Travel Alberta 2010 Vacation Guide

2010 OFFICIAL vacation GUIDE

TRAVELALBERTA.COM 1-800-ALBERTA

explore your passion From peaks to plains, Alberta has one of the finest settings ever handed to a province. The snow spackled Rocky Mountains. Shimmering wheatfields. Northern lights. The Calgary Stampede. West Edmonton Mall. Guest ranches. Sunny skies. Canadian Badlands. Powder-perfect ski resorts.

Cattle drive, south of Calgary

Whether you’re looking for inspiration, action or relaxation – explore Alberta your own way by delving into this Vacation Guide. Tailor your holiday according to interest or region – each comes with its own unique feast of holiday ideas. Scenic road trips, a massive festival guide, a handy map, cost-saving tips and local wisdom – everything you need to design an extraordinary holiday.

In this guide you will discover a host of holiday ideas in our six regions. Each one captures particular experiences and adventures across Alberta.

Edmonton

Calgary & Area

calgary & Area

Home of the Calgary Stampede, this cosmopolitan dynamo is also the natural gateway to the Canadian Rockies. TravelAlberta.com/Calgary

Canadian Rockies

Calgary Stampede

canadian rockies

The Canadian Rockies are legendary for their breathtaking beauty, charming villages, backcountry lodges and alpine castles. TravelAlberta.com/Rockies Herbert Lake, Banff National Park

Alberta South

alberta South

Loaded with natural and cultural wonders, southern Alberta is famous for the Canadian Badlands, buffalo jumps and dinosaur bone beds. TravelAlberta.com/South Hoodoos, near Drumheller

Alberta Central

alberta central

Checkered with golden prairies, grassy foothills, shimmering lakes, sandy beaches and rural charms, Alberta’s heartland is a naturalist’s paradise. TravelAlberta.com/Central Crimson Lake

Alberta North

alberta north

Can’t decide between remote lakes and the comforts of home? Have both, as well as the longest daylight hours in the summer, prime birdwatching and historical sites. TravelAlberta.com/North

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Edmonton & Area

Edmonton & Area Known as Canada’s Festival City, this bustling metropolis has always put its arts and culture on centre stage. TravelAlberta.com/Edmonton

Golden Eagle Resort, Fort McMurray

Wonders of Alberta..............2–3 Natural Discoveries............. 4–5 Outdoor Adventures.......... 6–7 Western Ways..................... 8–9 Families Matter..............10–11 Cities & Towns................12–13 Dining & Shopping.........14–15 Golf Getaways................16–17 Waterways......................18–19 Spas & Wellness.............20–21 Winter Escapes...............22–23 Resort to Perfection.......24–25 Festivals & Events...........26–27 Travel Essentials.................. 82 Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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Columbia Icefields, Jasper National Park

Calgary Stampede

Waterpark, West Edmonton Mall

wonders of alberta

Edmonton & Area

Calgary & Area

Canadian Rockies

You weigh your options carefully. Swim with sea lions. Bungy jump over the world’s largest indoor wave pool. Watch hockey under a glass dome. Barrel down a 14-storey, triple loop roller coaster. They all sound like a gas.

It’s early July and the Calgary Stampede has revamped its streets with hay bales, wooden fences and free pancake breakfasts. After you scarf that freebie down, you’ll realize you’ve got to look the part so hustle off to Alberta Boot for the right footwear, Smithbilt Hats for an authentic cowboy hat and Lammle’s for some serious western duds. Now that you’re geared up, swagger down to Stampede Park, nab some rodeo tickets and head for the midway.

Begin your day with a hefty feed of bison sausages and free range eggs in Banff, Lake Louise or Jasper and then head out to the Icefields Parkway, one of the most scenic drives on Earth. Tumbling glaciers, lacy waterfalls, meadows, saddles, cirques and tarns – this drive alone comes with its own distinct alpine language. You’ll learn these terms at the Columbia Icefield Centre, located at the toe of North America’s most accessible “living” glacier, the Athabasca. A specially designed all-terrain coach, the Ice Explorer, takes you on a guided tour up the glacier’s belly as it slowly and imperceptibly recedes into history. Snow that fell thousands of years ago crunches beneath your feet, at times 300 m (984 ft) thick. You’ll see miles of snowy icefields, recessional moraines, a few of its 30,000 crevasses and the dramatic effects of global warming.

And that’s before you discover there are 800 stores and services, 13 movie theatres, a casino and a colony of African penguins at West Edmonton Mall (WEM). And now you can explore this mammoth place by hopping on a nifty battery-operated Segway. In a flash, you’re weaving and bobbing between the throngs of faces trying to decide where to start. And then you hear it ... duelling keyboards at the new Red Piano Cajun Bistro where you must order a lobster Po’Boy and some Louisiana Crab Cakes. Sometimes you just have to indulge every urban need and there is no better place than at WEM. Would you expect anything less from North America’s largest shopping and entertainment complex?

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Cap off the day with a feast of prime Alberta beef in a suite at the Lazy S club or join the masses for Beef on a Bun on the midway. Then it’s back to the stands for the No. 1 crowdpleaser, the chuckwagon races, before the fireworks that end every Stampede evening with a literal bang. Still want more of our western ways? Join the cowboys headin’ to Ranchman’s and two-step until the cows come home.

Jasper National Park Northern Lights, Assumption Reserve

Elk Island National Park

Hoodoos, near Drumheller

Alberta South

Alberta Central

Alberta North

Leave the arid, lunar-like landscape of today’s Canadian Badlands and tiptoe back 75 million years to the land the dinosaurs once roamed. Time travel is what you get on a hike or an archaeological dig at either the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller or Dinosaur Provincial Park. However unlikely it seems, guides will convince you that today’s swirl of canyons, coulees and hoodoos was once a lush tropical Eden for dinosaurs, crocodiles, sharks and turtles. Sit on the lip of Horseshoe Canyon today and marvel at the history of this place – it’s all laid out for you in stripes of bedrock, reminding us of the last ice age that ended some 13,000 years ago. While you can hike independently through some of the badlands your appreciation for fossils, the ways of the dinosaurs and these peculiar land formations will only be heightened by a guide on a day dig or a week-long field experience.

We’re not suggesting you paddle the 66-day voyageur route from Rocky Mountain House to Old Fort William that David Thompson did some 200 years ago – but you wouldn’t be the first! Canoeing in these parts is still an ideal way to see vast stretches of untrameled wilderness. Independent paddlers can canoe many stretches of the North Saskatchewan River (Nordegg to Rocky Mountain House is very popular) or you can join a voyageur canoe outfitter for a multi-day paddle on this historic waterway. When you’re in the bow of your boat and round the leafy corner of the river to see the peak of the fort, known as Rocky Mountain House, it’s an emotional moment for it’s a sight that hasn’t shifted much since the days of Thompson. Be sure to stop in at the interpretive centre for a cup of lavender tea, some Métis fiddling and jigging. Learn the ways of some of our First Nations people, just as Thompson did.

Cuddle up next to the other star gazers in your party and blow snow rings into the frosty night air. Ah yes, there’s one. No, that’s two explosions you see. Everyone is spellbound as that taut, black Alberta sky bends and stretches with strings of colour that dance across the largest screen you’ll ever find. Gold, red, purple, green – the entire night sky glows with the mesmerizing brilliance of pulsing light. Think of yourself at Mother Nature’s drive-in movie theatre … that’s what a northern lights blockbuster looks like. Except that you’ll likely get hot chocolate instead of popcorn and your guides will come with telescopes, binoculars, extra toques and loads of local lore. Wild, electrifying, otherworldly these lights in Alberta’s northern skies will dazzle you with one of nature’s most glorious performances.

Look for this green symbol throughout this year’s Vacation Guide and you’ll discover bargains galore – from free museum passes to pancake breakfasts. Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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In Alberta, sustainable tourism is about protecting our five UNESCO World Heritage Sites and our network of 500 parks and protected areas. It’s about seeking the delicate balance between wildlife demands and tourism needs in Banff, Canada’s first national park. of thousands of boreal birds. It’s about being culturally sensitive to spiritual sites run by our First Nations people. It’s about being a responsible traveller with every step you tread. Go softly.

Big Horn Sheep, Kananaskis Country

It’s about inviting visitors to dig up our past in dinosaur beds in a manner that follows rigorous environmental principles. It’s about conserving habitat for massive flyways used by hundreds

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Elk Island National Park Less than an hour from Edmonton, this park is home to 250 species of birds and herds of free-roaming plains bison, wood bison, moose, deer and elk. The park protects aspen parkland, one of the most endangered habitats in Canada. Provincial Parks With more than 500 protected sites and parks throughout Alberta, the list is too lengthy to repeat. Some of Alberta’s signature parks include: Dinosaur Provincial Park, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park and Kananaskis Country, which cradles nine provincial parks. Want to loll about in powdery sand and bask in warm water? Head north to Cold Lake or Moose Lake provincial parks.

Athabasca Falls, Jasper National Park

naturalist

Wood Buffalo National Park From a bush plane, zoom in on the largest herd of free-roaming wood bison in the world – and discover other conservation projects such as the remarkable return of the whooping crane.

Bruce Bembridge

Banff, Waterton Lakes and Jasper National Parks First established as sanctuaries for wildlife, these parks are crisscrossed with hiking paths and horse-packing trails allowing visitors unparalleled accessibility. You’ll often see elk, deer, mountain goats and bighorn sheep. All three parks surround charming alpine villages, home to many of Alberta’s most luxurious resorts and innovative restaurants.

