The very diverse province of Alberta is very nice to visit. Nice villages and towns alternate pleasantly with the impressive nature in this area of the Rocky Mountains. Many tourists follow the famous Icefields Parkway that takes you past the most beautiful places in Alberta. There are wonderful picnic areas along the way and a walk is easily made. But cities and towns such as Edmonton, Calgary, Banff and Red Deer are also excellent destinations. In Alberta’s nature you can find a lot of different elements, which together provide panoramic pictures that will be burned on your retina. Mountains, forests, glaciers, lakes, canyons, hot springs, wildlife, prairies, hilly grasslands and raging rivers alternate.
Alberta ‘s Top 10 Things to Do
#1. Banff National Park
According to WHICHEVERHEALTH.COM, the route to or from Banff National Park alone is worth the effort. Along the way, you may even spot wild bears or deer foraging by the roadside. Banff National Park is perhaps the best known and according to many the most beautiful park in Canada. In any case, it was the country’s first national park. Since it was founded in 1885, it has become a lot more commercial, which naturally entails a certain amount of hustle and bustle. Especially around the Rocky Mountains at Lake Louise Moraine Lake, Valley of the Ten Peaks and elsewhere along the Icefields Parkway route can be quite busy during the summer months. This is also because many places are on the list of Unesco World Heritage. Within the boundaries of Banff National Park are some impressive glaciers to discover. The eternal ice and the snow on it have the most spectacular color blue with a little sunlight. There is also plenty to do in terms of hiking trails. You can encounter all kinds of game such as bears, lynx, wolves, otters, squirrels, marmots and reindeer. In Banff there are several organizations that offer various activities. The area is ideal for rafting, treetop to treetop zip lines, golf, skiing and horseback riding. In addition, you can enjoy shopping and good food in the ski resort of Banff.
#2. Columbia Icefields
The largest expanse of ice in the Canadian Rocky Mountains is located near the border between British Columbia and Alberta. The area is frequently visited because the Banff and Jasper National Parks are also located here. The origin of this ice surface lies in the Ice Age, thousands of years ago. In the nineteenth century a number of glaciers and ice surfaces were discovered that we now know as Columbia Icefields and the Icefields Parkway. On this route you can now enjoy beautiful views, snow-capped peaks and glaciers such as Athabasca Glacier, Dome Glacier, Stutfield Glacier, Castleguard Glacier, Columbia Glacier and Saskatchewan Glacier. The Athabasca Glacier is fairly easy to visit. From the car park there is a moderate climb that takes about fifteen minutes. It is expected and advised to be in good condition, as you will be above 2000 meters. For some, this can cause breathing difficulties. Fortunately for those people and other enthusiasts there is also the possibility to visit the glacier up close with a special snow-resistant vehicle ‘snow coach’. Unfortunately, the snow and ice surface of the Athabasca Glacier has declined by more than 50% in the last one hundred and twenty-five years. since you are above 2000 meters. For some, this can cause breathing difficulties. Fortunately for those people and other enthusiasts there is also the possibility to visit the glacier up close with a special snow-resistant vehicle ‘snow coach’. Unfortunately, the snow and ice surface of the Athabasca Glacier has declined by more than 50% in the last one hundred and twenty-five years. since you are above 2000 meters. For some, this can cause breathing difficulties. Fortunately for those people and other enthusiasts there is also the possibility to visit the glacier up close with a special snow-resistant vehicle ‘snow coach’. Unfortunately, the snow and ice surface of the Athabasca Glacier has declined by more than 50% in the last one hundred and twenty-five years.
#3. Bow Lake
One of the most beautiful roadside surprises on Icefield Parkway is Bow Lake. A beautiful expanse of glacial lake gleams towards you, with the dramatic high peaks of the Canadian Rockies beyond. The color palette sometimes produces very nice pictures. And when you are lucky enough that the water is super tight, it seems as if you are looking meters deep into the abyss. The reflection of the mountains is then the ‘icing on the cake’.
#4. Jasper National Park
Both the place Jasper and the national park are fantastic. During the winter months it is a popular winter sports area. And during the summer months, the place is frequented by campers who drop by in their RV or caravan. Jasper is a fantastic park for camping. During the day you can experience all kinds of sports and activities and in the evening you can enjoy a delicious barbeque or relax with a drink by the campfire. Jasper National Park is known for its bears, the many reindeer, marmots, scenic hiking trails and the sights along the Icefields Parkway.
#5. Dinosour Provincial Park
Nowhere in the world have so many dinosaur fossils been found as here in Alberta Canada. Dinosour Provincial Park is even included in the list of Unesco World Heritage for this. Over the years, more than thirty-five different dinosaurs have been found. The rugged mountainous area of Dinosour Provincial Park is not only photogenic, but also very nice to walk through. For enthusiasts there are also walks and tours led by a guide.
#6. Calgary
Most tourists who come to western Canada often land in Vancouver or Calgary. Calgary is a lot closer to the Rocky Mountains in Canada. From here, the national parks such as Banff and Jasper are excellent to visit. Like Banff and Jasper, Calgary is also a popular winter sports destination during the winter months. As the largest city in the province of Alberta, there is of course plenty to do. In ‘Cowtown’, as Calgary is nicknamed, you can enjoy excellent shopping, dining out, soaking up culture and regularly visiting a festival. International Blues Festival, GlobalFest, Nuit Blanche and Calgary Stampede are a huge success every year. In short, they like to party. And the largest museum in western Canada is also located here in Calgary. The Glenbow Museum excels at translating the background of Alberta in a special way.
#7. Royal Tyrrell Museum
Because so many dinosaur fossils have been found in the province of Alberta near Brooks, a museum about these impressive animals was inevitable. The Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller is therefore a very impressive museum. With a collection of more than one hundred and thirty thousand fossils, it can count itself as one of the largest in the world. The museum was founded about 1884 by geologist Joseph Burr Tyrrell, who found the very first carnivorous dinosaur in the area. In addition to exhibitions, the Royal Tyrrell Museum also offers interesting workshops and excursions.
#8. Johnston Canyon
In the vicinity of Banff National Park and Lake Louise on the Trans Canada Highway, you can visit Johnston Canyon and Johnston Creek. A walk in Johnston Canyon provides beautiful views with waterfalls, jagged rock formations and bridges. During the winter months, the falls are visited for ice climbing. Johnston Canyon is easiest to get to via Bow Valley Parkway. From here there is a clear trail signposted towards the waterfalls ‘Lower Falls and Upper Falls’.
#9. Edmonton
As the capital of the province of Alberta, the city of Edmonton attracts many visitors every year. Nicknames like ‘Canada’s Festival City’ give an immediate impression of what to expect. Art and culture are highly valued here. Nice sights such as Fort Edmonton Park, the beautiful parliament building and the Royal Alberta Museum are certainly not an annoying pastime. You can also enjoy excellent shopping in Downtown Edmonton. Famous street names such as Sir Winston Churchill Square and Jasper Avenue are filled with a variety of fashion stores and other boutiques. When the harsh winter arrives, you can easily move to the immense shopping centers of Edmonton.
#10. Herritage Park Historical Village
Alberta’s Herritage Park Historical Village offers a unique opportunity to learn about the region’s past. The open-air museum is divided into different periods of Canada’s western history. Of course, the railway history cannot be missed. But the fur trade and livestock farming have also been given a prominent place. Many of the buildings are original or carefully reconstructed. The park’s employees, dressed in the right time, really bring it to life. Herritage Park Historical Village is located in the southwest of the city of Calgary.
