Are you planning a lake vacation to Lake Louise? Start by finding the perfect Lake Louise vacation rental, and then turn your thoughts to what you want to do while you’re there. Lake Louise is a stunning lake formed by glaciers, and it is located in Alberta, Canada. The area is famous for its easy access to outdoor activities, great skiing in the winter, and stunning scenery that anyone is welcome to enjoy. Unlike many other mountain lakes, Lake Louise is accessible by car, making it great for all ages in the family. While you’re there, here are the ten best family activities in Lake Louise that you should plan on doing.

1. Boating

As a smaller lake, most of the boating on Lake Louise involves canoes and kayaks. If you want to take to the water on a larger boat, schedule a boat tour on nearby Lake Minnewanka and catch amazing views of the Canadian Rockies.

2. Dog Sledding

If you’re staying at a lakeside cabin rental in the winter months, you and the family can enjoy a dog sledding tour. Kingmik Dog Sled Tours offer several different tours, including one that takes you along the Great Divide. You and the family start the tour by getting to the know the dogs and learning more about steering a dog sled. On the way back, you can take turns steering the dog sleds.

3. Horseback Riding

No matter what time of year you visit the lake, you and your group can enjoy a day or afternoon of horseback riding. Timberline Tours offer day tours or an opportunity to ride all day and camp out overnight. You can choose between a ride around Lake Louise, Lake Agnes Teahouse, or Plain of Six Glaciers. After your ride, you can unwind with a low-key dinner at your vacation rental.

4. Explore a Glacier

Glaciers moving across the land created Lake Louise and the entire area. Gather the family together to spend some time exploring a glacier. The Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure takes you out to the Athabasca Glacier; you can walk on the glacier and enjoy sipping some of the pure water created by it. When you get back to your vacation rental, you can warm up by the fire or settle down under a warm quilt.

5. Skiing

Staying at the lake in the winter lets you enjoy some skiing at Lake Louise Ski Resort. This ski resort offers slopes for all skill levels of skiers and lessons for the beginners in your family. Don’t worry if you don’t have skis – you can rent everything you need there, or store your skis in one of the closets of your lakeside rental cabin.

6. Stargazing

While enjoying a lake vacation, you and your family can take advantage of the isolated location and enjoy an evening of stargazing. Dark Sky Adventures in Jasper National Park takes your family for a night out that they won’t forget. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada has designated Jasper National Park as a designated dark sky preserve. Afterward, you can try to pick out the stars you saw from the deck of the rental cottage.

7. Relax in Hot Springs

Take the family for some much-deserved relaxation while staying on Lake Louise. At the nearby Banff Hot Springs, you can enjoy the naturally heated water, open daily from the autumn to the late spring. There are three hot springs in the area to visit, so get those swimsuits out of the dresser at your rental home and get ready for a day of unwinding.

8. Cross Country Skiing

Cross country skiing is your family’s chance to explore the natural beauty created by winter in the Canadian Rockies. Get your skis out of the closet of your vacation rental and head out into Banff National Park for a day of cross-country skiing and views of frozen lakes and snow-covered mountains. If you don’t own your own equipment, check with one of the local outfitters to rent what you need.

9. Hiking

Get outside and get active with a hike around Lake Louise. The lake has five different trails for hiking; the shortest takes around 45 minutes to complete, and the longest takes around five hours. Take a hike to the Lake Agnes Tea House or to the Plain of Six Glaciers. While both of these hikes can take four hours or more, you can enjoy a snack at a tea house before making the return trip or enjoy your favorite coffee blend when you return to your lakeside cabin rental.

10. Ice Skating

Take the family for a few hours of ice skating during your winter visit to Lake Louise. In Banff, you can ice skate at the Waldhaus Rink in the Spray Meadow. It’s close to the hotel, with a warming hut and fire pit to warm up when you get cold. When hunger strikes, take the family to the German pub above the skating rink for a quick meal or grill out when you return to your vacation rental home.