4 day Road Trip Itinerary – Banff National Park
My husband and I visited Banff National Park in September. I was 8 months pregnant with our first child. And none of that stopped me from tackling some of the most incredible hikes and seeing the best views of my entire life. Honestly, I could have spent a month here. If you’re short on time, this 4-day itinerary covers the highlights — organized by location so you can fit as much as possible into every single day.
New to points & miles? Grab my free Beginner’s Guide HERE and learn how to fly to Calgary and stay in Banff for nearly free!
How to Get to Banff National Park: Fly into Calgary, Then Rent a Car
I had never heard of Banff until the year we went. I stumbled on it while researching day trips from Seattle — we were visiting a friend. The moment I saw photos of Jasper and Banff, I cut our Seattle time short and booked a direct Air Canada flight (just 45 minutes!) from Seattle to Calgary. From there, we rented a car.
You can also drive from Seattle to Banff in about 12 hours. But in reality, that 12 hours turns into two days once you start stopping for photos through the Canadian Rockies — and crossing the border adds even more time. Since I only had 4 days and wanted every minute to count, flying made sense. If you have a week or more, driving from Seattle is absolutely worth it.
💡 Can You Fly to Calgary for Nearly Free?
Yes! Check out this post on how I use points to cover positioning flights (like out flight to Seattle). And from Seattle to Calgary used points to book a flight on United. Air Canada is a Star Alliance partner, so United miles work beautifully here. Also, Capital One and Chase both transfer to Air Canada’s Aeroplan program at a 1:1 ratio.
Itinerary Day 1 – Downtown Banff & Banff Gondola :
Fly into Calgary and pick up your rental car. The drive to Banff takes about an hour, and it’s stunning the entire way.
Where to Stay in Banff (Budget + Points Options)
Banff has some gorgeous luxury hotels, but they come at a steep price. We stayed at Banff Park Lodge — centrally located, budget-friendly, and just two blocks from all the bars, restaurants, and shops on Banff Avenue. I highly recommend it.
If you want to use hotel points in the area, here are your best options:
- Moxy Banff – This is actually a Marriott Bonvoy property (yes, inside Banff!), making it a great option for redeeming Bonvoy points. It’s a fun, renovated mid-century property with hot pools and a retro ski bar vibe. Check award availability at marriott.com.
- Fairmont Banff Springs – The iconic “Castle in the Rockies.” Fairmont is part of the Accor Live Limitless (ALL) program. While there’s no U.S. co-branded Accor card, you can transfer Capital One or Citi ThankYou points to ALL at a 2:1 ratio. If you want to splurge on points, this is a once-in-a-lifetime property.
- Hidden Ridge Resort — Banff (IHG) Condo-style units with full kitchens — perfect for families who want to spread out and not eat every meal at a restaurant. Very family-friendly and solid value on points.
- Kananaskis Mountain Lodge (Autograph Collection) – About an hour from Banff toward Calgary, this is a solid Marriott Bonvoy redemption. A great base if you’re road-tripping through the area. The Points Guy reviewed it here.
Banff Gondola
After checking in, explore downtown before heading to the Banff Gondola — only a 5-minute drive from most hotels. You can hike to the summit, but if it’s getting late (or you’re 8 months pregnant), the gondola is completely worth the CA$56 ticket. You’re at the top in 5 minutes.
Where to Eat on Day 1
After the gondola, grab drinks at Banff Avenue Brewing Co. — their balcony overlooks the main street and the views are fantastic. Then head to Bear Street Tavern for dinner. The pizza is delicious and both spots are highly rated on TripAdvisor.
Day 2 – Johnston Canyon & Peyto Lake:
Wake up early, grab coffee and a quick breakfast on Banff Avenue, and hit the road.
Morning: Johnston Canyon via Bow Valley Parkway
Skip the Trans-Canada Highway and take the Bow Valley Parkway instead. Drive slowly — this route offers real chances to spot bears, elk, and bighorn sheep. It’s one of those drives where you’ll stop every 10 minutes for photos.
At Johnston Canyon, hike the Upper Falls Trail — a beautiful, easy 3-mile round-trip to the waterfalls. We skipped the 0.68-mile lower falls leg since I was 8 months pregnant and running on empty after the hike. Worth knowing: the Lower Falls is its own worthwhile short hike if you have the energy.
Johnston Canyon Hike Photos
After the hike, lunch at Bridges Restaurant — just up the road from the trailhead. Perfect for a cold beer and a burger (or two, no judgment).
Afternoon: Peyto Lake via the Icefields Parkway
After Johnston Canyon, continue north on the Icefields Parkway — about 55 minutes — to Peyto Lake. This lake is stunning. Most visitors stop at the main viewing point. Don’t. There’s a secret hiking trail that gets you to a completely different view, and it’s worth every step. Click here for my Peyto Lake post — I guarantee the photos alone will have you booking flights.
Evening: Arrive at Lake Louise
After Peyto Lake, continue to Lake Louise for the night. We stayed at the Lake Louise Inn — a comfortable, well-located option near the lake. After a quick power nap, head over to watch the sunset over Lake Louise. Then have dinner at one of the restaurants inside the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, right on the water. It’s a must.
