Take a day off and see a film in Banff

Films at Lux Theatre in Banff, Alberta

Banff National Park offers endless outdoor opportunities. Activities that can leave you dead at the end of the day. Mountain biking, hiking, skiing, backpacking, snowboarding … all of these activities, while fun, can leave you without energy by the day’s end.

Going to the movies was probably the last thing you were thinking of when you planned a trip to the Canadian Rockies, but it may be just the perfect way to let your body relax after a long day outdoors.

On Tuesday nights in Banff you can go to the Lux Theatre, the only one in town, and grab a big box of popcorn, a pop (or bottle of water if you’re the healthy type) and a ticket to the film of your choice for a good price. Afterward, a lot of Banff residents like to walk over to the Elk and Oarsman for a $8 steak with a glass of beer. After a long day of running around Banff National Park, you’ll be ready to dig into a big steak.

Banff always gets busy at peak times of the year, but it is not Calgary, so the theatre may be small, or “quaint” by some people’s standards. Usually there are 3 movies showing at the most per evening and depending on the movie, there is often a crowd waiting patiently in the cold.

If you can, book your tickets early in the day so you can cruise over to Bear street and into the warmth without delay. It is nice escaping the world of special effects and cinematography and then being released back into the world that is equally, if not more beautiful than the pictures.