15 Fun Things to do in Canmore with Kids!

Canmore is an absolutely stunning family vacation destination. It’s the perfect mountain town for your Banff adventures, exploring other Canadian National Parks, or just staying in Canmore to enjoy everything it has to offer. We’ll share our favorite things to do in Canmore with kids including places to swim, beautiful views, and fun trails.

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Table of Contents

1. See the Three Sisters

The three sisters are a group of three mountains that you can see from all over town. They are named Big Sister (Faith), Middle Sister (Charity), and Little Sister (Hope). These beautiful ladies are some of the most recognizable mountains in the Canadian Rockies. While you can see them from just about anywhere in town, our favorite place to see them was from Policeman’s Creek.

If you park at the dog park outside of town and cross the road, go under the train tracks and follow the path to the creek you’ll find a fun little creek to play in with incredible views. The walk only takes 5-10 minutes and it was one of our favorite things to do in Canmore with kids!

2. Walk Along the Policeman’s Creek Boardwalk

Policeman’s Creek Boardwalk is a 3.9 km boardwalk that runs through town along the creek. The path has beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and the creek. It can also be a popular spot to see wildlife especially in the mornings or evenings. Walk as far as you want along this stroller-friendly path in Canmore!

3. Ride Bikes Along the Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail

The Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail is a 27 km paved trail that runs between Canmore and Banff. It’s a popular trail for biking and it’s also a popular path for walking. The trail also has some interpretive signs and picnic tables if you want to stop for a break along the way.

Tip: Be aware there are 5 low voltage electrified mats along the path that can be ridden over by bicycles. The purpose of this mat is to deter wildlife from accessing trail systems. If you are walking, you should avoid these mats.

4. Cool off With a Swim

If you’re visiting Canmore in the summer season, there is a good chance it’ll be hot. A few fun places to swim are in Policeman’s Creek, the Canmore Reservoir, Two Jack Lake, Lake Minnewanka, or the many other lakes in the area. We actually love Lake Minnewanka because it’s absolutely stunning and there are tons of little beaches for swimming. Some of these lakes are very cold, so swim at your own risk!

5. Paddleboard in the Canmore Reservoir

The Canmore Reservoir is a popular place for swimming and paddleboarding just outside of Canmore. If you’re looking other fun places to paddleboard, there are tons of lakes around Canmore and Banff, and most of them are places where you can bring a paddleboard or kayak!

The parking can be a bit chaotic if you go mid-day. You can generally find parking along the road but it will be a bit of a walk. If you go earlier in the day or in the evening, parking will be easier to find.

6. Stroll Downtown Canmore

Downtown Canmore is very cute and fun to walk around. You’ll find some murals, shops, restaurants, and more. Main street is actually closed to vehicles from mid May to mid October so you can walk freely with your kids without having to worry about traffic!

7. Get Ice Cream at the Old School bus

Getting ice cream at the Old School Bus is one of the best things to do in Canmore with kids. Every time we visit Canmore, we end up getting ice cream at this cool spot. The Old School Bus Ice Cream shop is such a fun and unique stop in downtown Canmore. They have a ton of fun flavors including toasted smores and bear claw, YUM!

8. Visit Banff National Park

You can’t visit Canmore and not spend some time exploring Banff National Park. Banff is a world famous National Park because it’s absolutely stunning. Canmore is the perfect jumping off point for hiking in Banff with there only being 15-20 minutes between the two towns.

9. Shop & Eat in Downtown Banff

Downtown Banff is another incredible mountain town that you have to visit if you’re in Canmore. I would recommend visiting early in the morning or in the evening to avoid crowds. Some fun things to do in downtown Banff are:

Take a picture with the Banff sign
Stroll downtown and shop for souvenirs
Eat on a patio
Ride the Banff Gondola
Visit the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

10. Eat Dinner at a Brewery

We love to take our kids to breweries for a few reasons. One, we love a good local beer! And two, they are usually great kid friendly restaurants. Two of the breweries in Canmore we really enjoy are the Grizzly Paw Pub and Canmore Brewing Company. Canmore Brewing Company doesn’t really have a kids area to play, but they do have soft pretzels which can keep your kids occupied while you have a drink! The Grizzly Paw Pub is a full sit down restaurant with options for kids to eat as well.

11. Take a Picture with the Big Head

The “Big Head” is a sculpture located in downtown Canmore created by artist Al Henderson, who was inspired by Canmore’s name (in Gaelic) literally means big head. This sculpture is a symbol for the town of Canmore, and it’s a fun and unique place to take silly pictures.

12. Play at Elevation Place

Elevation Place is a recreation facility located in Canmore. It contains a climbing gym, aquatic center with a pool, waterslide, and hot tub. There is also a fitness gym, library and more! Elevation Place is the perfect place to hang out on a rainy day in Canmore.

Check out their recreation schedule here!

13. Relax at Quarry Lake

Quarry Lake is a manmade lake located just 5 minutes from downtown Canmore. In order to park at Quarry Lake you do need to pay. The parking lot also fills up relatively early in peak season, so keep that in mind when visiting. The water is very cold, but if you want to swim you can! If you’re looking for a fun place to picnic with a view in Canmore, head to Quarry Lake!

14. Buy Your Souvenirs

We always love to buy small souvenirs from everywhere we visit! Our favorite pick is to buy a fridge magnet and we are always looking to add to our collection. Other souvenir ideas are stickers, t-shirts, consumables like candy/coffee, Christmas ornaments, or whatever you choose! I’ve listed some cool shops below or just spend some time popping in and out of shops downtown.

Cafe Books
Black Rock Fudge
Big Bear Trading

15. Day Trip to Other Canadian National Parks

Canmore is located near so many National Parks. If you’re planning to stay a while, it’s worth driving to check out some of the other Canadian National Parks. They are all absolutely stunning and unique and we loved our visits there with our kids.

Jasper National Park: 2 hours 15 minutes from Canmore

I hope you enjoy your time in Canmore. We absolutely love Canmore and every time we visit, we have an amazing time and find new and beautiful places to explore and fun things to do with kids in Canmore. Let me know in the comments, what your favorite place is!

Map of Things to do in Canmore with Kids

AND if you’re looking to plan an epic 7 Day Canadian Rockies Itinerary with your kids – we’ve got you covered with incredible hikes and all the best stops!