Head to a national park on Canada Day, July 1, and you’ll get in for free! All gate entrance fees are waived.

Mountain Goat, Jasper National Park

Mother Nature’s Frequent Flyers Hold a trained falcon, owl or eagle, and discover the rehabilitation work at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale. An estimated 27,000 shorebirds and 250,000 waterfowl pass over the tiny northern town of McLennan at the confluence of three major migration paths – the Mississippi, Pacific and Central. Every June, the shores of Lesser Slave Lake twitter with thousands of songbirds that the townspeople celebrate in a weekend Songbird Festival. While you’re in this neck of the woods, visit the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation, the only place on Earth that studies boreal birds exclusively. Birders also flock to many of the 250 lakes found in Alberta’s Lakeland region – prime habitat for more than 230 resident and migratory birds, including warblers, woodpeckers, ospreys, owls, turkey vultures and bald eagles.

Grizzly Bear

Hiking How-To Parks Canada provides interpreters who run programs throughout the summer, ranging from lakeside strolls to full day hikes. Private guides and knowledgeable tour operators span the province offering bird watching (Grande Prairie, Lesser Slave Lake and the Lakeland area are birding bonanzas), wildlife safaris, full moon night hikes and other nature-related activities. Eco-adventure guides can add an Aboriginal angle to an adventure and are found in the north. From food foraging to animal tracking – in places such as Fort McMurray, the Peace River area, Lesser Slave Lake and Lac La Biche.

Banff National Park

HooDoo You Believe? For centuries, the Canadian Badlands provided protection for Aboriginal peoples as well as for gangs of outlaws – mostly renegade horse thieves. Blackfoot and Cree thought the huge pillars of wind-blasted sandstone (hoodoos) were petrified giants who came alive after dark. These oddly capped and twisted pillars are scattered all over the badlands with some of the finest examples along Highway 10 South (a.k.a. the Hoodoo Trail).

“I get to work at Lake Louise – what many say is the most romantic place in Canada. This is the place that artists, poets and writers describe as having the perfect composition. When people talk about getting gripped by Rocky Mountain fever, they’re talking about being love struck with the place. Be warned – it’s a contagious condition.”

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If you can walk, you can hike. And one of the best ways to experience our parks is to abandon our highways for the tranquillity of our backcountry. From a mellow natural history hike with a park interpreter (available for free at many of our national and provincial parks) to a teahouse tromp in the Rockies, Alberta has a vast network of hiking trails. (2,485 mi) of trails in our Canadian Rockies. Or, history buffs can follow the era of steam train travel in northeastern Alberta, by hiking, cycling or horseback riding along the Iron Horse Trail, once used extensively by homesteaders and European explorers.

Rock Lake, near Hinton

Independent hikers can just lace up their boots and trek along classic, multiday backpacking routes such as Jasper’s Skyline Trail, Banff’s Nigel-Jonas Pass Trail and Waterton’s Tamarack Trail. Ridge walks, high alpine meadows full of wildflowers and above-treeline rambles can be found on the 4,000 km

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Hostel to Hostel Road Trips On what is considered one of the world’s most scenic drives – the Icefields Parkway – you’ll see many international bike touring companies guiding cyclists along its wide shoulders, with stays at charming lodges and resorts along the way. Independent cyclists can do the same and bed down at numerous hostels that operate between Banff and Jasper.

Lake Louise, Banff National Park

Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience On a 6 km (3.7 mi) long chunk of ice known as the Athabasca Glacier, a specially designed all-terrain coach glides you up the glacier’s belly. Blaze New Trails Hop on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or a 4X4 and take advantage of some of the most spectacular landscapes in Alberta. Operators are equipped to rent or guide multi-day trips to prime fishing spots, wildlife viewing areas, waterfalls – even sand dunes – from the Rockies to the Red Deer River, St. Paul up to Fort McMurray and beyond.

Cox Hill, near Canmore

Where the Sun Never Shines Explore 14 fragile caves in the Crowsnest Pass area, also home to the second longest, deepest cave in Canada (Yorkshire Pot). Or venture into the many chambers in Cadomin Cave, 75 minutes southwest of Edson, the Canmore Caverns, and nearby Rat’s Nest Cave. However, the granddaddy of the lot is the Castleguard Cave, the longest in Canada at 20.2 km (12.5 mi). But it’s best explored in the winter as the cave often floods during summer. Be forewarned: many of these caves require technical rock climbing skills, a guide and permission from the Alberta Speleological Society.

Rat’s Nest Cave, Canmore

Fly High Get a bird’s-eye view of icefields, alpine lakes, wildlife and the majestic Canadian Rockies by helicopter. Whether you use Canmore, Grande Cache or the area around Nordegg, you’ll find helicopter operators equipped to transport you to a world where you can heli-ski, heli-fish, heli-hike, or, even do heli-yoga or heli-paint. If they can use a chopper to get you to some remote wedge of wilderness, they will.

Will Gadd ice climber

Gear Up Riders of all levels will find the perfect mountain bike ride amidst thousands of trails zigzagging through the mountains. There are about 600 km (373 mi) of designated trails – including fire roads or old logging roads – in the mountain parks. The Canmore Nordic Centre, built for the XV Winter Olympics, boasts an exhilarating 70 km (43 mi) tumble of trails. Kananaskis Country, Waterton Lakes National Park, Crowsnest Pass, Canada Olympic Park in Calgary and Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area near Edmonton are other places with extensive mountain bike trails.

“Alberta is home – it’s where I feel the most comfortable. Where the light is right, the vibe familiar and the mountains always welcoming. Within a 30-minute walk from my door in Canmore, I can hike, climb, kayak, ski and throw rocks in Quarry Lake with my daughter. Yet I can be at an international airport within 90 minutes.”

Don’t be shy – if you see a Parks Canada interpreter out on a trail, ask them a question. Dubbed “rovers,” these experts will regale you with local legends, lore and the park’s unique history. And don’t forget how cheap camping is!

Devils Thumb, Lake Louise

Grab the Roof of the World Climbers can scale dozens of routes at the Wasootch Slabs, the Weeping Wall, the backside of Lake Louise and Mt. Athabasca. Hire a qualified mountain guide (through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides) who will help you summit a peak in the Rockies.

Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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Or, if you just can’t get enough of our western ways, volunteer at a farm where you’ll gain free food and lodging for labour. More than 30 Alberta farms 8

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are part of the worldwide Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF) organization that matches volunteers with farm vacation experiences.

Driftpile Powwow

After a long day in the saddle, when you’re swapping yarns around a crackling fire, you’ll realize you’re enjoying one of the most authentic sustainable tourism experiences you can have in Alberta – a stay at a working ranch. You’ll ride lonesome trails, round up cattle and learn about the cowboy way of life from local families. Discover more at Alberta Country Vacations Association.

Home on the Range For real western hospitality, book a night at a guest ranch. Some stays include guided trail riding through secluded canyons and over mountain-top ridges and lodging in heritage log cabins. In the north, on the shores of Whitefish Lake, you’ll find the Kikino Ranch, home to a herd of bison and a cluster of log cabins. In the south, you’ll find the classic western movie ranch experience. The Rockies are known for their multi-day camps that combine lodge stays with base camps. Certain expeditions are co-guided by professionals who may be grizzly bear experts, professional photographers or botanists – depending on the theme of the trip.

Alberta Central Chuckwagon Racing, Vermilion

Aboriginal Adventures Tipi sleepovers are popular in the summer at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Elk Island Retreat and Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. The latter, an award-winning First Nations interpretive centre, features a museum, dozens of medicine wheels, a tipi village and numerous programs run by the Siksika people. Authentic Aboriginal programs offered in the north are spots such as Métis Crossing, the Narrows Cultural Resort on Lesser Slave Lake, O’Kimaw Peya ‘sew skwao traditional cultural camp near Lac La Biche – plus there’s a fascinating network of museums known as the Spirit of the Peace.

homeplace ranch

Farm Tours If you thought Stampede grub such as cotton candy, corn dogs and Tom Thumb donuts were the foods that settled the West, you definitely need to go on a farm tour. Daylong trips organized by the Calgary Stampede, include a visit to a berry farm, a Hutterite colony, ranch and dairy farm, where you learn about the origins of good food.

Mac Makenny

The Cowboy Trail From Mayerthorpe to Cardston, drive this 700 km (435 mi) scenic route and you’re guaranteed to spot cowboys ropin’ cattle, a country fair or two, western art shops and small-town rodeos. The proximity to the Canadian Rockies means you’ll also witness a great diversity of wildlife and scenery. Superb historical sites such as Rocky Mountain House Museum, Bar-U Ranch National Historic Site, the Remington Carriage Museum and Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village also line this route.

Bow Falls, Banff National Park

Calgary Stampede Don’t miss this 10 day summer whoop-up, known as the “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” where you can pony up to the bar with rootin’, tootin’ cowboys or two-step till the cows come home.

Rootin’ Tootin’ Rodeos Sometimes it’s best to lean back and watch how the pros do it. Almost every small town in Alberta hosts a summer weekend rodeo. Watch real cowboys wrestle snorting steers into the mud, rope lightning-fast calves and hold on for life atop buckin’ broncs. And remember – there’s also the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton each November and the Ponoka Stampede, Alberta’s second largest outdoor rodeo and chuckwagon event.

