Enjoying a well-deserved vacation is fun and relaxing, but if you want to stay fit, you probably would like to visit a gym in the park. The good news: Banff has several options. If you’re interested in yoga, this post is also for you.
I get it; during your vacation in Banff, you’re eating out a lot and you’re probably eating more than you should. Just because you allow yourself more than you usually would. It’s your long-awaited vacation, right? But when you get home, you feel bad that you must get rid of those extra kilos. The solution: Go to the gym in Banff so you can keep yourself in shape AND enjoy all those lovely meals during your vacation.
Where to Find Public Gyms in Banff and Lake Louise
Banff National Park has three public gyms, all situated in the town of Banff. There are Bow Valley CrossFit, Sally Borden Fitness and Recreation and Summit Lifestyle & Performance.
Of those three, Sally Borden Fitness and Recreation is probably your best bet if you just want to work out by yourself. It’s a medium-sized gym within a sports center with various fitness equipment. There are cardio and weight machines, free weights and an indoor running track. The downside to this gym is that it’s situated on Tunnel Mountain, and it requires a bit of a hike to get there. But hey, you wanted to exercise, eh? You can buy a day membership to have access.
If you require professional guidance during your workout, check out Summit Lifestyle & Performance. It’s conveniently located in the Bear Street Mall in downtown Banff. It has all kinds of programs, including group training and personal training.
Your best bets are probably their Drop-In Class and their Open Gym for a one-off visit. There’s also the One Week Unlimited Class, which allows you to attend unlimited classes for a week. If you don’t have prior CrossFit experience, the gym asks you to give them a call.
Most other classes, however, run for an extended period. So if you’re only staying for a couple of days or weeks, this will probably not suit you. Furthermore, it’s good to know that all workouts are scheduled, so you must book in advance.
Last but not least, there’s also Bow Valley CrossFit, over on Hawk Avenue. This gym aims at providing coaching programs to get fit. It’s not a real gym in the traditional sense of the word like you can find at the Sally Borden Building.
However, it has drop-ins, so you can find out what Bow Valley CrossFit offers and have some fun time. You need to fill in a form on their website and one of the coaches will be in touch with you.
Regarding Lake Louise: there is a well-equipped fitness facility inside the Lake Louise Sport and Recreation Centre. However, this center is only accessible to residents of Lake Louise upon ID identification. That means that if you stay in Lake Louise, you have to resort to the gym of one of the hotels. You need to be staying there to actually use the hotel’s gym.
MORE INFORMATION
Bow Valley CrossFit
Address: 200 Hawk Avenue #5
Phone: +1 403 431 0449
Website: bowvalleycrossfit.com
E-mail: bowvalleycrossfit@gmail.com
Sally Borden Fitness and Recreation
Address: 107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Phone: +1 403 – 762 6450
Website: banffcentra.ca
E-mail: sbb_info@banffcentre.ca
Rates:
Day membership: CAD 20; youth (4-15 years) and 60+ CAD 16
10 punch cards: CAD 160; 60+: CAD128
20 punch cards: CAD 300; 60+: CAD 240
Summit Lifestyle & Performance
Address: 220 Bear Street #105/106, in Bear Street Mall
Phone: +1 613 864 9589
Website: summitlifestyle.ca
E-mail: summitbanff@gmail.com
Rates:
Drop-in Class:
Open Gym:
One Week Unlimited Class: CAD 60
Hotels in Banff with a Gym
Above I’ve listed the public gyms you can go to. They are limited, which is understandable in only 8,000 residents. However, the good thing is that Banff has dozens of hotels, and quite a few have a gym for their guests.
Gyms come in all kinds of forms and sizes, and they don’t compare well. So if you’re looking specifically for a hotel with a gym, you might want to inform about the equipment before you book. In the tables below, I listed them for Banff, Lake Louise and Canmore (if you don’t mind spending your nights just outside the park).
