How many days do you need in Banff?

We did 7 days and 6 nights: two nights at Lake Louise, a day on the Icefields Parkway, then four nights in Banff town with side trips to Canmore and Calgary. With only 3 days, stick to Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Banff town; with 5, add the Icefields Parkway and Lake Minnewanka. The route planner on this page shows how I'd cut it down.

Can you drive your own car to Moraine Lake?

No. Moraine Lake Road is closed to private vehicles all year, so you go by Parks Canada shuttle, a licensed tour, or by staying at Moraine Lake Lodge. The 2026 shuttle season ran June 1 to October 12: 40% of seats opened for booking on April 15, and the other 60% are released at 8 a.m. Mountain Time two days before each departure. You park at the Lake Louise Park and Ride (1 Whitehorn Road). We stayed at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and took the hotel's shuttle.

Do you need a park pass for Banff National Park?

Yes, and it hangs in your car. An adult day pass is CAD 12.25, or CAD 24.50 a day for a family or group of up to 7 in one vehicle, valid until 4 p.m. the next day. Buy it at the park gate, a visitor centre or online. In 2026 entry was free from June 19 to September 7, which we happened to catch; regular fees came back on September 8.

How long is the drive from Calgary airport to Banff and Lake Louise?

Airport to Canmore is 118 km, about 70 minutes; Canmore to Banff is 26 km, about 20 minutes; Banff to Lake Louise is 58 km, about 45 minutes. Straight from the airport to Lake Louise takes about 2 hours 15 minutes. Those times assume no traffic and no stops; in summer, add 20 to 30 minutes for finding parking at Lake Louise and in Banff town.

Where was Can This Love Be Translated? filmed around Banff?

The show's Canada episodes were shot in Alberta. The ones we walked: Banff Avenue, the Bow River pedestrian bridge, Cascades of Time Garden and the Irish pub St. James's Gate in Banff town; the aurora scene at Lake Louise; Main Street and Quarry Lake in Canmore; and Centre Street Bridge in Calgary. I added one of my own, The Next Page, an independent bookstore in Calgary. The drama trail on this page has the address and the scene for every stop.

When is the best time to visit Banff?

We went at the end of August into early September: T-shirt weather at midday, single digits (°C) in the mornings, evenings and up the mountains. For the golden leaves you see in the show, go from late September to early October. Summer is busy and the Lake Louise lakeshore lot often fills before sunrise, so early morning or evening is the nicest time at the lakes. The Moraine Lake shuttle runs until about mid-October.

Where should you stay in Banff?

We spent the first two nights at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, where the lake is right outside the window and the hotel runs a shuttle to Moraine Lake. The last four nights were at Peaks Hotel & Suites (218 Lynx St) in Banff town: a short walk to Banff Avenue, with EV charging. You don't have to stay at Fairmont Banff Springs to wander in and have a drink on the terrace.

What should you know before driving the Icefields Parkway?

There's almost no cell signal along the way, so download offline maps and top up your charge or fuel first. Heading north from Lake Louise, Crowfoot Glacier and Bow Lake are right by the highway; the Peyto Lake viewpoint is at Bow Summit, the highest point of the whole parkway, a short uphill walk from the parking lot. If you spot wildlife, don't stop on the shoulder to take photos.

Will you see wildlife in Banff?

Quite possibly. With a bit of luck you'll even see elk strolling through town. Stay at least 30 m from elk and deer and at least 100 m from bears and wolves, never feed them, and don't pull over on the highway shoulder for photos. You only need bear spray if you're hiking trails; you can rent or buy it in Banff town.

What documents do you need to visit Banff?

Taiwanese passport holders flying into Canada need an eTA, applied for online before you go; US passport holders don't. To drive, Taiwanese visitors bring their Taiwanese licence plus an International Driving Permit. We flew in from LA, and on the way back you clear US customs before you leave, at Calgary airport.

7 Days in Banff: Lake Louise, Moraine Lake & K-Drama Filming Spots

08/28 FRI

Arrival-day notes

In summer the Lake Louise parking lot is full before sunrise, so staying the night makes life much easier.
Calgary to Lake Louise is about 2 hours, and Canmore makes a perfect stop along the way.

01Fly into the Rockies08/28 (Fri)・Lake Louise

Fly in, check into a postcard

We flew from LA to Calgary, picked up the Tesla we’d rented on Turo and headed west. The high-rises gave way to prairie fast, and the prairie gave way to mountains. By early evening we’d checked into the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, pulled back the curtains, and there was the lake.

Morning

LAX → Calgary (YYC)
Nonstop on WestJet. Checked bags cost extra and are charged per bag.
Booked ahead
Midday

Car pickup: Turo Tesla Model Y
With Turo you’re renting from a private owner. Photograph the car’s condition in the app at pickup so there’s nothing to argue about at drop-off.
Booked ahead
Afternoon

Calgary Airport → Lake Louise
Just past Canmore you hit the national park gate. We happened to arrive during the free summer admission window, so no park pass needed.
Hwy 1 202 km・2 hr 15 min
Afternoon

Check-in Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
We got into our room just before 4 pm, with Lake Louise and Victoria Glacier right outside the window and Le Labo Rose 31 in the bathroom. On the iron gate at the lakeside entrance right in front of the hotel there’s a silhouette of a mother bear and her cub, and that’s where everyone’s first photo happens.
Booked aheadHotel photos ↓
Fun fact
The castle started out in 1890 as a single log cabin the Canadian Pacific Railway built by the lake, and grew, one expansion after another, into what you see today.
Night

Dinner at Louiza
I had the porcini Gemelli and the saffron Couscous, plus a Fig Sour.

We ate at

Louiza

Mediterranean · Day 1・Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

I had the porcini Gemelli and the saffron Couscous, plus a Fig Sour.

The menu follows the mountain seasons, and they do breakfast, lunch and dinner. On a nice day, sit on the terrace with the hotel's arched windows behind you.

Menu · Book a table ↗

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise・Day 1–2

Open the curtains, and there's the lake

We checked in just before 4 pm, and right outside the window were Lake Louise and Victoria Glacier. We stayed two nights: the room, the lakeside gardens, dinner at Louiza and an evening walk down to the lake.

The view from our room: turquoise Lake Louise with Victoria Glacier at the far end, canoes dotting the water, and the castle’s main building on the right.

Hotel album

22 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

Same window, shot vertically: the path down to the lake is packed with people, and the clouds hang low.

A Nespresso machine, a black kettle, and the hotel map and national park visitor guide spread out on the desk.

Two little arched doors set into the grassy slope below the main building, like a hobbit house.

A curved building by the lake, its roof overgrown with wild grass, with a row of tall arched windows.

Zooming in a little, the glacier hangs on the mountain right behind the main building.

The room has two big beds with gray velvet headboards and an abstract landscape painting on the wall.

Looking back at the main building from the lakeside garden, flower beds packed with red and pink petunias.

