Hi Everyone! Here's What’s Happening This Week!

If you've looked at a Banff hotel rate lately, you may have felt the urge to keep driving.

July rooms are now averaging $729 a night, up from $453 last year, and plenty of visitors are responding by booking in Cochrane instead, where the nightly average sits closer to $170. Forty-five minutes east buys a very different bill.

Closer in, the Bow is rising. A streamflow advisory runs from Banff to Ghost Lake, low-lying paths are flooding, Canmore has banned watercraft, and another 50 to 90mm of rain is due through next week. Stay off the banks.

Some better news: no bears were killed or relocated in the Bow Valley or Kananaskis in 2025, the first such year in at least nine - helped by a buffaloberry crop so good the bears saw no reason to come to town.

A wet week is also a fair excuse to be somewhere indoors and interesting - the Fairmont Banff Springs runs a behind-the-scenes evening of tastings through its older corridors.

And if June is when you're actually coming, our new Banff in June guide is now up.

The rest is below.

REMEMBER: The 48hr booking window for the Lake Louise / Moraine Lake shuttle starts today. Our video walks you through the process.

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This small-group experience offers a chance to go behind the scenes of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. You’ll explore different dining areas inside the historic building while enjoying a series of tastings featuring locally sourced ingredients from Alberta farms.

Along the way, you’ll meet chefs, watch a cooking demonstration, and learn about the hotel’s history as you wander its grand hallways. With food, drinks, and storytelling throughout the evening, it’s a great way to experience the Banff Springs from a different perspective.

Reserve now to enjoy a guided food experience inside the Banff Springs.

🏨 $729 a Night Sends Visitors East. Cochrane, 45 minutes east of Canmore, is drawing visitors priced out of Banff and Canmore. The 2025 Banff average was $453; in July, $729. Cochrane short-term rentals average $170.

🐻 No Bears Lost in Bow Valley. No bears were killed or relocated in 2025, the first such year in at least nine. The WildSmart director credits community education and a buffaloberry crop so good the bears never bothered coming to town.

🌊 Bow River Rising, Rain Still Coming. A streamflow advisory covers the Bow from Banff to Ghost Lake, with flooding on low-lying paths in Banff and groundwater concerns in Canmore. Stay off riverbanks. Canmore has also banned watercraft on the Bow. A further 50-90mm of rain is forecast through next week.

🥌 Canmore Club Turns 100. The Canmore Golf & Curling Club marks a century this Sunday, with a ceremony, live music, and a social running until 9 pm. Tickets must be bought in advance - none at the door.

⛳ Centenary Season Opens at Jasper Park. The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge golf course opened yesterday for its 100th season of mountain golf in Jasper. Tee times are available to book online.

🥏 Disc Golf Fills Canmore Nordic Centre. Nearly 140 players compete this weekend on the 18-hole alpine course at Canmore Nordic Centre. Top Gun Biking Trail closes during the tournament. Alberta's longest-running disc golf event, and Canada's third-oldest.

🎨 Indigenous Stories Fill Cave and Basin. Painted mural boxes bringing Indigenous stories to life return to Cave and Basin National Historic Site this season, displayed throughout the grounds. Open daily, 9 am to 5 pm, May 15 to October 12.

🌧️ The mountains are getting a soaking this weekend - pack the rain jacket and leave the sunscreen at home. Saturday brings showers with a high of 13°C, Sunday turns to rain with a cool 8°C, and Monday stays wet with a high of 10°C. The Rockies are doing their thing, but stunning even in grey. Full Forecast Here

🏔️ Luxury mountain vibes without the Banff price tag. The Malcolm Hotel in Canmore offers heated outdoor pools and hot tubs with Three Sisters views, steps from downtown. An easy drive to Banff National Park. Check it out here.

