activity ideas for banff
 

mom & five daughters are going for a weekend in banff - start of june. my mom is 80 so we are limited to walks that are on pretty flat ground. i figured we could walk around lake louise and walk from banff to bow falls - i'm familiar with both of these. i'm also aware of the tram. any other suggestions on things we could do during the weekend considering this limitation? thanks.

I think your mom probably would be able to do the Fenland Trail near Vermilion Lakes. You also could drive down Vermilion Lakes Drive, and stroll next to one of the lakes.

If you drive to the east end of Tunnel Mountain Road, there is a lookout point from which you can see the hoodoos. The walk from the parking lot to the lookout point is not long.

You also can do a historical walking tour in Banff townsite. The Banff Information Centre gives out a brochure that explains each heritage building's history.

Hope you have a good trip.

You said walk from Banff to Bow Falls.
I think you had something else in mind.
Banff to Bow Falls is about 40 miles.

You can certainly enjoy Moraine Lake.
Hopefully, you can get close enough to Lake Louise to allow your Mom to see it.

People vary at 80; I had no such problems with my mother-in-law.

Also, drive over the pass to Yoho National Park and view Takkakaw Falls and Emerald Lake. The walk around Emerald is flat.

Takkakaw is visible full length from the sidewalk near the parking lot.

Just driving along the Icefields Parkway will lead to many beautiful vistas.

Just for the record, there are Bow Falls near the town of Banff. Farther up on the Icefields Parkway are the Bow Glacier Falls. Highly similar names, but separated by a few dozen miles.

The Bow Glacier Falls are spectacular.

After a day of sightseeing, your Mom might really enjoy a soak in the Upper Hot Springs. It's a five-minute drive from the townsite up Sulphur mountain, and has recently (within the past five years?) been completely renovated. It's a great way to wind down.