How to Spend 1 Incredible Day in Canmore, Canada
Planning to spend 1 day in Canmore? This charming little mountain town is located in Alberta Canada, just 20 minutes from Banff but without the crowds.
We have been and stayed in Canmore multiple times. We love staying there as an alternative to Banff.
It’s close to gorgeous hikes and has an amazing restaurant and shopping scene! In Summer, the main shopping strip even closes down to cars, which gives the town a really lovely Summery, relaxed feel. OMG just thinking about it, makes me want to go back back ASAP!
Canmore is also super dog friendly! On our last trip we kept getting distracted by the number of cute dogs hanging out in shops and cafes. 😅 I can’t wait to take Winnie there!
This 1 day in Canmore Itinerary will show you exactly how to make the most of your time, with the best hikes, restaurants and local highlights for a magical mountain getaway.
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Quick Tips for Visiting Canmore
Where to stay (my choices):
Basecamp Suites
Malcolm Hotel
From Calgary airport: 1.5-2 hours drive
Do you need a rental car: I recommend a rental car so that you can get out and explore more – Click here for the best deals
Best time of the year to visit: My personal favourite times to visit are during Summer or Fall
Top things to do:
- Get a bagel from The Rocky Mountain Bagel Company
- Hike Ha Ling Peak or Grassi Lakes
- Take a stroll around Policeman’s Creek Boardwalk Trail
- Go for a swim in one of the lakes in Canmore
Canmore 1 Day Itinerary
This 1 day Canmore Itinerary includes a bit of everything, hiking, shopping, good food and drinks and sight seeing! Use the map below to direct to key places in and around Canmore.
Click here to open the map in Google Maps!
Morning – Bagels for Breakfast
You could either eat at your hotel or go to The Rocky Mountain Bagel Company for a breakfast bagel and a coffee. This super popular café is located right next to Basecamp Resorts and the line to order is usually out the door so make sure you arrive with plenty of time up your sleeve.
Late Morning / Lunch – Hike Grassi Lakes or Ha Ling Peak
Bring a packed lunch with plenty of water and some snacks and get ready for some incredible views! Don’t forget your camera!
Grassi Lakes is the easier of the two hikes and Ha Ling has a bit of a scramble but both offer gorgeous views.
You will need to obtain a Kananaskis Conversation pass to do either of these hikes. You can get a pass for a day, 7 days or for the year and can purchase one online here.
Grassi Lakes
Distance: 4.3km / 2.7 miles return | Time: 1.5 – 3 hours | Elevation: 203m / 666 ft | Difficulty: Easy – Moderate
Grassi Lakes is an easy – moderate hike that takes you up a well maintained wide trail to a gorgeous bright blue/green lake.
There is also an alternative route which is a little more challenging but takes you past a waterfall and offers gorgeous views of Bow Valley and Canmore.
On the easy trail, right before you reach Grassi Lakes, you will come to a viewpoint that the valley below. Grassi Lakes itself makes for a beautiful photo. It is bright turquoise in colour and you can see right through the water. Ha Ling Peak sits right behind it and is often reflected in the water.
Ha Ling Peak
Distance: 8km / 4.97 miles return | Time: 3 hours | Elevation: 810m / 2,657 ft | Difficulty: Challenging
Ha Ling Peak is a shortish, steep hike that takes you up Ha Ling, a mountain peak towering over Canmore which you can also see from Grassi Lakes. Ha Ling Peak has become an increasingly popular hike in Canmore over the years and so Alberta Parks recently upgraded the trail to include safety features such as stairs and chains to hold onto.
These safety features however, do end at the saddle, where you will then need to hike over slippery and steep scree if you want to go any further.
👉 If you don’t feel comfortable hiking by yourself in bear country (I don’t blame you. We are still getting used to it), then you can book to do Ha Ling Peak with a guide!
Afternoon – Take a dip in one of the local lakes
After your hike, you will probably be pretty keen to cool off so I highly recommend taking a plunge in one of Canmore’s beautiful lakes.
Quarry Lake, which is around a 9 minute drive from Canmore town centre, is a really popular local spot for a swim.
Alternatively, we loved Rundle Forebay, which we took our paddleboards to a couple of times and found the water was lovely for a swim too!
Lake Afternoon – Take a stroll around Policeman’s Creek Boardwalk Trail
Policeman’s Creek Boardwalk is a lovely walk that will take around 1 hour to complete. The trail is 4km with little to no elevation and well maintained so is a great walk for hikers of all levels.
The trail starts in the middle of Canmore and takes you alongside Policeman’s Creek and through some forests and gives you awesome views of the Three Sisters mountain range and Mount Rundle.
