Alberta is a province in Western Canada, situated between British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Its landscape includes vast prairies, mountains, deserts, badlands, and forested brushlands. It also has more than 500 lakes and numerous mineral deposits. In the west, the Canadian Rocky Mountains Parks contain glaciers on the Columbia Icefields. Keep reading to find many amazing things to do in Alberta.
Blog Contents
Cities & Towns
Things To Do In Calgary Alberta
Downtown, Banff photo by GoToVan under CC License https://www.flickr.com/photos/gotovan/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Calgary is Canada’s third-largest city and offers a wide variety of tourist attractions. Besides the expected dining and shopping experiences, here are some places that you might want to visit in Calgary:
The Calgary Zoo
Located inside the city, the Calgary Zoo has eight habitats and over 1000 animals. The zones include Land of Lemurs, Penguin Plunge, Conservatory Gardens & Butterflies, Panda Passage, Eurasia, Prehistoric Park, Destination Africa, and the Canadian Wilds. They’re open every day except for Christmas Day. (you may want to double-check that their schedule hasn’t changed)
Calgary Stampede
One of Calgary’s most famous attractions is the Calgary Stampede. For 10 days every July, Calgary comes to life, beginning with a parade to kick off the festival. The main event is the rodeo which is one of the largest in the world. Here, cowboys and cowgirls compete as they ride bulls, wrestle steers, and more. You can also watch chuckwagon racing at the Rangeland Derby.
The festival also includes an exhibition of ranching and agricultural displays, as well as skills competitions. There’s also a midway where you can enjoy rides, games, food, and even concerts. If you looking for more to do, many vendors have their wares for sale that the Stampede Market.
Calgary Tower
Built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Canada, the Calgary Tower rises
190.8 metres (626 ft.), and is located right in the heart of downtown Calgary.
On the ground floor level is a restaurant, a gift and souvenir shop, and of course, the kiosk to purchase your tickets. Your ticket allows you to take the elevator up to the observation deck, where you get a third 360° view of the city of Calgary, as well as the Rocky Mountains.
You might want to have lunch or dinner at the Sky 360 Restaurant and Lounge, which is a rotating restaurant 155 meters (508 feet) above the city. Calgary Tower also has a theatre that plays films about the tower’s history, as well as the province of Alberta in general.
Other things to do in Calgary include the Glenbow Museum, Studio Bell, the home of the National Music Centre, and Rafting Down the Bow River.
Things To Do In Edmonton Alberta
Situated about 3 hours north of Calgary, Edmonton, the capital of Alberta is a city of approximately 1.5 million people. The winding North Saskatchewan River is lined with many beautiful Parks across the whole city.
The West Edmonton Mall
One of the things that bring tourists to Edmonton, is to visit the second-largest mall in North America. The West Edmonton Mall was the largest mall in the world until 2004. If you’re thinking, “How much shopping can I possibly do?”, this mall is a whole lot more than just shopping.
It does have over 800 stores, with a shopping area that is themed after bourbon street in New Orleans, and another one with a European feel. It also has over 100 restaurants, for those who like a large selection.
There is also a five-acre water park, an indoor amusement park with 24 rides, an indoor skating rink, and much more. There are also two hotels for you to stay in if you want to spend more than one day here, and by the way, you’ll probably want to.
Fort Edmonton Park
Enjoy walking through history, and learn about how the city of Edmonton became what it is today.
The Indigenous Peoples Experience shows the history and culture of the original inhabitants of this area.
Learn about the time of the fur trade and experience what it was like in 1846 as you explore the reconstructed Fort Edmonton trading post.
Experience the hustle and bustle of a street in 1885, as Edmonton started to become a small town. Next, visit 1905 Street, when the population had already grown to about 10,000 people. 1920 Street highlights the time after World War I. It includes the Capitol Theater, a 243 seat replica of the original theater in 1929.
Finally, your trip to Fort Edmonton Park wouldn’t be complete without enjoying some time at the Midway and Exhibition, which includes a Ferris Wheel and a Games Alley, which are done in the style of the 1920s.
Other fun things to do in Edmonton include going to the Edmonton Valley Zoo, exploring the TELUS World of Science, and visiting the Royal Alberta Museum.
Things To Do In Banff Alberta
As you head towards the mountains west of Calgary on Highway 1, after 1.5 hours you will arrive in the beautiful town of Banff. It is located right inside Banff National Park.
Banff is a popular resort town, famous for its skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and hot springs. Banff also has a number of tourist attractions that are worth checking out.
Banff Gondola
You can enjoy the beautiful mountain views while taking an 8 minute gondola ride up to the base of Sulphur Mountain.
Once there, she will have arrived at the Gondola Summit. Here you can take in the views from the rooftop observatory, view the exhibits and learn about the area, grab a coffee, or sit down for dinner at a restaurant. Before you go, you might want to buy something at the gift shop.
From the summit, you can walk the two-kilometre boardwalk up to the top of Sanson’s Peak. The views from here, are spectacular.
Banff Trail Riders
If you love horseback riding, you won’t want to miss seeing the beautiful mountain scenery while on a trail ride. There are numerous rides available ranging from 1 hour to 4 hours in length.
One of the favourite rides is the BBQ Cookout, where you ride horseback to a 3 Mile Cabin and enjoy a good old steak lunch or dinner, cowboy style. If you’re not up to the horseback ride, you can opt for a horse-drawn wagon ride.
Banff Trail Riders also have overnight rides from 1 to 5 nights, where you can enjoy horseback riding during the day, and stay in one of their beautiful rustic cabins at night.
