One week in Banff and Jasper at a short notice and on budget....possible?

To be honest, I assume it'll be tough to stay in Banff or Jasper for that price. A lot of hotels will not even have availability this time of year.

For Banff, Canmore is a popular alternative. Cochrane and Calgary are also sometimes choices but both are a bit of a drive. Canmore is much closer. Canmore will also have many AirBNBs still (I think - they discussed removing them awhile ago).
For Jasper, Hinton is a popular alternative. I think it's about 45 minutes out though - but is the closest major city / town.
I'm not sure there's a great place in between to stay and check out both.

Obviously you have already used Trivago and I assume have found little to no availability. Within Jasper, the cheaper hotels are Marmot Lodge and the other Mountain Park Lodges properties. Within Banff the Inns of Banff is often cheap and the Rocky Mountain Resort is very cheap (but not walking distance to places) - it's a timeshare place so you might score a deal there.


For things to do that are not hiking - obviously Banff and Jasper both have Hot Spring and the "shopping" in the tourist parts. Banff has more than Jasper I find (when it comes to non-hiking). There is the Lake Minnewanka Boat Cruise which is very popular:
https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/a ... ka-cruise/

Johnson's Canyon is also very popular.

There are also several places to rent canoes - might be fun with a 6 year old.


I will warn you - for some reason Banff and Jasper have got crazy busy the last couple years. It is insane what some of the crowds are like at popular spots. Good luck - we have stopped going during the summer months as we refuse to pay $300/night and end up going in October and April.

Firstly, it is a 2 day drive or a very long day especially with a 6 year old that needs numerous P breaks LOL. (almost 1500 kms).
And even longer back from Jasper (almost 1700 kms). Plus the 300 kms between Banff and Jasper. You will need to stop on the Ice fields to have a look at those so, that's a day trip as well.
Point is, a lot of driving for a couple days a long way away just to "relax".
Oh and yes, the gondola rides are nice but if you are not into nature, there is not much else in either spot.
So, your title of "one week in Banff and Jasper" is not quite correct. You have one week off and 4 or more days of driving

If you don't like hiking and enjoy nature, forget such a trip, especially with a 6 yr old boy. It'll be super expensive if you can find hotel availability, or stay at Calgary and Hinton, with the daily commutes that eats up more time.

Thanks you guys are right...
Chepest decent place to stay in banff I could find was 230 cad per night.. booked the last room at this price ( I can cancel till 14th). I booked all 6 nights in Banff. probably would need to leave Jasper for another trip
If I do this adventure it will be this
Sat - Drive
Sun- Drive
Monday - No drive . Use shuttle from the hotel to go Banff. Roam around and do Gandola.
Tuesday - Drive to colombia Icefield. We will like to take that adventure Rig and not hike
Wed - Do the Minnewanka Boat Cruise as someone suggested above! if time permits do banff Gandola again.
Thursday - Johnson’s Canyon. we can hike slowly as we are not in hurry
Friday - Go to lake luoise. Is there any cruise ? We can do Gandola there
Sat- Drive
Sun- Drive
Worth it? Alreday booked 6 nights in Banff for 1500 cad. Seems like 2 more nights at mid point will cost me another 300 or so
Gas = 250
Rides and cruises= Gandolas, cruises and icefield bus. not sure how much would that be?

Asker123 wrote: ↑ Thanks you guys are right...
Chepest decent place to stay in banff I could find was 230 cad per night.. booked the last room at this price ( I can cancel till 14th). I booked all 6 nights in Banff. probably would need to leave Jasper for another trip
If I do this adventure it will be this
Sat - Drive
Sun- Drive
Monday - No drive . Use shuttle from the hotel to go Banff. Roam around and do Gandola.
Tuesday - Drive to colombia Icefield. We will like to take that adventure Rig and not hike
Wed - Do the Minnewanka Boat Cruise as someone suggested above! if time permits do banff Gandola again.
Thursday - Johnson’s Canyon. we can hike slowly as we are not in hurry
Friday - Go to lake luoise. Is there any cruise ? We can do Gandola there
Sat- Drive
Sun- Drive
Worth it? Alreday booked 6 nights in Banff for 1500 cad. Seems like 2 more nights at mid point will cost me another 300 or so
Gas = 250
Rides and cruises= Gandolas, cruises and icefield bus. not sure how much would that be?

In my opinion no, it is not worth it.
$1750, plus attractions plus 4 days driving, plus meals.
https://www.redtag.ca/vacation-results/ ... e=20180616

If you are doing the Columbia Icefields, you should also do the Glacier Skywalk: https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/a ... r-skywalk/

It would be a shame to turn around, not having completed the entire Parkway. You should go to Jasper. It is less touristy. The details of this will be obvious after you see both.

