Places to vacation in alberta
Banff National Park
Alberta is filled with beautiful scenery, but it doesn’t get much better than Banff National Park. The gemstone of Canada’s oldest national park is the indisputably beautiful Lake Louise with its deep blue glacial waters. Not too far from Lake Louise is the equally pretty Moraine Lane, which has been featured on a Canadian $20 bill.
Calgary
Situated at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers, Calgary is Alberta’s largest city with 1.4 million people. Named for a village on the Scottish Isle of Mull, Calgary played a role in the early Northwest fur trade.
Though it hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics, it is perhaps better known for its annual Calgary Stampede, one of the top rodeos in North America that attracts more than a million people annually. The city has an impressive skyline, one punctuated by skyscrapers. When it comes to the arts, Calgary is home to the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, a major performing arts center.
Waterton Lakes National Park
The amazing Waterton Lakes National Park; it’s easily one of the best places in Alberta to visit as it’s totally beautiful. For me, the jewel in the park’s crown is the sparkling sapphire lake and hilltop castle that make it look like something out of a movie.
Now, while Banff and Jasper are often more popular with visitors, Waterton seems to have escaped some people’s radars. So, if you looking to escape the crowds and still make the most of that stunning Canadian natural scenery, Waterton is really where you should visit.
Jasper National Park
If you’re seeking awesome glacial scenery, Jasper National Park is the best place to visit in Alberta. The park is home to Columbia Ice Fields, the largest ice field in the Rocky Mountains and one of the largest non-polar ice fields in the world.
You can ride a special vehicle onto the ice fields, drink from glacial waters and then take a glass-floored skywalk out over the glacier. As the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, Jasper National Park is also home to a variety of wildlife, so you might see moose, caribou, deer, wolverines and grizzly bears, among other animals.
Edmonton
Alberta’s capital, Edmonton, is the most northern city in North America with a population of more than one million people. At one time, the city was home to the largest mall in North America, the West Edmonton Mall, but another mall now claims that honor.
Edmonton is known for hosting festivals throughout the year; hence, its nickname: Canada’s festival city. Its biggest festival is K-Days; the K stands for Klondike. Its July street performers festival attracts artists from all over the world. Edmonton also hosts an international Fringe festival also as big as the one in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
If dinosaurs are your passion, you’ll love visiting Dinosaur Provincial Park, where more than 40 species of dinosaurs have been discovered. It’s one of the richest dinosaur finds in the world; specimens unearthed here can be found in museums around the world.
Dinosaurs aside, you’ll also see plant fossils, plus the park is a good place to see wildlife, such as coyotes, deer and pronghorns. Curlews and Canada geese are among 165 bird species found here. Near the visitor center, you’ll find the cabin of John Ware, an African-American who was a notable rancher in the area.
Elk Island National Park
Elk Island National Park is more than just a sanctuary elk, which was its original purpose long before it became a park. Located just over 30 km (20 miles) from Edmonton it was established to save bison. The park is not Canada’s largest, though it is the largest fully enclosed national park.
Besides elk, moose and bison, you may also see deer, beaver coyotes and lynx. Wolves and black bears inhabit the park but usually aren’t seen by visitors. Winter and summer outdoors recreation abounds. Inside the park, you’ll also see the Ukrainian Pioneer Home, the first Canadian museum dedicated to Ukrainian immigrants.
The park is a year-round tourist destination, drawing hikers in the summer and skiers in the winter. The town of Banff, which hosts an annual winter carnival, is located within the park. About three million people pass through the park annua
Drumheller
If you want to dig into the past, Drumheller is the place to go. It’s located 110 km (68 miles) northeast of Calgary in the Red Deer River Valley, which is also known as Dinosaur Valley. Just south of the town is the world’s largest dinosaur, a 26-meter (86-foot) high tyrannosaurus rex. Next to it is one of Canada’s largest water fountain.
Plus, you can learn more about dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, Canada’s largest fossil collection. But Drumheller is more than dinosaurs. Next to the ski hill is where the Canadian Badlands Passion Play takes place every July.
Canmore
Canmore is a pleasant town between Calgary and Banff National Park. It is named for Malcolm III of Scotland, whose nickname was Canmore. The former coal mining town gained fame when it hosted the Nordic events for the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
Movie buffs may be interested to know Brokeback Mountain, Shanghai Noon, or Yhe Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford are among the films shot in Canmore. If you’re on a budget, but still want to enjoy the delights of Banff and Lake Louise, Canmore accommodations are less expensive.