The ULTIMATE WINTER Banff Travel Guide

[@myatlantictravel]

Great and informative video. We really enjoyed the winter impressions. ❄👍🙂

[@traveleaz]

Thank you so much for the nice comment. I really appreciate it!

[@trav4oilers]

Fantastic video, would love to live in Banff one day!

[@traveleaz]

Thank you very much for the comment. To live in Banff is the dream! Visiting will have to do for now, but that's pretty great too.

[@ontarioweddingofficiant9691]

love your videos

[@traveleaz]

That is so nice and greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!

[@peterbeckhart]

Exactly the kind of video I needed. Thanks for being concise, clear, and informative!

[@traveleaz]

I really appreciate your nice comment! Thank you very much. Enjoy Banff (more snow now than when I filmed in November).

[@ChrisWecko]

Hey Travel Eaz, I wanted to leave a comment under one of your wonderful videos. I'm Chris from Germany and was inspired by you to visit the national parks in the USA this year. I was in California and visited Yosemite and Sequoia. It was breathtaking and your tips helped me a lot! After that I only found out about the Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks through you and that's why I'm going to fly to Seattle with my friends next March to do a big road trip with the numerous national parks like Olympic, North Cascades and Jasper. Banff will also be there and after your video today about winter in Banff I can't wait to get there! 🤩 I have already recommended you to several friends and hope that you continue with such great videos and are an inspiration to many people! Thank you so much! 🫶🏻

[@traveleaz]

This is such a great comment and thank you very much. It's funny because I obviously do these videos alone (and in the cold!) and have no idea that great people such as you are watching from the other side of the planet. I really appreciate it. I haven't done an Olympic National Park video yet, which is funny because I live quiet close to Olympic National Park. That being said, I'm doing one in the spring so keep watching. Enjoy your trip to the US - you have great plans.

[@ChrisWecko]

@@traveleaz That's understandable! But that's the good thing, after all, your videos are very informative and worth watching, but for us Europeans, the national parks are far too distant to just pop in, as you might be able to do here for the Alps. That's why it's even more worthwhile to watch your videos if you're not from North America! 🙌🏻 And that's really funny, so I'm really looking forward to the video of the Olympic National Park! But does that mean that you also live close to Mount Rainier National Park? 🤩

[@Worldtraveller624]

Such a beautiful video. I planed for next February. Is Moraine Lake be completely closed? How about other lakes and are they accessible by busses as I decided not to drive. Thanks in advance.

[@traveleaz]

Thank you very much. Moraine Lake is closed for the winter - when it opens for the summer months, you must book a tour or take the shuttle there. I believe you can bike down the road, however. The bus routes (Roam) can take you from Banff (town) to Lake Louise, Johnston Canyon and Moraine Lake. I don't believe it takes you to Peyto or Bow Lakes but perhaps someone can correct me if I am wrong. You can catch a shuttle bus from Banff to Laek Minnewanka.

[@BlakeAldridgeAudio]

Great informative video! Heading over to Banff at the start of Jan, considering hiring a car as the Icefields Parkway looks amazing to drive, but have never driven in snow before. Apart from hiring a car with snow tires and chains, staying cautions on the road and steady paced, would there be any other tips to driving around?

[@traveleaz]

Great questions - and, considering I just had a significant accident in the ice and snow (in Calgary) only 3 days ago, take this with a grain of salt. The first thing is yes, equipment is important. I would have a 4WD with some ground clearance (so you can drive over mounds of snow). Snow tires - check. Driving in ice and snow is all about being steady, smooth and deliberate. Don't do anything jerky if you can help it. Give more room between you and other vehicles than in the summer, accelerate more slowly and give yourself more room to brake! Also, carry warm clothes in the car, just in case. Once you're ready to go and are driving in the manner that is appropriate, watch out for other drivers who are not driving in the manner they should. To reference my accident a few days ago, the younger male driver in front of me went through an on ramp too fast, slide, did a 720 out of his lane, hit a snow bank and came back into my lane directly in front of me. Nothing I could do but hit him. Thankfully he was okay, I was okay (sore, whiplash, bit of a bad back - but not hospitalized!). The cars? Both totalled - sometimes there is little you can do - so give the idiots are wide birth!

[@EDTGO1]

Hello, I plan to visit during Christmas and stay at the Chateau Fairmont, not sure if I should rent a car In order to visit locations mentioned in the video & do things like skiing, will there be transportation or should I rent a vehicle?

[@traveleaz]

Hi there - your timing is amazing as I am in Banff right now and it is cold! But it's also beautiful as there is a fresh layer of snow. Are you staying at the Chateau Lake Louise? Renting a car? If you just plan on staying at the lake and catching a shuttle for skiing, you can probably get away with no car. For a couple/few days I don't see the issue as skiing and then hanging out at the Chateau Lake Louise is pretty heavenly. However, I would personally rent a car because you will be very limited in what you do. So if you want to venture into the Banff townsite or even visit Peyto Lake or Emerald Lake, you will need a car.

[@royabrook8822]

My dream is paiting from national park nature❤❤❤❤⛰️🏕️🗽🎨

[@traveleaz]

Banff is the place to do it! Thank you for the comment.

[@teeheeGK]

thank you for this! this is timely as i am looking to do a solo trip to banff with my dog! do you have any restaurant recommendations that are dog friendly?

[@teeheeGK]

also would it be ideal to go in february or march? :)

[@traveleaz]

One of the dog-friendly restaurants that I am aware of is Magpie and Stump and Farm and Fire (I think Evelyn's Coffee bar does too). I think the problem you might find is that many of the restaurants that permit dogs, only permit dogs on outdoor patios (not great in the winter). Here's a good website to check out: banffawaits.com/dog-friendly-restaurants-banff/

[@traveleaz]

If you like the winter then yes, those two months are great (can be cold!). I've been to Banff twice in the last 6 weeks and it was cold both times (obviously) but not outrageously cold. I love two things about winter - I think it's prettier and the crowds are not bad at all.

[@Komainu959]

Been a few times and love your other videos. As someone who has almost zero experience in snow i would appreciate anyone's input- What kind of gear do you use to walk around so you don't slip? I did Johnston Canyon one year in May and while I had these chain things on my boots it was still slippery enough even with hiking poles that we decided to not try to get to upper falls and ended our little hike at lower falls. In fact we saw two people fall down on the short section going down to lower falls.

[@traveleaz]

Thanks for the comment. I use a device that just clamps to my boots (as an example: amzn.to/48Q8UGD). You can get all sorts but this is what I have used (then I usually lose them). I love Johnston Canyon - didn't go last year but should be doing it this May when I return.

[@peterbeckhart]

Hi there! Thanks again for this informative video! Question - Maybe I missed it in your video - But I'm visiting Banff next week for 4 days and am wondering if I'll need to buy a Park Pass? Where's the best place for this?

[@traveleaz]

Thank you for the comment. Okay, you can purchase a park pass online (parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/passer-passes) or in person at the park entrance gates as you enter from the east (so, driving from Calgary).