This way you would be able to do a full loop and return via the Yellowhead.

Once you leave Jasper, you can hit the Miette Hot Springs which is a beautiful drive up the mountain. The Hot Springs are a distance from the town but convenient to a departure if you are heading East.

starchoice wrote: ↑ If you are doing the Columbia Icefields, you should also do the Glacier Skywalk: https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/a ... r-skywalk/

It would be a shame to turn around, not having completed the entire Parkway. You should go to Jasper. It is less touristy. The details of this will be obvious after you see both.

This way you would be able to do a full loop and return via the Yellowhead.

Once you leave Jasper, you can hit the Miette Hot Springs which is a beautiful drive up the mountain. The Hot Springs are a distance from the town but convenient to a departure if you are heading East.

ok thanks
its just that I am the only driver and I would be doing 4 full days driving out of 9 days so want to travel less in those 5 days while I am there.
Lets see. I am watching weather too. if rain is forecasted in banff for several days next week, I will cancel the trip anyways.
total would be like 2800 cad for essentially 5 days baff trip and 3500 kms on my car. Let me think...

Asker123 wrote: ↑ Thanks you guys are right...
Chepest decent place to stay in banff I could find was 230 cad per night.. booked the last room at this price ( I can cancel till 14th). I booked all 6 nights in Banff. probably would need to leave Jasper for another trip
If I do this adventure it will be this
Sat - Drive
Sun- Drive
Monday - No drive . Use shuttle from the hotel to go Banff. Roam around and do Gandola.
Tuesday - Drive to colombia Icefield. We will like to take that adventure Rig and not hike
Wed - Do the Minnewanka Boat Cruise as someone suggested above! if time permits do banff Gandola again.
Thursday - Johnson’s Canyon. we can hike slowly as we are not in hurry
Friday - Go to lake louise. Is there any cruise ? We can do Gandola there
Sat- Drive
Sun- Drive
Worth it? Alreday booked 6 nights in Banff for 1500 cad. Seems like 2 more nights at mid point will cost me another 300 or so
Gas = 250
Rides and cruises= Gandolas, cruises and icefield bus. not sure how much would that be?

Motorised boats are forbidden on Lake Louise. They do have canoe rentals, though. PRICE FOR NON-HOTEL GUESTS: $115 per hour | $105 per half hour

starchoice wrote: ↑ If you are doing the Columbia Icefields, you should also do the Glacier Skywalk: https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/a ... r-skywalk/

Have to disagree with this. The Skywalk is waaaaaaaaaaaay over-rated and really not worth the effort or the cost.

Having said that, though, OP wants to do the Banff gondola not once but twice (which is really overkill) so maybe he will be interested in this.

If you're going to Johnston Canyon, you may as well visit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake on the same day, as you're driving in that direction anyway.

6 days in Banff? you will be bored after 1.5 days

Conquistador wrote: ↑ Have to disagree with this. The Skywalk is waaaaaaaaaaaay over-rated and really not worth the effort or the cost.

Having said that, though, OP wants to do the Banff gondola not once but twice (which is really overkill) so maybe he will be interested in this.

+1 skywalk is a huge ripoff

Banff... 1-2 day
lake louise/lake minnewanka...1 day
Columbia icefield...1 day
drumheller...1 day

your 6 year old will enjoy drumheller...

Pete_Coach wrote: ↑ Firstly, it is a 2 day drive or a very long day especially with a 6 year old that needs numerous P breaks LOL. (almost 1500 kms).
And even longer back from Jasper (almost 1700 kms). Plus the 300 kms between Banff and Jasper. You will need to stop on the Ice fields to have a look at those so, that's a day trip as well.
Point is, a lot of driving for a couple days a long way away just to "relax".
Oh and yes, the gondola rides are nice but if you are not into nature, there is not much else in either spot.
So, your title of "one week in Banff and Jasper" is not quite correct. You have one week off and 4 or more days of driving

6 year old don't need pee breaks... that's what an empty water bottles is for...lol

you can save some $ with the combos...

https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/a ... -packages/

Ducky wrote: ↑ 6 year old don't need pee breaks... that's what an empty water bottles is for...lol

What about the Wife

rocking23nf wrote: ↑ 6 days in Banff? you will be bored after 1.5 days

^^ This guy doesn't climb mountains.

Pete_Coach wrote: ↑ What about the Wife

depends? lol

13inches wrote: ↑ ^^ This guy doesn't climb mountains.

The op and family aren't interested in this...