A river-stone path through the garden, the curved building just behind the trees, evening light coming through the clouds.

Closer still on Victoria Glacier, a little light breaking through the clouds.

Glass pendant lights over the bed; the clock says 3:55, so we got into the room just before 4 pm.

The bathroom amenities are Le Labo Rose 31, labeled “For Fairmont.”

Day 1, evening on the Louiza terrace. A quick photo first, mountains right behind.

08/29 SAT

Jasmine’s Lake Louise notes

You can’t drive yourself up to Moraine Lake: if you’re staying at the Chateau, ask about the hotel shuttle; otherwise, book the Parks Canada shuttle.
The golden-mantled ground squirrels by the lake aren’t the least bit shy, but don’t feed them. Feeding wildlife in a national park is illegal.
To dodge the crowds: early morning or evening.
The canoe line gets long, so go early.
The yellow Fairy Punch on the Lakeview terrace comes with a little tuft of blue cotton candy, like a cloud plucked off the lake and dropped into the glass.

02Lake Louise, slowly08/29 (Sat)・Lake Louise

A slow day by the lake

First thing, we took the hotel shuttle up to Moraine Lake and sat on the driftwood at the end of the lake, looking out at the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Back at Lake Louise we walked the shore, found a rock to sit on and watched the red canoes paddle out one by one. In the afternoon we settled onto the Lakeview Lounge terrace with a signature cocktail and spaghetti squash, and by evening we were soaking in the hotel spa while the clouds crept up the mountains outside.

Early morning

Moraine Lake (hotel shuttle)
The Moraine Lake road is closed to private cars all year, so we took the hotel shuttle up first thing. The big pile of driftwood at the end of the lake has the best seats in the house. Then follow the lakeshore trail all the way along: the water keeps getting bluer, red canoes glide past one after another, and the trail ends at a creek running down from the valley into the lake. Climb the short Rockpile trail at the end of the lake for the postcard view.
▲ 1,884 mBooked aheadValley of the Ten Peaks photos ↓
Fun fact
The row of mountains behind the lake is the Valley of the Ten Peaks, ten summits lined up side by side. This exact view was on the back of the 1969 Canadian $20 bill.
Morning

Lakeshore Trail
Flat all the way, about 2 km along the lake to the far end. Early morning has the fewest people and the stillest water.
▲ 1,750 mFilming location ↗Lakeshore photos ↓
Fun fact
The lake is named after Princess Louise, Queen Victoria’s daughter, whose full name was Louise Caroline Alberta; the province of Alberta is named after her too. Long before that, the Stoney Nakoda called it the “Lake of Little Fishes”.
Morning

Find a rock and sit
The big boulders on the shore are the best seats. The clouds keep shifting, and the lake’s color shifts with them.
Fun fact
At the far end of the lake is Victoria Glacier, hanging off Mount Victoria. The lake is glacial meltwater and bitingly cold even in summer, which is why everyone’s paddling and nobody’s swimming.
Morning

Rent a canoe at the boathouse
The red canoes are rented from the boathouse. The line gets long, so go early if you want to paddle.
Optional stop
Midday

Lake Agnes Tea House
If you’ve got the legs, hike up to the mountain teahouse, which has been open since 1901. We skipped it this time and are saving it for next time.
Next time
Afternoon

Lakeview Lounge terrace
I had the roasted spaghetti squash; my friend got the 12-hour smoked beef rib French Dip. Also on the table: the signature Lakeview cocktail and the alcohol-free Fairy Punch.
Lakeshore photos ↓
Evening

Basin spa, then downtime in the room
The hotel spa, Basin Glacial Waters: saunas, hot and cold pools, and a lounge with hot tea and dried fruit. Outside the big arched windows the clouds kept climbing the mountains, and the fire pits on the terrace were lit. Nothing here needs rushing.
Lakeshore photos ↓
Fun fact
It only opened in fall 2025, right on the lake, so you can see the water and the mountains from the pools.
Night

The lake at dusk
Once the crowds leave, the lakeshore suddenly goes quiet. Some places you haven’t really been to until you’ve stayed the night.

We ate at

Lakeview Lounge

Lakeview terrace · Day 2・Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

I had the roasted spaghetti squash; my friend got the 12-hour smoked beef rib French Dip. Also on the table: the signature Lakeview cocktail and the alcohol-free Fairy Punch.

We sat on the terrace, with the lake and Victoria Glacier just beyond the flower boxes. The menu also has a caviar set paired with Veuve Clicquot.

Menu · Book a table ↗

Moraine Lake · elevation 1,884 m · Day 2 early morning

Ten peaks lined up in a row, and a lake too blue to be real

We took the hotel shuttle up first thing, the rock walls outside the window each taller than the last. A huge pile of driftwood sits where the lake drains out; climb on and you're looking straight at the Valley of the Ten Peaks. Follow the lakeshore trail further in and the water shifts from gray-blue to turquoise as red canoes paddle past one after another. I held the crystal I always carry up against the lake for a few shots, and a golden-mantled ground squirrel popped up on a rock by the water.

Moraine Lake with the Valley of the Ten Peaks behind it, and already a few canoes out on the water.

Ten Peaks album

28 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

Waiting for the shuttle outside the hotel first thing in the morning; the driver already has the door open.

Standing at the foot of the lake with the Valley of the Ten Peaks behind me. The water is so clear you can see the rocks on the bottom.

A different log, just as the sun hits the mountains.

A golden-mantled ground squirrel pops up on a rock by the lake, paws pressed together at its chest like it’s begging for something. No stripes on its face, so it’s not a chipmunk.

Driving into the valley, each rock wall outside the window taller than the last.

The foot of the lake is piled high with washed-down driftwood, and a snow gully runs from the summit all the way down to the scree slope.

Sitting by the lake with my back to the camera, watching a red canoe glide slowly past.

Zooming in on the snow gully, with a whole scree slope below it.

Moraine Lake Lodge at the foot of the lake: huge log pillars, window boxes full of red geraniums, and the gift shop right next door.

Looking up the lake from its foot, canoes paddling one by one into the valley.

Sitting up on the driftwood pile; the lake is flat as a mirror.

I hold up the crystal I travel with in front of the lake and take a shot toward the Valley of the Ten Peaks.

Lake Louise・Day 2

Lakeside, terrace, spa: a whole day with nowhere to rush to

Back from Moraine Lake, we strolled the lakeshore trail and found a rock to sit on; in the afternoon, a drink on the Lakeview Lounge terrace with a plate of spaghetti squash; in the evening, a soak in the hotel spa, Basin Glacial Waters, while the clouds crept up the mountains outside the window.

The lakeshore in the morning: stones running out into the water, the surface so still it turns the whole range upside down.

Lakeshore album

20 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

No wind, so Victoria Glacier and the mountains on either side are mirrored in the lake.

Standing on a rock, with the end of the lake and Victoria Glacier behind me.