BANFF
LAKE LOUISE
| HOTELS WITH GYM |
|---|
| Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa |
| Banff Park Lodge Resort Hotel |
| Banff Rocky Mountain Resort |
| Brewster’s Mountain Lodge |
| Buffalo Mountain Lodge |
| Canalta Lodge |
| Douglas Fir Resorts & Chalets |
| Fairmont Banff Springs |
| Fox Hotel & Suites |
| Irwin’s Mountain Inn |
| Odenthal B&B |
| Rimrock Resort Hotel |
| Royal Canadian Lodge |
| Rundlestone Lodge |
| Sunshine Mountain Lodge |
| Tunnel Mountain Resort |
| HOTELS WITH GYM |
|---|
| Fairmont Château Lake Louise |
| Lake Louise Inn |
BACKCOUNTRY LODGES
| HOTELS WITH GYM |
|---|
| Baker Creek Mountain Resort |
CANMORE
| HOTEL NAME |
|---|
| Banff Gate Mountain Resort |
| Banff Woods Lodge |
| Beautiful Canmore Mountain Getaway |
| Blackstone Mountain Lodge |
| Canmore Inn & Suites |
| Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre |
| Copperstone Resort |
| Cozy Mountain View Condo |
| Days Inn by Wyndham Canmore |
| Falcon Crest Lodge |
| Fire Mountain Lodge |
| Grande Rockies Resort |
| Grand Canadian Resort |
| Holiday Inn Canmore |
| Inn of the Rockies |
| Lady DeVine Bed and Breakfast |
| Lodges at Canmore |
| Malcolm Hotel by Clique |
| Mountain Fun |
| Mountain View Getaway |
| Paradise Resort Club |
| Platinum Suites Resort |
| Pocaterra Inn and Waterslide |
| PRC Annex |
| Quality Resort Château Canmore |
| Revel Guest House by Bow Vacation Property |
| Silver Creek Lodge / Rundle Cliff Lodge |
| Spring Creek Vacations |
| Stoneridge Mountain Resort |
| Summit at Grande Rockies |
| Sunset Resorts Canmore / Sunset Mountain Inn |
| Super 8 by Wyndham Canmore |
| Waypoint by BOW Vacation Property Management |
| Windtower Lodge & Suites / Windtower Resort |
| WorldMark Canmore-Banff |
If you want to find more information on hotels in the park, concisely ordered, I advise you to check out the article The Ultimate Overview Of Hotels in Banff National Park
Yoga options in Banff
Maybe you’re not looking for a fitness center but just someplace where you can do yoga. Banff has a few options for this as well. They are all in downtown Banff, nice and convenient (as is the entire town of Banff, by the way).
Banff Yoga Practice has so-called Drop In Classes and a 1-week pass and they’re open to everyone. Perfect for visitors to the park. This company also organizes all kinds of workshops and you can book private sessions as well. See their website for more information.
The Cedar & Sage Co. Spa is basically a wellness center, equipped with a spa and everything. They also provide meditation sessions, massage therapy, energy therapy, and, sure, yoga sessions. Yoga is available in private one-on-one sessions and in private groups (both available on any date you request, reservation required).
The third option you have is the Flow Stat Yoga Studio. This place offers a Drop In option, just like the Banff Yoga Practice. You can also buy Punch Passes (5, 10 and 20 times). Interested in private lessons and/or group bookings? Flow State Yoga Studio provides. Just shoot them an e-mail. You can book your classes online.
MORE INFORMATION
Banff Yoga Practice
Address: 111 Banff Avenue
Phone: +1 403 – 985 2233
Website: banffyogapractice.com
E-mail: info@banffyogapractice.com
Rates:
Drop-In Class: CAD 19
1 Week Pass: CAD 55
Cedar & Sage Co. Spa
Address: 220 Bear Street
Phone: +1 403 – 985 2200
Website: banffsholisticlounge.com
E-mail: contact@cedarandsagebanff.com
Rates:
One on One: CAD 75
Private groups: CAD 120
Flow State Yoga
Address: 211 Bear Street, Unit 201 B
Phone: –
Website: flowstatebanff.com
E-mail: info@flowstatebanff.com
Rates:
Drop-In: CAD 19
5 Punch Pass: CAD 80
10 Punch Pass: CAD 150
20 Punch Pass: CAD 285