Banff and Jasper in the Fall

What to do:

• Explore the town: If you are staying in a hotel it is likely in the downtown strip of cute restaurants, breakfast cafes, bakeries, and shops. One afternoon we spent about 2 hours walking around the downtown area. If you forget any of your hiking or outdoor gear, you should be able to find it at the stores. You can also rent your bear spray at the outdoor stores for $8.5/day.
• Hike Maligne Canyon is the deepest canyon in Jasper National Park. This canyon serves hikers of all abilities where you can explore the waterfalls and mountain views by crossing 6 bridges. The hikes range in distance and difficulty. We hiked the Opal Hills Loop that was in total 8.2 kilometers. If you are with your family, you can just walk the first two bridges and see some great sights.
• Visit Maligne Lake: Maligne Lake is the most gorgeous blue color on a sunny day with high peaks and glaciers in the background. The Maligne Lake Cruise is a must-do activity that you should definitely book in advance. They have both a 90 and 120 minute tour that takes you to Spirit Island where you get off the boat and explore. Additionally if you have time, they have canoe and kayak rentals available. Lake House Cafe and a Waffle Hut are onsite near the boat dock for a quick lunch or snack. The tickets for the 90 minute tour are approximately $60 per person. I would recommend sitting in the back of the boat as the boat tilts up when it starts moving.
• Pyramid and Patricia Lake: You can see the reflection of the mountain on Patricia Lake which is breathtaking. At Pyramid Lake you can walk out to the island to eat lunch. In addition, Pyramid Lake Resort has canoe, kayak, and paddleboat rentals. There are several trails in the area for hiking and mountain biking. There’s also a sandy beach and shoreside picnic sites at Pyramid Lake.
• Athabasca Falls: We visited the falls on our way to Banff as it is about 19 miles south of Jasper. These waterfalls are not known for their height, but for the force of the water. The falls can be viewed from viewing platforms for great pictures. You can also walk through numerous paths to see all angles of the waterfall as well as where it opens into the river.
• Athabasca Glacier: Personally I would NOT recommend the Glacier Skywalk in the Fall, but I am sure the Icewalks in the winter are amazing. You can easily view one side of the glacier from the rode without having to pay to get on the see through viewing point. I believe you can also go on the glacier, but everyone kept saying that you have to bundle up because it is significantly colder up on the glacier which makes sense.

Other things to do: Jasper Sky Tram, White water rafting, Wildlife Tour

What to eat:

• The Raven Bistro (reservations required): Right in the heart of Jasper, this restaurant serves Mediterranean fusion food with a large variety of different cuisines. We ordered the tofu chorizo tostada, za’atar spiced halloumi, and feta stuffed falafel. I would highly recommend as the food tasted fresh, unique, and it was extremely filling.
• Sun House Cafe: We got the roast mushroom & potato hash and avocado on sourdough. We added a egg atop both options. The service was slightly slow but they were super accommodating given Tushar’s food allergies. If you are looking for a simple, healthier option this would easily satisfy your hunger. They also have an outdoor area that overlooks the town and you can eat surrounded by fresh mountain air.
• Lou Lou’s Pizzeria: Very traditional American-style breakfast with a large variety of breakfast sandwiches, skillets, omelettes, and simple eggs with toast. You have to place your order at the cash register and they will call your number when your food is hot from the griddle. Don’t expect anything fancy, but this place really does the trick!
• Bear’s Paw Bakery: I went to Bear’s Paw Bakery to obviously try the bear paw but to me it just tasted like bread with a hint of cinnamon. For some reason when I looked at the roll, I thought it was similar to a cinnamon roll without frosting but to me it tasted very plain. All of the other pastries looked amazing though. I really enjoyed the caramel latte that they made for me!
• Other options: Downstream Restaurant and Lounge, De’d Dog Bar and Grill, Jasper Brewing Company

What to do:

