Spending Thanksgiving in Banff National Park takes you on quite the journey from the rush of outdoor activities and campfires to the luxury of mouthwatering feasts and indoor entertainment. What activities can you sign up for, and how do Banff and Lake Louise celebrate Thanksgiving? Let’s find out!
Thanksgiving Events in Banff: What to Expect?
Unlike the American holiday, Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. So, you’ll have better odds of catching special events and dining opportunities during that timeframe than in November.
All in all, you can expect the Thanksgiving highlights in Banff and Lake Louise to revolve around fine dining and making the most of the larch season out in the open.
Yet, you might be able to catch a special theater event at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity featuring artists like Serena Ryder the day after Thanksgiving.
Address: 107 Tunnel Mountain Drive, Banff
Phone: +1 800 – 413 8368 / +1 403 – 762 6100
Website: banffcentre.ca
E-mail: box_office@banffcentre.ca
What Are the Top Family Activities in Banff?
In Banff, you’ll hardly run out of fun activities to keep your family entertained. However, not all facilities and programs will run through the Thanksgiving weekend.
So, let’s take a look at the available options.
Geocaching
Geocaching allows you to roam Banff National Park with a sort of digital scavenger/treasure hunt using GPS coordinates.
It’s important to note that you won’t be able to opt for the intermediate-level geocaching during Thanksgiving. Instead, you’ll have to settle for the beginners’ challenge, which is more convenient for families with younger kids, anyway.
Birdwatching
To entertain the wildlife enthusiasts in your family, you might want to consider adding birdwatching to your Thanksgiving to-do list.
In the Cave and Basin Marsh, you can spot Blue-winged Teals, Lesser Scaup, Barrow’s Goldeneye, and maybe even a Killdeer if you’re lucky!
Meanwhile, the Vermilion Lakes will be buzzing with Common Mergansers and Mallards during October.
Open Top Touring
If you want an effortless mid-day activity, you can go for a vintage-themed 90-minute tour along the Rockies.
This option might be a good fit if your family is into photography.
Camping
If you’re looking to spend as much of your Thanksgiving in nature, then camping might be the way to go.
Not all campgrounds in the park will be open for the weekend, though. So, your best bet will be with the ones that are open all year round, like the Tunnel Mountain Village II and Lake Louise Hard-sided campgrounds.
Between them both, there are 398 camping sites. That’s why you might want to reserve your place in advance to make sure you’ll have a spot to spend the night.
Either way, you’ll find sewage disposal stations, toilets, showers, firepits, and roam transit. However, if you’re using a hard-sided camper unit, then the Lake Louise campground will be a better fit for you.
Larch Hikes
Visiting Lake Louise during Thanksgiving might be your last shot at seeing the iconic larches in their golden coats before the next year’s season.
For one, the Larch Valley and Minnestimma Lakes hiking trails are challenging enough without being too strenuous for a family activity, and you’re better off going there before mid-October.
Which Restaurants Have Special Thanksgiving Menus?
There are plenty of restaurants that cater to Thanksgiving-themed meals in Banff and the Lake Louise area.
Here are your top options:
Crave Mountain Grill
The Crave Mountain Grill offers a special Thanksgiving Brunch event that could be worth a shot. The buffet will be open from 10 am to 2 pm, serving classic omelet stations, prawns, smoothies, and pastries.
For dinner, the restaurant also covers a special menu. However, the available reservations are limited from 4 pm to 6 pm. We also hope you like pumpkin pie since it’s the only dessert option on the menu!
Crave Mountain Grill
Address: 201 Lynx Street, Banff
Phone: +1 403 – 760 3255
Website: banffparklodge.com/crave-mountain-grill
E-mail: cmassey@banffparklodge.com
Juniper Bistro
The Juniper Bistro’s Thanksgiving special menu starts with a personalized charcuterie and includes some vegan main courses, too!
Juniper Bistro
Address: 1 Juniper Way, Banff
Phone: +1 403 – 762 2281 / +1 866 – 551 2281
Website: thejuniper.com/thanksgiving-juniper-bistro
E-mail: info@thejuniper.com
Banff Ptarmigan Inn
If you choose the Ptarmigan Inn for lodging, you can enjoy the Thanksgiving feast menu for a three-course dinner and a cheesecake twist on the classic pumpkin pie.
Banff Ptarmigan Inn
Address: 337 Banff Ave, Banff
Phone: +1 800 – 661 8310 / +1 403 – 762 2207
Website: banffptarmiganinn.com
E-mail: reservations@bestofbanff.com
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
The Fairmont Banff Springs hotel really spices up the Thanksgiving mood with brunch (11:30 am to 2 pm) and dinner menus at Vermillion Room, afternoon tea, and even to-go options for those who like to dine privately!
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Address: 405 Spray Avenue, Banff
Phone: 403.762.2211
Website: banff-springs-hotel.com/celebrate/thanksgiving
E-mail: banffsprings@fairmont.com
Fairview (Fairmont Château Lake Louise)
During the Thanksgiving weekend, the Fairview restaurant caters to a recurring Thanksgiving feast from 5 pm to 11 pm.
Just keep in mind that if you’re only a day visitor to Lake Louise and not a lodger, then you might only have access to the afternoon tea and not the full menu.
Château Lake Louise
Address: 111 Lake Louise Drive, Lake Louise
Phone: +1 403 – 522 1817
Website: chateau-lake-louise.com/event/thanksgiving-feast/all
E-mail: cll.diningreservations@fairmont.com
Thanksgiving at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Between your Thanksgiving-themed brunches and afternoon tea at the Fairmont Banff Springs, you can keep your day full with fall activities like:
- Aquatic fitness (two salt pools, a hot tub, and an indoor wading pool)
- Paint and sip art night at the Bowel Valley
- Wine and cheese tasting
- Twilight and starlight walks
If you’re looking forward to a golfing session, you have to catch the Tunnel Mountain 9-hole course before it closes for the season. Meanwhile, the Stanley Thompson 18-hole course closes even earlier before the Thanksgiving weekend.
Thanksgiving at the Fairmont Château Lake Louise
Aside from the Thanksgiving feast in the Fairview restaurant, there are quite a bit of fall activities to enjoy in the Fairmont Château Lake Louise.
Here are the highlights of the Thanksgiving weekend program:
- Movie nights
- Campfires
- Kid’s supervised activity time (crafts, making stuffed animals, customizing t-shirts, pajama parties, and indoor games)
- Spa and fitness classes
Is Banff Too Crowded During Thanksgiving Weekend?
You can expect Banff to be fairly busy during Thanksgiving. However, it will hardly be as crowded as the peak summer rush around August.
Plus, you can always just avoid the most popular destinations if you want to steer away from the crowds. For instance, Moraine Lake can be a hot spot during that time of year due to the larch fever hikes.
Like the special atmosphere during celebrations like Thanksgiving? You might also want to check out the post about Halloween in Banff.