Best Things to Do in Canmore: The Ultimate Bucket List

28/10/2025

It isn’t hard to find amazing things to do in the Canadian Rockies, but figuring out the best things to do in Canmore can transform a trip from being memorable into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Whether you’re passionate about challenging yourself by climbing a mountain, want to explore the alpine scenery without pushing yourself too hard or want to try out some great food and drinks, we’ve got lots to recommend.

Here, we’ll give you our bucket list recommendations for a trip to Canmore you’ll never forget.

Key Takeaways

Canmore offers everything from mountain hikes and scenic trails to cave tours, rafting, and dog-sledding.
You don’t need to be extreme—there are plenty of easy walks, local shops, and breweries to enjoy, too.
Seasonal activities like cross-country skiing or biking the Legacy Trail make Canmore a year-round destination.
Staying at the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre keeps you close to downtown and the mountains, so you can make the most of your trip.

Why Visit Canmore?

Located just an hour west of Calgary but right in the heart of the Canadian Rockies on the border of Banff National Park, Canmore offers small-town charm and beautiful mountain vistas that invite you to explore them. Less expensive than Banff and with smaller crowds, Canmore is a destination for Western Canadians looking for weekend getaways and international visitors alike.

10 Bucket List Things to Do in Canmore

Two people paddleboard across a lake near Canmore.

Hike a Mountain

No list of the best things to do in Canmore would be complete if we didn’t recommend hiking up one of the majestic mountains that surround the town. Canmore is a destination for outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world and while there are lots of easier trails near the bottom of the Bow Valley, you can also test yourself by trying to make it to one of the summits that tower over the town.

We recommend Ha Ling Peak as the best mountain to start if you’re up for a challenge. The East End of Rundle and Mount Lady MacDonald are a little more of a grind, but absolutely worth the effort when you get to the top.

Find an Easier Trail

You don’t need to summit a mountain to get an amazing view in Canmore, there are lots of easier hikes that offer incredible scenery, too, and will give you lots of time to go for a dip afterwards or try out some of our other suggestions on this list, too.

We love Grassi Lakes, which will give you a taste of the best of the Rockies, while Grotto Canyon will take your breath away. Don’t forget about Policeman’s Creek Boardwalk, either. It’s just a few short blocks from the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre and will keep you close to the centre of town without sacrificing views.

Go Cross Country Skiing at One of the World’s Best Venues

The Canmore Nordic Centre isn’t just the training home for many of the cross-country skiers who represent Canada at the Olympics every 4 years; it’s also played host to multiple World Cup competitions and events at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

But you don’t need to be a world-class athlete to enjoy the Nordic Centre. They rent equipment and have lessons for newcomers, and the provincial park has 65 km of trails for cross-country skiers to explore.

In the summer, it’s a great place to hike or just go for a walk, too, and is considered one of the top things to do in Canmore.

Try Out One of Canmore’s Best Restaurants

Two plates of delicious food sit on a table at a restaurant in Canmore.

Though Canmore is a small town, it has some seriously amazing restaurants, including TABLE Food + Drink, which puts a contemporary interpretation on quality ingredients and traditional methods. TABLE Food + Drink is open for all 3 meals of the day and has an expansive drink menu. For dinner, we love their bison and pappardelle.

There are lots of other great restaurants we recommend, and you can’t go wrong walking around Canmore’s charming downtown. We promise you’ll find something you love.

Explore a Cave

If you’re looking for unique things to do in Canmore, we really can’t recommend Canmore Cave Tours enough. This one-of-a-kind company won’t just take you up a mountain; they’ll take you inside one. Canmore Cave Tours offers two options to explore Rat’s Nest Cave: a shorter 2.5-hour Explorer Tour and a longer 4-hour Adventurer Tour. You don’t need any prior spelunking experience, either, just an eagerness to try something new.

Go Dog-Sledding

There’s nothing more Canadian than dog-sledding, where a pack of healthy and athletic huskies pulls you through some absolutely jaw-dropping mountain terrain. There’s no cooler way to check out the mountains, and there are two companies in Canmore providing breathtaking tours.

When you’re looking for fun things to do in Canmore in the winter, both Snowy Owl Tours and Howling Dog Tours provide incredible experiences that should absolutely be on your bucket list.

Grab a Local Pint

Not everything in Canmore is about the mountains, believe it or not. Locals love settling in for a pint with friends as much as anyone else, and we’ve all been excited to watch the town’s brewery scene blossom and thrive recently.

There are 4 breweries and a distillery in town, each offering its own local take on everything from IPAs to lagers to sour beers. We’re not saying you need to try them all out in one night, but if you’re looking for the best things to do in Canmore, we highly recommend setting a little time aside to check out the local brews.

Bike the Legacy Trail

A person rides a bike while admiring the mountains in the distance in Canmore.

Built in 2010, we firmly believe the Legacy Trail bike path, which runs between Canmore and Banff, is one of the most beautiful cycling routes in the world. The path is 26 km long one-way, so not everyone will necessarily be able to go to Banff and back, but there are lots of spots you can stop for a picnic along the way.

We guarantee you’ll be dazzled by the views as you pedal along the path, too.

Shop Local

One of the coolest things about Canmore’s downtown is that so many of the shops are locally-owned and offer products you genuinely can’t find anywhere else. We’re not talking about tacky, touristy souvenirs, either. Shopping in downtown Canmore gives you the opportunity to check out incredible boutiques filled with artisan goods made by Western Canadian artists.

Downtown is completely walkable, too, so grabbing a coffee and going shopping is absolutely one of the best things to do in Canmore.

Go Rafting on the Bow

Every summer, the Bow River turns a stunning shade of turquoise that we haven’t seen anywhere else. The best part? You don’t have to just admire it from the shore, you can also get out on the water in a raft and paddle in it yourself.

There are several companies in town that offer guided rafting trips, including Canadian Rockies Rafting, Canmore River Adventures and Canmore Raft Tours. Truly, this is one of the best things to do in Canmore.

Stay at the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre for Your Bucket List Adventure

Staying at the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre means you’re right in the middle of all the action in town and can easily tick off a couple of the bucket list adventures in one day. Just a few short blocks from downtown, our Canmore hotel is a pet-friendly hotel that has a modern fitness facility, a heated indoor pool and a hot tub.

There’s nothing we love more than seeing visitors fall in love with our town and we’re happy to recommend the best things to do in Canmore.

Book Today & Explore Canmore

When we’re asked about the top things to do in Canmore, it’s never hard to come up with a long list of can’t-miss adventures. When you stay at the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre, you can start crossing things off your bucket list immediately.

For more information, call us at (866)716-6199 or book online today.