Alternatively, take a stroll around the shops. 🛍
Evening – Dinner at the Grizzly Paw Pub or Tank 310
The Grizzly Paw is one of our favourite breweries in Canmore! They are a local brewery in Canmore, but have a few different locations to choose from. You can book a reservation at Tank 310 but the pub is a first come-first serve restaurant.
The Grizzly Paw Pub is located in town and has outdoor patio and indoor dining options. They serve pub food like fish and chips and burgers.
Tank 310 is located slightly out of the main downtown area but not too far away. They have fantastic views of the Three Sisters, Ha Ling Peak and Mount Rundle with both indoor and some outdoor seating. The food at Tank 310 is a little fancier than their pub and more expensive. They also don’t serve fries here which we found slightly strange.
The Taproom is a more casual dining and drinks experience located below Tank 310 with outdoor seating so you can enjoy the sunshine and mountain views.
Things to Know Before you Go
Where to Stay in Canmore
Canmore is a little more affordable than Banff for accommodation and there are way less crowds there so Dave and I enjoy staying there when we are spending time in the Rockies.
Basecamp Resorts is great if you want somewhere with a kitchen to save some money on eating out every night. We have stayed here multiple times now and I especially love their hot tub with a view of the mountains after a day of hiking.
On the other hand, The Malcolm Hotel is the best choice for a full cozy mountain-town experience. It’s stylish, central, has a beautiful pool and hot tub and gives you everything you need without the higher price tag.
How to Get to Canmore
The best way to get to Canmore from anywhere in Canada or internationally is to fly into Calgary International Airport and rent a car. From Calgary to Canmore it is about a 1 hour drive.
🚗 We use Rentalcars.com to find the best rental car prices.
It is also possible to visit Canmore or Banff without a car.
How to Get From Canmore to Banff
If you are staying in Canmore, you are likely also going to be wanting to visit Banff. There are multiple different ways for you to see Banff if you are staying in Canmore.
By Car
To get from Canmore to Banff driving, you will need to take the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1 W) all of the way until the Banff Town / Tunnel Mountain Exit.
Public Transport
If you don’t have a car, you can take Bus #3 to Banff from the Benchlands Trail Overpass in Canmore. This bus ride takes about 30 minutes and is great because you then don’t have to worry about finding a parking spot in Banff!
Join a Tour to See Lake Louise and More!
If you don’t want to drive, you can take a tour from Canmore to some of the must-see spots in Banff! I recommend this one as it goes to some of my favourite spots in Banff like Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, the Banff Gondola, the Hot Springs and Lake Minnewanka.
Tip
🚌 Check availability and book your tour from Canmore to Banff here – ❗ make sure you book well in advance as this tour tends to sell out quickly!
If you want to see Banff independently but don’t have access to a car, you could purchase a ticket for this Hop on Hop off bus tour. The stops include Johnston Canyon, Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, and the Lake Louise Gondola.
Canmore Packing List
When you are packing for Canmore, you are going to want to pack for an outdoor adventure.
- Hiking Boots
- Sandals or other comfy shoes
- Merino t-shirt and an extra one to change into just in case.
- Hiking Pants, shorts or leggings.
- Casual shorts and tops
- Fleece
- Puffer Jacket
- Raincoat
- Sunhat
- Beanie – Even in Summer, it can get cold in the mountains!
- Swim Suit – for all the lake swimming that you will be doing!
- A summer dress – for wandering around town and going out in.
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Bear Spray
- Hiking Poles – If you usually hike with poles.
- Camera! There will be plenty of photography opportunities!
frequently asked questions
Ready to explore Banff?
If you are spending some time in Canmore, you definitely cannot miss out on Banff!
Banff is the gateway to the Canadian Rockies and the famous and stunning Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. There is SO much to do in and around Banff, but how the heck do you choose what to do if you only have 1 day?!
Dave and I have spent a lot of time in and around Banff and know exactly what we would do there if we only had one day…
If you are heading to Canmore, you might also find the following guides helpful:
- Everything You Need to Know About Johnston Canyon
- Amazing Things to do in Banff this Winter
- How to Spend 1 Day in Banff in Summer
- Little Beehive, Big Beehive and Lake Agnes Teahouse Hike
- Amazing Icefields Parkway Stops You Shouldn’t Miss!
- Is the Banff Gondola Worth it?
- Things to Know Before Visiting Banff in October
- Beautiful Lakes to Paddle Board in Canmore and Banff
- 3 Days in Jasper National Park: The Ultimate Itinerary
- How to Spend a Weekend in Banff
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