Looking toward the lake from the garden in front of the hotel, flower beds full of red blooms.

The mains menu: my roasted spaghetti squash and my friend’s 12-hour smoked beef rib French Dip are both on it.

Perched on a big rock by the lake. The clouds keep changing, and the lake’s color changes with them.

Just the lake: ripples layered across the water, the glacier at the far end tucked under the clouds.

On the left, the signature Lakeview cocktail with a cucumber slice on the rim; on the right, the alcohol-free Fairy Punch topped with a puff of blue cotton candy.

The Fairy Punch on the alcohol-free page: passion fruit, vanilla, white cranberry, plus a puff of cotton candy.

A little cluster of pines beside the lakeshore trail, the glacier right behind.

Another spot, another sit. The clouds hang low, but the glacier still glows.

The terrace at the Lakeview Lounge. My friend, bundled up in her jacket, gazes at the lake beyond the flower beds.

First on the cocktail list is the signature Lakeview: Citadelle gin, cucumber, lemon.

08/30 SUN

Icefields Parkway reminders

There's almost no signal the whole way. Download offline maps beforehand, and charge up or fill the tank before you set off.
If you spot wildlife, don't stop on the shoulder. Wait for a pull-out, and stay in the car.
It's a lot colder up there than in Banff. Keep a down jacket in the car.

03Icefields Parkway08/30 (Sun)・Icefields Parkway

The blue that glaciers grind out

After checking out we headed north up the Icefields Parkway for Crowfoot Glacier, Bow Lake and Peyto Lake, then turned around and drove all the way south to Banff town, checking into the Peaks Hotel for the next four nights.

Early morning

Breakfast at Louiza, check out
Morning

Lake Louise → Crowfoot Glacier
Head north onto Highway 93 and follow the Bow River upstream.
Hwy 93N 33 km・30 min
Morning

Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint
The viewpoint is right off the highway: park and you’re there. It’s windy up there, and my down jacket was just right.
Glacier photos ↓
Fun fact
It’s named for its shape, like a crow’s foot. It used to have three “toes”, but the lowest one melted away long ago. Now just two hang on to the cliff, as if the mountain is slowly letting go.
Morning

Bow Lake
The lake is right by the road. The clouds were hanging low that day, yet the lake glowed as if it were lit from within. The red-roofed building on the shore is an old lodge, The Lodge at Bow Lake.
▲ 1,920 mLakeside photos ↓
Fun fact
That turquoise comes from rock flour ground fine by the glaciers, suspended in the water and reflecting the sunlight. Bow Lake is the closest lake to the source of the Bow River, fed by Bow Glacier above it; the Bow River we saw in Banff over the next few days flows down from right here.
Midday

Peyto Lake
From Bow Lake it’s a few more minutes north to Bow Summit; park and walk a short way uphill to the viewing platform. That day the clouds sat in one heavy sheet over the mountains across the valley, sunlight broke through the gaps, and the lake was still a glowing blue.
▲ 1,860 mPeyto Lake photos ↓
Fun fact
Bow Summit is the highest point on the entire Icefields Parkway. The lake is named after Bill Peyto, Banff’s legendary guide; the old photo of a man with a pipe on the wall at BRAZEN is probably him. The lake drains north and becomes the Mistaya River.
Afternoon

Peyto Lake → Banff
Hwy 93N → Hwy 1 100 km・1 hr 25 min
Afternoon

Check-in Peaks Hotel & Suites
218 Lynx St, a short walk to Banff Avenue. The hotel has EV charging, which is handy when you're driving a Tesla.
Booked ahead
Night

Dinner at BRAZEN
I had the roasted cauliflower; my friend had the ginger beef.

We ate at

BRAZEN

Sharing plates + cocktails · Day 3・138 Banff Ave, inside the historic Mount Royal Hotel

I had the roasted cauliflower; my friend had the ginger beef.

A nod to the hotel's original Alberta Bar. The menu changes with the seasons, and booking ahead is a good idea.

Menu · Book a table ↗

Crowfoot Glacier・Icefields Parkway

A crow's foot hanging off the cliff

The viewpoint is right off Highway 93; you can see it as soon as you park. The clouds hung low that day with half the glacier hidden in them, and that streak of turquoise at the foot of the mountain is Bow Lake, our next stop.

The view from the Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint: the glacier is the one clinging to the cliff on the left, and the turquoise water at the foot of the mountains is Bow Lake. The clouds are sitting low, the summits completely hidden.

Glacier album

3 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

Zoomed in, the glacier spills over the clifftop in layers, with a thin ribbon of meltwater waterfall underneath.

Closer still, you can see crevasses running across the ice. This crow's foot used to have three toes; the bottom one melted away long ago.

Bow Lake · elevation 1,920 m · Icefields Parkway

A color ground out by the glacier

Bow Lake is the closest lake to the source of the Bow River. Its water comes from Bow Glacier above it, and the river we kept seeing in Banff town over the next few days flows all the way down from here.

Pink fireweed fills the meadow beside Bow Lake. The glacier hanging between the two mountains in the distance is Bow Glacier, and that's where the lake's water melts down from.

Lakeside album

7 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

Late August at Bow Lake is windy, so the down jacket was just right, and the clouds hung on the peaks across the water the whole time.

The clouds hang low, but the lake still sparkles.

Half blue sky, half cloud. Bow Lake sits right beside the Icefields Parkway: park the car and it's a few steps to the shore.

Staring at the lake, thinking about nothing. This blue is rock flour, ground fine by the glacier and suspended in the water, reflecting the sunlight back.

Two spruces frame the whole lake; the big, layered mountain across the water is Crowfoot Mountain.

At the far end of the lake, a sliver of glacier peeks through a gap in the clouds.

Peyto Lake · elevation 1,860 m · Icefields Parkway

From up high, the lake is a wolf's head

A few minutes' drive north of Bow Lake is Bow Summit, the highest point on the whole Icefields Parkway. Park, walk a short way uphill, and the entire lake is laid out below the viewing platform. That day the clouds kept spilling down the mountains opposite, and whenever the sun hit the water, the blue looked unreal.

From the viewing platform, the lake is shaped like a wolf's head. Clouds blanket the mountains opposite, and the lake is still so blue it glows.

Wolf-head lake album

5 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

Leaning on the viewpoint railing, still in that white down jacket. The wind up here is properly cold.

Looking toward the other end of the lake, the valley runs on to the north, and that's where the water flows out to become the Mistaya River.

Clouds pour off the mountain like a waterfall, and the lake catches their reflection too.

The mountains across are half under cloud. The pale gray sandbar on the left side of the lake is gravel washed down by glacial meltwater.

08/31 MON

Castle day notes

Book a timed gondola ticket ahead. For the full view over town, go up on a clear afternoon.
It's only a 5-minute drive from Banff Springs to the gondola, so the two fit nicely into one day.

