🏔️ Calgary + Banff | 5-Day Solo Car-Free Trip Part 2

⚠️ First things first: When in doubt, go to the Banff Visitor Centre (224 Banff Ave)! 🏪 They can help with travel plans, opening hours, bus routes, tickets, and more. Unfortunately, they close at 5 PM — right around the time I arrived. 😅 🚌 Transportation & Tickets: Calgary to Banff: I took FlixBus. 💵 Around $20, 🧳 one luggage included, 🔌 charging outlets available. For the best views: Choose left-side seats (A/B) to see the Calgary Tower while leaving the city; right-side seats (C/D) offer open river and mountain views on the way into the mountains. 🏙️→🏞️ Within Banff: Local Routes 1 & 2 (Banff Local) can take you to attractions within minutes from town. Single ride: $2 | Day pass: $5 💳 Buses to major sights (e.g., Route 8X to Lake Louise, Route 9) include Banff Local service. Tickets range from $10–20. 🏨 Accommodation: For car-free travelers, I recommend staying near the Banff High School Transit Hub 🚏. Three hotels across the street offer rooms from $200–300+ per night. It’s super convenient — the bus terminal and visitor center are just steps away! Even anywhere in Banff town is walkable and well-connected — most rides are under 15 minutes. I stayed at King Edward Hotel (2 stars). ✅ Pros: Affordable, great location in the bustling town center, very friendly staff. They even refunded me past the cancellation period! ❌ Cons: Basic service — small room (just a double bed + desk), daily cleaning only included trash removal and restocking (no bed-making). 💡 Good for budget overnight stays; not ideal if you expect full service. 🍳 Food: I tried four places during my short stay! 🍳 Breakfast/Brunch: Melissa’s Missteak: Ordered eggs Benedict and a milkshake. Portions are huge! Two eggs were filling, and the milkshake was too rich to finish — probably from all the hidden butter, cheese, and sauces in Western dishes. 🍳🥤 Farm & Fire: Got smoked salmon — no carbs included, so I added toast. The portion was so big the server suggested I switch to a kids’ meal! 🍞👶 🍽️ Dinner: I ate at the mountaintop! Two options: Sky Bistro: Western restaurant, ~$80 per person. Northern Lights Restaurant: ~$45 per person. Word limit reached — more on Lake Louise and dinners in the next post! 📖 #Canada #Banff #SoloTravel #CarFreeTravel #BanffTips 🚌🏔️🍴