This has got to be the best parking lot ever. Cool fireplace going 24 hours a day and a pretty…read morestellar view of the mountains. They usually hold festivals in this parking lot so I personally enjoy this space bc of all the fond memories of the ice festival or cocktail festival here. Note just press that button on the side to keep the fireplace going!

We parked our car here for the day when we were in the Banff for a day trip. This lot is quite…read moreclose to all the action - restaurants, town hall, movie theater, and the Banff Gondola free shuttle service bus stop. So, an ideal location to park your car and that's why it can be sometimes hard to get. Also, the number of spots is quite less. We went on a Friday but still, there was a lot of crowds. We had to wander around in the car for sometime before we could get the spot. In Banff, all parking spots are free but with a time limit. Here it was three hours. However, if you're planning a Gondola ride, three hours might not be enough. We realized that as we reached the mountain top but it was too late and we left it to fate. Luckily we didn't find any ticket when we returned. We just took the car out and then in again to park it somewhere else for three more hours. If you can do that, you might find your peace of mind with respect to the parking. There is no charge for parking here.

On the road to Lake Louise is this shopping mall. Samson Mall has a restaurant, grocery store and…read morelittle shops and is surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges. It also has a visitor center that will provide information if you don't know your way around the area. It is a nice place to stop for supplies, food or gifts. Unfortunately, the power went out while we were here and all of the stores had to temporarily close up. But it is a nice place to stop while in the park if you need anything.

I'm just thankful there was something. Could there be more stores? Sure. But is the community large…read moreenough to support it when it isn't tourist season? Dunno. There was a sports store to get winter or hiking gear that you forgot. I can't remember though if there were swim suits. There was a cute gift store with some stuff for the kiddies, books, etc. There was a more kitschy souvenir shop with all your souvenir doodads. There was also a rock store with some fossils and jewelry. The mall is run by the local tribe, so at least you know you aren't supporting some faceless conglomerate. And a lot of the items sold at the stores were by locals, which I think is more unique. There was also a post office, a liquor store, a grocery store, a boba cafe (of all things), and a normal cafe. Behind the cafe are some picnic tables you can sit at. There were also a lot of tour buses coming in. If you aren't on one of these buses, be prepared for the crowds. If you're on one of these buses, I hope this isn't your final stop - I hope you have a stop at Lake Louise. I didn't really understand the effort of the tour bus groups to take photos of the river by the parking lot. Or of the parking lot. There will be better photo opportunities, I promise.

Nice place and the currency exchange here is quick and easy. I do believe it's a good exchange rate…read moreand I'd suggest keeping cash on hand for the Lake Louise Tea Houses if you're going there, and also you'll get a better exchange rate than paying with your credit card most shops and restaurants. You can also hop the bus for $2 and I'm not sure they take credit but I'd think not.

Clock Tower Village Mall is a great place for tourists around the Banff area. There are multiple…read morestores at this location. They are clean and the products are very well-maintained and organized compared to other locations nearby. Currency exchange is also available inside the mall and a Thai restaurant. You can go through and there is an alley and parking spots. The building is maintained and quite nice. Atmosphere is very casual and curated towards tourists. However, I could say that it could be more clean-cut -- attention to detail is very important. Some of the decor is also very tacky which is fair as it is curated towards tourists. All the employees were kind and friendly, taking their time to greet you and asking if you require assistance on anything.

While planning my trip to Alberta, CA I was trying to find decently priced accommodation away from…read morethe overpriced, touristy confines of Banff. Now before anyone comes at me, I'm not dissing Banff. Banff is great and has lovely scenery with a robust nightlife. I enjoy that on occasion but it's just not my vibe, especially 24/7. I prefer my peace and traveling low key while still getting that excitement in spurts. Queue in the town of Canmore! Canmore is like the underrated, shy sibling of their neighbor to the north (Banff). It's still going to be somewhat pricey but not exorbitantly out of range for most. Canmore has a nice number of restaurants, shops and bars and you won't encounter the foot traffic Banff tends to get. Canmore also has a lot of walking trails and points of interest like the Engine Bridge, Big Head sculpture, Policeman's creek and Main Street. If you're biking I highly recommend the Legacy Trail that connects the town of Canmore to Banff. If you're driving, Three Sister's viewpoint is great stopover too. There are a few food spots I suggest if you're heading into town. My favorites were the following: Bridgette Bar - slightly upscale but good food and drink Tavern 1883 - Amazing patio with great views of the mountain range as a backdrop. Burgers are decent, poutine is better. Lovely Ice Cream and Treats - Really good creamy, made in house fresh batch ice cream. The Rose and Crown - Good bar atmosphere. Drinks are made well. Summer seems to go on for longer out here. The one thing I noticed is that the sun sets way later than what we are used to in the lower 48. I went in May and sunset didn't happen until 10pm. It was the weirdest thing ever and it definitely threw my sleep off for weeks afterward. Despite the prolonged sunshine the benefits are having the opportunity to take advantage of a full day out. Canmore is generally a safe town to walk through day or night. I would suggest if you plan to do the trails, bring bear spray. You never know if you're going to need it. Also, stay hydrated. I had stayed for nearly a week and picked up a case of water at the nearby Safeway which covered me through the entire trip. Enjoy your time in Canmore if you're able to and safe travels!

