As expected, I have more questions about our upcoming trip to Banff
What is the normal dress code for the nicer restaurants in Banff ie: the hotels and any others? Does my husband require a suit or just jacket and tie, or just a nice jacket over a dress shirt? Or no jacket at all? He'd be thrilled to hear at least no suit required

For women: do I need suits? or just some nicer casual clothes for the nicer meals. I certainly am not bringing business style suits but am wondering about how many places I can get by with the typical black pants/nice sweater or shirt type of wear? I'm trying to lighten the packing load by not having to bring a bunch of seperate outfits. I know Banff is a casual place but was just wondering/worried about some of the nicer evenings out we will do. Thanks in advance.

Sherry,

The only restaurant in Banff that I have ever worn a suit at, is the dining room at the Rimrock. It is quite a formal dining experience, and I know that I would have felt and looked out of place without a minimum of a jacket and tie. I would think that the same would go for the formal dining room at the Banff Springs.

With every other restaurant, a sport coat over a nice shirt or sweater is more than acceptable, and will probably result in your husband being the best dressed man in the restaurant. Nobody would even look twice if he showed up in a ski sweater and ski pants - the town is just that casual.

My wife has always done the black sweater and pants/skirt combo, and has never looked out of place anywhere in Banff.

Dress for dinner in the main dining room of the Banff Springs. For men, a sports jacket and good collared shirt would be OK; add a tie perhaps.

No real need for a suit, because it is, after all, a resort hotel.

Just about anywhere else in town, I'd feel comfortable without a jacket.

For women, I don't think a suit is necessary; again, the Banff Springs dining room is a vry specail place, so wear something special, but it does not have to be the same thing you'd wear to a dining room in a major hotel in a civilized city.

A lot of people eat in Banfgf and live in Calgary; they are in Banff to hike or ski, etc., are are often very informally dressed, but like to eat well.

Most,however, of the Banff Springs dining room guests are overnight-in-Banff people, and tend to be a little fancier when eating there.

Suits are OK for men, by the way. I used to fly into Calgary from somewhere or other, dressed in a suit, rent a car, drive to Banff, have dinner in the main dining room, and then drive back to Calgary and check into my business hotel for meetings the next day.

I loved driving to Banff as the sun set over the mountains, and then eating the roast beef at the Banff Springs.

Today, in contrast, it looks as if I'll have a hot dog for lunch from a street vendor in Toronto.

Enjoy your trip.

BAK

Hi Sherry, business casual is fine, not suits required. We had dinner at Chateau Lake Louise/Banff Springs and no tie was required. My father was with us and didn't even had a jacket, just dress pants and nice sweater. I'm in Ottawa too...!

Thanks, everyone, for your help. I think that helps about the suit part for my husband, he'll be happy to hear this! He doesn't like to be "out of place". Jacket and tie will come with us though. He always does dress nicely anyway, but he really was wanting to leave the suits at home!
For me, thanks again, now I know what to bring!
BAK, grab some fries from a good chip truck! Hmmmm, just the mention of a good roast beef dinner has me thinking of the old days at the Royal York, a "real" ceasar salad and their roast beef! Gosh, those were the days. I'll be hoping the old CP menu exists in Banff! And thats another post to come: re eats!
Andree, glad to hear from someone else in Ottawa! As the first few big snowflakes fell earlier today (before all this rain) I was picturing myself watching the snow flakes fall on a much better view than my backyard; preferably from my room at the Rimrock!