

Canmore is Banff’s neighboring town. It’s another popular mountain town with visitors, but it still sees fewer tourists than Banff. Walking down Main Street in Canmore is a much different and less crowded experience than walking down Banff Avenue.

There are still great restaurants in Canmore, many fantastic things to do, and plenty of hotels to stay at. You could easily spend your entire vacation in Canmore alone. Outside the town is Kananaskis Country, a provincial park with plenty of hiking opportunities. Most people use Canmore as a base for exploring Banff, as it’s just a 20-minute drive away.

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Not Hiking

Over 4 million people visit Banff annually, but most never get more than 1 km from the road. To escape the crowds, it’s best to get out on a hike. Banff has over 1600 km of maintained hiking trails. Then throw in Kananaskis Country, Kootenay, Jasper, and Yoho National Park, and you are absolutely spoiled for choice.

Those who work for their views will be rewarded with quiet time in the park. We always say the further and higher you hike, the fewer people you will see. Some of the busiest hikes in the park are Johnston Canyon, Lake Agnes, the Beehives, Tunnel Mountain, and Sentinel Pass, so avoid them or time your hike strategically (start early/late, as mentioned before).

This blog offers many hike suggestions that vary in length and difficulty, so you can choose which is right for you!

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Hiking without Bear Spray

If you plan to hike around Banff, you must go to the local outdoor store and purchase a canister of bear spray. This will set you back around $50 CAD, but it is more than worth it in a bear encounter gone wrong.

Before any hike in the Canadian Rockies, make sure that you have bear spray. When researching particular trails, check the park websites for wildlife information (Parks Canada and AB Park), and check again for notices at the trailhead. 

On the trail, make noise by banging hiking poles, talking, whistling, clapping, or singing. This is particularly important around blind bends and corners. If it’s a busy trail, you generally don’t need to make too much noise, but always be bear aware. 

This means staying alert, traveling in a group if possible, minding children and keeping pets on a leash, and finally, carrying bear spray and knowing how to use it. It also means having it easily accessible so you can reach it within seconds in an emergency and not buried in the backpack.

If flying in, remember that bear spray cannot travel on an airplane. So it’s best to buy it when you get to Canada. Atmosphere on Banff Ave and Switching Gear and Valhalla in Canmore carry bear spray and are recommended places to buy it. Some hotels also provide guests with bear spray rentals, so call yours to verify.

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Underestimating the Weather

It’s always best to come to Banff packed and dressed for mountain weather. That means having a warm jacket even in the summer, especially if you plan to hike at high elevations. The weather in the mountains can change at a moment’s notice, and you don’t want to be underdressed.

We often see single-digit temperatures in the summer, and it’s almost always below freezing at night from November to April. We like to say it’s always down jacket season in the Canadian Rockies. Packing layers is essential for any trip, no matter the season. Read our post about what to pack for a trip to Banff for more information.

If you plan to hike a lot while visiting Banff, please do not show up in sneakers or flip-flops. They will not only make you uncomfortable and look a little out of place, but they can also be potentially dangerous if you attempt a mountain hike you are not prepared for. We have an article about what to wear when hiking with great tips.

If you forget anything, there are plenty of outdoor stores in Banff and Canmore to purchase items. Switching Gear in Canmore is a consignment shop that sells gently used outdoor gear.

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Thinking You’ll See Wildlife Everywhere

The Rockies are not a zoo; this is a very wild environment. Many people ask, “Where can they see a bear?” Or are upset that they didn’t see a moose on their trip. While there is plenty of wildlife here, I would never come expecting to see it. If you see a beautiful creature on your trip, then consider yourself fortunate.

If you have dreams of seeing a bear, we highly recommend you check out Boo, the Grizzly, who lives in a refuge on Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, British Columbia.

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Not Spending Enough Time in the Rockies

You are doing a huge disservice to yourself if you’re planning anything less than a week in the Rockies. Between all the national parks (not just Banff – but there’s Jasper, Yoho, and Kootenay nearby) and stunning lakes, you can easily spend a week here and still leave hungry for more. Heck – we’ve been living here for years and our to-do list is still growing. You will not regret it if you can swing at least a week in the Canadian Rockies!