Banff is the most visited national park in Canada and one of the most spectacular mountain towns in the world. The town of roughly 8,000 permanent residents sits in a wide valley at 1,383 metres (4,537 ft) elevation, surrounded on all sides by the Canadian Rockies. Elk wander the streets in the early morning, bears cross the highway in autumn, and the mountains are never out of sight.
The park was born by accident. In 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway workers discovered hot springs on the slopes of Sulphur Mountain and attempted to stake a private claim. The federal government intervened, and the area was protected as Canada’s first national park in 1885. The railway brought wealthy tourists shortly after — the Banff Springs Hotel opened in 1888 and is still operating — and Banff has been a destination ever since.
In winter, the three ski areas of Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, and Mt Norquay make this one of the best ski destinations in North America, with reliable snow from November through May and slopes for every level. In summer, the hiking is exceptional, the lakes are extraordinary (Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are among the most photographed in the world), and the Icefields Parkway — the 230 km highway north to Jasper — is one of the great drives on the continent. The town itself is unpretentious and largely geared to outdoor recreation, with a good range of restaurants, bars, and outfitters concentrated on Banff Avenue and Bear Street.