💡 Points tip: Guests staying at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise can access the Parks Canada Lake Connector Shuttle directly from the Lake Louise lakeshore — no driving to the Park and Ride required. If points allow, booking the Chateau here gives you a logistical advantage for Day 3’s Moraine Lake visit.
Day 3 – Moraine Lake & Lake Louise + Tea House:
⚠️ Important 2025/2026 Update: Getting to Moraine Lake
Private vehicles can no longer park at Moraine Lake. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year-round. This changed a few years ago due to overwhelming demand (over 5,000 cars were being turned away on peak days). Here’s how to get there now:
Option 1 – Parks Canada Shuttle (Best Value) Book in advance at the Parks Canada reservation site. Shuttles run from the Lake Louise Park and Ride (Lake Louise Ski Resort, 1 Whitehorn Road) every 30 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., June 1 through mid-October. The ride takes about 25 minutes. Reservations open April 15, 2026 at 8 a.m. MDT — book early, these sell out fast. Cost: small reservation fee (~$3.50) plus your park pass. Reserve at parks.canada.ca.
Option 2 – Moraine Lake Bus Company A private, family-run shuttle operating from Lake Louise Village. Great for sunrise access — their earliest buses depart at 4:00 a.m. No Parks Canada reservation system to navigate. Book at morainelakebus.com.
Option 3 – Roam Transit Super Pass If you’re staying in Banff without a car, buy a Roam Reservable Super Pass. Take the Roam 8X route from Banff to Lake Louise Lakeshore, then hop on the Parks Canada Lake Connector to reach Moraine Lake. Book at roamtransit.com.
Option 4 – Guided Tour Several companies run guided tours from Banff and Canmore, including Moraine Lake Bus Company, Mountain Park Transportation, and WOW Banff’s open-top double decker bus. Great for stress-free logistics.
💡 Pro Tip: If you want to visit both Moraine Lake and Lake Louise in the same day — totally doable! The Lake Connector Shuttle runs between both lakes and comes included with your Parks Canada shuttle reservation.
Moraine Lake: What to Do Once You’re There
Hike the Rock Pile Trail first — a short, easy hike with an absolutely jaw-dropping view over the turquoise lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Then rent a canoe and take it out on the water. It doesn’t get more beautiful than that. For more tips, check my full Moraine Lake post here.
Afternoon: Lake Louise & the Tea House Hike
After Moraine Lake, head back to Lake Louise for lunch at the Fairmont Chateau (right on the lake). Then hike up to the Lake Louise Tea House. The trail starts to the right of the lake — about 1.5 miles straight up the mountain. Not a casual stroll. I hiked it in my purple rain boots (the trail gets muddy, and they actually worked great). The views from the top are completely worth the burn.
There’s a second lake right next to the Tea House (see pic above) with trails surrounding it — worth exploring if you have the energy.
Evening: Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Head back to downtown Banff for dinner and drinks at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. This place is absolutely breathtaking — it looks like a medieval castle dropped into the Canadian Rockies. Worth stopping in even just to walk around and take it all in.
DAY 4 – Grassi Lakes Trail in Canmore
Before heading to Calgary for a 3 p.m. flight, we woke up early and hiked the Grassi Lakes Trail in Canmore — right on the way out of the park.
The Hike (and the Bear Story)
We arrived at 6:30 a.m. with no one around and multiple bear warning signs posted at the trailhead. A solo jogger had just come out and said she hadn’t seen anything, so we went for it — with zero bear spray. Her tip: yell “Hey-ho!” every five minutes or so to keep bears away. They’re more scared of us than we are of them, apparently. You can imagine what that looked like. Just the two of us, hiking alone in the woods, screaming into the trees every few minutes.
The sunrise reflecting off the lake from the summit was completely worth it.
Which Side of the Trail to Take
About 5 minutes in, the trail forks. Left is the difficult side, right is the easy side. Take the difficult side at least once — it has the best views. We went difficult on the way up and easy on the way down. Both are totally manageable, just at different intensities.
Final Thoughts
As babymoons go, Banff was one for the books. One of the most adventurous, breathtaking, and (let’s be honest) physically demanding trips I’ve ever taken. I plan to go back someday — hopefully not 8 months pregnant. Maybe with a beach and a hammock next time.
Want to fly to Calgary or stay in Banff for nearly free? I love helping families use points strategically to take multiple dream vacations each year at a fraction of the cost. Click HERE for your Free Beginner’s Guide!
Have you been to Alberta? What did we miss? Drop it in the comments — I’d love to know!
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About the Author
Lauren is a CPA and former Controller with nearly 20 years of experience in the points & miles world. She discovered early on that travel rewards is really just a math problem in disguise — and she’s been quietly turning everyday spending into nearly-free bucket list vacations for her family of 4 ever since. No gimmicks, no debt, just a simple and sustainable system. Start here to learn how she does it, or browse her free guides & resources to get started today.
