Banff Ski Holidays

Après-Ski in Banff

Banff has an awesome après scene, mostly centred around Banff Avenue and Bear Street right in the middle of the town. Expect everything from crazy Canuck style pubs to breweries and distilleries to elegant wine bars. Banff has it all in abundance. Ski to the base of Sunshine or Norquay and you’ll certainly find a place to have a quick beer, but the vast majority will jump on the free ski bus back to downtown Banff. Here’s a few suggestions to help start your après engines:

St James’ Gate Irish Pub

This is a traditional ski town Irish après bar offering great beer and food. The St James’ Gate was built and manufactured in Dublin and then imported and re-constructed in Banff. It has a genuine warm, friendly atmosphere and is a popular spot for locals as well as visitors.

Rose & Crown Pub

If you like live music, good beer and pub-grub, the Rose & Crown is one of Banff’s premier après hot spots. Expect daily drinks specials, great Canadian comfort food and a rowdy but friendly atmosphere.

Park Distillery

The spirit of Banff. This is a restaurant and working distillery in downtown Banff, offering campfire-inspired food and a range of spirits distilled on site. The gins and vodkas are exceptional – try the Park spirits tasting flight 6 x 3oz shots. As you’d expect, the cocktail choices are amazing, and they serve beer too. Book yourself a distillery tour to learn more.

Three Bears Brewery

Popular brew-house in downtown Banff with a great restaurant where food for every mood is created to pair with a beer made here. Grab a beer, listen to some live music, kick back and relax.

Bear Street Tavern

Signature pizzas, sandwiches and cast iron specialities are the thing here. Enjoy a beer or a bear-sized cocktail and finish with a legendary pizza.

The Canadian Brewhouse

Banff’s top sports bar with an unfeasibly large amount of huge TVs showing an unfeasibly large amount of ice hockey. Expect great beer, daily specials, a Canadian classic food menu and a vibrant atmosphere.

Banff Avenue Brewing Co.

This is a multi-venue après spot with a vibrant pub serving great craft brews and pub-food favourites, a street-level tap-room serving flights of Banff’s best craft brews complemented by a solid appie menu, and a fabulous pizza & pasta restaurant. All your après, right in one location.

Rundle Bar (Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel)

If you like your après a little more upscale, then the Rundle Bar in the Banff Springs is the perfect spot. Great views of the Bow Valley, nice comfortable seating with table service and a huge drinks menu offering pretty much everything alcoholic and more. Nice après food menu too.

Dining in Banff

Banff has a fantastic range of really good restaurants to choose from. You’ll find pretty much every world-wide cuisine or style here, and venues to match every budget from uber-fine dining to family-friendly cantina-style. Here are some of our recommended restaurants in Banff:

1888 Chop House (Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel)

A modern take on a traditional chop house, enjoy prime cuts of Alberta beef and wild game, with a focus on sustainable and locally sourced ingredients. Executive chef JW Foster sums up the experience as "A Celebration of Alberta Farming and Fine Dining".

Brazen

Brazen is located inside the historic Mount Royal Hotel right in the very heart of downtown Banff. Expect contemporary takes on classic cocktails, seasonally-inspired Canadian fare and a state of old-world style.

The Vermillion Room (Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel)

This is the Banff Springs bustling Brasserie serving dishes with French elegance and Canadian charm. Expect a thoroughly good menu, an extensive wine list and a really nice relaxed ambience. Open for breakfast, brunch and dinner.

Block Kitchen and Bar

One of the newest eateries in town, Block is marketed as a tapas and sandwich bar, but is so much more than this. Offering an intimate dining experience and Asian fusion and European inspired dishes, this locally-owned restaurant serves up healthy plates, a daily specials board and a wide selection of wines, beers and cocktails.

Castello Ristorante (Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel)

This popular Italian restaurant has a genuine feel to it, offering guests wonderful elevated Italian favourites in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. The authentic Italian food and wine here is exceptional.

Eden (Rimrock Resort Hotel)

Perhaps Banff’s finest dining experience. The exquisite Eden restaurant is a wonderful destination to enjoy a superior French menu, which also includes regional Canadian produce. Choose from a series of 3 or 5 Course menus with wine pairings, or a la carte. This is one for a special occasion.

Primrose (Rimrock Resort Hotel)

The view of the Rockies from this restaurant down the magnificent Bow Valley is a delight. Don’t let that distract you from the amazing food though. Primrose is casual yet elegant and offers a Canadian–inspired menu packed with local produce. It showcases the very best of the region.

Anejo

With the largest selection of tequila in Canada (over 200), Anejo combines the spirit of Mexico with truly authentic Mexican cuisine. The décor is vibrant and the hand-crafted margaritas are legendary. This is a fun place, and one to not be missed.

Earls

This busy bar and restaurant offers something for everyone. Their menu includes food choices from around the world, from curries to pastas, steaks to sandwiches. Small town charm with a big city taste.

The Keg

A relaxed atmosphere, helpful staff and superior steaks await you at The Keg. Diners can choose to eat in the welcoming dining room, or opt for the more casual and lively bar. The Keg has two venue in Banff – one downtown and the other within the Banff Caribou Lodge.

Melissa’s Missteak

Melissa’s has a new location on Banff Avenue! Visit Mel’s sports bar for a quick drink before heading on in to Melissa’s for dinner. Expect Alberta Certified Angus Beef, lobster, seafood and a range of local Canadian classics.

