+ Amazing view, nice little trail on top. Nice place just to sit relax & enjoy the view from the top. - a bit expensive for a family but it's ok just for one time. read more

i'm not one to be afraid of heights but the gondolas go up and swing so quickly lol it's not a problem tho it's pretty quaint and has a good system read more

Banff Gondola - gondolas - Parks Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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For my 800th review, I chose this experience to share. This was a great way to spend our last day in Banff National Park celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. I surprised my husband with tickets and lunch at the top. It is the best idea to purchase your tickets in advance as we did. I believe they were $55 or $60 for a round trip ride. Once your tickets are purchased you will receive a ride time. We took the shuttle from the town of Banff up to the gondola. We got in line right away as our time to ride was near. We rode up with another couple who was traveling like us. It was a quick 8 minute ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. On the way down we got to ride alone. Once at the top, there is plenty to do. There are several observation decks to view the beauty all around you. Our day was overcast and cold. We checked out all the views which included the town of Banff, the Bow River, the Canadian Rockies and the historical Fairmont Banff Springs. We then enjoyed a delicious lunch with some Canadian flair. More on that in another review. There are two restaurants to choose from and reservations are advised. A gift shop is nearby along with a small interactive museum. This was such an extraordinary experience and we really enjoyed our time up top. Be sure to add the gondola to your Banff trip. No read more

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banff gondola was a great experience! The views up there are spectacular and the gondola ride was smooth. Take a jacket just in case it's cold up there and don't forget to watch the history video on the top floor!! There were a few mountain goats at the top too!! Lines moved swiftly to get in and bathrooms were clean. There are 2 coffee shops as well - overall nice and organized experience. read more

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If you visit Banff, this gondola ride is another must-do.  The gondolas are small, holding only 4 people, so the ride up or down is a semi-private experience also.  From atop Sulphur Mountain, and with decent weather, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the town of Banff and the mountain ranges in Banff National Park. Do come dressed for colder and windier conditions than at ground level.  At the top level, upon exiting the gondola, there is also a nice long boardwalk stretching out maybe 1/2 mile along the mountain's ridgeline where you can continue on enjoying various gorgeous vistas along the way.  The boardwalk ends at a historic and no longer used meteorological observatory building that still stands today. read more

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The Banff Gondola is a must-see attraction in Banff. While it is very much a only need to go once kinda place, it's totally worth it. During peak season it's BUSY! So make sure you're making your reservation ahead of time to avoid disappointment. Especially if you want to eat at one of their restaurants. I should note that the restaurant hours may vary, so make sure to check out the website if that's part of your itinerary. At the top the view is incredible. And you'll likely spend more time up there than expected, so plan accordingly. read more

Banff Gondola - Parks Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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Why 5 stars? Because this is an absolute must-do experience in Banff. --- --- --- Yes, it's not cheap. But yes, it's absolutely worth doing. And bonus, if you have Ultimate Rewards points, you can use those to book your Gondola right if your heart desires! We arrived about 10 minutes before our departure time and were probably in our gondola about 15 minutes later. The ride up is about 10 minutes people say? I have no idea because it's very easy to lose all sense of time while you're on this ride. Every second is breath taking, and slightly nerve wracking. You get up to the top and, much like the rest of Banff, you can take about 4,000 photos a minute because every way you look, the view looks more like a movie than real life. We had reservations at Sky Bistro and then after that, we walked around a lot more and took thousands more photos. There are all kinds of walking paths you can take to other lookout spots, all of which are worth your time. You're over 7,000 feet above sea level up here, so just be warned that you might find yourself short of breath from time to time. Other reviewers mentioned that they are not strict about what time down you choose. We ended up booking a 10:30a ride up and a 1:30p ride down, and almost nailed it perfectly, as we organically arrived back at the gondola at 1:20p. Bottom line: don't come to Banff without doing this. Yes, it's touristy, but it's popular for a reason. read more

