The Ultimate Guide: Planning a Festive Family Holiday to Banff and Lake Louise
- Dec 3, 2024|
- Events & Festivals, Family Travel
Blending natural beauty with a warm, festive spirit, Banff and Lake Louise is a truly magical setting for a family Christmas trip.
Imagine snow-dusted mountains rising sharply against a crisp blue sky, while cozy alpine lodges and festive lights add to the holiday charm.
The entire town of Banff is transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with an annual Christmas market, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and ice skating under twinkling fairy lights.
Families can explore the charming streets adorned with holiday decorations, and with hot cocoa in hand, it’s easy to feel like you’re in a real-life snow globe.
Here are some of the top traveler-approved holiday trip ideas for families, packed with inspiration for visiting Banff and Lake Louise.
3. Dog Sledding and Winter Hiking
A Magical Arrival: Family-Friendly Hotels
The best Christmas trip for families requires the right accommodation.
The Fox Hotel and Suites is ideal for families who want to play mountain explorer without actually sleeping in a cave.
This family-friendly retreat channels Banff's famous Cave and Basin history by recreating the warm natural spring setting right in the hotel.
Once checked in, their cozy suites will make you feel like you've discovered your own private retreat along Banff Avenue.
Start your mornings off with a hearty breakfast at the on-site Chili's before heading out to play in the snow. Around Christmas in Banff, there’s usually plenty of snow to make the perfect snow angel or build your own little snowman.
The Banff Recreation Grounds are the perfect place for these activities and to feel like you’re in the middle of a winter wonderland without being too far from a hot meal.
Return with rosy cheeks and treat everyone to a soak in the hotel's cave-style hot pool. In this grotto-type setting, the rock walls echo with the sound of splashing kids and happily sighing parents.
Back in your suite (complete with separate bedrooms), it's like Santa's workshop meets home-away-from-home. Deck out your own Christmas tree (yes, they'll bring you one!) or whip up holiday cookies in your suite’s kitchen.
Best family friendly cabins in Banff National Park
Alternatively, if you want your stay to be in a genuine log cabin away from town, Baker Creek delivers the kind of storybook holiday that'll have you checking for reindeer tracks every morning.
One of the best Christmas getaways for families, these cozy log cabins sit scattered among snow-laden pines, each looking like it was personally decorated by Mother Nature's holiday design team.
Instead of a last-minute search for presents, your family can spend mornings spotting elk from your cabin window, afternoons gliding along cross-country ski trails, and evenings huddled around your cabin's wood-burning fireplace.
When darkness falls early, as it does in mountain winters, the dog-friendly property transforms into an enchanted wonderland. Twinkling lights reflect off the snow, and the Bow Valley's star-filled sky provides nature's Christmas light show.
Snow Much Fun: Outdoor Activities for Families in Banff and Lake Louise
Looking to burn off those Christmas cookies? Banff and Lake Louise serve up winter adventures that'll have the whole family trading screen time for scream time (the good kind!).
Racing through pristine powder behind a team of enthusiastic and adorable huskies, families can experience the thrill of dog sledding through a winter wonderland on the outskirts of the National Park.
Make sure you hold onto your toques, since these four-legged athletes love their jobs even more than your kids love watching them work.
For a change of pace that'll make everyone feel like a proper mountain explorer, head to Johnston Canyon. Stroll along sturdy steel catwalks securely attached to the canyon walls, marveling at the sight of massive frozen waterfalls suspended in mid-plunge.
You can book a guided tour that will not only provide the essential ice cleats (trust us, you'll want these for your winter wanders), but also reveal exciting details that unguided visitors miss, all while sharing tales of the canyon's wild history.
To really ramp up the holiday magic, bundle up for a sleigh ride around Lake Louise, where blankets, bells, and beautiful mountain vistas combine to create peak Christmas vibes. Would you rather a sleigh ride in Banff? Banff Trail Riders will have you covered!
And if someone suggests ice skating on Lake Louise's frozen surface, say yes! Gliding across this natural rink, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, might be the most Canadian Christmas moment ever.
Didn’t bring skates? That’s no problem, at Lake Louise, you can rent skates from Chateau Mountain Sports in Chateau Lake Louise.
Of course, there's also downhill skiing at Mt. Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise Ski Resort.
Each resort offers fantastic lessons for children, teens and parents, too!
Both Mt. Norquay and Lake Louise Ski Resort sport tube parks, where the whole family can zoom down groomed lanes with zero skill required.
Winter Wildlife in Banff
Rudolf’s equally adorable cousins (that’s deer and elk) don’t sleep the season away. They’re ready to welcome your family into a winter wonderland.
Guided wildlife tours deliver an unforgettable adventure where families can see the fascinating animals that thrive in the Rockies’ snowy landscapes firsthand.
Expert guides help families spot elk, deer, and even bighorn sheep as they share interesting stories and facts about these resilient creatures.
