36 Hours in Banff: Things to Do and See

For two decades, locals have loved the counter-service Wildflour Bakery downtown not only for its daily menu of breads, but for the filling breakfast sandwiches made with baked eggs, Cheddar, pepper and tomato jam on sourdough (12 dollars). It’s hard to ignore the tempting array of pastries, too, and you may well end up buying a maple-glazed twist (6 dollars) that’s the size of a salad plate for later. Another local favorite is the Whitebark Café in the Banff Aspen Lodge, where the baked goods are also made in-house, like a fluffy apple, Cheddar and bacon scone (5 dollars, ask for it heated, with butter). After ordering, sit at the long, white windowside counter for a close-up view of Mount Rundle’s distinctive wedge-shaped ridgeline.

Yes, it’s winter, so embrace the ice. One way is by visiting the fanciful formations of frozen waterfalls and cascades in Johnston Canyon, a 15.5-mile drive west of Banff. A three-mile round-trip snowpacked trail follows the creek, partly along suspended metal catwalks (with railings!); get an up-close look at the almost 100-foot-high upper falls from the end-of-trail viewing platform. Local outfitters lead guided interpretive tours (99 dollars), but you can easily hike the canyon yourself; consider renting small crampons (15 dollars) for better traction. Prefer gliding across the ice? Lake Louise is the classic place for skating in the national park, but closer to Banff, the Vermilion Lakes, 1.5 miles from town and reassuringly shallow, make a good alternative. Rent a pair of skates (17.50 dollars) and, conditions permitting, sample the wild ice, surrounded by a panorama of high peaks.

Entering this hole-in-the-wall spot on the top floor of a small indoor shopping mall may seem inauspicious, but some Banff locals swear that Ramen Arashi serves some of the best ramen this side of Tokyo. Indeed, a steaming bowl of rich, fragrant black arashi ramen (18.95 dollars), flavored with black sesame, will warm every part of your body. You’ll slurp in close comfort with your neighbors at the eight-table restaurant, which makes up in flavor what it lacks in décor. At night, hungry would-be patrons sit in order of arrival on a bench outside, as Ramen Arashi doesn’t take reservations. Lunch usually requires less of a wait.