I purchased the ticket online choosing the upload time is 8:30am. As I arrived early, I asked if it's ok to get in the group of 8:20am. No problem at all. After the passenger got inside, the young clerks will push your box to the specific spot. Such a hard physical job! Gondola ride was very smooth. You will find lots of trails and real PEOPLE! Underneath your gondola. That was amazing. The Gondola station on the summit has four stories which contains a gift shop, restaurant, coffee shop, theatre, and museum. Outside observatory deck has free binoculars. The board walk will take you more spectacular views. Lots of photoshooting corner on the walk and information board on the way to the summit. read more

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Very cool experience. Nice views of Banff. Lots of stuff to do, such as hike to Sulphur mountain, gift store, museum, dining, and chilling around. Good for families. read more

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We had a blast doing the gondola in Banff. If you're trying to decide between the Lake Louise Gondola or Banff...do Banff for sure!! Amazing views of the whole valley from the top. There's a nice boardwalk they've built across the top, and a great coffee shop and a couple restaurants as well (reservations recommended). We enjoyed some gelato out on the deck, the day we were there one of the restaurants was closed for a wedding (wow, amazing venue choice has me thinking!! ) We also enjoyed browsing the little museum where we learned about the area and about the blue color the lakes have here. read more

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We had a good time at the Banff Gondola. I wasn't expecting to spend 40 min on the boardwalk but it had spectacular views. We also had lunch at the Northern Lights and it was great. We spent more time up there than expected and I think it was a great value overall. I'm glad they offered an earlier group option for families at a discounted rate (2 paid adults, 2 kids free). We came around 9am and parking was not an issue. Must see for first time visitors. read more

This ~8 minute ride is not for the faint of heart, it is very steep and you go up very high! On our ride up we got a little bit of rain and the wind picked up quite a bit, but if you can handle heights it is totally worth it! The views from the gondola are amazing, and even better once you get to the top. Once at the top of the gondola there are a few different dining options, an interpretive center, rooftop viewing deck, and a boardwalk that climbs up to the ultimate view of Banff and all the surrounding mountains. The interpretive center had a lot of really cool information though out it. It was very interactive and fun space! It was a little crowded so we didn't spend too much time here but it was worth checking out. The other highlight was the boardwalk, the views were absolutely insane and we even saw a double rainbow while we were out on it. It is made up of a lot of stairs, but the walk to the end is quick if you keep moving and don't stop to take pictures every 30 seconds like I did. A couple tips: Book your time slot ahead of time! We had intentions of going on one day, while waiting for the bus to the gondola hub someone asked us what our ride time was...we had our tickets already but not a time slot. I gave the gondola a call to see if we could schedule one and the soonest availability was a few hours away. Luckily we were able to schedule a couple days out, but even those time slots were fairly limited. If you'll be doing other excursions while you're in town it may be best to book a package! We did the Lake Minnewanka boat Cruise and bought those tickets in a package with the gondola tickets and saved about $20 per person. read more

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Not for the faint of heart, but a good way to overcome a fear of heights. You need to get yourself about a mile or so up the mountain to begin the experience, but you can easily jump on a shuttle from downtown Banff or take a taxi from your hotel if you don't want to worry about bus schedules. We took a taxi from the hotel to the gondola (we were staying just outside of town on Tunnel mountain) and then the shuttle back to town. Both were quick and easy. The gondola itself was really cool. You load up in a (very small) clear shell attached to a set of wire, they close the door, and it carries you all the way up Sulphuric mountain. The views are spectacular and you are safe inside (despite not feeling so). I had a bit of an issue with the Wobblies's sod it bc it was super windy the day we went, but they close it off the winds are too high so it really was perfectly safe (see previous "get over not liking heights" comment lol). Once at the top there are a couple of restaurants and a coffee bar as well s several observation decks and many beautiful photography shots. There is even a trail to the mountain top next door. I highly recommend the experience! read more

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Absolutely worth the money. You won't find a better view of the mountains, Ski hills, lakes and town than the gondola. Every person you run into will say that this is a must do and I agree. The ride was smooth, and the employees were super friendly. They do a great job at keeping the snow off the boardwalk if you go in the winter. Don't miss out if you are visiting Banff. read more

