Alberta

Canada
Lac Beauvert featuring a sunset and a lake or waterhole
Walk where dinosaurs once roamed, see the northernlights, enjoy winter sports in the Canadian Rockies and glimpse pioneer life athistoric sites and museums.

Alberta hasgreat contrasts. The Canadian Rockies, renowned for ski resorts, wildlife andwinter activities are juxtaposed against the desert Badlands with prehistoricgeology and dinosaur fossils. Excitement abounds in this wild place: spotting grizzlybears or wolves, digging for dinosaur bones and walking amid stone giants of theHoodoo Rocks.

Edmontonand Calgary are the gateways to Alberta. Explore the province’s history at theRoyal Alberta Museum in Edmonton. Learn about gemstone geology, local dinosaurfossils and the ancient cultures of Alberta’s aboriginal people. Whatever timeof year you’re visiting, the “City of Festivals” offers celebrations of theseasons, music, film and food.

Alberta’smost well-known festival, however, is in Calgary. The 10-day-long CalgaryStampede celebrates the rustic skills of rodeo riding and chuck wagon racing andhas been held annually since the 1890s. Get a view over the city while relaxingin the lush green of Prince’s Island Park in the Bow River before samplingfantastic local beef or Alberta cheeses with Rocky Mountain wines.

Drive tothe Badlands to see desert landscapes dotted with eerie mushroom-shapedsandstone structures called Hoodoos. In the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, digfor dinosaurs and learn about the fossils found here. Immerse yourself in earlysettler life at the Pioneer Village and Museum in Hanna. Keen Star Trek fanscan have their picture taken in a Trekkie uniform in Vulcan, in a scaled-downEnterprise ship at the Vulcan Tourism and Trek Station.

Alberta’smain winter attractions are its powdery slopes, mountain scenery and skiresorts with buzzing nightlife. Lake Louise, Banff and Sunshine are the best-knownslopes, but there are plenty more throughout the province to experience. Tryyour hand at dog-sledding or take a sleigh ride. In warmer months, hike peakscovered in alpine wildflowers in Banff National Park or take a wildlife tour tosee and photograph wild grizzly bears, huge elks, wolves, bighorn sheep, cougarand lynx. 

Popular cities in Alberta

Scotiabank Saddledome featuring a park, a sunset and landscape views
Calgary
Known for Rivers, Theaters and Urban
Home to one of the largest rodeos in the world, this city is alive with art, festivals, pioneer history and wintersports and is a gateway to the Canadian Rockies.

Reasons to visit

  • BMO Centre
  • Calgary Zoo
  • Scotiabank Saddledome
Edmonton which includes a city, a bridge and a sunset
Edmonton
Known for Theaters, Entertainment and Rivers
Canada’s Festival City along the North Saskatchewan River is famous for its huge entertainment mall, spacious parklands and thriving arts scene.

Reasons to visit

  • West Edmonton Mall
  • South Edmonton Common
  • Rogers Place
Banff which includes mountains
Banff
Known for Mountains, Skiing and Hiking
Visit the highest town in Canada and explore the pristine wilderness which surrounds it.

Reasons to visit

  • Upper Hot Springs
  • Banff Gondola
  • Banff National Park Information Centre
Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Known for Gardens, Universities and Hockey
This garden city in southern Canada is famous for its scenic walking trails, heritage sites, art galleries and rolling countryside.

Reasons to visit

  • Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden
  • Galt Museum and Archives
  • Henderson Lake
Drumheller Valley which includes tranquil scenes, landscape views and a gorge or canyon
Drumheller
Known for Friendly people, Family-friendly and Museums
Otherworldly landscapes, dinosaur fossils and historic mining towns make this valley a haven for paleontologists, geologists and filmmakers.

Reasons to visit

  • Royal Tyrrell Museum
  • Drumheller Hoodoos
  • World's Largest Dinosaur
Banff National Park which includes snow, landscape views and tranquil scenes
Lake Louise
Known for Lakes, Skiing and Mountains
This remote hamlet is named after its glacier lake, which is so picturesque and placid that you won’t believe it’s real.

Reasons to visit

  • Lake Louise Mountain Resort
  • Louise Lake
  • Lake Louise Gondola