Sky Bistro

Overlooking the town of Banff at the top of Sulphur Mountain, the Sky Bistro is a restaurant like no other. Ride the Banff Sightseeing Gondola from just above the Rimrock Resort Hotel to the top of the mountain. With a panoramic view of the Rockies, this is a special place. Enjoy a menu which is classically Canadian with an emphasis on local produce. There’s a full bar and a huge deck for that special picture.

Saltlik

For a night to remember-experience Saltlik! Offering Banff’s largest choice of top-quality ‘AAA’ and Canadian Angus beef, complimented by a diverse wine list, Saltlik offers guests a memorable evening in elegant surroundings.

Activities in Banff

There are plenty of non-skiing activities in Banff should you choose to take the opportunity to explore this beautiful national park. Ice walks, cross country skiing and snowshoeing are all firm favourites. Anyone wishing to sample Canadian sporting culture can take a trip to Calgary to see the Calgary Flames in action – Calgary’s revered NHL ice hockey team – be warned though: it can get very noisy!

Activities available in Banff:

• Ice Walks
• Heliski Powder Adventures in the Purcells
• Sleigh Rides
• NHL Ice Hockey
• Snowshoeing
• Winter Sightseeing Tours

Ice Walks                                   

Three options are offered, in three different canyons, each offering a unique perspective to the ice walker:

Tour 1.

Traverse a frozen stream through Grotto Canyon; see unique rock formations, ancient native rock art, and the mountain’s geological history. Ice climbers can often be viewed ascending the frozen waterfalls.

Tour 2.

Walk steel pathways specially constructed in the canyon walls to give a heightened view of the canyon below. Hike through wildlife-rich habitats as you journey to the trailhead and look for clues as to how Johnston Canyon was formed. This Ice Walk will take you past the lower falls up to the awe-inspiring upper icefalls. Guests enjoying this particular walk should dress appropriately in skiwear, including hats, mittens and warm boots.

Tour 3.

Take a headlamp-lit hike up to historic Stewart Canyon Bridge beneath the breathtaking canopy of the night’s sky. Head out along Lake Minnewanka’s shoreline and listen carefully to the sound of the frozen’ lake’s ice cap cracking and learn about the lake’s indigenous history. At the walk’s end, enjoy the cosiness of a campfire, a warming mug of hot chocolate and some mouth-watering toasted marshmallows! Guests are advised to dress warmly in skiwear, including hats, mittens and warm boots.

Tour itineraries are subject to changes.

Heliski Powder Adventures in the Purcells                                   

Enjoy the exhilaration of skiing untracked powder high in the majestic Purcell Mountains Range with RK Heliski.

Heli-skiing in the Canadian Rockies is one of the most awesome skiing adventures you can have! Under a clear blue sky, on fresh untracked snow, with awe-inspiring scenery, challenging terrain and great company, this will be a day you’ll remember forever!

RK Heliski is based in Panorama, British Columbia; their heli-plex is situated on the periphery of the Panorama Mountain Village. A choice of packages is available, from days, to multi-day experiences, including private trips. For all experiences, guests must be able to confidently ski blue runs. Daily packages are available from Banff, with a transfer across to Panorama. Please check that your travel insurance covers you for heli-skiing before signing up.

Sleigh Rides                                   

What could be better than an exhilarating sleigh ride through the crisp winter air? Sit back and relax as you enjoy spectacular Rocky Mountain views and journey through the beauty of Bow River Valley to the less well-travelled areas of Banff.

NHL Ice Hockey                                   

Hockey is HUGE in Canada and an opportunity to catch a live game is not to be missed! Cheer on the Calgary Flames as you experience this fast-paced, all-action sport, fun with a difference for the entire family. Games are held at the famed Calgary Saddledome.

Snowshoeing                                   

The perfect activity for the non-skier and skier alike, snowshoeing is a wonderful opportunity to escape the bustle of the slops and head into the scenic wilderness of the Banff National Park. The Paint Pots tour introduces guests to the snowshoe experience and educates them in the history of Banff’s native peoples, explorers and fur traders, who lived and traveled through the Rockies. Some of these early adventurers’ clothes and equipment can be observed, as can the techniques, they used to survive and earn a living in this sometimes-hostile environment. Once you reach Paint Pots, you’ll enjoy the reward of a definitive Canadian treat, Hot Maple Taffy!

Winter Sightseeing Tours                                   

All our tours use modern 24-seat coaches. They’re led by friendly, knowledgeable guides who can’t wait to impart their knowledge to you! We offer Banff hotel pick up and drop off., light refreshments, use of binoculars and sporting scopes as well as the opportunity to handle interpretive items.

Tour 1. Discover Banff and its Wildlife

Explore fascinating Banff landmarks and seek out local wildlife in their natural winter habitat. Find out about their behaviours, and their secrets to surviving in a cold, harsh environment. This tour has a 95% success rate for spotting wildlife! Learn about the Bow Valley’s history and the story of the three railway employees who came across a hidden treasure.

Tour 2.  Discover Lake Louise and the Ice fields

It was the beauty and isolation of the Canadian Rocky Mountains that first attracted visitors to the National Park. View this spectacular landscape for yourself as you journey to Lake Louise and Bow Lake. You will be educated in local mountaineering history and discover how a tragic accident at Lake Louise shaped Canadian mountain culture. Your journey also includes visiting the source of the Bow River and takes in Num Ti Jah, an historic hunting lodge dating back to the early twentieth century.