Lake Louise Canada has always been on my bucket list of places to visit. There are so many fun things to do in Lake Louise Canada. Lake Louise is one of the most photographed lakes in the world and for good reasons. The ultimate bucket list experience is to canoe across the turquoise blue waters of Lake Louise Canada. There are so many more things to do in Lake Louise to explore the area. If you love hiking, there are so many great hiking trails in the area.
There is so much to do in Lake Louise that more than one day would be an ideal amount of time to visit. If you are visiting from Banff for the day, I would suggest arriving early in the day to get in as many activities as possible.
If you are planning a trip to Alberta then you might want to look at the Top Things to do in Jasper, Jasper Four Day Itinerary, Top Things to do in Banff, Guide to Visiting Moraine Lake.
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Getting to Lake Louise Canada
Lake Louise has become such a popular destination and requires a bit of planning before your arrival. Don’t expect to arrive later in the day and easily be able to find a parking spot. Parking is limited and tends to fill up quickly.
Arrive Early Morning or Late Afternoon
The best time to arrive if you are driving from Banff is for sunrise. Yes, that is early, but trust me, the sunrise will be worth it, and you will get a parking spot. Once the parking lot is full, it closes. Another time to try to snag a parking spot is around sunset.
Bus to Lake Louise
If you don’t plan on arriving super early then, I would recommend taking the Roam Transit. The best park experience happens when you step out of your vehicle and explore. Plan to get the most of your trip to Banff and Lake Louise. Use the guides below to explore car-free, learn about RV access, and find real-time parking information.
Where to Stay in Lake Louise Canada
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise – 111 Lake Louise Dr, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0
If you are looking for a luxury stay right on Lake Louise, this is the hotel for you. Check for the best rates here.
The Deer Lodge –109 Lake Louise Dr, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0
This moderate priced hotel is located right beside the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and just a short walk to Lake Louise. Check for the best prices here.
Moraine Lake Lodge – 1 Moraine Lake Rd, Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0
If your ideal getaway is to stay right on the lake, you will enjoy the Moraine Lake Lodge, and you won’t have to search for parking. Check for the most up to date rates here.
Booking.comWhere to Eat in Lake Louise Canada
Caribou Lodge, Deer Lodge
109 Lake Louise Drive, Lake Louise
We loved eating at the Deer Lodge’s Caribou Lodge. It has such a warm and rustic feel with magnificent views of the Victoria Glacier. Their menu highlights Rocky Mountain Cuisine with Canadian ingredients such as elk and bison, sustainable seafood, locally sourced vegetables, and prairie-grown grains. They also have an extensive award-winning Canadian wines list from central B.C. and Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula.
If you arrive between 2 pm and 5 pm, you will be able to enjoy their happy hour menu that features flatbreads and local craft beer. I would highly recommend the Bison Burger that comes on a black sesame bun, cheddar cheese, mustard, caramelized onions, lettuce, and tomato.
Javalanche Cafe
200 Village Rd, Lake Louise
A great place to stop for coffee, baked goods and sandwiches.
Laggan’s Mountain Bakery & Delicatessan
101 Village Road, Lake Louise
Laggan’s bakery is a popular counter-serve cafe offering house-baked pastries, sandwiches & soups with coffee & tea drinks. It is located in the Samson Mall in Lake Louise Village. They have a wonderful selection of scones, cookies, bars, croissants, and more. Laggan’s is a must-stop for a post-hike coffee and snack. The display cases are packed with croissants, scones, cookies, bars, pies, and more. Try the B.O.B. (breakfast in a bun) or Laggan’s famous health cookie.
Trailhead Cafe
101 Lake Louise Dr, Lake Louise
Trailhead Cafe is also located in the Samson Mall in Lake Louise. They offer a selection of great coffee, hot breakfasts including breakfast sandwiches and baked goods.
The Station Restaurant
200 Sentinel Road, Lake Louise
The Station Restaurant and Heritage Railway Station is a historic space that was built in 1910 and served as the local depot for the Canadian Pacific Railway. The menu includes baked Camembert, burgers, schnitzel, ribs, and salmon. I would highly recommend the schnitzel, especially if you have worked up your appetite from all the hikes.
Bucket List Things to Do in Lake Louise Canada
Watch the Sunrise at Lake Louise Canada
You’re going to want to arrive early to get a parking spot. This magnificent sunrise is going to make your early arrival worth it. The Lake Louise sunrise is magical. If you are lucky enough, you may get some cotton candy skies.
The perfect time to arrive for the sunrise is approximately 30 minutes before. If you are a photographer, you may consider coming earlier to find the best spot.
A 4 am wake time to get to Lake Louise from Banff sounds painful, but it is worth it. Another option would be to stay close to Lake Louise. I stayed at the Deer Lodge and woke up 45 minutes before sunrise and walked over. The parking lot is relatively empty at this time.
Book a Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Tour
Rent a Lake Louise Canoe
The top bucket list thing to do at Lake Louise is to rent a canoe and paddle on the beautiful Lake Louise Canada. Enjoy the stunning scenery and aquamarine water with dramatic mountains and Victoria Glacier. Because this is such a popular experience, expect long line ups. It is an expensive experience, but if you are staying at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, you will have a significant discount compared to the non-hotel guests.
Hourly canoe rentals are available at the boathouse that is located on the west shore of Lake Louise. Each canoe can hold up to three adults or two adults and two small children.