Banff Gondola - Parks Near Me - Banff, Alberta

Phenomenal views at the top. Highly recommended this adventure for all ages. Dress warmly because it's a bit chilly and windy at the Summit. They have fire pits up top for warmth and a free toasted marshmallow! read more

For 90 minutes of your time this gondola ride and view was beautiful. You'll get a top tier level view of Banff mountains, town and the river or creeks. It's a breath of fresh air in September over the Labor Day weekend. Each of the gondolas fit 4 adults max and only takes 5 minutes or less to get to the top. You'll have to get to your destination 5 minutes before your scheduled time. If you need more then you may ask the ticketing area to extend your time for enjoying the Sky Bistro restaurant, for example. There is a gift shop and Starbucks at ground level and restrooms below. At the top there is another gift shop and a couple restaurants and views. 2nd and 3rd level has restrooms. The "hike" to the extended view is all wooden stairs up and down with benches along the way to rest and intake the views. Do not feed any animals. There are a ton of chipmunks who want your food but if you're caught feeding them you pay $25,000!!! The weather during this time was a tad bit hot with a high of 72 degrees if continuously walking. Lovely spot to enjoy nature. read more

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Is it worth it for you to ride the gondola for the views? It all depends.. The views are magnificent and you can soak in that fresh mountain air. For those who don't want to hike up Sulphur mtn but be rewarded with lovely panoramic views without the work, yes most definitely worth it. The gondola also affords those with limited mobility to access these same wonderful views. The gondola can accommodate wheelchair users and there is an elevator that runs throughout the various levels in the building. However, the 1km boardwalk is not wheelchair accessible. If you are able to negotiate stairs but need a rest there are benches dispersed among the various viewpoints. It can take roughly 20 minutes to reach the top of the cosmic ray station, however if you take delight in snapping photos every few feet like I tend to, it can take longer. Don't forget to go to the very top of the building! I almost did. You will find the cool mirror bear statute, along with the iconic red Adirondack chairs that Parks Canada brilliantly & strategically placed throughout scenic and peaceful places in Canada. Pricing for the gondola varies on the season, times and days of the week. It's recommended to purchase tickets in advance online during peak seasons such as summer. Tickets are timed, so line up before your scheduled time. The gondola ride itself is 8 minutes. Also there are signs to line up 10 minutes before your return time down to the base. There are washrooms/bathrooms at the top of the mountain and at the base where you check in. We went at 8am on a Saturday morning and the lines were starting to grow. If you are in Downtown Banff and purchased a gondola ticket, they have complimentary shuttle rides on Roam transit route 1 to the gondola but you need to show your ticket (confirm this first, as it may have changed). I have also read somewhere that if you hike up Sulphur Mtn & are too exhausted to hike down you can ride the gondola down for free. Once again confirm this with the company, not sure if it applies to the locals only or if it's still in effect. read more

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Everyone recommends to visit here so I did. I think I paid $63 CA per person. It is totally worth it! It takes about 8 minutes once you are in the gondola to reach the peak of Sulphur Mountain. At the top, they have a building with four floors each with different things to do. A gift shop, a coffe shop, two restaurants, theater and museum-like exhibits with interactive features. Everywhere you go there are the most amazing views!! The gondola has amazing views, the rooftop viewing patio, and the boardwalk hike to the abandoned cosmic ray research shed offer the best view of the Canadian Rockies. Absolutely breathtaking!! Completely worth the money!! read more

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This gondola is super fast and quiet up the steep Sulphur Mountain in Banff. It's a bit pricey ($79CAD) but worth the views! We literally reached the top of Sulphur Mountain in 8 minutes from boarding at the bottom! It's an amazing ride up as you view the magnificent Cascade Mountains, Mt. Rundle, and Sulphur Mountain!! The Rimrock Resort and Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel are jewels amidst the verdant forest of trees and flora! It's even more amazing once you reach the top and stroll the length of the old weather station! So definitely make a point of riding the gondola as it gives you a bird's eye view of the town of Banff and its surroundings! read more

