Turquoise lakes, glaciers you can see from the road, fossils older than the dinosaurs and hot springs to soak in at the end of the day: the Canadian Rockies are one of the great family road trips. They are also unusually easy on the family budget at the park gate, because Parks Canada lets children and teenagers in free. This guide sets out a 12-day route from Calgary through Banff, Yoho, Kootenay and Jasper national parks to Edmonton, with the booking rules that catch families out, and the practical details that matter with children.
Every park and attraction below has its own page on JuniorTravelClub, with details from Parks Canada and the attractions’ own websites. Distances are straight-line figures worked out from each place’s coordinates. Mountain roads are much longer, so check your route before each driving day.
The route at a glance
- Start: Calgary
- Finish: Edmonton
- Parks: Banff, Yoho, Kootenay, Jasper and Elk Island
- Extras: Calgary Zoo, the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller and Galaxyland in Edmonton
- Length: 12 days, one-way
- Best season: summer. Many park services are seasonal, and some roads only open in summer.
Before you go
Park passes: children go free
Parks Canada gives free admission to youth aged 17 and under. Adults need a daily pass or an annual Discovery Pass. The Discovery Pass covers admission to more than 80 Parks Canada destinations for 12 months, and Jasper’s page lists a family/group version. A daily pass for one of the mountain parks also gets you into Banff, Kootenay, Yoho, Mount Revelstoke, Glacier, Waterton Lakes and Elk Island, and it is valid until 4pm on the day after you buy it. On a trip of a week or more, compare the cost of daily passes for the adults with a Discovery Pass.
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake: book the shuttle
This is the rule that catches most families out. Moraine Lake Road is closed to private vehicles all year. You can only get there on a Parks Canada shuttle, with a licensed commercial operator, or as a guest of Moraine Lake Lodge. Banff’s page says public transport is the only way to be sure of reaching Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. Parks Canada shuttle seats must be reserved, and they typically sell out well in advance, though extra seats are released two days before departure. Shuttle passengers park free all day at the Lake Louise Park and Ride at the ski resort. Expect to wait at least 30 minutes for a shuttle, and up to an hour at busy times. The shuttles run in the summer and early autumn season, so check the dates for your year.
The Xplorers programme
Parks Canada’s Xplorers programme is aimed at children aged 6 to 11 and their families. Children pick up an activity booklet at a participating site, often from the visitor centre, complete a set number of activities, and become official Xplorers with a certificate and a souvenir. The activities and souvenirs differ between sites, which gives children a reason to collect them as you travel. Ask at each visitor centre.
Seasons
July and August are Yoho’s peak season. Kootenay’s visitor services, day-use areas and restrooms run from May to mid-October. The road to Yoho’s Takakkaw Falls is only open from mid-June to mid-October, weather permitting. Waterton Lakes closes most townsite facilities from November to April. Summer is the season for this route.
Day by day
Day 1: Calgary Zoo
Start gently after the flight. Calgary Zoo has playgrounds along the way, including a dino slide, a dinosaur dig, a bug-themed play area and a kids zone. In season, children can walk through the lemur habitat. Children under three don’t need a ticket, and you can bring your own food and drinks. The CTrain Blue Line stops at Zoo Station, under five minutes’ walk from the North Gate. A day ticket doesn’t allow re-entry, but it can be rescheduled within seven days of buying it.
Day 2: Dinosaurs in Drumheller (optional)
For dinosaur-mad children, the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller is about 100 km north-east of Calgary in a straight line, in the opposite direction from the mountains. Children aged 6 and under get in free but still need a ticket. Tickets carry an entry time; arrive early or late and you can only be moved to the current slot if there is space. In summer the museum is open daily into the evening, so you can drive out in the morning and back in the afternoon.
Days 3–5: Banff
Drive west into the mountains. Banff is about 110 km from Calgary in a straight line. Base yourself here for three nights.
Banff National Park has a Parks Canada self-guided audio tour with seasonal stories and art panels, which gives children something to follow between viewpoints instead of only scenery. The Parks Canada app includes accessibility tools. Spend one day on Lake Louise and Moraine Lake with your shuttle booking, one on short walks and viewpoints closer to town, and keep one free for weather. Check fire rules on arrival: when we checked, Banff had a fire ban in every sector because of high fire danger.
Day 6: Yoho National Park
Yoho is about 70 km west of Banff in a straight line, across the border into British Columbia. Start at the Yoho Visitor Centre in the village of Field. Children can look at Burgess Shale fossils there, and its public washrooms are open all year, at all hours. Field has restaurants, and the park lists a playground among its amenities. In season, drive the Yoho Valley Road to Takakkaw Falls. There is no public transport in Yoho, so you need the car.
