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Special Event Hotels > Banff Film Festival Overview City Information Dining Attractions Event Information |
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Banff Attractions: Banff Upper Hot Springs 101 Mountain Avenue Banff, AB T1L 1K2 403-762-1515 Hours: Open year round, call for hours of operation Admission Charged All the amenities of a modern facility are featured in this splendid, historic spa and bath house. It features an outdoor hot pool, day spa, and email kiosk. Swimsuits, towels and locker rentals are available. Cave & Basin Hot Springs 311 Cave Avenue Banff, AB T1L 1A1 403-762-4900 Hours: Center open year round, swimming pool open mid-June to Labour Day Historic and geological displays reveal the effects of the warm sulphur water on the flora and fauna of the area. Interpretative displays and self-guiding trails. Cave & Basin National Historic Site 311 Cave Ave. Banff, AB T1L 1A1 Hours: Summer, 9am - 6pm, otherwise: Mon. - Fri., 11am - 4pm, Sat. - Sun., 9:30am - 5pm Admission Charged The Cave & Basin National Historic Site is the birthplace of Canada's national park system. Exhibits, guided tours and the film Steam, Schemes & National Dreams recount how the discovery of the Cave and Basin springs led to the creation of Banff National Park, Canada's first. See the Cave & Basin springs, replica 1887 bathhouse and grand bathing pavilion. Canada Place 101 Mountain Ave Banff, AB T1L 1A1 In Park Administration Building at the end of Banff Avenue 403-760-1338 Hours: Call for days and hours of operation Admission Free, Admission Charged for CN IMAX Theatre Canada Place, a mixed-use commercial facility, is home to the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, The Pan Pacific Hotel, Cruise Ship Terminal, The CN IMAX Theatre, World Trade Centre Office Complex and Citipark parking facility. The CN IMAX Theatre offers spectacular films featuring themes such as outer space, Canadian wildlife and other natural wonders using a giant 5-story high screen. Explore the "Promenade Into History", a self guided tour of forty-four educational and interesting plaques describing in detail historical moments that take you back in time while you watch the harbour activities and views. Banff Park Museum National Historic Site 91 Banff Ave Banff, AB T1L 1A1 Hours: Open May 15 - Sept 30 10am - 6pm; Oct - mid May 1 - 5pm Admission Charged One of Western Canada's oldest natural history museums is the Banff Park Museum National Historic Site. The elegant 1903 building is a showpiece of architecture and natural history interpretation. Banff's mammals, birds and insects are preserved in authentic Victorian style--displays date back to 1860. There are knowledgeable interpreters, a reading room and hands-on discovery room. Buffalo Nations Museum 1 Birch Ave 403-762-2388 Hours: Open Summer: 9am - 6pm, Winter: 1 - 5pm Admission Charged The Buffalo Nations Museum recalls when Native people followed the buffalo herds into the Bow Valley, hauling their belongings by travois. Displays interpret clothing, hunting techniques, legends and myths, and historical Banff Indian Days. The museum displays a wealth of native arts and a slice of daily life including richly ornamented costumes, a beautifully decorated teepee, colourful quill work and historical hunting equipment. It is a cultural display that celebrates the richness, diversity, continuity and, above all the resilience of the First Nations people. Life-sized scenes depict daily living and ceremonies. Canadian Ski Museum West 317 Banff Ave Banff, AB T1L 1A1 403-762-8484 Hours: Summer, 7am - 10pm, Winter, 8am - 10pm Admission Free Canadian Ski Museum West explores Banff's ski heritage and Canada's great skiers. There are displays of Swiss mountain guides, equipment evolution, historic backcountry ski lodges and alpine resort development. Memorabilia from Olympic skiers trained on local slopes is displayed. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies 111 Bear St Banff, AB T1L 1A1 403-762-2291 Hours: Open daily 10am - 5pm Admission Charged The Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies houses one of the world's largest collections of Canadian Rockies art, photography and literature. Natural History Museum 112 Banff Ave Banff, AB T1L 1A1 403-762-4747 Hours: Call for days and hours of operation Admission Charged Displays show the cave system of the area, including Castlegar Cave located under the Columbia Icefields. Four dinosaur skulls are included among the numerous fossil specimens. Two slide shows illustrate the formation of the Rockies. Banff National Park Banff, AB T1L 1K2 403-762-1550 Hours: Call for days and hours of operation Admission Charged Banff National Park is the birthplace of Canada's national park system and part of the Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site. Discover a landscape rich in wildlife and history. The Banff Centre 107 Tunnel Mountain Drive Banff, AB T1L 1H5 403-762-6157 Hours: Call for additional information Admission Charged for Certain Events The Banff Centre is Canada's only learning centre dedicated to the arts, leadership development, and mountain culture. Serving the needs of accomplished