10 Great Winter Adventures For Families In Banff and Lake Louise
- Published
- Feb 9, 2023|
- Last Updated
- Sep 12, 2024|
- Family Travel, Active Travel
Banff National Park has long been a setting for moments that make memories by offering a diverse range of activities to suit all families, no matter what age. Here is our list of the great family activities to do in Banff and Lake Louise.
Dogsledding
Kids love dogs, and these dogs love what they do. Iconic to "The Great White North," and one of the most popular activities in the Canadian Rockies is dogsledding.
These well-trained animals take you on a journey like no other through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Families bundle under blankets in the warm sleigh as the musher guides the surprisingly silent sled on the trail and through the forest.
Tours are available in Lake Louise with Kingmik Dog Sled Tours and around Spray Lakes with Snowy Owl Dog Sled Tours , and each allows parents to take their children in one sleigh.
Sleigh Rides
Horse-drawn sleigh rides in Banff and Lake Louise are the perfect cozy and gentle activity for families of all ages.
Banff Trail Riders at Warner Stables in Banff and Brewster Stables at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise give guests an experience in an iconic setting with warm blankets and an interpretive guide/cowboy.
Journey through the areas around Warner Stables in Banff where the experience is complemented with hot chocolate and marshmallow roasting, or ride the sleigh on the frozen and famous Lake Louise.
Banff Gondola
Another activity for all ages is the family-friendly Banff Gondola. Featuring a multi-level interpretive experience that allows kids to interact with 3D animal experiences, historical education, a camping experience, and the "Above Banff" theatre, this activity will keep the kids busy for hours.
They also have the fantastic Nightrise event from November to March. This is a multimedia experience in the dark created by Moment Factory in partnership with the Stoney Nakoda Nation.
Everything, from music, to lights, to storytelling, is beautiful and allows you to appreciate the mountains and starts that we live amongst.
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
The Cave & Basin National Historic Site offers an interpretive experience, so families can enjoy the old-fashioned cars, pioneer-era exhibits, and, best of all - the cave with natural flowing hot spring water.
The Cave and Basin doesn't allow swimming since it is a place that is sacred to many indigenous people. It is also home to some tiny snails that are only found in the warm waters in this beautiful place.
If you want to "take the waters" as the Victorians called it, you can visit the Banff Upper Hot Springs and enjoy the warm water on cold winter days!
Wildlife tour with Discover Banff Tours
Banff National Park is a wild place – it's a protected natural environment that has a unique history of humans and wildlife living side-by-side.
Discover Banff Tours guides will not only tell you the history of how we have gotten to such a sustainable place, but they'll show you landmarks, historical points of reference, and if you're lucky – wildlife.
This tour is a great introduction for the kids to what they have to explore in the area. Guides will bring props that will spark the curious and adventurous side of the kids.
Tubing
For kids ages four and up, the Lake Louise Ski Resort and Mt. Norquay offer tubing for the family. Mt. Norquay offers night tubing in the heart of winter and both can be easily added to a day of ski lessons.
Johnston Canyon Icewalk
For kids eight and older, White Mountain Adventures, Radventures and Discover Banff Tours offer ice walks during the day and nighttime.
These unique experiences offer a look at both human and geological history as guests hike through the canyon and a cave to the frozen waterfalls.
Snowshoeing
Kids aged eight and up can stomp around the deep powder of our winter wonderland in the Canadian Rockies. With no experience necessary, this winter activity is a great way to explore trails in Sunshine with Great Divide Nature Interpretation. or Banff Adventures. You can also explore Lake Louise with Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
Skating
Skating on the frozen Lake Louise is an iconic pastime in Banff National Park. This natural skating rink is groomed daily and is a perfect place for a family skate with a stunning backdrop. You can get rentals from Chateau Mountain Sports in Lake Louise.
