Discover what to do in Alberta – Canada the city surrounded by jagged cliffs, golden fur bears along the road and placid, turquoise lakes that reflect imposing pines.
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Alberta – Canada
The landscape here is virtually rugged, especially in the two sprawling national parks on Alberta's western edge.
At the east, you'll find windswept prairies where modern day cowboys still personify the Old West. Canada's pioneering spirit thrives in Alberta's peaks and plains, and our experts have explored the region so we can plan your Alberta vacation around your interests.
You Banff and Jasper National Parks boast some of the most pristine scenery in the Rocky Mountains, which you can explore on a guided helicopter hike above the forest line or on a rafting trip down the icy Athabasca River.
For a more leisurely stroll past the mirrored lakes and soaring peaks that line the Icefields Parkway or take a narrated boat ride on the azure blue glacial waters of Maligne Lake.
More to the south, in Waterton Lakes National Park, the mountains are just as impressive, but much quieter.
At the east of Alberta, look for dinosaur tracks in the dusty cobblestones of the Alberta Badlands or visit the Calgary Stampede, where in July you can watch rodeos and wagon races.
Where is Alberta – Canada
Things to do in Alberta – Canada
Below is a list of everything you can enjoy in Alberta.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Dinosaur Provincial Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located about a two-hour drive east of Calgary amidst the stunning topography of the Badlands.
Known for being one of the largest deposits of dinosaur fossils in the world, thirty-nine dinosaur species, over 75 million years old, have been discovered here and over 500 specimens have been removed for display in museums around the world.
The park has a very complex ecosystem, including poplars surrounded by grasslands and some of the most northern cactus species in the world.
Rabbits, deer, pronghorn antelope, rattles and snakes are found in the park, while at dusk coyotes and hawks are commonly seen.
banff national park
Amidst the soaring snowy mountains of Banff National Park, the city of Banff has always been a gateway to the Canadian Rockies.
This is where Canada's national park system began, when railroad workers discovered the Cave and Basin National Historic Site in 1883.
You can visit this geothermal site along with the forested hiking and biking trails and emerald lakes. You can also visit museums and galleries that celebrate the region's wildlife, landscapes and culture.
Your time in Banff will likely revolve around exploring the great outdoors. Banff National Park has nearly 1,500 km of trails that lead to lakes, glaciers, rivers, waterfalls and ridges. They range from short, gentle hikes to steep climbs.
Several trails are close to the city. The Fenland Loop Trail, a 2 km (1.2 mile) route, takes you through spruce forest along the banks of Forty Mile Creek. Look for beavers, bald eagles and ospreys as you hike.
You can also take the steep 2.3 km hike to the top of Tunnel Mountain for panoramic views over Banff, the Bow and Spray River valleys and the surrounding peaks.
For the best elevated views, take the Banff Gondola or follow a 7-mile switchback to the summit of Sulfur Mountain. From its crown, you can gaze down on the city, which seems to be overshadowed by the adjacent mountains. A visitor center with interactive exhibits informs you about the park's ecosystem and history.
For cyclists, there's the Banff Legacy Trail, which runs parallel to the Trans-Canada Highway between Banff and Canmore. The 4.5 km (2.8 mile) path is dotted with interpretive plaques detailing the national park's history and wildlife.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced rider, you can join a guided horseback tour. Setting out on a trail through the forest, mountains sliding by as your guide tells you about Banff and its wider national park.
Banff's many outdoor companies offer canoes for rent. You can paddle along the gentle Bow River or follow Forty Mile Creek to the Vermillion Lakes.
There are also gentle float tours that lend themselves to spotting wildlife including beavers, elk and birds of prey.
Meanwhile, rafting tours depart from Horseshoe Canyon on the Lower Bow River.
Calgary – Alberta
When visiting Calgary, you can explore museums about First Nations culture and early settlers, try your hand at bobsleighing or ice skating in Canada's Olympic Park, or hunt for dinosaur fossils in the Canadian Badlands.
