Like many mountain towns, Banff has a very different character in winter and summer. There is a decent selection of bars and restaurants but predictably a few too many souvenir shops and boutiques. European travelers especially will welcome the sidewalks allowing exploration of the town on foot. Parking can be tricky, but there is a free multilevel parkade near the center if you can find it.

Film Festival

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an annual international film festival that occurs over two weeks in late October to early November. It features a collection of international films on outdoor adventure and mountain culture. It is a very popular event that is well attended by a diverse mix of backcountry enthusiasts, weekend warriors, and average Joes.

Year-Round

• Cave and Basin National Historic site. See the birthplace of Canada's National Park system. Where hot sulfur springs were found, and the original bathhouse was built in 1887. There are also a couple of short nature trails.
• Banff Park Museum National Historic site. Come and see all the animals you missed on your trip to Banff. Guaranteed bear sightings.
• Banff Upper Hot Springs. All the amenities of a modern facility are featured in this splendid, historic spa and bathhouse – against a backdrop of spectacular alpine scenery. You will luxuriate in the comfort of soothing hot water where travelers have come to "take the waters" for more than a century. For an extra Apres-ski laugh, guys wishing to amuse can ask for a hilarious 'traditional style' bathing costume.
• The Banff Centre is a globally respected arts and cultural center featuring performances and events with dance, music, theatre, opera, film, books, new media, and visual arts.
• Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies offers something for the whole family... art, culture and the human and natural history of the Canadian Rockies. Visit the heritage homes or take a guided walk.
• Banff Gondola provides visitors with the most spectacular views of the Canadian Rockies and the town of Banff. The views become more and grander in the gondola ride as you climb 698m (2,292 ft) to an elevation of 2,281m (7,486 ft). Alternatively, you can take the 2-hour trail up Sulphur Mountain and catch the gondola down (highly recommended). The trail is steep but manageable for those with a reasonable level of fitness. Guests will find a restaurant, gift shop, boardwalk, observation deck and unsurpassed photo opportunities at the summit of Sulphur Mountain.
• Caving Discover the Rat's Nest Cave, a wild, undeveloped cave with no artificial lights, boardwalks or handrails under Grotto Mountain. No experience necessary.

Indoor activities

Banff does offer some indoor activities besides museums and galleries.

• Waterslides at the Douglas Fir Resort & Chalets
• Bowling at The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel offers five-pin bowling, glow in the dark bowling and an arcade.
• Movie Theatre Lux Cinema Banff shows current movie listings and matinees. Independently owned and located downtown.
• Recreation Centre in the Sally Borden 18 building at The Banff Centre offers a 25m pool, hot tub, steam room, climbing wall, squash courts, and various other programs.

Winter

Banff national park is home to three outstanding ski resorts 19, all within an easy drive of the Banff townsite. Driving to the hill is not strictly required, as most hotels offer a ski bus to take you from the hotel to the mountain of your choice and back again.

• Lake Louise Mountain Resort. Likely the most well known, and hosts Men's and Women's world cup ski events every winter. As such, it is also the busiest and most touristy. It is located close to the Lake Louise townsite. The scenery is fantastic as is the terrain when there is fresh snow. Excellent all you can eat buffet breakfast served in the Whiskey Jack Lodge. If you're on the Club Snowboard/Ski program, get the early bus!
• Sunshine Village. Located a few kilometers west of the Banff townsite. In recent years, this hill has improved greatly, with more expert terrain and better lifts, it is a personal favorite. It also receives more snow than the other two resorts and benefits from a higher elevation and a longer ski season. Also fantastic scenery. It is the only resort of the three to have on-hill accommodation. Again buffet breakfast served in the lodge at the bottom of the gondola - not much else until lunchtime once you get to the top. New Standish quad opens up some good terrain.
• Ski Norquay. The closest mountain to the Banff townsite, and it is much used by the locals. The ski season is a little shorter at Norquay, because it is at a lower altitude than Sunshine and Lake Louise, and snowfall is less consistent. The trails here lean more towards steep and difficult, although there is still plenty of easy terrains. The Lodge is not much good for breakfast - lunch and beer on the deck can't beat, however! Worth noting that Excaliber is North America's steepest groomed piste.