04Castle & summit08/31 (Mon)・Banff

A castle, then a mountaintop

A slow morning wander through town, past the Cascades of Time Garden and down to the Bow River, then into the 1888 Fairmont Banff Springs: a sit under the vaulted ceiling of the Rundle Bar, a drink on the terrace, and a wait under the flower arch for the mountain to come into frame. Then the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain to look back over the whole trip from the top, and once we're down, Surprise Corner for the full castle view across the river.

Early morning

Morning walk in town: Cascades of Time Garden, Bow River
The garden where Mu-hee gets mobbed by Canadian fans for autographs. It's right behind the old Parks Canada administration building, free, and emptiest in the morning. From there, walk to the stone bridge on Banff Avenue, lean on the railing to watch the river, then sit for a bit on a bench by the water.
Filming location ↗Garden photos ↓
Morning

Fairmont Banff Springs
You don't have to be staying here to wander in and have a drink. Parking is paid.
Fun fact
Built in 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railway and nicknamed the Castle in the Rockies. The railway's president at the time put it this way: “If we can't export the scenery, we'll import the tourists.”
Midday

Rundle Bar
Huge lattice chandeliers, arched windows with thistle motifs, black-and-white geometric floor tiles. Afternoons were made to be wasted in those green leather armchairs.
Midday

A terrace toast to Cascade Mountain
The Rundle Patio sits on the castle's stone-walled terrace. Sunshine, snowy peaks, a pretty purple gin and tonic: the formula for vacation mode really is that simple.
Midday

The flower arch on the castle terrace
The arch perfectly frames the snowy peaks in the distance. It's my favorite corner of the whole hotel. The terrace next to it looks straight down the Bow Valley, with the Bow River running between two rock walls.
Afternoon

Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain
The gondola takes about 8 minutes from base to summit, the pine forest dropping away outside the window frame by frame.
▲ 2,281 mBooked aheadSummit photos ↓
Fun fact
At the top, a boardwalk follows the ridge to Sanson's Peak, where a weather observatory from over a century ago still stands. The signs name every peak: Cascade 2,998 m, Aylmer 3,162 m, Rundle 2,949 m. Long before they had English names, these mountains had names in Indigenous languages.
Afternoon

Looking back at the way we came
Banff town and the Bow River at your feet, and that patch of blue in the far valley is Lake Minnewanka.
Evening

The castle from Surprise Corner
A lookout at the end of Buffalo St with the whole castle across the Bow River, and behind it Sulphur Mountain, the one we just rode the gondola up.
Night

Dinner at Ramen Arashi
Two bowls of classic tonkotsu.

We ate at

Rundle Patio

Terrace cocktails · Day 4・The stone-walled terrace at Fairmont Banff Springs

A purple gin and tonic, an orange cocktail with a pink orchid floating on top, and a plate of yuzu kosho deviled eggs.

Put your name down with the host at the entrance for a table. Mount Rundle is straight ahead, Cascade Mountain behind you.

Official site ↗

We ate at

Ramen Arashi

Japanese ramen · Day 4・215 Banff Ave, Sundance Mall, 2nd floor

Two bowls of classic tonkotsu.

After a whole day of mountain wind, a hot bowl of broth at night is just right.

Menu · Book a table ↗

Cascades of Time Garden · Day 4 early morning

Stone walls, ponds and little waterfalls, climbing tier by tier

The garden sits at the south end of the Banff Avenue stone bridge, wrapped around the stone Parks Canada administration building, and it's free to get in. Climb the stone steps through tier after tier of flower beds, ponds, little waterfalls and a wooden pavilion; turn around and there's Cascade Mountain. This is the garden where Mu-hee gets mobbed by Canadian fans wanting autographs in the show.

Looking down from the top tier of the garden: curving bands of flowers, a stone pavilion, and the stone Parks Canada administration building.

Garden album

17 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

Cross the stone bridge at the end of Banff Avenue and the garden’s iron gates are straight ahead. The castle-like stone building behind is the Parks Canada administration building, with the flag flying on the roof.

Pink and pale yellow yarrow all along the edge of the lawn, a row of old pines lined up along the iron railing.

Same angle, shot vertically: the flower beds step down tier by tier to the front of the administration building.

Pines reflected in the pond, a little red wooden bridge hidden behind the bushes, and a corner of a big limestone mountain peeking over the treetops.

Looking back from the garden lawn: Banff Avenue starts just past the stone bridge, with Cascade Mountain at the end of the street.

Sitting on a wooden chair up high, looking down over all the flower beds.

A stone pavilion in the middle of the pond, its roof covered in wooden shingles, the administration building right behind.

Another wooden pavilion with a pointed shingle roof, cosmos blooming all across the front.

Standing by the flower beds, the stone bridge and Cascade Mountain behind me. A cool breeze in the morning; the down jacket was just right.

A selfie with my friend on a garden bench, a stone channel and a red wooden pavilion behind us.

A little closer: someone resting in the pavilion, the pond so clear you can see the stones on the bottom.

A little waterfall spills off a stone wall into the pond, with terraced rock gardens behind.

Fairmont Banff Springs・1888・Day 4

A castle in the Rockies, from the lobby to the terrace

Built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1888, this castle hotel is open to wander even if you're not staying. From the front circle, walk into the stone-arched lobby, sit for a bit under the vaulted ceiling of the Rundle Bar, then have a drink on the Rundle Patio and take photos under the flower arch. Last of all, after coming down the mountain, we took in the whole castle from across the river at Surprise Corner.

The castle from Surprise Corner, across the Bow River: the whole Fairmont Banff Springs tucked into the pines, with Sulphur Mountain behind.

Castle album

37 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

Pulling into the castle's front roundabout: a bronze rider in a wide-brimmed hat stands in the middle of the flower beds, with Cascade Mountain right behind.

The same chandelier from upstairs. Wooden shields and crossed swords hang on the white pillars; it feels like stepping into a medieval castle.

Looking down on Rundle Bar from the mezzanine: a huge latticework chandelier drops from the high white vaulted ceiling over black-and-white geometric floor tiles.

The bookshelf is actually a secret door. Push it open and there's a private room behind it, with a “Private Function” sign on the inside.

The roundabout in front of the conference center, with a statue of William Van Horne. He's the railway boss who figured that if you can't export the scenery, you import the tourists, and that's how this castle came to be.

Stock Food & Drink, behind a stone arch: fridges, snacks and coffee. This is the place if you want something to take with you.

The entrance to Rundle Bar: a round table behind the glass doors, and a sign that says “Your table is waiting, sit wherever feels right.”

A long, dark stone bar with a row of caramel leather bar stools. Even the windows are arched.

Rundle Bar's spiral staircase leads up to the mezzanine. On the left is a whole wall of glowing arched bookshelves, and upstairs there's a grand piano.

Stone walls and arches in the lobby, hung with round alabaster lamps. The Stock coffee bar is right next to the front desk.

