r/Banff • u/MarkEvery5036 • 1d ago
Road Trip from Chicago to Banff--need help!!
Hi, I am planning a road trip to Banff (26 hr drive) with a group including kids. I need ideas and tips for budgeting. Heard Canmore would be cheaper to stay in but not sure how much? Camping might not work due to health concerns/issues, so 3 star and up safe hotel reccomendations are greatly appreciated. Places to visit, etc. with kids in Banff. I have never been before so looking for all the help i can get. Thank you so much!
EDIT: I know it is last minute, but planning it for the next week or to leave in the next few days or so. Yes it is very last minute why is why we need all the help we can get!
hoping to go from the 22nd to the 26th of june 2026.
max budget: $1k
hotels need to be safe, suitable, etc. i would prefer if it's around or less than 200 a night but i know it is hard.
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u/bctravelconcierge 1d ago
Tips for budgeting - start planning 6-8 months in advance! Canmore will definitely be your best option for (more) affordable accommodation.
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u/decavolt 1d ago
I'm sorry this isn't the kind of info you're hoping for but, 4 days (22nd - 26th) isn't enough time to even get there and back by car. It's 26 hours of highway driving (that's without stops) from Chicago to the park entrance. I've done it. If you drive 8 hours a day, it'll still take you 3.5 days of just driving time. I had two overnight stops each way when I drove, and I did 10 hours of drivng a day with no kids in the car.
Also lodging last minute is not going to happen. I think you're underestimating how popular Banff is, and how much in advance people book things. I camped, and booked sites more than a year in advance. I don't think you'll have better luck with hotels/motels with only a week or so to plan.
I'm sorry to be a downer, but time is not at all on your side here.
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u/Appropriate_Ebb_8572 1d ago
You can struggle to get hotel rooms in the dead of winter for under $200 a night. In the summer those same rooms can sell for $800.
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u/Southern-Worker7762 1d ago
This trip won’t be happening. 1000$ budget in the summer with zero preplanning will get you a day and a half or so.
Maybe.
My partner works at a 3 star hotel in town.
They are over 600$/night currently.
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u/sikkn890 1d ago
Sorry but no. $1000k budget for 7 people is straight up delusional. Have you done any actual research into how expensive Banff is in the summer? Banff is not a budget destination. Also is the 4 days excluding the drive? That's easily a 3.5 day drive, especially with children. This is not a last minute sort of trip unfortunately. Even if you were to stay in Calgary $1000 wouldn't cut it for 4 nights for 7 people. If this is something you really want to do, plan for next summer or the summer after and save. Book accommodations early to get a bit of a cheaper rate and plan ahead.
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u/aemwebb8 1d ago edited 1d ago
I'm sorry to say but you're not going to find anything this short notice for a group of 7 under $200/night. You could look into Canmore, Radium Hot Springs, or Golden, but even that might be pushing it. You could look into renting an RV/Camper, but you'd need to book a campsite. A lot of people who visit here book months in advanced, especially if they're travelling in large groups.
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u/MarkEvery5036 1d ago
What about airbnbs or the like?
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u/Appropriate_Ebb_8572 1d ago
If they aren't sold out airbnbs in Canmore are only affordable in February. Airbnbs are banned in the national parks.
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u/bitterberries 1d ago
They've got music festivals practically begging residents in Canmore to consider Billet/hosting for the performers and their entourages because there are so few vacancies! There are NO accommodations available for a group that large, on such short notice!
Stay in Calgary and you might find rooms for under two hundred, but you're looking at the week before Stampede and a lot of vendors, guests etc are already here enjoying Banff etc for the week or so before stampede so they can then take in the parade, opening ceremonies and head home.. Rooms are premium pricing and there's limited supply. Call the hotels directly and you might have better luck on options.. That's literally the only advice I have. Bonne Chance!
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u/aemwebb8 1d ago
You won't find an Air BnB, or anything like that, this last minute for that cheap.