Located just downstream of Banff; Canmore is a more affordable option for tourists who don't want…read moreto pay the Banff premium. There's a grocery store in the form of Safeway in the area, which is great. There is also a fairly low key / sad town center area which pales in comparison to Banff; 10% of the visitors and not much to do. Canmore isn't cheap either; for a week long Air BnB, the daily costs were still $300-400 CAD for something fairly basic. There's also limited nature options in the area that you can explore for "free", most of the hikes require an additional paid pass for visitors outside of the town. The parking situation for any hikes in the immediate Canmore area requires another pass in addition to the Canada National Parks pass; this is a pain for non-locals. We pretty much drove to Banff daily for activities and just came back to Canmore to sleep.

Terrific door to door service to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Our driver, was punctual, polite…read moreand most of all, a safe driver. He did point out interesting facts and geography along the drive so it was an informative ride also. They were a great service and could not ask for a better shuttle company. I would use them again in a heartbeat.

My traveling group of 6 was trying to visit both Lake Louise and Moraine Lake on the same day. John…read more(the owner and driver) provided me with the best tips on which trails to hit as well as how to time it just right so we can maximize on the limited schedule we were on. John also lent us a bear spray when I forgot to bring mine. We eventually decided to take his suggestion to hike up the challenging Larch Valley Trail from the Moraine Lake area. During the return ride back, John even suggested a spot called "02 Bubble Tea Obento" in the Samson Mall area for a post-hike reward. Since the hike took its toll on us, with all the steep inclines and switchbacks, that bubble tea actually sounded pretty enticing and it was surprisingly good for a spot in the middle of a mountain town. I couldn't have been happier with how the trip turned out with John's insightful recommendations. Definitely consider using Ten Peaks Shuttle when visiting Moraine Lake and Lake Louise.

This is a nice location. I was staying nearby. I believe Montclair was there also but I came mainly…read morefor the food court. The atmosphere is nice and not too loud. There are plenty other places around.

Dropped into see what the Cascade Mall was like now. Unfortunately, a lot of renovations are taking…read moreplace and many shop space were closed. A lot of the booth businesses in the food court are gone and it is rather barren in the food court as they took out the beautiful brick fireplace. I am sure that once the renos are finished it will be back to its thriving vibrant self.

Thank you to Canada Strong Pass, not a physical pass, for…read morefree admission and enjoy while you can from June 19 till Sept 7, 2026. Five important facts to remember: 1) Birthplace of Banff National Park 2) Sacred to Piikani people 3) Endangered Banff Spring snails stay alive in thermal pools of H2S or hydrogen sulfide and low oxygen levels. 4) Only observe from the distance. No touching or dipping hands in the pools. 5) Be respectful. Guides are helpful and present to answer questions.

COME TO WHERE THE CANADA NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM STARTED…read more Every visit to Banff should start with a stop at the Cave & Basin National Historic Site. It was here that Indigenous nations came for spiritual healings and sacred rituals. In the 1880s, three railroad workers came upon the thermal springs with hopes that it would bring them wealth and fame. Soon Canada stepped in and declared the springs and the surrounding area a federal reserve that was later designated Canada's first national park. The Cave & Basin today features a stone building that houses the original hot spring. We entered the historic bathhouse and a darkened cave to see the original hot spring. The springs here are no longer open for public bathing. Outside the cave, there is a hot spring pool where we saw a critically endangered species of snails that can live only in this hot spring. The tiny popcorn kernel-sized snails live on what can be best visualized as floating muck. The Cave & Basin can be reached by taking a local Roam Transit bus that drops visitors off at the site entrance. From the Cave & Basin, you can begin a hike to Sundance Canyon. When we visited, admission was free as part of a Parks Canada summer program but admission is usually $10/adults and $8.50/seniors. We missed the free 30 minute daily tour.