The Scenic Route: Kelowna to Banff
Driving to Banff? Here’s why we loved taking the scenic route from Vancouver to Banff National Park by way of Kelowna and Revelstoke, British Columbia.
Our Road Trip to Banff
When I plan a road trip, I try to make intentional choices about the route we take. Do we want to get there as quick as possible or do we want to take a more scenic route?
I usually end up researching routes online, gathering recommendations from travel forums and blogs.
For this leg of our Rockies Road Trip, our end goal was Banff National Park…
Updated: November 2020. Originally published: July 2014.
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The Scenic Route: Vancouver to Kelowna to Banff
Once we decided (wisely) to break up the 12 hour drive from Vancouver by staying in Kelowna, we had more wiggle room to take the scenic route. We are so glad we did!
Google maps and other GPS devices will automatically pull up the quickest route, which usually means big highways and less interesting landscapes.
But I had read on Trip Advisor, that the more mountainous Highway 3 was the way to go to get to Kelowna. We made the adjustment and were rewarded.
Driving Vancouver to Kelowna this way is about 5 hours, 277 miles.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Kelowna, BC, Canada
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In Kelowna, aim to stay in a place near the riverfront parks and Bernard Ave. This highly-rated 2-bedroom luxury apartment is close to it all, with full kitchen and laundry.
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Kelowna to Banff via Trans-Canada Highway 1
From Kelowna to Banff, the drive is already spectacular. You pass through two epic National Parks, Canada’s Glacier and Yoho.
Looking out our window, we were almost moved to tears by the majesty of the mountains.
The scenic route from Kelowna to Banff is around 5 hours and 40 minutes and just under 300 miles.
We made a quick stop in quaint, downtown Revelstoke on our way to Banff.
They have an excellent bakery so we picked up a little snack to fuel the end of our journey. Staying overnight in Revelstoke is another option, if you’re making a slower trip.
Revelstoke, BC, Canada
Banff, AB, Canada
Visiting Banff National Park on a Budget
For a great deal near Banff, rent a nice vacation condo with kitchen, laundry, and complimentary Parks Pass. Mountain View Copperstone Resort Condo is a family-owned 1-bedroom/1-bathroom condo with additional pull-out bed just outside of Canmore.
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If you’ve always wanted to try out a motorhome, or want to upgrade your Banff road trip with a cute Airstream, consider renting through Outdoorsy. Rentals are available in the U.S. and Canada. Outdoorsy’s customer service and reviews have outranked the other top RV rental companies. You can search listings by vehicle type and location. Some owners will even deliver the motorhome to your door!
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When you’re driving for hours and hours, it’s always nice to have something interesting to look at out the window.
This leg of our trip from Vancouver to Kelowna to Banff definitely provided wonderful changes in scenery to keep us going. If you happen to be planning a similar trip, we highly recommend this route!
* Get our free Rockies Road Trip guide *
What travel restrictions and rules are in place in Canada?
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Hi Michelle. As you know we will be staying in Kelowna for the month of September. We are thinking of running over to Banff to check out the beauty but only for a couple of days. Do you think it is worth it given the time to get there? Maybe two nights? Would that be enough? Let me know what you think. We haven’t decided anything yet so are open to suggestions. ~Kathy
Hi Kathy. Banff is one of our favorite places in the West, so yes, I do think it’s worth it even for a short trip. The drive is very scenic itself so I think that makes up for “lost time” in transit, assuming the weather is fair. I think two nights would work in Banff to enjoy some of the highlights. Let us know if you make it up there!
Wow, those mountains are definitely beautiful and very close to admire!