“My favourite time is springtime in the foothills. Feeding horses at 6:30 in the morning, saddling and grooming until breakfast. And then breakfast – coffee, eggs, pancakes, bacon, toast, fruit and more coffee. Then I like to go riding in the sunshine when the grass is turning green and the crocuses are starting to come up. Summer is in front of us and life is going on ... “

Alberta’s Forts northamericanforts.com

Remington Carriage Museum remingtoncarriagemuseum.com

Big Valley Jamboree bigvalleyjamboree.com

Royal Alberta Museum royalalbertamuseum.ca

Calgary Stampede calgarystampede.com

Spirit of the Peace albertaaboriginaltourism.com/ experiences

Glenbow Museum glenbow.org Heritage Park Historical Village heritagepark.ca Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village kootenaibrownpioneervillage.org

The Galt Museum galtmuseum.com Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies whyte.org Wild West Shooting Centre shootingcentre.com

North Peace Stampede, Grimshaw

The Lowdown on our Western Ways

Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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In many families, certain holidays are like yardsticks, marks on a doorjamb as the children grow. Perhaps you start off on a half-kilometer ramble or a sleepover at the Calgary Zoo. Next, when they’re old enough to sit on a horse, you might go on a multi-day horsepacking expedition. things are common, and children can learn firsthand about animals and places they otherwise might only see on TV or in zoos – and you don’t even need to charter a bush plane. Although you could do that too!

Sleepover, Calgary Zoo

Or take them to Alberta’s equivalent of Disneyland, a stay at West Edmonton Mall. For family togetherness, try camping in a tipi at one of our five UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In Alberta, intimate encounters with wild

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Sleep with the Wild Things Sleep next to an elephant or a giraffe in the Destination Africa pavilion – at one of the Calgary Zoo’s popular sleepovers. No time? Then just marvel at the 1,000-plus animals that inhabit the various ecosystems on display. Whether you find yourself eye to eye with a giant hippo, feeding an elephant or giggling over a gorilla – try to tear away from Africa for a peek at the Canadian Wilds, a safari-type area devoted to many of the mammals that call Alberta home.

If you’ve got a junior naturalist (aged 6-10) on your hands check out the free program at the Whistlers Campground, operated by the Friends of Jasper.

Hoodoos, Drumheller

Canada Olympic Park

Boredom Busters Starlabs, rooms of LEGO, hands-on galleries, special exhibits – the TELUS World of Science in both Edmonton and Calgary has fun down to a science. Find five interactive galleries in Edmonton’s science centre plus an Imax theatre. In Calgary, exhibits that are part of the 2011 Project Prototype Lab are now rolling out.

minister, alberta tourism, parks and recreation

Family Friendly Stays Hotels, motels and Bed and Breakfasts (B&Bs) throughout Alberta offer family plans, babysitting services, kids’ check-ins and menus, plus welcome packages. But the ultimate family-friendly dream lodging goes to the Fantasyland Hotel in Edmonton for its theme rooms such as the Truck Rooms, Sports Rooms, Igloo Rooms, and so forth. Other unique stays include family camps, where activities and guides arrange the works, available at the YMCA’s Camp Chief Hector and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. Or, fall asleep in a tipi while listening to the coyotes howl at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park or at Elk Island Retreat.

Cindy Ady

Wet and Wild Wonders Besides West Edmonton Mall’s World Waterpark and Sherwood Park’s Millennium Place, visit the Wild Rapids Waterslide in Sylvan Lake (home to 16 slides including the zero-gravity Sidewinder). Sylvan Lake is also a great place to windsurf, sail or make sand castles on one of Alberta’s best beaches. The Collicutt Centre in Red Deer, leisure centres in Calgary, the Douglas Fir Resort in Banff (romp around its new four-level indoor play structure) and the TransAlta TriLeisure Centre in Spruce Grove are other popular bets with kids. Young fishers should make a beeline to Cold Lake, home to some of the best trout fishing around as well as sailing, windsurfing, jet skiing, water skiing and diving.

“When our four boys were little we camped a lot as a family – usually on lakes where they could waterski. Last summer, my boys joined me on our Parks Tour in northern Alberta where we discovered a fantastic seven-lake canoe loop in the Lakeland area and the thrill of quadding. The days still end around a campfire where everyone now roasts Mom, and fewer marshmallows!”

Sea Lions’ Rock, West Edmonton Mall

West Edmonton Mall Bounce upside down on a bungy cord over a massive indoor waterpark, scream down the Mindbender roller coaster, a ride that brags of having the highest G-force on the planet, or jump on the spinning roller coaster, Galaxy Orbiter. Meet the Pirates of Hollywood at Sea Lions’ Rock where daily interactive shows feature the antics of California sea lions and take an underwater Sea Life Cavern tour in the world’s largest indoor lake.

Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller

Teen Awakenings Fly off the 90 meter (295 ft) ski jump tower at Calgary’s Canada Olympic Park, just like elite ski jumpers, and experience an adrenaline rush that will knock your breath away. North America’s fastest zipline rockets you through the air up to 140 km/h (86 mph). Also new is the 3.3 m (10 ft) Z-pod, a giant bubble-like contraption (a.k.a. a Zorb) that lets you roll down the slopes like an insect in a cocoon.

Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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Our cities and towns may not have appeared on road maps before the 19th century but our First Nations people left carvings and indicators of settlements as far back as 11,000 years. Discover our rich Aboriginal culture at the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton and then complete your history lesson with afternoon tea at the handsome Rutherford House – a stunning Edwardian home that hosts special events throughout the summer. you’ll stumble on life in Alberta, pre-1914. From wagon rides to Gasoline Alley to a lesson in a one-room schoolhouse – this is a family favourite.

Alberta Legislature Building, Edmonton

In Calgary, take a trek through the Glenbow Museum – western Canada’s largest museum with over one million objects or visit the newly expanded Heritage Park Historical Village where

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From Whimsy to World-Class If you want to see just how big visual arts projects can get, visit Edmonton’s Art Gallery of Alberta (slated to open its $88-million renovation in early 2010), Calgary’s Glenbow Museum and the Art Gallery of Calgary, all internationally recognized galleries renowned for their western art collections as well as contemporary exhibits. Hockey Night in Alberta Streak your face with red paint and you’ll be baptised into the Calgary Flames club. Do the same with blue and you’ll be an instant Oilers fan – the point is to attend a hockey game, in either Calgary (at the Pengrowth Saddledome) or Edmonton (Rexall Place). Canada has only six National Hockey League teams so both cities are wildly passionate about their players, always evident at the post-game recaps which take over bars, pubs – and certain streets (The Red Mile in Calgary/The Blue Mile in Edmonton).

Buy an Experience Alberta’s History Pass and receive unlimited admission to 18 provincial historic sites and museums in Alberta for one year!

Calgary Flames, Pengrowth Saddledome 2008 Ballet Prefigured Effect, The Banff Centre

Come spring and summer, theatre buffs will find Shakespeare in the Park (in both major cities), the International Children’s Festival (every May, in Calgary and Edmonton/St. Albert), Edmonton’s Fringe Festival (North America’s biggest), Fort McMurray’s Interplay Festival and the unique Passion Play in the badlands.

Shakespeare in the Mountains, Banff

Exit, Stage Left Step outside our main urban hubs and you’ll also find top-notch facilities at The Banff Centre (don’t miss its summer-long, international arts festival and Mountain Film and Book Fest in the fall) and on a smaller scale, Drumheller’s Rosebud Theatre, the Centre for the Arts in Lethbridge and the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod.

“I’ve lived in Calgary all my life and I love city life, even when it gets hectic. We’re lucky because we can take detours to mountains, badlands and beautiful landscapes. It’s no wonder people come here to see what I have! I’m interested in pop culture, current events and things that are playful. You’ll find cowboys, horses, rockets and astronauts in my art.”

Grande Prairie Provincial Building, Grande Prairie

The Play’s the Thing Prime time for dance and theatre performances is typically October through May, but the season doesn’t stop then – it just moves outside and takes on a different beat. During the fall and winter you’ll find the Alberta Ballet and both Calgary and Edmonton’s opera companies perform at the Jubilee Auditoria in both cities. The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, one of Canada’s top orchestras performs at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. The province’s large resident theatre companies perform at the EPCOR CENTRE in Calgary (home to four theatres) and Edmonton’s Citadel (with five halls), the TransAlta Arts Barns and the Francis Winspear Centre. Described as one of the most acoustically perfect concert halls in Canada, the Winspear Centre is home to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and hosts a wide variety of shows every year. It houses the $3 million Davis Concert Organ, the largest concert organ in Canada.

painter

Cultural Capital Edmonton’s renowned as Canada’s Festival City. The biggest events include the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, the Heritage Festival and the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival. But for flat-out massive, you must head to Capital EX and Edfest for one of the country’s largest summer fairs.

Dean Stanton

Olympic Legacy If you didn’t nab tickets to the 2010 Olympic Games – you can enjoy Olympic history any time in Calgary. Grab hold of the spirit that rocked this city in 1988 when it hosted the Winter Games by starting at the Olympic Hall of Fame at Canada Olympic Park, on the western fringes of Calgary. Jump on a bobsleigh and barrel down the very track Olympians train on, or get an icy blast on a skeleton run at the Ice House.