Price for hotel guests: $45 +GST for one hour or $35 +GST for a half-hour
Price for non-hotel guests: $125 +GST for one hour or $115 +GST for a half-hour
Hours of operation:
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am – The last boat goes out at 6:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 9:30 am – The last boat goes out at 7:00 pm
FAMILY VOYAGEUR CANOE EXPERIENCE
If you are traveling with your family, then a great way to experience Lake Louise is with a family voyageur canoe experience in an authentic 26’ cedar strip group canoe. Your guide will share stories of indigenous people and early explorers as well as wildlife.
PRICE (in-house guests): $75 +GST per family
PRICE (out-of-house guests): $230 +GST per family
DURATION: 75 minutes
MINIMUM: 4 guests / MAXIMUM: 6 guests
Enjoy Breakfast or Lunch at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
After sunrise, you may want to head to breakfast at the Fairmont. Not only will you have spectacular views of Lake Louise but the food is great too and reasonably priced.
We enjoyed the million-dollar views for lunch on the patio. We didn’t want to leave. I think I could have sat there all day.
Walk Along the Lakeshore Walk
Walk around Lake Louise on the Lake Louise Lakeshore trail that is an easy, flat trail of 4km roundtrip. This is an excellent path for a different view of Lake Louise.
Along the path, you will witness the adventurous rock climbers. It really is amazing watching them. When you get to the opposite end of the lake, you will be greeted by a wooden walkway where the river runs into Lake Louise.
Hike up to Lake Agnes Teahouse
If you are looking for more of a workout and want to work up your appetite, then head out on the Lake Agnes Teahouse hiking trail. It was one of my favorite hikes.
Don’t expect this hike to be a leisurely walk like the Lake Louise Lakeshore trail. The Lake Agnes trail will have you hiking just over 3 km one way in a gradual uphill hike with switchbacks. It doesn’t seem like much until you start hiking. I had to stop several times to catch my breath.
Just before you get to Lake Agnes, you will be greeted by Mirror Lake. Take a break here and enjoy the lake before heading up to Lake Agnes.
The next surprise is a small waterfall just before you ascend up a staircase to the Agnes Teahouse.
The Lake Agnes Teahouse is the perfect spot to refuel and enjoy a tea from their extensive tea menu. Lake Agnes Teahouse has been serving loose leaf teas to visitors from around the world since 1905.
Lake Agnes Teahouse opens from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm from June 4 until Canadian Thanksgiving.
I’m sure you have worked up your appetite to enjoy one of their soups and sandwiches. I would also recommend adding a baked good and, of course, tea. They have over 100 teas to choose from!
Hike to the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House
While you are still by Lake Louise, another hike to conquer is the Plain of Six Glaciers hike. This 14.5 km trail will take you to the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House and close to the heart of Mount Lefroy, Mount Victoria, and the Victoria Glacier. It is suggested to start this hike early in the morning.
This trail begins along the Lake Louise Lakeshore trail and continues on past the wooded boardwalk. This trail is rated as a moderate hike. This trail will take you to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse. A great stop to refuel before heading back down.
Tip: they only take cash.
Lake Louise Horseback Riding
Hit the trails on horseback. Brewster Adventures offers horseback riding day trips during the summer season from 90-minute to full-day rides in and around Lake Louise.
Sunrise or Sunset at Moraine Lake
Moraine Lake is beautiful; it may be even more beautiful than Lake Louise. I will let you decide. Moraine Lake is the ultimate sunrise location for photographers. Just like Lake Louise, you will have to arrive super early to find a parking spot. Moraine Lake has even fewer parking spots than Lake Louise, and the road is closed once the parking spots fill up.
If you are lucky enough to spend two days in Lake Louise, then I would recommend catching a sunrise at both lakes. I enjoyed both sunrise and sunset at Moraine Lake, and both were equally beautiful. The background of Moraine Lake is the stunning Ten Peaks.
TIPS FOR VISITING MORAINE LAKE
Hike the Larch Valley Trail in the Fall
There are many hiking trails to enjoy in Lake Louise, but if you are visiting in the Fall, then you should head out on the Larch Valley hike to view the spectacular fall colors when the larch trees are a bright yellow. Enjoy the fall colors from mid-September until mid-October.
Ride The Lake Louise Gondola and See Grizzly Bears
Head to Lake Louise Gondola for stunning views of the mountains and one of the best chances to see grizzly bears.
You can ride up in the enclosed gondola or the open-air chairlift. Whatever you feel most comfortable with.
In the summer, the gondola ride experience is $39.95 and $18.95 for children aged 6-15 and free for children five and under.
Upgrade your Summer Gondola Ticket to a Ride & Dine Ticket and enjoy a delicious made to order breakfast or a fantastic gourmet lunch.
Visit Morant’s Curve
Morant’s Curve is a beautiful area that the Canadian Pacific Railway passes through along the Bow River. Morant’s Curve isn’t far Lake Louise. There is a small parking lot with a lookout point. If you are hoping to see the train go by, you may have to pack your patience. Some people have been known to wait for hours to get a photo of the train. I was lucky and was only there for 15 minutes before the train arrived.
Things to do in Lake Louise Canada Conclusion
I hope this guide helps you plan your trip to Lake Louise Canada. These are just some of the things you can do in the area. If you are an avid hiker then there are many trails to conquer in the area. If you are a photographer then this is your dream destination. Let me know some of your favourite things to do in Lake Louise Canada.
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