Calgary Stampede
Alberta's biggest festival, the Calgary Stampede it is held annually for nine days starting on the first Friday of July. From its humble beginnings in 1912, the festival now attracts over a million visitors who come to revel in the lively Old West atmosphere, donning jeans, boots and cowboy hats.
canadian badlands
From Calgary, you can spend a day exploring the Canadian Badlands. The area is known for its barren, barren landscape, dotted with otherworldly hoodoo stone spiers – you'll stop at an interpretive center to learn more about the local geology, history, flora and fauna.
Here you can visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology and talk to fossil scientists and learn more about the process of discovering and collecting fossils. You'll also have the chance to join a 3 km (1.9 mile) guided walk to look for dinosaur fossils and bones.
Bobsleigh at Canada Olympic Park
Created for the 1988 Winter Olympics, Olympic Park Canada is now operated by WinSport Canada as a venue for practicing athletes and members of the public who want to experience a variety of winter and summer sporting activities. Ice skating, luge, and cross-country skiing are options for winter visitors (November to March), while summer activities (June to early September) include ziplining, miniature golf, and, for the kids, rock climbing.
Bobsleighing, meanwhile, is available year-round. With an experienced bobsleigh driver, you race down the 1,475 m (4,839 ft) ice-covered track, reaching speeds of over 100 km/h (62 mph) and up to 4 G-forces.
Edmonton – Alberta
Situated on the north bank of the Saskatchewan River, Edmonton is the capital of Alberta.
Its abundant quartzite was used by First Nations peoples to make tools and weapons and was later the heartland of Canada's richest fur lands, but today its wealth is built on the 'black gold': oil.
Fueled by this underground asset, Edmonton has transformed itself into a super-modern, climate-defying phenomenon. It is home to the world's largest shopping mall, West Edmonton Mall, which counts the world's largest amusement park among its attractions.
The remarkable Muttart Conservatory uses distinctive glass pyramids to replicate a variety of diverse ecosystems for visitors to experience, while in the Victorian suburb of Old Strathcona they can wander through the summer Farmers' Market.
Jasper National Park – Alberta
With nearly 1,000km of well-marked trails, varying in length and difficulty, it's easy to hike independently. But having a guide accompany you can open your eyes to more of the park's flora and fauna. Often former ranger guides will use their local knowledge to guide you off the beaten path, tailored to your fitness level and interests.
You could spend a whole day walking around, having a picnic. Or take a shorter hike along Maligne Canyon with a guide. They'll fill you in on the gorge's geology, the history of the area, and the wildlife you might encounter – look out for eagles, moose, beavers and black bears.
Lake Louise – Canada
Known worldwide as the “Jewel of the Rocky Mountains”, this is a picture-perfect lake of iconic beauty with Victoria Glacier perfectly reflected in the still blue waters.
One end of the lake is dominated by the massive structure of the Château Lake Louise hotel, but a short walk in either direction allows you to reach the unspoiled nature of the mountain. Today, there are many land trails for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking, while canoes are available for exploring the lake shores.
Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park is a rare gem tucked away in the southwest corner of Alberta.
In this breathtaking part of the world, the majestic Rocky Mountains rise suddenly from rolling grasslands, an ancient landscape where ice age glaciers carved valleys now filled with pristine lakes.
To the south, the park is bordered by Glacier National Park in Montana and together form the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the first of its kind in the world. What makes Waterton Park unique is its blend of unusual geology, mild climate, rare wildflowers and an abundance of wildlife.
Wood Buffalo National Park
Wood Buffalo, covering nearly 45,000 square kilometers, is Canada's largest national park and continues across the border into Alberta.
The park was established in 1922 to protect the world's largest herd of bison, whose population had drastically declined from around 40 million in 1830 to just over 1,000 in 1900.
The park's diverse ecosystems support and protect many unique natural resources, including rare species such as the owl crane and other summer visitors such as bald eagles and peregrine falcons. This is a land of boreal forest, swamps, salt flats, streams and rivers: ideal habitats for moose, reindeer, bears, lynx and wolves.
Things to do in Alberta – Canada
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