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Such exotic fare is served in equally eclectic spots, from hip martini bars to casual bistros and classic steakhouses. In Edmonton, you’ll find more than 60 restaurants in the funky neighbourhood of Old Strathcona plus more highbrow treats in the downtown forest of glass 14

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towers. In Calgary, amble down historic Stephen Avenue Walk, known as Restaurant Row, where handsome 100-year-old sandstone banks and hotels have become home to the hottest young chefs and über creative restaurant concepts.

17 Avenue SW, Calgary

Alberta is a province that knows how to eat – and more than just the regular cowboy fare of beef, flapjacks and beans. Today you’re as likely to find fresh-from-the-field produce as you are creamy goat cheeses and award-winning homemade Belgian chocolate, as well as locally raised succulent game.

In the Canadian Rockies, you’ll find all-star chefs galore – with recent awards piling up at The Bison in Banff, the Post Hotel in Lake Louise and the Trough in Canmore. Graze Around Alberta Regional specialties can be sampled anywhere in Alberta – but loyal foodies still love the sizzle of Dine Alberta, an annual event held every fall that toasts what we grow. Other culinary events include the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival, held every October in Banff, Calgary and Edmonton; and Banff’s über-swanky International Wine & Food Festival, also in October.

Enjoying the Fountain, City Hall, Edmonton

food activist and consultant

For samples of Alberta’s freshest fare and a chance to meet locals, pop by our farmers’ markets in Calgary and Edmonton. Both have hundreds of booths, little food stands, artisan wares, buskers and are great spots for food-for-the-road and Made in Alberta gifts.

Gail Hall

Made in Alberta More than 70 per cent of Canada’s $15 billion beef industry comes from this province and half of the cattle are exported to nearly 70 markets world wide. Remember, beef in Alberta is linked to pride. Albertans don’t want to serve a beef dish that’s anything less than magnificent, whether it’s sliced or skewered or tucked into pita bread. Barley-fed porterhouse steaks, silky filet mignon, marinated bison steaks, locally ranched caribou and elk – people travel from afar just for a taste of what’s grown among the wheat fields in the shadow of our Rocky Mountains.

Go Beyond “the” Mall After you’ve shopped at WEM, hit Edmonton’s bohemian, boutique-laced Whyte Avenue in the neighbourhood of Old Strathcona, packed with one-of-a-kind shops that sell everything from handmade shoes to Aboriginal art. If you’re hunting for an enormous bargain bin head to South Edmonton Common. When fully developed, it will span 213,676 m2 (2.3 million sq ft) of retail space, making it the largest open-air retail development in North America. Many of Calgary’s shopping malls have been themed, from food to furniture to fashion with the latter ruling at Southcentre, Chinook, Market Mall and the Calgary Eaton Centre. Boutiques and art galleries line 17 Avenue SW, Kensington Road and the Mission area. Calgary is also a great spot to pick up unique western goods from cowboy boots to Stetsons, belt buckles, bolo ties and blue jeans.

The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, Edmonton

Retail Therapy Nothing will yank you out of the doldrums faster than a day at West Edmonton Mall (WEM). Imagine a space with 58 entrances, 100 eateries, 13 movie theatres, three postal codes, the world’s largest car park (holds 20,000 vehicles), wave pools and water parks, penguins and of course, more than 800 stores and services plus two hotels. In keeping with “big,” visit the newest covered mall to be built in Alberta in the past 20 years – the massive CrossIron Mills in Balzac.

“I step out of my door and into Alberta’s oldest farmers’ market, now in downtown Edmonton. I run cooking classes up in the loft and we start by shopping at the market which is so full of fantastic Alberta produce – from awardwinning cheeses to Alberta beef. Now, because of the move toward nurturing local producers, it is a very exciting time to be involved in food.”

Calgary Farmers’ Market

Adventurous foodies can sample dozens of tasty morsels from more than 30 restaurants during summer festivals such as A Taste of Calgary or A Taste of Edmonton. Entrance is free. Samples are cheap.

Melrose Cafe & Bar, Calgary

Antique buffs should make a beeline to Inglewood, Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood, or Edmonton’s Old Strathcona area. For a day trip to a town that’s been revived around its antique finds, head south from Calgary to Nanton where you can pick up an Antique and Art Walk map of the area.

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Alberta golf burst onto the world stage in the 1920s when the Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club opened for business. Today, it’s billed as the No.1 golf resort in Canada, by Score Golf. Players praise Jasper for its scenery, playability, and most importantly, its fun and 16

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relaxing atmosphere. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts operates Jasper and its famous cousin, The Banff Springs Golf Club. Combined, these two Stanley Thompson masterpieces provide players with a formidable one-two punch in the world of golf.

Devil’s Cauldron, The Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course

Albertans know that when it comes to golf, far-away greens aren’t necessarily greener. Wedged between Waterton Lakes Golf Club in the south and the Athabasca Golf & Country Club in the north are more than 350 courses – more per capita than any other province in Canada.

On Par with Palace on Wheels On the roster of the ultra-luxurious railway line, the Royal Canadian Pacific is the ever-popular Royal Clubhouse Golf Excursion. This six day, high-end, golf trip includes daily rounds at some of Alberta and B.C.’s top courses, with nights spent on board a most unique “clubhouse” that’s hosted the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, King George VI, William Lyon Mackenzie King, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

Want to squeeze as many rounds of golf into a long summer’s day? Head north where you can tee off as late as 9 PM.

Kananaskis Golf Course, Kananaskis Country

The Wolf Creek Golf Resort 27 hole course, on the skirts of Ponoka, was designed by Rod Whitman and has aptly transplanted Scottish traditions into a stunning and surprising prairie landscape. Or, try your clubs at the St. Paul Golf Club, home of long ball champ, Jamie Sadlowski.

“Purists say a links course, where sand is the base, is where the grass grows best and what you can do the most with in terms of design. That’s what Rod Whitman did on my father’s land when he designed Wolf Creek – built entirely on a natural sand belt. But Alberta has so many different land masses that golf experiences here are incredibly varied, we blow many U.S. visitors away.”

Dinosaur Trail Golf & Country Club, Drumheller

City Greens In preparation for the 2007 CN Women’s Open, the Royal Mayfair in Edmonton sunk $3.5 million into its course, installing a waterfall, a pro shop and upgrading its landscaping. The Links of GlenEagles, on the outskirts of Calgary, was another stop on the circuit in 2003 when the Professional Golf Association’s Nationwide Tour was held here. Two other new favourites in the Calgary golf scene include the River Spirit Golf Club, which last year earned the reputation of having the best and truest greens in the city and the Sirocco Golf Club, which just opened a swanky new restaurant. RedTail Landing Golf Club in the Edmonton area is a high-end links-style public course designed for all levels of players. Blackhawk Golf Club is tucked along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River just 10 minutes west of Edmonton. Jagare Ridge Golf Club has bumped up the golfing landscape of Edmonton to that of the Canadian Rockies. Northern Bear Golf Club, southeast of Edmonton, is the only Jack Nicklaus signature golf course in Alberta. Stop in at the clubhouse, constructed of glass and featuring a seven m (23 ft) waterfall.

Shaganappi, Calgary

Silvertip, Canmore

golf director

With a backdrop of Rocky Mountain peaks, Silvertip is another big hitter, ranked as one of North America’s most challenging courses. This carts-only course exploits the site’s dramatic elevation changes, nearly 183 m (600 ft), to create epic tee shots. While you’re in Canmore, golf Stewart Creek, loaded with par 4s and a thoroughly modern design. Other notables like the Kananaskis Country Golf Course include two 18-hole Robert Trent Jones designed courses – Mount Lorette and Mount Kidd – named for the 3,048 m (10,000 ft) peaks behind them.

Ryan Vold

Fairways to Heaven Golfing at a historic Stanley Thompson creation goes beyond the game. Be sure to lunch at The Fairmont Banff Springs’ charming clubhouse with spectacular views of the castle-like hotel that looms over the 14th hole. The par 3 Devil’s Cauldron (#4) is considered one of the best golf holes in the world. Photographers say the 14th tee box at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge’s course rivals Pebble Beach for natural golfing beauty. Another Thompson work of art is Waterton Lakes Golf Course, which is fun, not too tough and brags of mountain vistas, trees and abundant wildlife. Designed in 1929, this course has recently been restored to its original splendour.

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Our waters run deep in Alberta. For thousands of years Canada was traversed by our First Nations people and French-Canadian voyageurs via birch-bark canoes and so we have well developed “voyageur highways” in Alberta. 245 rivers and 315 creeks to choose from – this province is a water-fed dream. Whatever your fancy, fancy our waterways.