🚡 Banff Gondola - Sulphur Mountain - Eight minutes up, 2,281 metres, six mountain ranges in every direction. Book your gondola ticket in advance and build in one to two hours at the top - the Sanson's Peak boardwalk and interpretive centre are worth the time. Bighorn sheep often hang around the upper terminal.

📸 Banff Photoshoot Experience - A two-to-three-hour private session with a local licensed photographer, covering up to three locations in the park. Great for couples or families who want great shots of the Rockies rather than phone snaps. Edited gallery included. Meet at the Fenlands Recreation Centre on Mt Norquay Road.

🚣 Jasper Family Rafting - Athabasca River - Five sets of Class 2 rapids, glacier-fed water, and a good chance of spotting elk along the banks. This family-friendly hour on the Athabasca is open from age five up - wetsuits provided.

🏔 What outdoor activities are available in Banff in September? Hiking, paddling, cycling, horseback riding, and scenic drives are all still on the table - September's full activity guide covers the best options and timing for each.

💰 Is it expensive to live in Canmore? The scenery does come with a price tag - find out what it costs to live there.

🏰 Is the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel worth the high price tag? For history, scenery, spa, and dining all under one roof, many visitors say yes.

Finding a bed in Jasper that isn't either a tent or a remortgage decision takes more effort than it should. These three properties cover the range, from town-centre practical to genuinely out-there special.

⛳ Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - Started as a collection of canvas tents on Lac Beauvert in 1915 and has been quietly outdoing itself ever since. It sits about 2km from town on 700 acres, which sounds inconvenient until you realise the grounds are large enough that leaving feels optional. Golf, spa, canoeing, multiple restaurants - this is the one you book when the stay itself is the occasion. Read The Reviews And Book

🏨 The Crimson Jasper - Sits in the middle of town, which in Jasper is genuinely useful rather than just a marketing claim. Walk to restaurants, the VIA Rail station, and the park information centre without ever moving your car. Solid mid-range choice for people who want to spend their money on what's outside rather than what's inside. Read The Reviews And Book

🌲 Pyramid Lake Lodge - Six kilometres from the townsite and right on Pyramid Lake, this is the one for people who came to Jasper for the scenery and actually mean it. Kayak and canoe rentals on-site, an on-site restaurant, and a level of quiet that Jasper town simply cannot offer in July. You'll need a car, but you already knew that. Read The Reviews And Book

Yesterday’s Question: Which ski resort is not located within Banff National Park?

✅ Answer: D) Marmot Basin - 75% correct

Marmot Basin sits in Jasper National Park. Discover the ski resorts in both parks.

When travellers on TripAdvisor consistently rank a hotel among the top places to stay in Banff, it’s usually worth a closer look. In this case, a big part of the appeal is location. Peaks Hotel & Suites is less than a minute from Banff Avenue, so you’re right in the centre of town, with restaurants, cafés, and shops all within easy walking distance.

Check it out for yourself here

📅 Featured events for today are listed below. Visit our website for a FULL list.

FULL EVENT CALENDAR | BANFF & LAKE LOUISE | CANMORE | JASPER NP
BANFF HAPPY HOURS | CANMORE HAPPY HOURS

07:00 | 26th Big Bear Classic - Disc Golf | Canmore Nordic Centre | Canmore

10:55 | Opera: Live Stream | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore

15:00 | Live Music Afternoon | Three Bears | Banff

18:30 | Live Musician Baiden | The Dusty Boot | Banff

19:00 | Banff Centre World Tour: Film | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore

19:30 | Balkan Greek Dinner Show | Balkan Restaurant | Banff

20:30 | Apricity | Canmore Hotel | Canmore

21:00 | Ramblin' Hey Ho Ha's: Live | Tavern 1883 | Canmore

22:00 | House DJ Stompin' Ty | The Dusty Boot | Banff

22:00 | Mitch Belot | Rose & Crown Canmore | Canmore

22:00 | Puttin' on the Foil: Live | Rose & Crown Banff | Banff

22:00 | Tallboy: Live | The Drake | Canmore

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