Day 7: Kootenay National Park and the hot springs
Kootenay is the park for a slower day. The highway through it has day-use areas with safe pull-overs, views, restrooms, picnic spots and trailheads. There are no food services in the park, so bring a picnic or eat in Radium Hot Springs or Invermere. The reward for children is at the end: the Radium Hot Springs Pools, where families can soak in natural hot spring water or swim in a deep cool pool. The highway can close temporarily in bad weather.
Days 8–9: The Icefields Parkway to Jasper
The Icefields Parkway, Highway 93, runs north from Lake Louise to Jasper. It is a road to drive slowly. Jasper is about 240 km from Banff in a straight line, and much further by road. Treat the drive as a full day with plenty of stops. Fill the tank and pack lunch before you set off, and download offline maps, because services along the way are limited.
Jasper National Park is open all year. It has picnic shelters, restrooms, restaurants and cafés, and a playground for the breaks between walks. If you would rather arrive by train, Via Rail runs to Jasper via Edmonton and Vancouver.
Days 10–11: Jasper to Edmonton, with Elk Island
Drive east out of the mountains to Edmonton. Elk Island National Park, just east of the city, gives a final national park day. At Astotin Lake, children can dig in the sand, net water bugs and watch shore birds, and there is a playground and picnic shelters. Admission is free for youth 17 and under. Flush toilets are open all year at the visitor centre and Astotin Recreation Area.
Day 12: Galaxyland, Edmonton
Finish the trip indoors, whatever the weather. Galaxyland is an amusement park entirely under one roof. The littlest children have their own four-storey climb-and-slide play area and regular meetings with Hasbro characters, and children aged 2 and under get in free. On eligible dates, Toddler Time admission covers one child and one adult chaperone.
Variations
- Round trip from Calgary: skip Edmonton and drive back from Jasper the way you came, or loop through Kootenay on the return.
- Add Waterton Lakes: Waterton Lakes is about 220 km south of Calgary in a straight line. Its visitor centre has interactive exhibits and a miniature Red Rock Canyon to explore before seeing the real thing. It is busiest on July and August weekends from 10am to 4pm, so arrive before 10, after 4 or on a weekday.
- Shorter trip: with a week, base yourself in Banff and do day trips to Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay.
Good to know with kids
Book the bottlenecks first
The Moraine Lake and Lake Louise shuttles, and timed entry at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, are the bookings to make first. Everything else on this route can be decided closer to the day.
Picnics
Kootenay has no food services. Pack lunch every day and use the day-use areas, picnic shelters and visitor centres. Calgary Zoo also lets you bring your own food.
Toilets
Yoho’s visitor centre washrooms in Field are open around the clock all year, and Kootenay has outhouses cleaned daily, with modern restrooms at the Radium Hot Springs visitor centre. Plan stops around them with small children.
Weather
Mountain weather changes fast. Pack layers, rain jackets and warm hats even in summer, and check road conditions before each driving day. Kootenay’s highway can close temporarily in adverse weather.
Wildlife
Keep children close at viewpoints and on trails, never feed animals, and follow the rangers’ advice at each visitor centre.
Plan and book
Download offline maps and set up mobile data before you land: Canada eSIM on Airalo. For a one-way trip, ask car hire companies about drop-off charges between Calgary and Edmonton.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, JuniorTravelClub may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Do children pay to enter Canada’s national parks?
No. Parks Canada gives free admission to youth aged 17 and under. Adults need a daily pass or a Discovery Pass, which covers more than 80 Parks Canada destinations for 12 months.
Can you drive to Moraine Lake?
No. Moraine Lake Road is closed to private vehicles all year. Families go by Parks Canada shuttle, which must be reserved, or with a licensed commercial operator. Shuttle seats typically sell out well in advance, with extra seats released two days before departure.
How many days do you need in the Canadian Rockies with kids?
A week covers Banff, Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay from a Banff base. Ten to twelve days lets you add the Icefields Parkway and Jasper, plus Calgary Zoo or the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
What is the Xplorers programme?
It is Parks Canada’s activity programme for children aged 6 to 11. Children collect a booklet at participating sites, complete activities, and receive a certificate and souvenir. The souvenirs differ between sites.
Is the Royal Tyrrell Museum worth the detour?
For dinosaur fans, yes. It is about 100 km north-east of Calgary in a straight line, children aged 6 and under get in free with a ticket, and tickets have timed entry, so book ahead.
What can kids do on a rainy day?
Visit the Yoho Visitor Centre’s fossils, the Royal Tyrrell Museum, or Galaxyland in Edmonton, which is entirely indoors. The Radium Hot Springs Pools in Kootenay are also good in cool weather.
When is the best time to visit the Canadian Rockies with kids?
Summer. Yoho’s peak season is July and August, Kootenay’s visitor services run from May to mid-October, and the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttles run in summer and early autumn.
Tickets & tours for these places
Bookable tours via GetYourGuide. Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
