The nearly perfect summer climate in Banff Alberta is a paradise for travelers and you will surely want to extend your stay. While our main focus is to assist you in making reservations at one of the many quality Banff hotels you will surely want to enjoy a few of these summer activities after you check-in.
The scenery is absolutely spectacular and the humidity is low. This means you can clearly see the mountains, rivers, and valleys as the visibility is high. The low humidity also makes for perfect hiking, golfing, fishing, tennis or any other activity you can think of since you will not be easily worn out from the heat and humidity. The heat? Well that’s not much of an issue here in Banff. Summer temperatures often average 21 to 22 degrees Celsius, which is in the low 70′s Fahrenheit! For me personally, this is the ideal temperature range.
Pure Prisitne lake near Banff
The other amazing thing about summers in Banff are the long sunny days. It seems like the sun is always shining happily in Banff. As the summer solstice approaches, you can expect daylight to linger later than 11 P.M. at night! This makes long extended hikes, golf outings, rafting, fishing relaxed and enjoyable activities. There is rarely a need to rush once you arrive in Banff. Relax, get some healthy exercise and enjoy a few of these top ten summer activities in Banff.
Hiking in and around Banff
The absolute sheer numbers of fantastic hiking trails in and near Banff is mind boggling. Some people say there are more trails here than anywhere else in the world! Your sure to find tons of great trails to match your fitness level and sense of adventure. We also recommend just walking around the city of Banff and soaking in the relaxed beauty. To help you find your way around, we added a Banff map complete with the option to view at street level. This will make it easy to find the trailheads for the many hikes starting in the city of Banff.
Short loops originating from the town of Banff offer an excellent way of breaking in your legs and preparing for longer treks. The locals have long known about the many short hikes originating in Banff. These short excursions can often be completed between breakfast and lunch and are a perfect way to get started hiking in and around Banff. For more information about trails the locals love visit the Town of Banff website Trail guide.
For most visitors, a trip to Banff includes hiking in the world famous Banff National Park. This is truly one of the most beautiful and inspiring national parks on the planet. Get yourself a comfortable pair of shoes, some water and snacks and of course a camera and start enjoying the many wonders of Banff National Park.
Whitewater Rafting – Float trips – Canoeing - Kayaking
If you are like me, spending time on the water rejuvenates and invigorates like no other activity. Banff offers many water based adventure opportunities from relaxing boat tours, to full on whitewater rafting or Kayaking. Conoes can be rented in Banff and you can easily find a route that matches your skill and time frame. For the whitewater enthusiasts, the Bow river has a variety of sections from slow and peaceful to wet and rowdy. Banff is also a great place to get into Kayaking on the many peaceful lakes.
Biking – Cycling/Touring and Mountain Biking
Getting around Banff on a bicycle is for many, the perfect option. Bikes can easily be rented in Banff and the roads are becoming much more bike friendly. The addition of the ‘sharrows’ allows motor vehicles and bicyclist to share the road safely. Bicycle touring in and around Banff combines both a great workout and fantastic scenery, an excellent combination. For mountain bikers, Banff national park has many trails that are now open to bikes and new trails in and around Banff are being added all the time. For more information about mountain bike approved trails and logistics visit the Parks Canada Banff section
Horseback riding
Something about being in the Banff mountains reminds me of horseback riding. It seems a perfect way to navigate the long trails. Both short day-trips and long extended horseback riding camping trips can be easily arranged. You may be surprised as I was, how amazingly nimble and steady footed these horses are on these mountain trails.
Sightseeing By Air – Helicopter and Airplane Trips
One of the best ways to experience the majesty of these mountains is to view them from the air. Banff has close to a half dozen sightseeing companies that specialize in helicopter and airplane trips.
For more check out Top Ten Summer Activities in Banff – part 2