They also have carriage rides that tour the town of Banff, as well as sleigh rides in the winter.
Fairmont Banff Springs
In the late 1800s, the Canadian Pacific Railway began establishing the vast cross-country railway system in Canada. Along with the railway, they built a number of beautiful hotels, some of which are now Canadian historic landmarks.
Although it may be a little expensive for some, if you get a chance, you will not regret staying at the majestic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Even if you can’t afford to stay there, you should at least go there and take in its majestic beauty, set in the picturesque Rocky Mountains.
While in the Banff area, you may also want to check out the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, as well as the Banff Park Museum National Historic Site.
Nature & Parks
Unique Things To Do In Alberta – Dinosaur Provincial Park
Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta photo by Suzanne Schroeter under CC License https://www.flickr.com/photos/shezamm/
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
In the southeast corner of Alberta, basically from the Saskatchewan border to Drumheller, and down to the U.S. border to the south, lies the Alberta badlands.
In the heart of the badlands lies Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As the name implies, it is known for its abundance of dinosaur skeletons. In fact, it is one of the largest fossil sites in the world.
Because the park is a protected area, exploring can only be done by joining a guided tour. At the visitor center, you can view many exhibits where you can learn about the fossils, as well as the history of the park and the area.
There is a video theatre for further learning, as well as a gift shop for you to grab a souvenir before you leave.
Jasper National Park Of Canada
If your lover of outdoor beauty and activities, you’ll want to visit Jasper National Park. It is located in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Alberta.
There are so many things to do here every season.
In the winter you can go downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, ice climbing, ice skating, and more. Why not tour the Athabasca Glacier on a snow coach?
Popular things to do in the spring, summer, and fall, include camping, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, and fishing.
Many of the normal park amenities are also available including, picnic areas, playgrounds, restaurants, and even a museum to learn the history of the area.
For more information visit Jasper National Park’s website.
Elk Island National Park
A little more than half an hour east of Edmonton Alberta, the Yellowhead Hwy passes through Elk Island National Park. Although it is one of the smaller National Parks and Canada, with 194 sq. km (75 sq mi), it is amazingly fully fenced.
For over 100 years, this park has been conserving some of the animal species whose dwindling numbers had some of them on the brink of extinction. This included the elk, bison, and even the local beaver.
Today, nature lovers and birdwatchers come to hike and observe, hoping to spot some of the 250 species of birds, or even one or more of the larger mammals, such as deer, moose, elk, and of course the bison.
Along with hiking, the part is great for biking. Elk Island National Park also has camping available, along with breaks for canoeing, kayaking, and even swimming.
Attractions
Heritage Park Historical Village
In the city of Calgary lies 127 acres of historical fun known as Heritage Park. It is made up of Historical Village, Gasoline Alley, restaurants, and shops.
At Historical Village, you will learn about Western Canadian life spanning the 1860s to the 1950s. You can see real historical buildings as well as replicas. It is Canada’s largest living history museum which allows you to really feel what it was like in those times.
You can take a ride on an antique steam train, as well as a paddlewheel boat. You’ll enjoy learning stories about the old days from people in authentic costumes.
Gasoline Alley Museum is a fun display of old cars, trucks, signs, and even gasoline pumps.
Overall, there’s enough to do in Heritage Park to make this a great day trip.
Royal Tyrrell Museum
The Royal Tyrrell Museum photo by Jan Mosimann under CC License https://www.flickr.com/photos/140712914@N07/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
If you love dinosaurs, you’re gonna love this museum. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is pretty much all about dinosaurs, fossils, and anything else that’s really, really old.
There are 13 main exhibits, which include one of the largest dinosaur collections in the world. Many of the exhibits are displayed in very lifelike settings, which makes for a very realistic experience.
There are many fossils on display representing life from both the water and land, including animals, fish, and plants. Only 0.05% of the museum’s total fossil collection is displayed at one time.
They also have many fun and creative programs to help you learn about prehistoric life. One of them is a 1 hour hike in Midland Provincial Park where a guide can show you how the rocks and landscape can teach us about history. It is called the Seven Wonders of the Badlands.
Royal Tyrrell Museum is located about an hour and a half east of Calgary, in Drumheller.
Alberta Road Trips
Icefields Parkway From Jasper To Banff
If you want to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Rocky Mountains, there’s no better way than by taking the drive from Jasper to Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway and then continuing on to Banff.
If you’re staying in Edmonton, it’s about a 4 hour drive west on the Yellowhead Hwy to get to Jasper. If you plan on taking your time on the drive to Banff, you may want to consider staying the night in Jasper before you go. There are quite a few accommodations in the area, and the town has many shops and restaurants to explore.
The drive from Jasper to Banff is 288 km (179 mi) and usually takes at least three and a half to 4 hours. Make sure you fill your gas tank up in Jasper, although there is one more station at the Saskatchewan River Crossing, which is about 153 kilometres from Jasper.
The route is full of twists and turns, wildlife, rivers, lakes, and some of the most beautiful views in the world. Don’t forget to check out the glaciers. There are so many places to stop and take pictures or go for a hike, that it is easy for the drive to take a whole day.
Although the road is open in the winter, it depends on the weather. The summer months offer a much safer and more picturesque drive.
In Summary
Alberta is a very diverse province of Canada. From the Rocky Mountains to the flat grasslands, from forests to badlands, from large cities to quaint little towns, and from rushing rivers to beautiful lakes, there are so many things to do in Alberta for everyone who visits here.
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