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Banff Gondola is an easy 5 stars simply because of the monumental scenery offered by taking a leisurely ride up to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Everyone was appreciating the sights at one of the most popular activities in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Some of the perspectives overlooking downtown Banff...you can recognize how this charming little town is surrounded by majestic, mountainous sceneries. A the peak, they do have a boardwalk for folks to spread out and collect their own special memories from high above. In fact for myself, I veered away from the boardwalk section and just strolled down a short pathway to snap pictures of the snowcapped mountains from the opposite side of Banff town. An interesting note I'd like to point out...to crowd control the tourists...the ticket agent at the counter asked me if I could decide right in that moment at what specific time I'd like to return down Sulphur Mountain, so this way they can place everyone in dispersed groups. I'd say this worked for the most part. I took a 1:30pm ride up and decided to depart back down at 4pm giving myself 2.5 hours to take my time and not rush. The ticket counter attendant said the average time people spend at the summit is 1.5 hours. But, lol, I hate to rush. I traveled a far ways to get here to Banff. I was going to take my time. Btw...parking is extremely difficult. You either have to arrive first thing in the morning when the gondola opens for service or otherwise what I had to was.... - Parked at the Rimrock Resort Parking Garage and then when I returned from the top and ready to leave...I showed the front desk of the hotel my gondola ticket for at which point they handed me a voucher to exit the garage for free. Everything worked fine. I had no issues getting the voucher. My ticket for the gondola was a whopping $71 - Canadian. Though lucky for me being an American...when I received my credit card bill, the conversion rate dropped the price to about $56, US. Overall, the views from the "top of it all" is simply another MUST-DO experience while exploring Banff, sort of as I like to say..."a right of passage"...and of course money should never matter in instances like these. One last thing...although it wasn't sunny out during my mid-June visit a couple of weeks ago...at least it wasn't windy at all which allowed for a very pleasant setting from the peak. Alright, well, this is the Banff Gondola cable car ride located just outside the downtown area in beautiful Alberta, Canada. read more

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This was so fun for our family and the views are great! If you book a early morning gondola ride around 9 or 9:30, the crowds are still thin and there will be parking. Sulfur mountain is a great place to explore and hike with wonderful views and I highly recommend booking Sky Bistro for lunch while you are on the mountain! read more

For my vacation in Banff, the Gondola was one of the top things to do from an online travel guide. So when I landed in Calgary, I immediately booked a ticket. The gondola is a couple minutes from downtown Banff. I went on a weekday and it wasn't crowded at all. I will say when I booked, I did opt for the Sky Bistro combo, which includes a free appetizer and entree. You don't necessarily get a discount unless you order the most expensive things on the menu. Regardless, Sky Bistro is an amazing restaurant and I would recommend booking both just to experience it. Rising the gondola took about 10-15 minutes (I wasn't counting). Immediately at the top, you have the most insane views of the Canadian Rockies. I stayed out there in the blistering cold for over 2 hours just to take in the scenery. I even got a good sequence of videos and pictures as the Sun was setting. There's plenty of information at the main building but there's also signs on the way to the Cosmic Ray Station for you knowledge and history buffs. Overall I would definitely recommend this attraction. read more

Worth the ticket price! Quick but scenic ride to the top to overlook Banff. The staff is super friendly and helpful. You don't need to wait until your exact time slot to enter. Prepurchase tickets to save time. The tickets also provide you a complimentary ride up and down the mountain back to downtown. The gondola center has a restroom, gift shop, and Starbucks. read more

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You can't beat the views! The view riding up is so beautiful! Once up top, be sure to walk the boardwalk. Take your time, enjoy the views. There is a gift shop and a place to grab some coffee. A tip....go early. It does get super busy real quick. Gift shop and Starbucks at the entrance. So worth the money. A very memorable experience. Enjoy! read more

The Banff Gondola ride up to the top of Sulphur Mountain is stunning! https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/ The views are amazing - beautiful & spectacular! I was almost wishing for the gondola to stop midway, so I could look around longer in awe at natures beauty! Being able to see a huge part of what encompasses Banff National Park is breathtaking! The ride up is smooth as butter, unless you have an issue with heights. The base building up top has 4 levels of actual engaging activity & information! Great restaurants as well to my surprise! They tend to seem to be always subpar at mountain tops. The variety of artifacts, video presentations & 360 degree views of the entire region make it a minimum 3 hour time requirement up here! I had booked a Banff experience package that only allowed for 1 hour up here = not enough time! From base the walk up to the higher point is so amazing ... like a trek on the Great Wall! However, the brains behind this walkway to the very top, did an outstanding job in design that makes it an easy comfortable climb! Fairly easy to walk on & ascend. Breathtaking views all around! A true Banff experience highlight indeed! Highly recommended!!! This adventure solidified my Banff experience - my first trip to Banff & won't be my last!!! read more