A three-tiered alabaster chandelier hangs in the vaulted hallway. The sign below says “Sip on an experience like no other”: an ad for the castle's afternoon tea.

The wall of bottles behind the bar, topped with a band of thistle motifs. The thistle is Scotland's national flower, and the castle's architectural style is called Scottish Baronial.

Banff Gondola · Sulphur Mountain 2,281 m

Eight minutes from town up into the clouds

The gondola takes you up Sulphur Mountain, and a boardwalk carries on to Sanson's Peak. Start by tapping the dots on the panorama below to put a name to everything you can see from the top.

Looking northeast from the top of Sulphur Mountain: Cascade Mountain, Banff town, the Bow River, Tunnel Mountain, Lake Minnewanka and the Fairmont Banff Springs — Looking northeast from the top · tap a dot for its name Show all names

Cascade Mountain 2,998 m

The mountain at the end of Banff Avenue. It's also the one behind you on the Bow River pedestrian bridge.

Day 6: Filming locations in town →

Summit album

18 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

The gondola takes about 8 minutes to the top, cabins popping out of the pines one after another.

A boardwalk follows the ridge to Sanson's Peak; the little hut on top was a weather station over a hundred years ago.

Cascade Mountain stands right at the end of Banff Avenue. No wonder every step down that street looks like a poster.

The castle in the bottom right is the Fairmont Banff Springs; the blue in the distance is Lake Minnewanka.

It’s windy up top; a down jacket was just right.

Looking down, the Fairmont Banff Springs is tucked into the pines.

That little peak behind the bear is Sanson's Peak.

Banff town, the Bow River and Cascade Mountain, all in one frame.

The Bow River’s turquoise is even more striking from up here.

Tunnel Mountain sits in the middle, with the Bow River curving around it.

Only from up high do you really see the way you came.

The big blue bear at the summit, the Banff Gondola’s signature photo spot.

On the viewing deck, with Cascade Mountain behind and Lake Minnewanka in the distance.

Zooming in: Banff Avenue runs dead straight down to the Bow River.

Clouds sit heavy on Cascade Mountain, with all of Banff town at its foot.

Branches frame Cascade Mountain like a painting hung just outside the window.

The valley on the other side, cloud shadows sliding across it one after another.

Back down, we went to Surprise Corner to see the castle from across the river. Behind it is Sulphur Mountain, and that tiny dot on the summit is the gondola station.

09/01 TUE

Drama trail cheat sheet

Come between late September and early October for the golden leaves you see in the show.
Canmore to Calgary is about a 70-minute drive. Inglewood is just east of downtown, and the bookstore, restaurant and murals are all within walking distance of each other.
Calgary Tower lights up at night, seen from the Centre Street Bridge. If you want the night view, head back to Banff a bit later.

05Canmore & Calgary09/01 (Tue)・Canmore・Calgary

A drama-trail day in Canmore and Calgary

Today we follow the Can This Love Be Translated? filming locations all the way to Calgary: Quarry Lake and Canmore Main Street in the morning, then east to Inglewood in Calgary for tacos at Madi's and a browse at The Next Page, a drive over the Centre Street Bridge from the show, and finally a climb up the hillside above the river to take in the whole city, before driving back to Banff in the evening.

Morning

Banff → Canmore
Hwy 1 26 km・20 min
Morning

Quarry Lake
Park, then cut across a big meadow that's already turned gold, with Ha Ling Peak standing right behind it. Walk around to the water: with no wind, you can barely tell the mountain from its reflection, and a daytime moon hangs in the sky. The scene where the two of them sit by the lake, yellow leaves and mountains behind them, was filmed right here. Parking is paid.
Filming location ↗Quarry Lake photos ↓
Fun fact
The “Quarry” in the name isn't random: this was a mining pit, and when the mine closed it filled with water and became a mirror for the whole mountain.
Morning

Canmore Main Street
Look up from Main Street and there are the Three Sisters. One stretch is now pedestrian-only, with restaurant patios built right out onto the road. The intersection where the steam clock appears in the show now has a pair of red wooden chairs.
Filming location ↗Main Street photos ↓
Fun fact
The steam clock in the show was a prop built by the production. Travel Alberta's own website came out and said so, so don't bother looking for it.
Midday

Canmore → Calgary (Inglewood)
Hwy 1 107 km・1 hr 10 min
Midday

Tacos at Madi's 12|12
A little spot on 9th Ave in Inglewood: café by day, nachos by night. The lamppost banners say Welcome to the 'Wood, and the wall upstairs is one giant mural of monkeys at a bar.
Calgary photos ↓
Afternoon

The Next Page bookstore
The journey starts at an independent bookstore: the sign says books & coffee, and they carry new and used books. Shelves run floor to ceiling, an old typewriter sits on a table with a Please Do Not Touch sign, and there's even a tiny cinema hidden in the basement. The hours on the door say Mon–Sat 11–6, Sun 11–5.
Bookshop photos ↓
Afternoon

Centre Street Bridge
Driving into downtown, Calgary Tower is dead ahead, and then you cross this old bridge with white pavilions at its ends. The scene in the show where they watch Calgary Tower lit up at night was on this bridge.
Filming location ↗Calgary photos ↓
Afternoon

Skyline from the hill on the Bow River's north bank
From the hillside, downtown is lined up in a single row; the tower on the far left with the diagonal grid is The Bow. Look west and you can still make out the faint outline of the Rockies on the horizon.
Calgary photos ↓
Evening

Calgary → Banff
Hwy 1 133 km・1 hr 30 min

We ate at

Madi's 12|12

Café · nachos · Day 5 lunch・1212 9 Ave SE, Inglewood

Three corn tortilla tacos topped with diced tomato and sauce, with a wedge of lime.

A café by day, with salads, poke bowls and nachos; by night it's all about handmade nachos and Italian soda floats.

An old quarry turned lake, with a whole mountain in the mirror

Our first stop in Canmore. From the parking lot you cross a big meadow turning gold, with Ha Ling Peak standing right behind it; the whole rock wall next to it is East End of Rundle. Round at the lake there's no wind, the mountain drops whole into the water, and a daytime moon is still hanging in the sky. There are benches and picnic tables by the water, and once you sit down you won't want to leave.

A windless morning: the whole rock face of East End of Rundle mirrored in the lake, with the daytime moon still up in the sky.

Quarry Lake album

13 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

Park the car, and a gravel path cuts through the yellowed grass straight to the foot of Ha Ling Peak.

Arms wide open: the whole meadow and both mountains, all mine.

Down at the water's edge, the lake mirrors the whole line of trees on the far shore.

A red bench on the lakeside path. Once you sit down, you won't want to leave.

Hands up in the meadow, framing the U-shaped dip between Ha Ling Peak and the peak next to it.

Back to the camera, looking at the mountains. The row of aspens behind the meadow is already starting to turn yellow.

Standing by the lake, my shadow stretched long, the water flat as glass.

