The town of Banff Alberta was established in 1883 when the trans-continental railway was built through the Bow River valley. The town of Banff is the centre of recreation, tourism, and dining in the Canadian Rockies and Banff National Park. Visitors to Banff Alberta enjoy exploring and shopping on Banff Avenue. It has shops, boutiques, sporting goods stores, and restaurants to cater to every taste. Banff also many affordable motels and hotels, mostly along Banff Avenue, plus the internationally renowned Banff Springs Hotel overlooking the Bow River.
Tourists are always surprised by the variety and proximity of wild animals around town.