Try something new this holiday season and take family travel to Alberta, Canada, for the outdoor, fun-filled winter festival of SnowDays. From Jan. 17 to Feb. 2, families can check out the three-week festival in Banff National Park and Lake Louise.
Family-friendly festival activities include:
Ice Magic
Purchase tickets to watch sculptors create masterpieces in real time before heading back later to walk through illuminated displays at the unique frozen gallery.

© Travel Alberta
Snow Sculptures
At four different locations in downtown Banff, observe sculptors carve, cut and smooth their snow piles to create magical and festive sculptures.
Skijoring with Style
On Jan. 18–19, make your way to Banff Avenue for one of the most exciting events of the festival — skijoring. During this event, Alberta’s wrangler roots meet its world-renowned ski culture for an event filled with horse riding, trick riding and ski tricks.
Play Zones
On Wednesday through Sunday throughout the festival, take the kids to the Play Zone for winter fun such as tobogganing, fat biking, curling and more Canadian games.

Skijoring © Travel Alberta
Live Entertainment
Head to Bear Street for live music, circus acts, street performers and more. After your stroll, warm up with a hot chocolate by one of the warm fire pits.
During your time in the Banff area, make Moose Hotel and Suites, Elk Avenue Hotel or Peaks Hotel and Suites your homebase.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedHotels
Sep 29, 2026This Hotel Brand Brings Gaming, eSports Right to Your Room
This year, after a successful pilot of gaming rooms and a gaming studio at nhow Berlin, nhow Hotels & Resorts takes gaming to the next level with the launch of GAME:NXT by nhow, a new gaming and esports ecosystem bringing interactive digital experiences to hotel stays. Family travelers can now enjoy hospitality blended with gaming and digital culture.
Sponsored Content
GET TO KNOW TAP FORBIZ
Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal’s program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business.
Travel Tips
Sep 23, 2026Move to the Music and Rhythm of Destinations Around the World
The true rhythm of a country is felt away from the main tourist traps. Galleries, museums and historic sites provide an overview, but you need to go elsewhere to experience the living, beating heart of a place. For instance, immerse yourself in the humid turmoil of a Durban underground club, or get to grips with the formal group dances of the Scottish Highlands, or become part of the foot-stomping camaraderie of a Galway pub, or ride the waves of neon-lit energy in a Seoul basement nightclub.
Caribbean
Sep 21, 2026Sonesta Sint Maarten’s Newest Deal is Perfect Excuse for Fall Getaway
Autumn at home might be filled with changing leaves and pumpkin spice, but, in the Caribbean, it means sunshine and sandy beaches. In other words, it’s a great place to sneak off for a fall getaway to recharge and refresh before the holidays are upon us, and the current deal offered at Sonesta Sint Maarten resorts make it an affordable option for families and couples.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Hotels
Sep 18, 2026“MasterChef” Experience Coming to Dreams Resorts & Spas in Mexico, Caribbean
Beyond resort pools and beaches, family travelers (especially little ones) crave immersive and learning experiences. One brand, Hyatt’s Dreams Resorts & Spas, leans into this shift with an expanded collaboration with MasterChef Junior.
ShareThis