Moved to a bench on the grassy slope, legs crossed, looking out at the mountains in the distance.

Standing in the tall grass, with two contrails crossing into an X right overhead.

Pulling back: the pointy one on the left is Ha Ling Peak, the big rock wall on the right is East End of Rundle, and the moon's there too.

From behind: across the lake it's meadow, then forest, then mountains.

The sun's higher now, and the line of trees and the picnic tables by the lake are mirrored on the water too.

Canmore・Main Street・Day 5

Look up from Main Street and there's a whole row of mountains

It's a 20-minute drive east of Banff. Part of Main Street has been turned into a pedestrian zone, with restaurants building their patios right out onto the road. The intersection where the steam clock shows up in the show now has a pair of red wooden chairs painted with bears and wildflowers, and that's where we started walking.

Crossing the Main Street crosswalk. That pair of big red wooden chairs in the middle of the road marks the intersection where the steam clock appears in the show.

Main Street album

18 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

The red installation is actually two high-backed wooden chairs painted with bears, wildflowers and birds. Behind them are Village Plaza and Rusticana Grocery at 801 Main Street.

Look up from Main Street and there's a whole row of jagged limestone peaks.

Stonewaters' entrance is dripping with hanging flowers, there's a Labour Day sale sign on the door, and a JACEK chocolate sign hangs next to it.

The sidewalk outside Rusty's liquor store, packed with people under red Coca-Cola umbrellas. The white building across the street is the Canmore Hotel.

The corner of Main Street and 7 Ave, with Rusticana Grocery behind, its sign reading Est. 1978.

Same pedestrian stretch; I stopped mid-street and turned around for another shot.

Stonewaters' red wooden facade, with the mountain right behind the roofline. A Canmore Go Beyond sign stands on the corner.

The Canmore Hotel, an old hotel on Main Street, now with a hostel open next door. The flags on the lampposts are announcing the Highland Games over Labour Day weekend.

Part of Main Street is pedestrian-only, and the restaurants have set their patios right out on the road. There's a little clock tower in the top left too, but the steam clock in the show was a set piece, and it's no longer there.

The pedestrian stretch of Main Street: a row of red umbrellas on the left, a RAFT TOUR booth for river trips on the right, and mountains at the end of the road.

The corner of Main Street and Marra's Way. The red wooden building on the left is Stonewaters, and the signpost points to Centennial Park, Millennium Park and Elevation Place.

The sticker wall inside: “CANMORE Where fast lives slow down” and “Out of office, BANFF into the wild.” Next to it, a row of coin purses reading RELAX and CHUMP CHANGE.

the next page・books & coffee・1217A 9th Ave SE・Inglewood, Calgary

The trip starts at a bookshop

On the ground floor: wooden ladders, typewriters and a pressed-tin ceiling, with both new and used books. Take the stairs beside the book wall down to a basement under string lights, every section labeled on a chalkboard, and a tiny movie theater tucked away at the very back. The photos follow the order you'd see things walking in from the door.

Browsing at The Next Page. The shelves run floor to ceiling, and overhead is an old-fashioned pressed-tin ceiling.

Bookshop album

27 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

The storefront at 1217A 9th Ave SE. The wooden sign reads the next page · books & coffee, and those two velvet armchairs are right by the window.

The front half of the shop: pressed-tin ceiling, silver ductwork, and the two velvet armchairs by the window.

Closer: on tiptoe, pulling a book off the wall of shelves.

Long wooden book tables run all the way to the door; sit on the benches alongside and you can browse.

Looking up at the sign: books & coffee. The hours on the door say Mon–Sat 11–6, Sun 11–5, and they buy used books on weekdays too.

Looking in from the door, one long aisle runs all the way back to the yellow wall at the end.

Reaching for a book on the wall of shelves; the new books beside me are stacked taller than a person.

The reading area at the very back: a few old wooden tables and chairs, a red door, and on the middle table, the Please Do Not Touch typewriter.

Two old armchairs and a little round table by the window, just as a Calgary Transit bus goes by outside.

The aisle toward the door: kids' books and tote bags on the right, and 9th Ave just outside.

The new releases table by the window: Carley Fortune, V.E. Schwab, Maggie O'Farrell, and a print on the wall that says Now What? Keep Going.

The book tables run all the way to the back, where old train photos hang on the yellow wall.

Calgary・Inglewood・Centre Street Bridge

The whole city from the hillside above the river

After tacos at Madi's in Inglewood and a browse through the bookshop, we drove across the Centre Street Bridge from the show and finished by climbing the hillside on the north bank of the Bow River. On a clear day you can see the Rockies to the west.

9th Ave in Inglewood, with lamppost flags reading Welcome to the 'Wood. Across the street is a row of old red-brick buildings, and a shipping-container patio painted mint green sits on the sidewalk.

Calgary album

9 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

Tacos at Madi's 12|12: three corn tortillas topped with diced tomato and sauce, with a lime wedge on the side.

The Calgary skyline; the trees and river in front are the Bow River.

Looking west, that faint line of mountains on the far horizon is the Rockies, where we'd spent the past few days. The Bow River flows all the way here from Bow Lake.

The wall at 1212 9th Ave SE is one giant mural of monkeys in a bar; downstairs are Madi's, where we had the tacos, and Bored Brewing.

Driving across the Centre Street Bridge: colorful flags on the lampposts, and those white pavilions at the ends are the bridge's trademark. This is the bridge where they watch the Calgary Tower lit up at night in the show.

On the right, a pedestrian bridge crosses the Bow River, and the river bends away to the west.

Driving into downtown, the Calgary Tower dead ahead.

Looking south at downtown from the hillside. The curved tower with the diagonal grid on the far left is The Bow.

09/02 WED

Some feelings need no translation

The filming locations in town link up easily on foot: the garden → Banff Avenue → the pedestrian bridge.
Elk may look gentle, but still keep at least 30 m away.

06Lake & town09/02 (Wed)・Lake Minnewanka

An hour on the lake, a lap around town

Our last full day stays close to Banff: a Lake Minnewanka cruise in the morning, back to town for lunch on the Nourish patio, an afternoon walking the filming locations around town, the Wednesday farmers' market just in time in the evening, and finally out onto the pedestrian bridge over the Bow River.