Two Jack Lake, Banff National Park

But if canoeing isn’t your thing, rent a cottage on a northern lake, a cabin on an alpine pond or check into a fishing lodge. Want to water ski, jet boat or go whitewater rafting? With 600 lakes,

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Cruise Control If you love the leisurely days of bygone paddlewheels, slip onto the S.S. Moyie in Calgary or the Edmonton Queen Riverboat and enjoy the gracious elegance of another age. The leisurely three hour Miss Mermaid Cruise on Sylvan Lake combines cruising and dining on a 40 seat houseboat as you glide from the Sylvan Lake marina to Honeymoon Bay and back. To view the Rockies by boat, you can cruise among the towering peaks on Waterton Lake, Lake Minnewanka in Banff or to Spirit Island on Maligne Lake in Jasper, winner of the “Best Cruise in Canada 2007” award, by Reader’s Digest magazine. Wind/Kitesurfing Legendary winds can whip across Alberta’s all-star lakes – Keho, the Oldman Reservoir, Lake Newell, Beauvais, Waterton, Abraham and Cold Lake – up to 100 km/h (62 mph), luring windsurfers and kitesurfers galore. Wild and Woolly Whitewater Enjoy white-knuckle river rafting on the mighty Smoky, Sheep Creek and Kakwa Rivers or tone it down a notch on the still-roiling waters of the Athabasca, the Maligne, Red Deer, Kananaskis and Slave. For a lazy canoe trip, float down the Milk River through the badlands to Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, home of North America’s largest collection of ancient, mysterious petroglyphs. Or, paddle the Lower Red Deer River to Dinosaur Provincial Park, where you can go on a guided hike through ancient fossil beds amidst the hoodoos.

Tightwads know the cheapest dip in Banff is at the Banff Centre’s never-crowded, glass-roofed pool in the Sally Borden Building. Massages are also available.

Margaret Lake, northern Alberta

world champion waterskier

Jaret Llewellyn

Mellow canoe excursions can be arranged at some of the most photographed lakes in North America – namely Moraine and Lake Louise. Other top mountain lakes to paddle include Two Jack, Minnewanka and Vermilion in Banff plus Pyramid, Patricia and Maligne lakes in Jasper National Park.

Waterton Lakes National Park

Paddle Power For a northern wilderness venture, join a guide for either a sea kayak or canoe expedition down spectacular rivers such as the Clearwater (Alberta’s first “heritage” river), the Peace or on Lesser Slave Lake (Alberta’s largest auto-accessible lake). To access rivers such as the Clearwater, you can use a jet boat or a float plane to deposit you at the put-in.

“The Lake of Kastyn Stone is one of the finest places I have ever skied. My perfect day is waking up early and having a cup of hot chocolate on the deck of my parents’ house that overlooks Dodd’s Lake. Then I like to go for a ski when the water is like glass. After that I often go golfing with friends, then for a bike ride over the ski hill and back to my parents for a barbeque.”

Red Deer River

Northern lakes such as Colin, Cornwall, Burstall and Charles are famous for their lake trout, lake whitefish and northern pike (in the 9-13 kg/20-30 lb range). Prime walleye pickings can be found at McLelland, Ryan and Barrow lakes. Easy spots to haul in trout, burbot, emerald shiner and yellow perch are in the south – the Crowsnest River, the Oldman, Travers Reservoir and West Castle River.

Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park

Hooked on Alberta For a world-class fishing holiday, circle Alberta on your map – it attracts both novice and expert with its waterways. If you love fishing, this province is a dream. Rated as one of North America’s top 10 trout streams, the world-famous Bow River is loaded with brown and rainbow trout. In central Alberta – on numerous lakes such as Gull, Buck, Moose and Pinehurst – catch pike, walleye, perch and lake whitefish. Most of Alberta’s fly-in fishing lodges are in the north, on lakes full of back-snapping pike, perch, walleye, lake trout and Arctic grayling.

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Medi-spas. Organic spas. Day spas. Destination spas. Urban spas. Alpine spas. Hammams. Be prepared to be dazzled by the sort of spa experience you can have in Alberta. As for treatments, they’re equally as dizzying. Wildrose scrubs. Thalassotherapy wraps. Photofacials. Reiki. Rolfing. Alberta will refresh your spirit and nurture your soul. For a higher state of consciousness, consider a heli-yoga holiday in the Rockies.

Willow Stream, The Fairmont Banff Springs

From our bike paths and yoga studios to our gyms galore, Alberta is a healthy place. Whether you’re at a spa or on a fitness retreat, a wellness getaway in

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Pop by a yoga shop and inquire about free classes. They often have them outside in a local park – or sometimes in their very shop!

Banff Upper Hot Springs

Om Sweet Om Whether you subscribe to Bikram or Ashtanga yoga – you will find a host of facilities, courses, weekend workshops and overnight retreats aimed at this white-hot sector. Drop-in classes are standard, allowing travellers the flexibility to pick and choose a class across the province, with the highest concentration of facilities found in Calgary and Edmonton. Heli-yoga practices and overnight stays usually depart from Banff, Canmore and Cline River.

“Alberta is a great place to be in the health and wellness industry. Although Albertans work hard, they’re also very aware of health and fitness and have the disposable income to invest in their health. The yoga community here is very strong – you feel it in studios, in our parks, and even on our mountaintops where I’ve led a heli-yoga practice.”

Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff

Urban Day Spas Back in Alberta’s two main urban centres are scores of spas, ranging from the spacious high-end Stillwater Spa, in Calgary’s Hyatt Regency Hotel, to Edmonton’s Dtox Natural Hair and Skin Care. This salon is for clients concerned with allergies or who have sensitivities to the chemical components often found in cosmetics. Other notables include Edmonton’s Carrie’l Salon & Spa – a multiple award winner for best salon team and other services. There’s also the Eveline Charles Salons & Spa group, as well as Swizzlesticks, with salons in both Calgary and Edmonton. All of these day spas offer individual treatments as well as full day packages, which often include various massage therapies, reflexology and a multitude of esthetics. Depending on the spa, Asian techniques may be emphasized or a clinical approach such as at Calgary’s Santé Spa (Canada’s first medi-spa) may be taken. Here services go beyond the conventional to include Botox injections, laser skin resurfacing, microdermabrasion and photofacials – some of these treatments can only be performed by their physicians.

Spa, Grande Prairie

Bow Lake, Banff National Park

Destination Spas We mean overnight indulgences when we use this term, knowing you’ll find many “destination” spas in hotels or resorts. You’ll find spas in the North, such as those in Grande Prairie’s Podollan Inn and Holiday Inn as well as others in Fort McMurray. In central Alberta, discover The Inn & Spa at Heartwood Manor in Drumheller that boasts of body polishes, wellness soaks, hot stone therapy and numerous facials. The Rocky Mountain towns of Canmore, Banff and Jasper are other spa hubs. At The Fairmont Banff Springs is one of Canada’s largest spas, still partially fed with the natural mineral waters that first put this town on the map. Be sure to test the waters, so to speak, at Banff’s Red Earth Spa, which uses natural ingredients in their Essence of Canada treatment. If you’re visiting Banff in the winter, warm up with a desert heat wrap at the Rimrock Resort Hotel or an Alpine Aroma-Detox at the Temple Mountain Spa in the Post Hotel in Lake Louise. Other spas in the Rockies include the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis, Verde in Canmore, The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge and the Beloved Natural Healing Centre in Jasper as well as Waterton’s Bayshore Inn.

yoga instructor

Today, you can slip back to those steamy days in the historic Upper Hot Springs in Banff or Jasper’s newly renovated Miette Hot Springs, both of which have spawned a huge spa industry in Alberta.

Kim Wiebe

Canada’s First Spa So historic are Alberta’s hot springs that most Canadians know precisely the link between our natural hot pools and how Banff National Park was established. It was in the late 1800s that three railway workers (near the present-day townsite of Banff) spotted a plume of steam curling out of some rocks and discovered a cave bubbling with hot springs.

Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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Alberta may look like the land of a million Christmas trees but it’s more than just a pretty picture. Ski, ride, dogsled, ice fish, skate, snowshoe, snowmobile or lounge under a twinkling tarp of northern lights. From our legendary Rocky Mountain ski resorts to the lonely beauty of a frozen lake in a northern forest, Alberta lets you step into its photo frame with plenty of winter adventures. Calgary, and rocket off the 90-meter (295 ft) ski jump, just like Eddie. While there, discover the heart-pounding thrill of a bobsleigh ride. You may not be an Olympian but in Alberta you can certainly pretend – this is where going for gold is a winter pastime!

The Lake Louise Ski Area, Banff National Park

Have you always wanted to soar like an eagle, specifically Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards ... the Coke-bottled Brit who stole the hearts of millions during Calgary’s ’88 Winter Olympics? Then, strap into North America’s fastest zipline at Canada Olympic Park in

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Harness the Huskies Dogsledding will thrill every historical bone in your body. Plenty of operators run services out of Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Rocky Mountain House – and will take you into the backcountry for a gourmet picnic or a mug of hot cocoa ’round a ripping bonfire. Star Gazing One of the most spectacular sights that link together many northern towns such as Fort McMurray, Fort Chipewyan, Slave Lake and Grande Prairie, is the northern lights. Tours are available out of Fort McMurray and other northern communities.

Ice Fishing, Wabamun Lake Rocky Mountains

Crawling the Canyons Canyons that roar with whitewater fury in the summer and are utterly inaccessible get transformed in the winter into wonderlands of ice. Curtains, walls and chambers of ice glow pearly shades of iridescent blue and literally pop and hiss with beauty. Guided walks in Banff’s Johnston Canyon and Jasper’s Maligne Canyon can be organized through most hotels and outdoor hubs.

Jasper in January is a bargain fest that discounts everything from hotel rooms to lift tickets, special events and attractions. Or, skate for free through a frozen ice castle on
Lake Louise.

“Almost every day in Canmore is a perfect day. But one that I will always remember was walking along the Bow River a week after my daughter was born. She was inside my jacket and it was cold and icebergs were floating down the steaming river. The mountains were plastered with snow and I felt like my eyes couldn’t handle so much beauty. I was overwhelmed.”

