There are thousands of reviews of Banff National Park. I can't say anything more than all the others who've praised this place. So I will simply say this. I've been very fortunate to have traveled a great deal of the world and I don't say this lightly; don't miss any opportunity to see Banff. It is truly the most naturally beautiful place I may have ever seen. No pictures can do it justice. You have to see it for yourself. It's literally emotionally moving. Almost like being in a Holy place. Moraine Lake and Lake Louise are spectacular. When you see the sunrise and watch the water change colors before your eyes you'll get it. Remember to close your mouth because you will gasp at the sight. Go before it's overrun and they simply have to restrict the amount of people allowed to visit. Oh, and bring binoculars id you have room in your suitcase! One last thing, eat at "Banff Poutine." You can thank me later.

I think there is a reason Banff NP is expensive to visit, because simply it is— considering park admission fee (ouch), prices of gas, food, and lodging. But the peaks and conifer covered jagged slopes are breathtaking to take in, you could be distracted enough to lose control of your car while driving in. Places that are more common to visit include the bowman parkway, lake Louise , the gondola, lake moraine. But honestly in Mid May it was still too cold and trails often snow packed to really make visiting a bit uncomfortable. Plus the crowds in areas like lake Louise, selfie taking crowds were ridiculous. I mean even with the expensive admission the crowds were surging and parking at lake Louise expensive and packed. This is in May, imagine summer. We saw a few animals mostly elk though, but not at levels of diversity like Yellowstone. Without the majestic scenery of the Canadian Rockies I would skip this Park, not even consider in summer unless doing some backcountry excursion.

We did all the touristy things and had a really good time doing that! The gondola was fun and the view from the observatory and gondola was amazing. The town is beautiful and free parking abounds (get there early just in case). The shuttle to Lake Louise and Moraine were smooth and worth the few dollars. Hiking around the lakes was much better than I imagined. All around great time! Banff is different from Jasper because it has more infrastructure and lots of tourists. However, proper planning prevents poor performance here. Buy bus and park passes before you leave for Canada. Bring food and drink with you to the park or buy some at the IGA in town for when you need it. Be patient. Take lots of pictures. Observe your surroundings and you might notice the big horn sheep and elk and ground squirrels all around you.