The winter scenery is stunning, and animals are easier to spot against the fresh snow, creating fantastic photo opportunities.
Festive Dining: Kid-Approved Restaurants
Banff's holiday treats are as epic as its mountain views, with something to satisfy every sweet tooth and savoury craving in your crew.
Warm up with a tricked-out hot chocolate served up at over 20 restaurants and cafes along Banff's Hot Chocolate Trail.
A uniquely Canadian sugar rush is found at BeaverTails, where warm, sugar-dusted pastries are worth every calorie (you knew calories don't count above 4,500 feet, didn't you?.
For something more substantial, bundle up for Brewster's County Christmas Dinner. This magical mountain evening combines two quintessential Christmas experiences: a horse-drawn sleigh ride under the starlit skies around Lake Louise, followed by a feast fit for Santa himself.
As your family snuggles under warm blankets, you'll journey past snow-draped pines to the gentle tingling of sleigh bells, building up an appetite for the elaborate holiday spread waiting inside the decked-out Dance Barn.
It's the kind of Christmas evening that feels like it was pulled straight from a holiday movie, only with better food and real snow.
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Holiday Hit List: The Best Christmas Events in Banff and Lake Louise
There are tons of events in Banff and Lake Louise brimming with holiday cheer filling calendars until the New Year.
Local artisans and vendors showcase unique gifts and seasonal treats amid carollers and cozy fire pits at the Banff Christmas Market. This is a ticketed event, so you'll want to secure your spot for this end-of-November to early-December fete here.
A live holiday tale as told by the animals of Banff National Park, In Search of Christmas Spirit is an enchanting experience no matter your age.
Following a twinkling trail through the Cascades of Time Garden, visitors are swept into a multimedia journey where larger-than-life illuminated animals share tales of winter wonder.
These glowing installments are backed by an atmospheric soundtrack that makes even teenagers put down their phones.
For a vintage holiday experience, head to the top of Sulphur Mountain via Banff Gondola. On weekends starting mid-November and every day from December 23 to January 1, there's photo ops with Santa, Christmas crafts, and cookie decorating.
Included in your Banff Gondola ticket until March 30, Nightrise is an interactive light display with storytelling projections and haunting soundscapes that turns your mountaintop journey into a multi-sensory celebration of Indigenous Stoney Nakoda culture and winter wonder.
As for Santa sightings, you'll find the jolly old fellah at the Banff Christmas Market, Banff Gondola's Mountaintop Christmas and the slopes of Sunshine Village on select dates in December.
For a New Year’s spectacle that won’t cost a thing, Mt. Norquay's Torchlight Parade casts a mesmerizing glow across the alpine landscape.
With Mt. Norquay’s amazing location overlooking the Banff townsite, make your way downtown Banff at 7pm on New Year's Eve to watch the torchbearers carving down the mountain.
If you are bringing little ones in tow, this is a great opportunity to tell them this is the midnight celebration and get them to bed at a reasonable hour!
Shopping Spots: Gifts for Every Family Member on the List
If you’re looking to enrich your family visit with a touch of culture, step into the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum, or the Banff Park Museum.
These attractions offer great exhibits to keep the family busy, with historic photos, and fascinating displays. As a bonus, the Banff Park Museum is home to some wonderful taxidermy!
Each museum also features excellent gift shops, where you can find unique keepsakes inspired by the area's history and natural beauty.
For authentic Indigenous handicrafts, stop by the Banff Trading Post. There, you’ll discover high-quality creations by local Indigenous artists, from mukluks (traditional winter boots), to intricate beadwork and other meaningful gifts, each steeped in tradition and culture.
Supporting these artisans not only offers you a lasting memory of your trip but also helps preserve their heritage and craftsmanship.
If you have a rock or gem collector in your family, look for the crack-your-own geode packs, polished stones and Ammonite, a gemstone unique to Alberta -all found at Rocks and Gems Canada and Rock Paper Silver.
Just down the street, Banff’s Mountain Chocolate offers an irresistible sensory show. Watch as skilled chocolatiers hand-dip fat strawberries in cascading chocolate and craft enormous caramel apples that could feed a small village (but are perfect for sharing).
Obviously, you can't miss calling in at The Spirit of Christmas. This festive treasure trove delights with its dazzling array of hand-painted ornaments and uniquely Canadian decorations – think miniature moose sporting tiny toques and glittering snow capped mountains.
Watch your children's eyes light up as they discover the intricate holiday villages while you hunt for that perfect keepsake to commemorate your Rocky Mountain holiday.
Neither you nor your kids will want to skip the toy stores, so set your sights on Duck Duck Moose for all your games and toy needs.
It's impossible to leave Banff and Lake Louise without receiving a jolt of yuletide joy. Start planning your family holiday with ease by saving these family Christmas trip ideas in our Trip Builder.
By using this tool, everything on your wish list gets added, enabling you to make the most of your time. And we all know even Santa gets a little help now and then!
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