Waterton Lakes National Park

Anglers – Drop Your Line If you just can’t get enough of fishing in the summer, don’t stop. Winter is when anglers build temporary sheds or simply drill holes and drop lines in popular lakes such as Spray Lake (near Canmore) and Upper Kananaskis Lake (stocked with rainbows). Combine a unique fly-in ice fishing trip with snowmobiling on North Leland Lake. Various eco-tourism lodges offer multi-adventure packages that combine ice fishing with ski-joring, nordic skiing, ice climbing and winter camping.

Olympic silver medalist cross country skiing

Rev Up Those Engines Every winter Alberta grooms 5,000 km (3,107 mi) of white carpet into two fine lines, welcoming snowmobilers to award-winning playgrounds all over the province. Whether it’s a southern loop in the Crowsnest Pass area, Alberta’s Iron Horse Trail or on one of our frozen winter roads in the North – the variety of snowmobiling terrain in Alberta is enough to rev up any engine.

Sara Renner

Nordic Skiing Nordic racers from around the planet annually flock to the Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival (every February), held in Edmonton and Strathcona County. Named for a Norwegian family renowned for saving the life of a crown prince by skiing 55 km (34 mi) over three mountain ranges, it’s the biggest classic Nordic race in North America. Certainly the biggest Nordic terrain can be found in the 70 km (43.5 mi) tumble of snowy hills at the Canmore Nordic Centre, the setting for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and where the world’s fastest cross country skiers will compete on February 5 and 6, to qualify for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Lake Louise, Banff National Park

Downhill Skiing/Riding Deep in the south lies an unknown powder hound’s heaven with basic slopeside accommodation called Castle Mountain. Just west of Calgary lies Nakiska, home of the XV Winter Olympics. Farther west is Ski Norquay, legendary for its hang-on-tight steeps and proximity to Banff. Sunshine Village brags of Canada’s longest ski season with a new wing of suites just opening at the base of its runs. Largest in the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise consistently wins “best scenic views” of all Canadian resorts. Veer north and you’ll find the family-friendly resort of Marmot Basin, in Jasper National Park. Just remember – where there’s a major ski resort, there’s a terrain park. (See more on page 54.)

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Whether you fancy a basic campsite or an über-luxe suite at a resort, the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) should be your No. 1 go-to site, with more than 1,200 annually inspected properties listed online. fishing resorts, CPR bungalow camps, even tipi stays and canvas-sided tentcabins in spectacular wilderness settings are detailed at TravelAlberta.com/ accommodation.

Prince of Wales Hotel, Waterton Lakes National Park

Start here and discover eco-friendly lodges like Aurum, on the cliffs of Abraham Lake or Mt. Engadine Lodge, near an alpine meadow in Kananaskis Country. Charming backcountry properties, cottages, cabins, B&Bs, fly-in

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From Baker Creek in Banff to the Whistlers in Jasper are historic CPR bungalow camps that run along the most scenic highways in Banff and Jasper national parks. Most have been converted into clusters of charming log cabins, usually cradling a main lodge and dining facility. Charming Inns and B&Bs You’ll find them in cities, small villages and sometimes in the middle of nowhere. Most are owner operated and offer intimate surroundings, hearty fare and the opportunity to meet other travellers. History buffs should hop on a horse-drawn carriage at Fort Edmonton Park and check into the Hotel Selkirk (a 1920s-style hotel), right in the middle of this urban park. Hostel Territory You’ll find architectural wonders, complete with boardrooms and licensed restaurants, at hostels in Lake Louise and Banff (both are on the top 10 list of hostels in North America). Others, such as those in Calgary and Edmonton rely on their convenient locations, while those along the Icefields Parkway have been strategically positioned for cyclists, skiers and hikers. Happy Campers Whether you’re hoofing it with your household on your back or loading up a luxurious RV, matters not – for camping in Alberta is not only about stripped-down pleasures. Yes, the coffee always tastes better when brewed in a tin pot and bed-time snacks are always best when they’re gooey s’mores, but Alberta’s campgrounds provide numerous options depending on your style of camping.

Peace Valley Guest Ranch, Berwyn Shadow Lake Lodge, Banff National Park

There is a series of 13 rustic alpine huts found on glaciers, in alpine towns or in our national parks, operated by the Alpine Club of Canada. Typically they cater to those looking for a humble property that will launch them into remote adventures.

Aurum Lodge

Bunk Down with History Historic backcountry lodges reflect Alberta’s mountaineering roots, influenced by Swiss guides and early explorers.

Alan and Madeleine Ernst

The Fairmont Banff Springs, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge have recently been revamped to hold either a spa, heritage centre, a floor of boutique suites or a conference centre… all are considered destinations in themselves and offer unique attributes such as the spa at the Springs, the mountaineering program at the Chateau and golf at the Lodge.

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Banff National Park

Living the High Life Three of Canada’s most iconic properties have been built in Alberta, at the toes of glaciers, alpine lakes or tucked in the crevices of rocks.

Historic Backcountry Lodges Legendary lodges such as Skoki, Shovel Pass, Shadow Lake and Sundance require stamina, as you must hike, ski, snowshoe or horseback into these remote spots.

“Any type of tourism development changes the nature of a place, it leaves an impact. We wanted our lodge to follow environmental principles of sustainability – but be more of an accessory to the untouched wilderness around it, than the focal point. We didn’t want to change the character of the area.”

Alberta Hotel & Lodging TravelAlberta.com/accommodation

Charming Inns of Alberta charminginnsofalberta.com

Alberta Bed & Breakfast bbalberta.com

Hostelling International hihostels.ca

Alberta Country Vacations albertacountryvacation.com

Alpine Club of Canada alpineclubofcanada.com

Whether it’s a front- or backcountry campsite you want, Alberta is laced with numerous affordable options. At certain sites, you can even rent a tipi or a tent with all the trappings – from sleeping bags to lawnchairs and cots.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Lodging Options

Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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Holiday 2010 2011 New Year’s Day..............................................................January 1.......................... January 1 Alberta Family Day................................................... February 15...................... February 21 Good Friday.........................................................................April 2............................. April 22 Easter Monday....................................................................April 5............................. April 25 Victoria Day.......................................................................May 24..............................May 23 Canada Day.......................................................................... July 1................................. July 1 Heritage Day...................................................................August 2........................... August 1 Labour Day...............................................................September 6.................... September 5 Thanksgiving Day........................................................October 11........................October 10 Remembrance Day................................................ November 11...................November 11 Christmas Day.........................................................December 25 .................. December 25 Boxing Day..............................................................December 26................... December 26

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Canada Day, Edmonton

Alberta Public Holidays

Edmonton & Area

Expo Latino

Aug 27-29

Alberta Central

International Children’s Festival, St. Albert

Jun 1-5

Calgary Highland Games

Sep 4 Sep 4-5

The Works: Art and Design Festival

Jun 25-Jul 7

Spruce Meadows, Masters Sep 8-12

Kinsmen on the Pond Hockey Tournament, Lac La Biche

Mar 6

BBQ on the Bow Festival

Jun 29-Jul 25

Calgary International Film Festival

Sep 23-Oct 3

Edmonton International Street Performers Festival

Jul 9-18

WordFest; Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival

Oct 12-17

History Road, Reynolds- Alberta Museum, Wetaskiwin

Jun 12 & 13

Freewill Shakespeare Festival

Ponoka Stampede

Jun 28-Jul 4 Jul 2-4

Rexall Edmonton Indy

Jul 23-25

Nov 26-Jan 2

Edmonton’s Capital EX

Jul 23-Aug 1

Zoolights at the Calgary Zoo

Ukrainian Pysanka Festival, Vegreville

Jul 21–25

A Taste of Edmonton

Jul 23-Aug 1

Canadian Rockies

Westerner Days Fair and Exposition, Red Deer

Edmonton Heritage Festival

Jul 31-Aug 2

Jan 15-31

Big Valley Jamboree, Camrose

Jul 29-Aug 1

Jasper in January

Edmonton Folk Music Festival

Aug 5-8

Ice Magic International Ice Sculpture Competition, Lake Louise

Jan 22-24

Haying in the 30’s, Mallaig Jul 31-Aug 1

Cariwest-Edmonton Caribbean Arts Festival

Aug 6-8

Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival

Apr 30-May2

Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival

Aug 12-22

Banff Summer Arts Festival May 1-Aug 31

Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival

Aug 20-22

Wild River Rendezvous, Grande Cache

Jun 4-6

Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival

Aug 20-22

Wild Mountain Music Festival, Hinton

Jul 9-11

Symphony Under the Sky Festival

Sep 3-6

Parks Day, All National Parks

Edmonton International Film Festival

Voyage Days, Metis Crossing

Aug 28-29

Thunder in The Valley, Drayton Valley

Sep 3-5

Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association Finals, Lloydminster