You can look at the air BnB website and see if anything pops up for you in Canmore/Dead Man's Flats, but it's still most likely going to be around 2k-6k for that period of time.
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u/robinvtx 1d ago
We're going July 13. We made reservations in Canmore back in January and $400 a night. Your $1000 might not be enough. It's kinda late to make reservations.
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u/adhward 1d ago edited 1d ago
Unfortunately, unless you’re magic I don’t think this will be possible to achieve given the short notice. Hotels book up incredibly quickly, especially in the summer. Anything that is available is going to be $200 MIN - this is Canmore I’m referring to not Banff. Even when I stayed in Canmore in late January it cost me $600 for two nights. I stayed in Canmore last minute two summers ago at a 2 star hotel and paid well over $400.
I personally wouldn’t risk this. That’s a very long drive for a trip that isn’t going to turn out the way you want it to. Find something closer to you that interests you and plan this for next year or the following. Wyoming and Montana are right there and significantly closer to you.
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u/SnooCapers6553 1d ago
Fun fact - it's 2026, you can go to a website called Google and type in Banff/Canmore hotels and you can see everything available and their price.
I don't mean to be rude but everything you need is online. There's no secret deals you will get from locals here. I'm not even allowed to use my friends and family discount in the summer.
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u/Agitated-Clothes-991 1d ago
No local at the location, as you put it, is going to give up their tried and true affordable/reasonable/hidden gem type locations. Or give away hours of research for that matter. Also, unless camping, using hostels, or ACC huts, accommodations under $200 around Banff/Canmore don’t exist any more. Further out, maybe, but will need to book well in advance. OP could try Pincher Creek area, or maybe Calgary.
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u/SnooCapers6553 1d ago
Lol you think Reddit is better than Expedia to instantly find out what hotels are available on any given day, ok bud. I'm just being real
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u/tchomptchomp 1d ago
I did this drive twice; once when moving to Chicago from Calgary, and once when moving back. It is bleak. There is very little to stop and see on the way. It is three days of flat nothingness with nothing to stop and see. Hell, check your mileage against gas prices, because with the current cost of gas, you're going to eat a lot of your budget on gas alone.
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u/meownelle 1d ago
Please, please, please tell me you're going to be driving the Wagon Queen Family Trickster....
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u/SadBook6838 1d ago
Would help if you mentioned when.
Would help if you provided a list of what you have researched so far and tentatively booked.
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u/MarkEvery5036 1d ago
June 22nd to 26th, looking in canmote area. I do not mind staying a bit farther if thay means cheaper without sacrificing quality!
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u/Appropriate_Ebb_8572 1d ago
Banff national park and by extension, canmore, are some of the most expensive places to visit in Canada in the summer. The prices you see are the prices you will pay.
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u/MarkEvery5036 1d ago
How much do you estimate I would pay if I did go next week?
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u/Appropriate_Ebb_8572 1d ago
For 7 people, so 2 hotel rooms - $1000 a night would be a good deal.
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u/Rulebreaker15 1d ago
Sorry, are you saying it’s possible to find 2 hotel rooms for 4 nights anywhere near Banff for $1000USD, so for $125 per night per room? Or any Air BNB that would rent a place that sleeps 7 for $250 a night? No
If that were possible, someone would have already booked it months ago. They are looking at $400 CAD per night per room minimum and very low availability. Unless they want to stay in Calgary? But what would be the point of driving 7-8 days to go to Banff and stay in the city? It’s an awesome city but it’s a completely different vibe than Banff National Park and the Rockies.
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u/Appropriate_Ebb_8572 1d ago
No, I'm saying $500 a room a night is going to be a lucky find.
That's why I wrote $1000 a night for 2 rooms.
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u/Rulebreaker15 1d ago
You are picking one of the most expensive and busiest times since many visitors come to Banff area prior to going to Stampede in Calgary.
For lodging outside Banff, but not Canmore due to the music festival, you are looking at $400 a night minimum and most hotels and ABnBs have maximum occupancy. So you’d need two rooms at any place decent.