Morning

Banff → Lake Minnewanka
Minnewanka Loop 12 km・15 min
Morning

Lake Minnewanka cruise
We did a round of photos on the dock before boarding. The cruise is about an hour, and the booklet they hand out on board lays the lake's story out as a timeline, from the people who lived on its shores 10,000 years ago all the way to the new boat launched in 2015. There's also a little shop by the lake, Black Anchor.
Booked aheadPhotos from the boat ↓
Fun fact
In Nakoda, the name means “Water of the Spirits.” A whole town, Minnewanka Landing, lies at the bottom of the lake: in 1941 a third dam went in to supply wartime power, the water rose about 30 m, and the town went under. In the 2013 floods, the lake rose another 5 m in three days.
Midday

Two Jack Lake
Right on the Minnewanka Loop. First look down at Mount Rundle's reflection from the high ground by the road, then head down to the water, find a piece of driftwood and just sit and zone out. Far fewer people than at the big lake.
Photos from the boat ↓
Midday

Lunch at Nourish Bistro
Poached eggs stacked on roasted mushrooms, roasted tomato and avocado, piled high with arugula, with a red cocktail on the side. We also had the veggie ramen with pan-fried dumplings.
Town photos ↓
Afternoon

Banff Avenue
Cascade Mountain fills the entire end of the street, so every step feels like walking into a poster. With luck you'll catch an elk strolling down the main drag.
Filming location ↗Town photos ↓
Fun fact
Banff is Canada's first national park, established in 1885, and it all started when railway workers stumbled on the hot springs.
Afternoon

A stroll down Wolf St and Bear St
St. James's Gate, the Irish pub from the show, is at 207 Wolf St, its hanging baskets bursting with flowers. St. Paul's church on the corner has Mount Rundle behind it. Then on to the Whyte Museum on Bear St for the old log cabins. Wild Flour, the bakery where we had breakfast, is on Bear St too, and so is The Bison's rooftop patio.
Filming location ↗Town photos ↓
Evening

Central Park: Wednesday farmers' market
Every Wednesday 10:00–18:00, running May 20 – Sep 30 in 2026. A whole row of tents beside the white gazebo; when you're done browsing, lie back on the grass with Cascade Mountain overhead. The pedestrian bridge is a few steps away.
Town photos ↓
Evening

Bow River pedestrian bridge
Standing on the bridge, I realized the Cascade Mountain in front of me is the exact backdrop of that still from the show. Like stepping into the same frame and leaving with a story of our own.
Filming location ↗Town photos ↓
Fun fact
This river has a thing with the movies: back in the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe shot a film along the Bow River.

We ate at

Nourish Bistro

Vegetarian · Day 6 lunch・211 Bear St

Poached eggs stacked on roasted mushrooms, roasted tomato and avocado, piled high with arugula, with a red cocktail on the side. We also had the veggie ramen with pan-fried dumplings.

One of the few all-vegetarian restaurants in Banff, with vegan and gluten-free options. The patio is right on Bear St.

Menu · Book a table ↗

Lake Minnewanka・Two Jack Lake・Day 6

There's a town at the bottom

A round of photos on the dock first, then an hour-long cruise deep into the lake. The booklet on board lays out the lake's story as a timeline: the first hotel went up on the shore in 1886, and in 1941 a third dam drowned Minnewanka Landing entirely. Off the boat, we followed the loop road to Two Jack Lake to see Mount Rundle reflected in the water.

The dock at Lake Minnewanka: green wooden huts, orange-red window frames, and the cruise boat moored right alongside.

On-the-lake album

27 photos · tap a photo to enlarge

The Parks Canada sign by the parking lot, its map marked “You are here.”

The mountains across the water look like a row of saw teeth, and the people on the dock look tiny.

A round of photos on the dock before we board, with the rental motorboats lined up on the left.

Flag, green huts and boat: one more shot from the middle of the dock.

Look up: red leaves layered over blue spruce. Autumn's already in the air.

A pebble beach on the shore, with the lake stretching on and on into the valley.

See that? The lake just keeps going, all the way off that way.

Black Anchor, the little shop by the lake: two hanging baskets at the door and a giant iron anchor on the lawn.

A row of red and green canoes outside the Boat Rentals hut.

The rental dock: blue kayaks, a row of little motorboats and a wooden crate stuffed with paddles.

The dock before the crowds: wooden huts, a Canadian flag, and the cruise boat already waiting.

Banff town · elevation approx. 1,400 m

Every street ends in a mountain

During our days in Banff we walked around town every morning and evening: the Cascades of Time Garden, along the Bow River, Banff Avenue, Wolf St and Bear St, and on Wednesday evening we stumbled onto the farmers' market in Central Park. The photos are in six groups; each shows 8 to start, and tapping “See more” opens up the rest. As you wander, look up: Cascade Mountain is to the north, Tunnel Mountain to the east, and Mount Rundle behind the church.

St. Paul's Church and the visitor center on the right, shops all the way down the left, and Cascade Mountain dead center. — North · end of Banff Avenue
Cascade Mountain 2,998 m
All of Banff Avenue runs straight to its foot. It's also the mountain behind the Bow River pedestrian bridge in the still from the show.

The intersection by Cascade Shops. Look up and there's Tunnel Mountain. — East · end of Wolf St
Tunnel Mountain 1,692 m
The smallest mountain in town. The railway once planned to tunnel through it, then went around instead, but the name stuck.

The Banff Avenue stone bridge across the Bow River. That's Mount Rundle on the right. — Southeast · down the Bow River
Mount Rundle 2,949 m
Its tilted rock layers run all the way from Banff to Canmore. The castle hotel's Rundle Bar is named after it.

Town album

103 photos · in the order we walked · tap a photo to enlarge

Me in Banff11 photos

Standing on the median in the middle of Banff Avenue. The whole street runs straight to Cascade Mountain.

Little tiered ponds and flagstone paths in the garden, ringed by pines.

Early morning, before the traffic picks up, is the least stressful time to shoot from the median.

On a bench by the Bow River, watching the water drift by.

Leaning on the stone bridge's railing, watching the Bow River drift by.

Morning coffee on a Banff Avenue bench, across from St. Paul's Church.

A bench under the aspens, its iron armrests curled into swirls.

In the Cascades of Time Garden, with Banff Avenue and Cascade Mountain behind me. This is the garden where Mu-hee gets swarmed by fans wanting autographs.

Bow River · parks15 photos

The entrance to the Cascades of Time Garden. The stone building behind it is the Parks Canada administration building. In the show, this is the garden where Mu-hee gets swarmed by fans wanting autographs.

The Banff Avenue stone bridge, with carved heads on the piers and a row of round lamps along the railing.

Looking upstream, that red bridge in the distance is the pedestrian bridge from the show.

Looking across the flower beds of the Cascades of Time Garden to the stone Parks Canada administration building, flag flying out front. The roadside sign says: no drones.

The signpost at the end of the bridge points to the Cascades of Time Garden, the gondola, the Banff Springs castle hotel, Bow Falls and Cave & Basin. Cave & Basin is where railway workers came across the hot springs in 1883, and it's where the national park began.

Looking down from the Banff Avenue stone bridge: the Bow River is so clear you can see the stones on the bottom.

Looking north from the garden: Banff Avenue crosses the Bow River and runs straight to Cascade Mountain.

Across the Bow River bridge. That's Sulphur Mountain behind me; the little dot to the right of the summit is the gondola station.

Streets · shops30 photos

The south end of Banff Avenue. Turn around and there's Cascade Mountain.