Sep 10-12

Sept 10-12

Jul 18

Canadian Pony Chuckwagon Races, Vegreville

Sep 24-Oct 2

Jul 31-Aug 2

22nd Annual World’s Pumpkin Fair, Smoky Lake

Oct 2-3

Canadian Death Race, Grande Cache

Canadian Finals Rodeo

Nov 10-14

Mary Reimer Memorial Rodeo, Hinton

Jul 31-Aug 2

Grey Cup Festival

Nov 28

Canmore Folk Festival

Jul 31-Aug 2

Behind the Scenery Wildlife Festival, Jasper

Calgary & Area High Performance Rodeo

Jan 7-31

Enbridge playRites Festival Feb 3-Mar 7 of New Canadian Plays

Alberta Pond Hockey, Peace River

Feb 11-14

Aug 29-30

Winterplay Festival, Fort McMurray

Feb 26-28

20th Annual Canmore Highland Games

Sep 5

Arctic Winter Games, Grande Prairie

Mar 6-13

Oct 30-Nov 7

Reel Shorts Film Festival, Grande Prairie

Apr 19-25

Calgary International Spoken Word Festival

Apr 1-30

Banff Mountain Book and Film Festivals

Calgary International Children’s Festival

May 25-29

Christmas in November – Nov 6-19 Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

4th Street Lilac Festival

May 30

HSBC Calgary Marathon

May 30

Winterstart Festival, Banff & Lake Louise

Spruce Meadows, National Jun 9-13

Alberta North

Nov 27-28 & Dec 4-5

Slave Lake Songbird Fest, Jun 5-6 Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park Magnificent River Rats Festival, Athabasca

Jul 1-2

Riverboat Daze, Slave Lake Jul 8-10

Alberta South Spectrum Festival, Medicine Hat

Jun 4-6

Peace Fest, Peace River

Jul 9-10 Jul 17

Jun 19-26

Jul 9-18

Waterton Wildflower Festival, Waterton Lakes National Park

Alberta Open Sand Sculpture Championship, Slave Lake

The Medicine Hat JazzFest Jun 21-27

interPLAY Festival, Fort McMurray

Aug 6-8

Jul 16-18

Golden Walleye Classic, High Prairie

Sep 4-5

Calgary C-Jazz Festival

Jun 21-27

Spruce Meadows, North American

Jul 7-11

Calgary Stampede Fiestaval Latin Festival

Calgary Folk Music Festival Jul 22-25 Calgary Fringe Festival

Jul 30-Aug 7

Calgary International Blues Festival

Aug 5-8

Afrikadey

Aug 9-14

Global Fest

Aug 20-28

Calgary International Reggae Festival

Aug 21

The Canadian Badlands Passion Play, Drumheller

Jul 9-11 & 16-18

Rum Runner Days & Thunder in the Valley, Crowsnest Pass

Jul 16-19

Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede

Jul 28-31

Whoop-Up Days, Lethbridge

Aug 24-28

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Edmonton & area

Edmonton Folk Music Festival

TravelAlberta.com/ Edmonton

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Edmonton Attractions

Oh Naturale Visit a steaming jungle and a hot desert under the Muttart Conservatory’s four glass pyramids located in the heart of Edmonton’s spectacular river valley. Walk through 190 acres of gardens and natural areas at the University of Alberta’s Devonian Botanic Garden near Devon. Take advantage of the largest urban park system in North America, 22 Alberta’s capital lies in the geographic times that of Central Park in New York City. There are heart of the province. Pulsing with more than 20 major parks in the river valley offering cultural events, Edmonton is known for off-leash sites, playgrounds, picnic sites, outdoor its historic neighbourhoods, superb skating as well as 150 km (93 mi) of walking and biking trails. At the TELUS World of Science, gaze museums and lengthy roster of upward at the stars in the largest planetarium dome festivals. However, the No. 1 crowdin Canada. You’ll also find an Imax Theatre in this pleaser continues to be West complex as well as five interactive mind-boggling Edmonton Mall. And shopping here galleries, loaded with creative programs.

TELUS World of Science edmontonscience.com

Muttart Conservatory Fringe Festival

Alberta Aviation Museum albertaaviation museum.com Alberta Legislature assembly.ab.ca/visitor Alberta Railway Museum railwaymuseum.ab.ca Art Gallery of Alberta artgalleryalberta.com

Edmonton & Area

Santa Maria, West Edmonton Mall

Capitalizing on Culture Edmonton is Canada’s Festival City with more than 30 annual music, arts and cultural festivals. Some of the biggest crowd pleasers take place in the Downtown Arts District and in Old Strathcona. Drawing world-class performers, they include: the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, the Edmonton International Jazz Festival, the Heritage Festival and the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival. Sir Winston Churchill Square anchors the Downtown Arts District, recently redeveloped as a prime entertainment hub. It’s also home to Tix On The Square, a one-stop shop for Edmonton’s top entertainment tickets. Framing the square are cultural centrepieces such as the Francis Winspear Centre for Music, the Citadel Theatre and the newly expanded Art Gallery of Alberta. Art lovers should make a beeline for 124 Street, a short distance away from the downtown core. This funky area is lined with galleries, cafes and bookshops – precisely why the Gallery Walk was formed which promotes both art and artists of merit, with a special focus on Canadian artists and their work. Sports buffs should check the National Hockey League’s Edmonton Oilers and the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos for game schedules. And adrenaline junkies should inquire about the Canadian Finals Rodeo (largest indoor rodeo in western Canada) and the Rexall Edmonton Indy. The dynamic 3.1 km (1.96 mi) race track at the city centre airport makes this one of the most thrilling stops on the Indy Car Series calendar.

Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre leducnumber1.com Devonian Gardens devonian.ualberta.ca Edmonton Corn Maze edmontoncornmaze.ca Elk Island National Park pc.gc.ca/elkisland Fort Edmonton Park fortedmontonpark.ca Muttart Conservatory muttartconservatory.ca Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium jubileeauditorium.com/ northern Northlands northlands.com Old Strathcona oldstrathcona.ca Royal Alberta Museum royalalbertamuseum.ca Rutherford House rutherfordhouse.ca Telephone Historical Centre telephonehistorical centre.com

Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village tprc.alberta.ca/uchv Valley Zoo valleyzoo.ca West Edmonton Mall westedmall.com Attractions, Museums & Art Galleries edmonton.com

won’t cost you a king’s ransom – Alberta is the only province without a provincial sales tax.

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• Two former premiers of Alberta were members of the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos: Peter Lougheed and Don Getty. Former Edmonton Mayor Bill Smith also played for the Eskimos. • The first outdoor hockey game in National Hockey League history – the Heritage Classic – was played in Edmonton on Nov. 22, 2003, where the Edmonton Oilers took to the ice against the Montreal Canadiens as part of the celebrations of the Oilers’ 25th NHL season. • Figure skating stars Jamie Salé and David Pelletier, Kurt Browning and Kristi Yamaguchi all have ties to the city’s Royal Glenora Club, noted for its outstanding coaching and drive for athletic excellence.

A Capital Tour Begin with a stroll through the Alberta Legislature. Built from 1907 to 1912, the province’s foremost historic structure is set amidst beautiful gardens and water displays. The interpretive centre and gift shop is a favourite stop before or after a free guided tour. Once the site of the original Fort Edmonton, the spectacularly landscaped gardens of this impressive Beaux Arts building are the perfect spot for a picnic. Its fountains are a very popular place for getting your feet wet on warm days. Next should be a walk around what was formerly the residence of the first six Lieutenant Governors. Known as the Alberta Government House, you can drop in on weekends to view its collection of Canadian art. Visit the Royal Alberta Museum next door and take a peek beneath the surface of the prairies, inside our Aboriginal

Many of Edmonton’s festivals are meant for those on a shoestring budget. Downtown Edmonton pulses with free performances by internationally known street acts – from magicians to comics – for 10 days during the International Street Performers Festival. 30

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Grand Prix

singer/songwriter

Step Back in Time Old Strathcona Historic Area is ranked as one of the top 10 shopping districts in Canada. This area is home to eight theatre companies, antique stores, a repertory cinema (the Princess), boutique hotels and loads of eclectic restaurants. Fort Edmonton Park is one of the largest living history parks in Canada where you can glide back in time by strolling through the streets of 1885, 1905 and 1920. Want to rest your weary feet? Take a ride on a horse-drawn wagon, a stage coach or an old fashioned street car. Pick up the pace with a ride on the steam train that was renovated to accommodate the filming of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. What about rest for your weary head? You can stay overnight at the Selkirk Hotel (first built in the 1920s) – featuring 30 new private guest rooms and a 65-seat dining room.

Kreesha Turner

Dig a little deeper and you’ll see how sports is woven into the very fabric of Edmonton:

Home to Thousands If you want to see a concert, a horse race, Capital EX, Canada’s national rodeo championships or an NHL Edmonton Oilers game, they’re all at Northlands. The massive grounds house the AgriCom, The Spectrum and Rexall Place, making this Edmonton’s premier entertainment centre which hosts more than 2,500 annual events, attracting more than four million visitors every year.

Royal Alberta Museum

Edmonton and sports go together like hot dogs and baseball. Every hockey fan should pay a trip to Rexall Place – home ice for the National Hockey League’s Edmonton Oilers and the very arena where Wayne Gretzky led the Oilers to a string of Stanley Cup victories. Armchair quarterbacks should try to nab tickets to the 2010 Grey Cup or an Edmonton Eskimos game at Commonwealth Stadium, where grass, not artificial turf, rules the day. The Eskimos were playoff contenders for 34 consecutive years – from 1972 to 2005 – a record for a North American professional team.

Fort Edmonton Park

All-Star Capital

“When I performed at Capitol Ex in 2008, there was such energy in the crowd, I had forgotten what love there is in my hometown. Edmonton’s an easy place to be an artist – any kind of artist. With the number of festivals, concerts and performances always going on under our big, blue skies, it’s amazing we’re not all artists!”

