15 Canadian Tourist Traps That Are Total Letdowns

2. Banff Townsite (AB): Nature, Now with Traffic Jams

Banff’s surrounding scenery is the kind of jaw-dropping wilderness you fly across oceans for—but the town itself has become a gridlocked mess, especially during peak travel months. The charm of a mountain village is lost in a blur of tour buses, overpriced chain stores, and frantic tourists all vying for overpriced hotel rooms and parking spots. You’ll find more souvenir shops than solitude, and even the trails closest to town are often packed elbow-to-elbow. What should feel like a quiet retreat into the Rockies starts to feel like navigating a themed outlet mall with better views. Instead, explore Kananaskis Country or Yoho National Park, where the lakes are just as turquoise, the peaks just as tall, and the silence just as soul-stirring—only without the traffic jams and inflated resort vibe.