All the ski hills are busier on the weekends. Lake Louise tends to get icy if it hasn't snowed in a while, but with fresh snow is hard to beat. Sunshine Village has been giving them some competition with their new terrain and improvements, however. Especially in the early season, pay attention to how many runs are open and how much recent snow has been received in the snow reports - they are better indications of the conditions than the generic conditions ratings given by the hills (the conditions are always at least 'good' according to their ratings). If you only have a few hours and want to ski where the locals ski check out Ski Norquay, it has nice long open runs with great views of the town.
If you arrive before December 31 and you intend to ski at least three days at Sunshine Village, or a combination of three days at Sunshine and Marmot Basin in Jasper, consider buying a Sunshine-Marmot card. The card costs about the same price as one lift ticket. The first, fourth and seventh times you use the card you get a free lift ticket, all other times you get $10 off (you are ahead quite a bit by the third day). These cards can be purchased on the hill (either Sunshine or Marmot Basin), or also at Safeway stores in Edmonton and Calgary, and are valid at Sunshine Village in Banff and Marmot Basin ski resort in Jasper. The Sunshine-Marmot cards are available for purchase until December 31st but can be used all season. Or you can purchase a Tri-Area Pass 23 for Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Mountain Resort, and Norquay. This ticket includes bus transportation and can be used at any of the three hills at any time.

• Ski rentals There are some great places in the Town of Banff that will rent high-quality ski, snowboards, boots, along with clothing and accessories. Try Ultimate Ski & ride 24, 206 Banff Av., (403) 760-7583. If you are not staying close to this location, they will pay your taxi for ease.
• Club Snowboard/Ski, 119 Banff Av., 762-4754. A top-notch Snowboard/Ski school with small groups of 4-6. Snowboard methods do vary from European; they tend to teach you to "surf" on snow rather than carve as you would on skis. Craig Gaunce has the patience of a saint and will get you smoothly linking turns on blacks - concentration is adaptability to terrain rather than speed - if you can adapt then nothing's going to faze you!

Apres Ski

• Red Earth Spa is a full-service spa with six treatment rooms including one dedicated to hydrotherapy. The Spa also features an aesthetics room with a manicure station and two pedicure chairs (great for those mother and daughter spa days). Spa clients also have full access to the hot pool, steam room and exercise room at the Banff Caribou Lodge. The spa has some areas for clients to relax before, in-between or after treatment. Join us at Banff's only full-service Spa on Banff Avenue.
• Evening Icewalk & Campfire. A chance to go for an evening moonlit walk around the shoreline of Lake Minnewanka, warm up afterward with hot chocolate around the roaring campfire.
• Snowshoeing. Strap on snowshoes and walk through pristine snow as the trappers did in days gone by a true winter experience.
• Icewalks. Get out to see the stunning winter wonderland of frozen waterfalls and rivers. Make sure you wrap up warm. It can be chilly.

Summer

Summer in Banff, just like winter, is stunning. There are plenty of hiking trails accessible from the main town, as well as tours for horseback riding, white water rafting, mountain biking and more. Be warned though - some smaller tour companies are not as professional as the larger tour companies. If they are overbooked, they may pass your credit card details along to a third party without your knowledge and book another tour on your behalf (not always at the same price, and not always the same tour!).

• Canoeing. 3 minutes walk from the center of Banff you can find the Blue Canoe docks, where you can take a tranquil canoe journey on the Bow River. There is also canoeing available on Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.
• Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience. Climb aboard a massive Ice Explorer and journey across a glacier over 350 meters thick. The Columbia Icefield is the largest sub-polar body of ice in North America.
• Hiking, Banff has the most beautiful trails surrounding it, you can pick-up a free trail map at the Visitor center, please check the trail reports with the Parks Canada desk before you go. Another option is to go with a hiking guide and group; different locations are available.
• Wildlife Viewing, While in the area always keep your eyes peeled as there are so many animals to spot in the summer in Banff, but please keep your distance as wildlife is wild, and they should be kept that way, they can be dangerous too! Learn more and have someone show you around can be a great way to see wildlife too.
• Banff Rafting Association. Excitement for all ages, loads of fun with four rivers to choose from, makes whitewater rafting a must-do when you're in Banff.