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If you have vertigo, dislike roller coasters and/or are claustrophobic then you may find the ride back down uncomfortable. You may also wish to avoid walking up and down the stairs at the top if you have vertigo and/or mobility concerns. I booked so that we would have dinner at the top our ride down would be at sunset. We took our time and chilled in the (many) chairs at the top, just taking in the views, including views of our hotel. Dinner has lovely views, but I think that you could go elsewhere with lovely views and better food) Definitely glad we did it and that I was the only one of us uncomfortable for the ride back down. read more

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Awesome when everything is working properly. Just two days prior 300+ guests had to spend the night there due to power failure. I booked the early morning package with 1 kids free for 1 adult. An hour was plenty for us but if you want to hike up the boardwalk to the other side or eat you better plan more time. Only the coffee shop on the first floor is open early. The other places open at 11 am. There's a short (5 min or so) movie on the second floor. They don't scan your ticket on the way down and I was told by the attendant that they don't enforce the return time you selected. So relax if you're totally anal (like me). Parking lot completely full by 10:30 am on Friday morning read more

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What a great experience. In Banff for a little holiday, after growing up in Alberta and visited the Banff area a lot, I have never taken the gondola, let me tell you it was awesome...the views are spectacular and the walk around the top to the old weather station is neat. A little on the costly side, but so is everything in Banff. read more

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Had a lot of fun in this! The ride is pretty fast with insane views! Only con is that I visited during summer time so lots of mosquitoes...but views were wonderful! They even have a cafe and restaurant at the top! read more

Great operation! So seamless and well coordinated, we had a great visit. Highly recommend visiting this beautiful spot! Lots of places for food and drinks. We will def come back! read more

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Incredible experience! Great views and the boarding and disembarking process was smooth and efficient. We went as part of a larger tour with Brewster and the Gondola ride was the highlight of the day. There are open air windows on one side if you're needing some extra oxygen as my husband was. Definitely do the boardwalk if you have time. Awesome views and good exercise!! Cool experience! read more

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Super crowded at the top. One hike was one a boardwalk wsd super crowded. The other hike was great up until a point when there was a narrow ledge we couldn't pass. We were disappointed that the "free" shuttle past us by and wouldn't pick us up. I guess they were full from the previous stop. We had to call a cab. We ended up heading back down way earlier than planned, my husband was pissed when he found out how much I paid for tickets. The resturaunts all require reservations. read more

Banff Gondola - Ride up - Parks Near Me - Banff, Alberta

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What an amazing experience here! My partner and i are pretty afraid of heights but we knew we would regret not checking this out. It honestly was not as bad as we play it out to be in our heads. The views were so beautiful and so worth the trip up. We didn't get to dine in at the restaurants up there because we went as soon as they opened to beat the rush. Staff were also very friendly read more

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This is tough. I loved the experience but it's massively overpriced if you ask me. $160 for two people?!? It's pretty and there are two restaurants, a coffee bar, and a gorgeous outdoor walking path to a deserted meteorology station high atop Sulphur Mountain - but $160 for two people?!?! The expansive views of the city of Banff and mountains all around are stunning on a clear day. We did it - to say we did. By the I by no means think it was worth the price. read more

Loveeeeed it!! Words cannot describe the view up there. The gondola ride up was fun. Just remember to dress warm bc it was cold. The walk to the top is easy too and the view is breathtaking. The good thing is they have. Pictures to show you what you are looking at for reference. But highly recommend doing this at least once. read more

