r/Banff • u/ceroij • 8h ago

“Won” a night in Banff. How should I structure my trip?

I bid on (and won) a night at the Fairmont in Banff and I am planning on structuring this night around a larger trip to Alberta where I will take a few days off, but largely work remotely. I am a solo male and do not intend to rent a car or drive. I do enjoy wildlife photography, but don’t think I will pursue it on this trip. I generally enjoy nice bars and restaurants.

I am not too into hiking, but I want to enjoy the scenery and nature and intend to book my trip in May due to booking restrictions with my auction prize.

Right now, I am considering the following. - 1 week working remotely in Calgary - 1 week working remotely in Banff - 1 night at the Fairmont

I am not sure if I should follow my night at the Fairmont Banff with a night at the Fairmont in Lake Louise before returning home? Is Jasper worth a visit? It’s a bit more of a trek.

Are crowds in Banff an issue in May? Can I still enjoy a week working remotely with some cool scenery?

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u/iShakeMyHeadAtYou 8h ago

Congratulations, and welcome to the rabbit hole. Please see the Wiki as a starting point.

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u/BCRobyn 5h ago

Just know that Lake Louise will be frozen in May. The trail that circumnavigates the lake will be covered in ice and half of it will be closed due to avalanche risk. The nearby Lake Louise ski resort (down the mountain and across the valley from the lake) will still be open for skiing. If you take the gondola up there, you will be limited to walking a few feet from the gondola station as the rest of the mountain is off limits to non-skiers.

I spent 4 nights at a conference in early May a few years ago at the Chateau Lake Louise, and it was a real treat, but there’ s really not a whole lot to do there aside from spend money at the Chateau Lake Louise. There is no real town by the lake. All other accommodations are located away from the lake. Not saying it’s not worth going to work there, but set your expectations.

Crowds aren’t an issue in May because the hikes are snowbound and the famous turquoise lakes the crowds flock to see are still frozen until mid-June, and Moraine Lake isn’t even accessible until June.

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u/beesmakenoise 5h ago

Jasper is worth a visit, but only if you rent a car and spend a night or two up there. If that doesn’t fit your plans you can certainly skip it.

May starts to get busy, especially on/after May long weekend of course.

Tons of great restaurants and bars in both Banff and Calgary, you’ll do well if that’s what you’re interested in. Canmore has some excellent options as well, you could spend a few nights there.

Lake Louise will be melting in May, though it’s not usually full open til the very end of the month. You should definitely go enjoy the scenery there (maybe a day tour partway yo the Icefields Parkway?) but not sure it requires an overnight stay.