At the end of the covered arcade, Cascade Mountain peeks out between the eaves.

Heading north on Banff Avenue. The whole street runs straight to Cascade Mountain.

Looking north up Banff Avenue: a couple in white jackets walking hand in hand, Cascade Mountain straight ahead.

The same intersection, zoomed out a bit: the Rose & Crown English pub on the right-hand corner, and Cascade Mountain still straight ahead.

Even McDonald's is done up as a log cabin, with purple and pink flowers spilling out of the planters by the door.

Walking north along Banff Avenue, where every shop's roofline faces the same mountain.

The corner of Banff Avenue and Wolf St: St. Paul's Church with its green spire, and that slanting peak in the distance is Mount Rundle.

Coffee · bakeries16 photos

Wild Flour: Banff's Artisan Bakery Café, with orange sunflowers on the windows.

A latte-art heart on the matcha latte, with Wild Flour's wooden sign hanging outside the window.

Wild Flour sits on a corner, with big windows on both sides and folding wooden tables and chairs out front.

Wild Flour's dessert case: Basque cheesecake, lemon meringue tart, brownies, and lots of them labeled GF for gluten-free.

Breakfast by the window: a matcha latte and a toasted sandwich, with the Willock & Sax gallery and Wild Flour's orange umbrellas outside.

The order counter at Wild Flour. The chalkboard spells everything out, from coffee and Banff Tea Co teas to the breakfast sandwiches served until 11:30.

The pastry case: crème brûlée croissants, chocolate croissants and Saskatoon berry white chocolate scones. The Saskatoon berry is a wild berry from the Canadian prairies.

The original Wild Flour on Bear St: breakfast sandwiches and coffee at the tables out front. All their bread is baked in a stone oven.

Restaurants · pubs20 photos

Cheers! A red cocktail with that plate of poached eggs.

A red cocktail on the Nourish patio, next to a swing-top glass water bottle.

Leather stools at the bar, a wine rack suspended overhead, and that copper-clad thing next to it is the hearth oven.

Brunch at Nourish: roasted mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, poached eggs and avocado, piled high with arugula and sunflower seeds.

The Bison is on the second floor on Bear St. The sign reads Seasonal · Canadian · Rooftop Patio.

Same plate; across the table, my friend went with a burger and orange juice.

Veggie ramen with grilled tofu at Nourish, plus a plate of pan-fried dumplings.

A row of plants hangs from the high ceiling over the dining room, and there's a mountain painting on the wall.

Churches · museums8 photos

St. Paul's church, with Mount Rundle behind it half hidden in cloud.

The half-timbered building next to the church is the Banff Visitor Centre.

The Whyte Museum grounds on Bear St: old log cabins with blue shutters. The museum collects the history and art of the Rockies.

The granite bear on the Whyte Museum lawn, with the poster for the 2026 summer exhibition Thick as Thieves behind it (on until Nov 8).

Mount Rundle rises behind the church spire, a cloud caught right on the summit.

The granite bear outside the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, with a poster on the wall for the summer exhibition Thick as Thieves.

The notice board outside St. Paul's Presbyterian Church says “밴프한인교회” (Banff Korean Church), with a Korean-language service on Sunday evenings. A nice little coincidence, running into Korean on a K-drama trail.

A carved stone relief in front of the Whyte Museum: an Indigenous elder in a feathered headdress.

09/03 THU

Heading-home reminders

For international flights, get to the airport at least 2 hours early. There's a line for US preclearance.
Banff to the airport is about an hour and a half. Leave time to charge or fill up before returning the car.

07Homeward09/03 (Thu)・Calgary

Mountains shrinking in the rearview mirror

One last morning to wash the car and pack, then east along the Bow River back to Calgary. The mountains get smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, and by evening we're back in LA.

Early morning

Wash the car, pack up
Most Turo hosts want the car back clean, so washing it first can save you a cleaning fee.
Morning

Banff → Calgary airport
Hwy 1 144 km・1 hr 30 min
Midday

Return the car
Booked ahead
Afternoon

YYC → LAX
Calgary airport has US preclearance: you clear US customs while still in Canada, then just walk out when you land at LAX.
Booked ahead

Banff, in every blueSeven days in the Canadian Rockies

Seven daysThe trip at a glance

Climbing all the way

Don't missSee · Stay · Eat · Drama trail

Lake LouiseThe one everyone comes for

Moraine LakeValley of the Ten Peaks

Bow LakeA blue ground out by glaciers

Crowfoot GlacierA crow's foot missing a toe

Lake MinnewankaThere's a town at the bottom

Quarry LakeA mine pit turned mirror

Fairmont Chateau Lake LouiseLiving in a postcard

Fairmont Banff SpringsThe castle in the Rockies

Rundle BarThe bar inside the castle

Banff GondolaEight minutes up into the clouds

Icefields ParkwayThe drive is the point

Lakeshore TrailAlong the shore of Lake Louise

LouizaMediterranean at the Chateau

Lakeview LoungeDinner facing the lake

BRAZENA new restaurant in an old hotel

Nourish BistroFully vegetarian

The BisonRooftop patio on Bear St

Grizzly HouseA fondue institution since 1967

Banff Farmers' MarketWednesday market in Central Park

Wild FlourStone-oven bakery on Bear St

Centre Street BridgeCalgary’s old bridge

Canmore Main StreetLook up: the Three Sisters

Cascades of Time GardenThe garden where Mu-hee gets mobbed for autographs

Banff AvenueA street framed by Cascade Mountain

Bow River pedestrian bridgeThe mountain from the stills

The Next PageAn indie bookshop in Calgary

Can This Love Be Translated?

Why Banff

Walking the show's scenery into a story of my own

Notes on my six stops

Lougheed House

Crossroads Market

Heritage Park

Rotary Park lion statues

Centre Street Bridge

The Next Page

Stephen Avenue & The Galleria Tree

Galaxie Diner

Fairmont Palliser

Horseshoe Canyon

Canmore Main Street

Quarry Lake

Upper Kananaskis Lake

Banff Avenue

Cascades of Time Garden

St. James's Gate

Bow River pedestrian bridge

Lake Louise

The drama trail in 5 days

Drama trail cheat sheet

Banff, in every shade of blue

On the roadRoute planner

How long is the drive?

If you only have a few days

Turn this route into your own trip

Arrival-day notes

Fly in, check into a postcard

Louiza

Open the curtains, and there's the lake

Hotel album

Jasmine’s Lake Louise notes

A slow day by the lake

Lakeview Lounge

Ten peaks lined up in a row, and a lake too blue to be real

Ten Peaks album

Lakeside, terrace, spa: a whole day with nowhere to rush to

Lakeshore album

Icefields Parkway reminders

The blue that glaciers grind out

BRAZEN

A crow's foot hanging off the cliff

Glacier album

A color ground out by the glacier

Lakeside album

From up high, the lake is a wolf's head

Wolf-head lake album