artists, business and community leaders, and members of the global mountain community through year-round programs designed to enrich professional practice beyond the realm of traditional education. Sulphur Mountain Gondola Located 3.2 km (2 mi) from Banff town on Mountain Ave Banff, AB T1L 1B2 403-762-2523 Hours: Call for additional information Admission Charged Ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain in a glass-enclosed, four-passenger gondola car and enjoy a 360-degree view of Banff and the surrounding area. This 8-minute ride transports visitors to outstanding views 2,281 m (7,486 ft) above sea level. While on the mountain, take in a self-guided walk leading to Sanson's Peak. The original 1903 stone observatory is located here. Ski Banff @ Norquay #2 Mt. Norquay Rd 403-762-4421 Hours: Open seasonally, call for additional information Admission Charged From gentle beginner runs, to heart pounding double black diamond runs, to a full featured snowboard park, Norquay now has everything you need for a great day of skiing or riding no matter what your ability. Crowfoot Glacier 197 km (123 mi) S of Jasper/33 km (20.6 mi) N of Lake Louise Crowfoot is one of over a hundred glaciers that can be seen along the Icefields Parkway. Years ago, this glacier resembled a crow's foot, with three large toe-like extensions. The lower "toe" of this foot has receded so much that only two toes remain. Hector Lake 214 km (133.75 mi) S of Jasper/16 km (10 mi) N of Lake Louise. The beautiful green waters of Hector Lake spread below a fresh carpet of lush forest. While the southern part of the lake is forest-enclosed, the northern end is set hard against rugged mountains, which is typical of a lake formed in a glacial basin. One can view Mt. Balfour and the Waputik Range to the SW. Moraine Lake and Valley of the Ten Peaks 12 km (7.5 mi) E from Lake Louise access road Formerly pictured on the back of the Canadian $20 bill, this emerald green lake is set before a backdrop of sharp peaks. To the N is Mount Temple, the highest mountain in the Bow Range and third highest in Banff National Park. The valley is a good area for hiking. Peyto Lake 190 km (118.75 mi) S of Jasper/40 km (25 mi) N of Lake Louise The highest point on the Icefields Parkway is Bow Summit, 2088 m above sea level. Here the road crosses alpine meadows near the source of the Bow River before dropping into the Mistaya Valley. From the lower parking area at Bow Summit, a short trail takes you uphill to the Peyto Lake lookout. Columbia Icefield Icefields Parkway, AB Ice-walk tours are available April 10th until October 20th. The Columbia Icefield is located on the boundary of Banff and Jasper National Parks. One of the largest accumulations of ice and snow south of the Arctic Circle, it covers an area of nearly 325 sq km. The continuous accumulation of snow feeds eight major glaciers including the Athabasca, Dome, and Stutfield Glaciers, all visible from the Icefields Parkway. The Columbia Icefield is a true "continental divide," for its meltwater feeds streams and rivers that pour into the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans. Markers at the icefield indicate the rate at which the toe of the Athabasca Glacier has receded this century. Caution - The glacier is dangerous! People have been killed falling into deep, hidden cracks called crevasses in the glacier. For your safety do not cross the barriers. Johnston Canyon 26 km (16.25 mi) W of Banff on Hwy 1A Follow the self-guided interpretative trail along Johnston Creek for views of water erosion in action. A 5.6 km (3.5 mi) walk will take you to the Ink Pots. Six cool springs bubble out of the ground year-round. The glacial sediments in the springs create beautiful aqua colours. Vermilion Lakes Located off Mt. Norquay just before the Banff/Norquay overpass This 4.5 km (2.8 mi) drive branches off Mt. Norquay just before the Banff/Norquay overpass and takes you along the three Vermilion Lakes. This drive provides an opportunity to see a variety of flora and fauna common to marshland areas and is popular for bird watchers, nature enthusiasts, photographers and cyclists. Bow Falls The falls are just a short walk from the Banff Centre at Tunnel Mountain Admission Free The Bow River drops approximately 30 feet near its divergence with the Spray River. Bow Lake Located93 km (58 mi) N of Banff just off Hwy 93 N (Icefields Parkway) Admission Free The lake is the source of the Bow River. Across the lake is part of a very large icefield covering an area of the Great Divide. The Bow Glacier extends from this field over the cliffs. Bow Valley Parkway Access the parkway 7 km (4.3 mi) west of Banff and from the Lake Louise overpass Also known as Hwy 1A, this 51 km (30.6 mi) route is a scenic alternative to the TransCanada Hwy between Banff and Lake Louise. There are peaceful picnic areas interspersed between the many points of interest along the highway. At Johnston Canyon, a self-guided tour takes you along Johnston Creek to two impressive waterfalls. It's a 5.6 km (3.5 mi) hike to the Ink Pots (clear greenish pools formed by artesian springs whose water temperature remains at a constant I degree C), which has six cool springs bubbling out of the ground. |