Banff Avenue

Banff Town


A little over a century ago, Banff Ave was Banff. Initially, the central street was home to little more than a handful of hotels, homesteads and trail outfitters, but the town slowly began to develop following the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in 1885 and the opening of the landmark Banff Springs Hotel on the banks of the Bow River in 1888.

Though much of the original architecture of Banff Ave is modern, it’s still possible to make out a few of the historic buildings that would have greeted early visitors. The most obvious is the timber-framed Banff Park Museum, which has hardly changed since its construction in 1903. Further along the street, look out for the Cascade Dance Hall at No 120 (built in 1920), the original Brewster Transportation Building at No 202 (built in 1939; now occupied by the Rose & Crown pub), the Banff School Auditorium (built in 1939; now occupied by the Banff Visitor Centre) and St Paul’s Presbyterian Church at No 230 (built in 1930).

There are several more historic houses around town that are worth seeking out, best seen on one of the guided tours offered by the Whyte Museum.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Banff Town attractions

1. Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies

0.15 MILES

Founded by local artists Catharine and Peter Whyte, the century-old Whyte Museum is more than just a rainy-day option. It boasts a beautiful, ever…

2. Banff Park Museum

0.2 MILES

Occupying the oldest surviving federal building in a Canadian National Park and dating from 1903, this museum is a national historic site. Its exhibits –…

3. Old Banff Cemetery

0.31 MILES

Banff’s shaded cemetery is worth a visit, especially if you’re interested in the town’s history. Some of the gravestones date back to the 1890s; among the…

4. Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum

0.33 MILES

The Luxton Museum recounts the story of Alberta's indigenous people, with a strong emphasis on the Cree, Blackfoot, Blood and Stoney nations. The displays…

5. Forty Mile Creek Picnic Area

0.74 MILES

This popular picnic area sits just outside Banff's city limits off Mt Norquay Rd and is a good spot to crack open a hamper if you're short on time or…

6. Tunnel Mountain

0.74 MILES

It might be Banff’s smallest mountain at 1692m, but Tunnel Mountain is still one of the town’s most recognizable landmarks. The mountain’s distinctive…

7. Bow Falls

0.79 MILES

About 500m south of town, just before the junction with Spray River, the Bow River plunges into a churning melee of white water at Bow Falls. Though the…

8. Surprise Corner Viewpoint

0.79 MILES

About 1.2km east of Banff Town, the Surprise Corner viewpoint looks out over the rushing white water of Bow Falls.

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