Banff

The impossibly turquoise glacial water backed by the Valley of the Ten Peaks is best seen at sunrise before the shuttle crowds arrive.

An eight-minute ride deposits you at 2,281 metres with a 360-degree panorama of six mountain ranges and the Bow Valley below.

Catwalk trails bolted into limestone cliffs lead you past two roaring waterfalls fed by snowmelt deep inside a narrow canyon.

A historic 1932 pool perched at 1,585 metres lets you soak in 39°C mineral water while staring directly at Mount Rundle's jagged ridgeline.

The sulphurous 1883 discovery pool that sparked Canada's national park system sits largely overlooked, with warm water still seeping through the original cave opening.

A 12-kilometre return hike beyond Johnston Canyon reveals six cold mineral springs that bubble with vivid blue-green and yellow hues almost nobody visits.

Perched on Tunnel Mountain, the campus hosts affordable gallery exhibitions and performances that most visitors walking Banff Avenue never discover.

This flat 2-kilometre loop through spruce wetlands along the Forty Mile Creek is where locals spot beaver and muskrat without the crowds of the main park corridors.

Inside the historic Banff Springs Hotel, this formal dining room serves Alberta beef tenderloin beneath a vaulted ceiling with framed Rocky Mountain vistas through every window.

A long-standing intimate French bistro on Caribou Street known for its carefully sourced game meats and a wine list that punches well above a mountain-town expectation.

Rimrock Resort's flagship dining room plates contemporary Canadian tasting menus with ingredients like Jasper trout and foraged mushrooms matched to an 800-label wine cellar.

A rustic-elegant room on Bear Street built around Canadian bison, elk, and locally foraged produce, with a rooftop terrace ideal for golden-hour mountain dining.

Dark wood booths, Guinness on draught, and live Celtic music on weekends make this basement pub on Wolf Street a genuine après-ski refuge.

A lively brewpub right on the main strip pouring house-crafted lagers and IPAs alongside hearty pub food, with a rooftop patio that frames Cascade Mountain perfectly.

Banff's oldest pub draws a mix of ski instructors and park wardens with its proper British ales, dartboards, and a packed rooftop deck during summer evenings.

This Bear Street staple transitions from casual dinner spot to a buzzing late-night bar with live music, pool tables, and one of the longest happy hours in town.

A slick multi-level club beneath the Caribou Street corridor that books touring DJs and hosts themed nights drawing the under-30 resort crowd on weekends.

A no-frills local institution open until the early hours, beloved for its cheap drinks, strong pours, and the kind of rowdy post-mountain energy unique to a real ski town.

Banff's most consistent late-night dance floor runs DJ sets until 2 a.m. in a basement venue beneath Banff Avenue, popular with seasonal workers and visiting skiers alike.