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We took the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain as part of the Banff adventure package we purchased (the gondola, skywalk, icefield adventure, and a boat tour.... they're all amazing). You also have the option to hike up or down this mountain, which I'm guessing would take a few hours and definitely be a workout! The views from the gondola are gorgeous, as you can see the Banff downtown, the mountains, the gorgeous Fairmont Hotel, and we were even looking for bears through the trees throughout. I don't have a problem with heights and my husband does, yet he was totally fine on this. You're completely encapsulated and there's enough room to move around a bit. The parking lot to ride the gondola gets PACKED so it's recommended that you come early -- much before your assigned time. Once you get to the top, the views are even cooler. You get dropped off at a mini museum, complete with interactive activities, stories and cool art. We were up so high that we were in a cloud and couldn't see far, yet could definitely feel the difference. It was SO cold that we couldn't be outside for long and were grateful for the indoor museum as well. Don't miss getting to the top of this mountain while in Banff and get a pass beforehand so you can guarantee your ability to take the gondola! read more

After researching the Banff , Lake Louise and Jasper gondola rides it seems Banff was the way to go! Yes it's pricey $65 CAD pp plus taxes etc. It ended up being close to $150 for the both of us. I booked the reservation the night before and there were only two slots left. The 8:15 am slot or the 1:45 pm slot. I quickly booked the earlier slot since I heard that parking can be difficult later in the day. We got there at 8am and the parking lot was pretty empty. We easily found a spot. There aren't any lines or crowds and that was pretty epic! We were thrilled to get to ride in a gondola on our own. The ride only lasted for about 7-8 minutes. We got our coffee at their shop and went outside to enjoy the views. It was so amazing to experience the top with so few people. We also walked to top of the outlook and that was amazing as well. We loved it so much we ended up going back again later at night to listen to the live singers ! The staff there were so nice and friendly. One of the staff members Raphael told us about the music performers and sold us into coming back later! That was one of the highlights of our trip! read more

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Touristy/kitschy for sure, but it's a fun ride with amazing views. Decent restaurant up top and a Starbucks at the bottom. The boardwalk top site allows for some of the best elevated visuals you can get in the area. It's worth the price. read more

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This is a must-do when you're in Banff, although folks with a fear of heights may not be comfortable with the small size of the cars. The views from the top are just marvelous. Nice exhibits, many of them interactive. The food options are reasonable for this type of attraction read more

The Banff Gondola would not have been on my "Banff Must-Do" list, but I was obligated to buy a ticket once I booked a dinner for my boyfriend and I at Sky Bistro. I am afraid of heights so I was apprehensive about leveraging the gondola, but given that's the fastest way up, I went for it! Honestly, the experience here exceeded my expectations. For starters, even those afraid of heights really are fine as long as you don't look out too much. The operations are also a well-oiled machine. I thought we'd get there and have to wait in a huge line. Granted, there is a line, but it moves so fast given you can only get in line once your time bracket is up. I actually thought this would take so long that we'd be late for our reservation, but we ended up getting there 20 minutes early. Once we got up there, I was actually surprised at how much there is to do! Aside from the beautiful views (albeit it was VERY windy and chilly), there are two restaurants, a gift shop, museum, theater, etc. It also seems a relatively new build-- they did an amazing job! Dinner at Sky Bistro was fantastic-- highly recommend! You cannot get those dinner views anywhere else. Trip back down was as seamless as it was going up. There is an even bigger gift shop down at the base! Only feedback (and they obviously know this) is about parking. I felt like they don't warn you until AFTER you buy your ticket, but once you have a ticket, they email and text you stating that the parking lot here fills up by 11a so you have to take the bus. Their instructions are easy to follow and the bus system is free as long as you show your gondola ticket. But it added about 45 minutes that I had to plan for just to ensure we made it to our reservation on time. And also, I personally feel $50/ticket is a bit steep (and that's in USD, so in CAD, it's actually $65!). I'd say the target price point would be about $35 USD. However, given this is a family-friendly thing, I'm sure many are willing to pay the price to enjoy this experience with little ones without having to do that grueling hike up Sulphur Mountain. Regardless, this is still an experience I'd recommend and I'd like to get to Northern Lights (the other restaurant) next time I'm in Banff. read more

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