• Explore the town: When you enter the town it feels like you are in a storybook about the most ideal mountain town. They have about 15-20 restaurants, numerous gift shops, candy stores, an icecream shop, and lots of walking paths to explore. The hotels also spoke out from the downtown area, but the Fairmont is about a 15-20 minute walk. The downtown area also has a Canada Goose store where I found that most coats were about $100 less than what I could get it for in the United States. Banff in the fall weather is rather chilly in the morning and evening so make sure to pack some extra layers!
• Lake Louise: Lake Louise is about a 35 minute drive from downtown Banff. This is the most iconic lake in the area due to its iconic turquoise color due to the rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers. Some of the trails around the lake are open to mountain biking and horseback riding. At the lake itself you can rent a kayak or canoe. When we went the parking was full even though the waterfront was not packed with tourists. It would be best to take the shuttle to Lake Louise unless you are either staying at Fairmont Lake Louise or Fairmont Banff Springs where they offer free parking with certain room rates.
• Hike to Agnes Tea House: The 3.5 km easy/moderate level hike leads up to a teahouse that is open from June 4th-Canadian Thanksgiving from 8AM-5 PM. The teahouse has over 100 different types of loose leaf teas, coffee, chai lattes, hot chocolate, sandwiches, and pastries. It is a surreal experience to sit at the top of the mountain sipping tea with a beautiful view of Lake Agnes. In the summer the lines are extremely long, but we were able to sit down as soon as we got there. They takes cash as well as card with a $1 surcharge.
• Lake Moraine: Located about a 15-20 minute drive from Lake Louise. The shuttle can take you between both lakes as the parking is very limited. We went towards the end of the day around 4:30 PM and found parking. Hike to the top of the rock pile called Rock Pile Trail (about 5-7 minutes) to see the best views of the lake. You can also rent canoes and visit the other hiking trails in the area.
• Banff Gondola (reservation required): The gondola is about 5 minutes from downtown Banff. You ride in a 4 passenger, glass enclosed gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain and overlook the Bow Valley. At the top, a trail there is a new building that houses a restaurant, interpretive exhibits and a 360-degree rooftop observation deck. You can then walk on the boardwalk along the summit to get great pictures. The ticket prices per person start around $55.
• Canmore Cave Tour: The company offers two tours, the adventure tour and explorer tour which are 6 and 4.5 hours, respectively. We did the 6 hour adventure tour that included a 18 m rappel and a passage called the Laundry Shoot. The adventure tour is $138 per person and includes your a helmet with a light, your rappel equipment, gloves, and a coverall to wear over your clothing. You hike 45 minutes up to the cave before you start your adventure. This is a true ADVENTURE, so if you are claustrophobic or not in somewhat ok physical shape I would not recommend. I personally found this cave tour to be very difficult as I have very little upper body strength. I personally exercise with mostly cardio about 5-6x a week and I was extremely sore and bruised the next day. The limestone rock in the cave is extremely slippery but overall the guides keep you very safe throughout.
• Mineral Pool at Fairmont Banff Springs: Although not advertised, you can buy a 2 hour pass for access to the spa. This includes 3 waterfall treatment whirlpools, indoor mineral pool and outdoor whirlpool as well as access to the sauna, steam rooms, and resting lounges. We had a guest rate of $49-59 per person. I have to say the mineral pool really helped my sore muscles from the cave tour the day before! The 3 waterfall treatment whirlpools are three different temperatures that you sit in for about 5-10 minutes each. The hotel also has an extensive spa menu if you are interested in a massage but I personally thought it was overpriced.
• Surprise Corner: Known for its surprising views located at the corner of Buffalo Street and Tunnel Mountain Road which can be accessed by walking along the river or driving to a small parking lot. This is a quick stop but there are trails nearby for hiking if you want to get in some exercise.
• Banff Sign: Fun place to take pictures with your family!

Where we stayed:

• Fairmont Banff Springs: The hotel itself is like a Harry Potter castle with an old world feel. The restaurants in the hotel are updated and modern. The rooms though are not updated so be prepared to pay a hefty price without super modern amenities. In the extended stay package we purchased included breakfast at the small coffee shop or buffet every morning. The breakfast buffet was traditional American breakfast that didn’t change on a daily basis. The hotel has numerous amenities including an outdoor heated pool, indoor pool and hot tub, tennis courts, scooters to rent on-site, a spa, and bike rentals to name a few.

What to eat: As most people know, we are vegetarian and due to my husbands allergies we have to find wheat-free restaurants that will accommodate. There are likely numerous restaurants that are delicious to suit your needs but we had a more limited list. Unfortunately, the days we had planned to go to Magpie & Stump and Touloulou they were closed for maintenance. A lot of the restaurants are extremely understaffed so please be kind to them.