When you look at Banff’s resume, it’s clear why the famed spot in Alberta, Canada spot draws huge crowds in the high summer season.

History? Check. Banff National Park is Canada’s first national park and the third oldest national park in the world.

Pedigree? Check. Banff is rich in Canadian history and is a famed UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Good looks? Triple check. It’s home to soaring peaks, lush valleys and wildlife.

Things to do? Check. Downtown Banff, tucked into the base of the Canadian Rockies, is filled with great restaurants, bars, shopping and all kinds of entertainment, and the surroundings offer a myriad of outdoor and indoor activities.

Here’s the secret: Rather than plan a trip during that high season next summer, book for now. Because winter, Banff’s low season, may just be the best season of all.

It’s not just that Banff is home to three unique ski areas (https://www.skibig3.com/), although knowing that you’ll almost never find a winding lift line at any of those spots certainly motivates one to go; as does the wealth of great ski and ride schools throughout.

It’s not just that the crowds thin out, making it easy to secure reservations at even the most sought-after dining, entertainment and activity sites.

It’s that Banff in the winter is HQ for so many great things to do, both in that gorgeous natural setting, and at cozy indoor places.

As beautiful as those peaks and valleys are in the green of summer and fall, the white frosted gleam of winter is breathtaking.  Banff might just be the prettiest ski town on the planet.

Getting to Banff is easy. Fly into Calgary International Airport and rent your car from there. (You’ll want a rental. You may not use it all the time, since the region has a robust shuttle system, but most find a car useful for a winter visit).

You’ll enter Banff National Park less than two hours from the airport (a straight-shot 80 mile drive). Air Canada has flights; you can also connect on an American-based airline, connecting via cities like Chicago and Minneapolis.

You’ll need to purchase a Park Pass to access Banff. You can buy it at the gate, or to check it off the list, purchase and print out ahead of time at https://www.banfflakelouise.com/. A one-week family pass is under $150; individual and day passes are available as well.

Home base is an easy match no matter your style. For upscale, you cannot miss with the Fairmont Banff Springs (https://www.fairmont.com/banff-springs/) or the famed Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (https://www.fairmont.com/lake-louise/). For a comfortable in-town choice check out the Moose Hotel and Suites (https://moosehotelandsuites.com/). There are many more for every budget and style.

Then there’s Banff Sunshine, a ski resort where you can lodge overnight halfway up the mountain. Imagine being tucked in and cozy, close to the stars, for an entire winter night.

There are so many diverse activities and experiences unique to Banff –  a great spot to find and arrange them is https://www.banfflakelouise.com.

You can take on guided ice walking through the rocky gorges of Johnston Canyon and Grotto Canyon  Led by a certified guide and equipped with crampons strapped to your boots, you’ll follow frozen pathways through deep rock ravines carved out by centuries of moving water. Bonus: these areas are inaccessible in the high season.

You can book a dogsled tour through Banff that not only takes you to remote and beautiful spots, but teaches you about mushing.

You can ride the Banff Gondola, an immersive experience that celebrates and teaches about both the nature surrounding you and the Indigenous population that has inhabited that land for centuries.

You can soak and relax all day at the incredible Banff Spa, where you’ll find spring-fed pools, massage and body treatments, great food and an incredible view.

You can ice skate (Lake Louise outside the Fairmont is a bucket list skating spot you’ll treasure), go tubing on Mount Norquay (where you can also dine at the peak, looking down on the lovely town), take a sleigh ride across a giant frozen lake or through deep woods, savor unique cocktails and local sourced food in the smorgasbord of dining spots or just meander along the town’s fun streets.

Winter may be dubbed Banff’s low season, but for those who don’t mind bundling up to find their joy, it’s the highest level of fun.

Take in a sleigh ride across a frozen lake or through lush wintery woods at Lake Louise. (Photo Paul Zizka/Banff Lake Louise Tourism)

Banff is tucked up against the Canadian Rockies, surrounding the town with gorgeous views. (Photo Moira McCarthy)