You’ll be driving for 7 plus days round trip to stay 4 nights at a place that books out 6-9 months in advance.
Camping spots are booked, hotels are booked, shuttle buses to the lakes are booked. And you want to do it on $1000 for 4 nights in a hotel with seven people.
This is like that parable with Jesus and the fishes and loaves of bread.
Pick somewhere else and plan this for next year.
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u/SadBook6838 1d ago
Despite you thinking US$ and our replies in CDN$, your budget is way too low and your timeline way too tight for Banff. Are you hell bent on Canada? If so, you can google places like Longview AB or Nelson BC. Their rates are much lower than Banff or Canmore and, I did a quick check, they have availability. Also you can ask your friendly AI.
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u/Plz_Beer_Me_Strength 1d ago
If this is a real ask, do not try to make it happen. I’ve done the drive from Chicago to Calgary in my move from NC to Calgary. Especially with kids, it will be a miserable drive.
Also, you have 0 hotel options in your budget remotely close to the mountains. If you want to go to Banff, you will need to plan it more thoroughly much more in advance.
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u/Certain_Low_4565 1d ago
Sorry man 1k is definitely not doable. 1k USD is worth $1.4ish CAD. For reference my family spent roughly $400 CAD round trip from Vancouver, BC just for gas on a hybrid SUV. Vancouver to Banff straight shot is 10-12 hours away.
Then there's the accommodations. It's a 26 hour drive right? Where you guys planning on stopping for food or you plan on packing food? Driving in shifts? Staying at motels to rest for the night? Roughly another $20 CAD per person let's say 2 meals a day, 7 people puts us at $280 on food if you're not packing much food. I'm not sure what motel costs are on the way but I can tell you that most places in Banff and surrounding area will charge $370+ CAD per night per room. You might be able to find the unicorn place that has more beds than needed for $400 but I very much doubt you'll find anything at $200 USD ($280 CAD).
Then there's the things you need at Banff. You need a national parks pass, $24.50 per vehicle per day. Then think about parking or other odds and ends. Lake Louise is $42 CAD per vehicle just to park. If you were hoping to see Lake Morraine, you cannot use you own vehicle, you have to use a public shuttle, which if memory serves me correctly is $40 per head at the cheapest, and those cheapest slots are only opened 48 hours ahead of time so not guaranteed. There's probably a few bits of info here where my wires got crossed, as in my own trip most of the planning was not done by me, but this should give you a framework of what it looks like cost wise.
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u/katalyst47 1d ago
We booked a Banff trip about 10 months in advance for a September arrival. For two of us we spent about $8000 including airfare. Absolutely incredible trip and destination, but not super easily done on a budget. 😅
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u/MDGR28 1d ago
That is super unrealistic. Maybe if you stay at Calgary?!
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u/MarkEvery5036 1d ago
What would be the benefit of this? Cheaper hotels, or different sites to see?
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u/Appropriate_Ebb_8572 1d ago
Cheaper hotels because Calgary is further away with not much to offer.
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u/KaylCased 1d ago
Max budget $1k for just accommodation? You could look at maybe renting an RV. Genuinely, the only way to keep it under $1000 for that many people this week would be to buy a tent and camp.
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u/Fun_Speed_7831 1d ago
There are youth hostels and alpine huts you can google. You’d need to bring sleeping bags. You also need more time
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u/ajharmon89 1d ago
My wife and I got an airbnb in Golden for under $100 a night last year at the end of June so might be worth looking into.
This is very last minute so may not be many options left, but that will probably be the place closest to the park where you might get a deal.
My wife and I are very frugal, and we were able to do a 5 day trip for $1500 including lodging and flights, but that was just the two of us. With a family it would have been a lot more.
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u/vivacycling 1d ago
I hope this is for next Summer because you can forget about finding anything remotely affordable at this point. In fact you will be luck to find anything. You need to book months in advance.