The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

Edmonton & Area

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A-maze-ing Fun Sure, it’s corny but we’re not talking about a few lonely cobs here. The Great Prairie Corn Maze, just east of Bon Accord, transforms acres of corn into an elaborate maze that can keep families lost for hours. As can the five-km creation of twists and turns that resembled a curler (at the Roar of the Rings event) in 2009, found at the Edmonton Corn Maze. Another immensely popular corn maze is the Amazing Field Maze, just south of Leduc. Spanning more than 10 acres, various messages get cut into the corn each year. While you’re on the fringes of the capital take an amble through St. Albert, home of a top-notch International Children’s Festival and the site of western Canada’s largest farmers’ market.

Men-Only Spas Relax in the “Executive Lounge” at The Board Room in Edmonton, Alberta’s first menonly spa.

Sky High

Fort Edmonton

Most people don’t even know there are streetcar bridges in Edmonton – let alone one that travels over the world’s highest streetcar bridge! The High Level Streetcar operates spring through fall giving visitors a trip over the High Level Bridge – built in 1912.

High Level Street Car

Just a Short Drive Away Elk Island National Park is one of the finest spots to view wildlife in Alberta and it’s just a 30-minute drive east of the capital. You’re bound to spot a few of the 1,700 elk, 600 plains bison and 375 wood bison, as well as deer, moose and beaver that call this place home. Take up a 9-hole round of golf in the park and then wind down with an overnight in an authentic tipi at Elk Island Retreat. In the early 1900s, this region was home to the largest Ukrainian settlement in Canada. The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village provides costumed interpreters who play historic characters and recreate day-to-day activities which you can join – from churning butter to painting eggs. The 30 historic buildings on site are originals, moved here and restored to preserve their heritage. Venture south of the city to the Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre where oil production began in 1947 at the Leduc #1 Historic Site. Numerous exhibits salute Alberta’s oil industry with information on its history, technology and progress.

Take a jet boat tour through the heart of Edmonton or blast up the Peace River to a guest ranch.

Royal Alberta Museum

Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village Devonian Botanic Garden Royal Alberta Museum

Did you know that Edmonton’s first industry was actually fur, followed by coal? Take a walking tour of the capital and learn that much of the original coal seam remains unmined, right below the downtown streets.

It’s all in the Game Streak your face with blue paint and start the wave at an Edmonton Oilers hockey game. Or, rip it up over the thumping beat of a lacrosse game with Edmonton’s Rush or at a football game starring the Edmonton Eskimos. Prefer the roar, grit and flames of open wheel racing? The Rexall Edmonton Indy revs into high speed every summer in the capital. Oh, and did we mention Edmonton’s new Capitals baseball team and the Oil Kings junior hockey teams, and the fact the Edmonton region boasts more than 70 golf courses?

Jetting About

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Edmonton & Area

Corn Maze, Bon Accord

history or deep below the snow pack at the Wild Alberta Gallery. Always a hit with the small-fry is a visit to the Valley Zoo, home to more than 100 exotic and native species.

Go Fish Even city slickers fish, as there are operators and prime fishing holes within the urban edges of the provincial capital.

Backcountry Bliss Dip deep along a perfectly designed three day backcountry canoe circuit near Lac La Biche.

From Mennonites to single operators, you’ll find more than 200 vendors selling fresh, local produce – every Saturday from July to September.

Did you know that Edmonton has hosted the Commonwealth Games, the World Figure Skating Championships Change Gears The best way to experience the and the World Championships in dozens of urban parks and recreation areas that Athletics? Just recently Hockey meander through Edmonton is – slowly. Rather than Canada announced that in 2012, the race through these green belts in your vehicle, rent World Junior Championship will be a bike or a Segway, or even a canoe for a leisurely held in Edmonton and Calgary. The paddle down the North Saskatchewan River. facilities the public gets to use after Options for canoeists include guided or unguided these events are remarkable. trips through the centre of the city. Edmonton

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Old is New Again The Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA), designed by Randall Stout Architects, is set to rise from the rubble as a new structure wrapped in curvy steel ribbons. Slated to open Jan. 31, 2010, the gallery space has nearly doubled and will showcase three floors of exhibitions. Opening shows include major works by Edgar Degas, Yousuf Karsh, Janet Cardiff and Georges Bures Miller.

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Father Lacombe Chapel, St. Albert

Less than a Tank Away In the northwest wedge of Edmonton is one of Alberta’s oldest settlements, the city of St. Albert, seeped in French heritage. Historic attractions here include the Father Lacombe Chapel, built in 1861 by the pioneering priest and his Métis helpers. It’s also the burial site for Lacombe, who was a central figure in the area’s early days. Besides the historic buildings perched above the Sturgeon River is St. Albert Place, a contoured brick building designed by Douglas Cardinal. Inside is the Musée Héritage Museum. Other highlights in St. Albert include its massive Saturday-only summer market, the trail system at Red Willow Park and the Woodlands Water Play and Skateboard Park plus its many historic murals.

The Art Gallery of Alberta

Segway Tour

Fort Edmonton Park

Midway, Capital EX

Green Thumbs Up The Devonian Botanic Garden, developed by the University of Alberta, lies just southwest of the city. Discover Canada’s most northerly botanic garden, 80 acres of display gardens and 100 acres of natural areas. Indoor show houses, tours, plant sales, and special events are yours to discover. When there, be sure to visit the Kurimoto Japanese Garden and the Sensory and Healing Garden.

The Francis Winspear Centre for Music

Canoe offers a series of canoe programs and rentals. Cyclists should check out Velocity Cycle and Instant Mountain Bike Rentals. For maps and bike events, the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters’ Society is a terrific resource.

River Valley Cariwest Caribbean Festival

Rutherford House

Old Strathcona

Morning

Afternoon

Evening

What a cool way to see a city wake up – by jet boat. Next to their little coolers, fishermen cast their lines into the North Saskatchewan River. Cyclists pedal to work. Families of ducks and geese snooze in the reeds. Even kayakers and canoeists seem to use the river as an early morning playground.

Too nice to dine inside so I found a great outdoor bistro in Old Strathcona. I think this is one of the coolest neighbourhoods in all of Canada. Poets are gathering next door… what’s “blink” poetry?

Was able to nab some tickets for an outdoor concert tonight at Hawrelak Park so I’m wolfing down an early dinner, overlooking the river valley where I cycled this morning. The Cornish game hen with a juniper berrysauce is crispy, almost like Peking Duck. It’s sitting on a nest of white asparagus, crunchy beets and roasted pine nuts. Sublime.

Rented a cool, new Segway and am now cruising through downtown and parts of the North Saskatchewan River Valley; biggest urban park in North America. The path system meanders from parks to golf courses, across historic bridges, past ponds and through forests.

I’ve been seduced. I was trying to decide which show to attend at the Fringe Festival when someone on stilts started rapping about jolly cows and lonely canola fields. Now I’m in a parade heading toward an outdoor stage and he’s way off in front, like a mad Pied Piper. Someone swooped out of a tree and started doing the bunny hop. No one is seated any longer. We’re all hanging on to the waist in front of us, jumping forward. Then backward. Then, a-1-2-3. I’m laughing with absolute strangers. Hundreds of them.

I know the Saturday afternoon blues jams at the Commercial Hotel are an institution but the nights give you lots to groove to, as well. Blues on Whyte is exactly what you’d expect from an über-swinging, Chicago-style blues bar. Hot. Thick air. Sultry music. Big Dreamer brought down the house.

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Edmonton & Area

EDMONTON IN A DAY

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VIKING

TELUS World of Science

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Cultural and Heritage Loop

Edmonton and Area road trip

Where can you experience the world’s largest indoor triple-loop rollercoaster, eat a platter of perogies dished up by a Ukrainian Baba, see bison up close and take in more festivals than you ever thought possible? Edmonton. Use the capital as a base and fan out on short jaunts. 1 From Edmonton head east on Hwy 16 to Elk Island National Park. Get there

early as prime time for wildlife viewing is in the morning when the 1,700 elk, 600 plains bison and 375 wood bison are up and about. Whether you drive, bike or hike through Canada’s smallest national park, there are plenty of interpretive plaques and points of interest that explain the park’s historical importance. 2 Follow the signs to nearby Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. Costumed

interpreters lead you through more than 30 restored historic buildings and then let you loose to experience numerous hands-on activities and games.

Bison, Elk Island National Park

Royal Alberta Museum

Fort Edmonton Park

3 Make your way back to Edmonton and in keeping with our historic theme,

visit Fort Edmonton Park. At one of Canada’s largest living history parks, discover how our pioneers and fur traders lived, take a ride on a steam train or relax on a ferris wheel, 1920s style. 4 Take a free tour of Alberta’s magnificent Legislature Building and marvel at

its Beaux Arts details and its elegant outdoor gardens and fountains. Next on your urban tour, visit the Royal Alberta Museum where you’ll gain a sense of the scope of Alberta’s natural and human history. In the evening, poke around Old Strathcona, beloved for its bohemian ambiance and terrific shopping. Dine at one of the area’s eclectic restaurants and then finish up your night with a guided ghost tour. 5 Drive south on Hwy 2 to Leduc where oil was discovered on Feb. 13, 1947.

This very find transformed Edmonton into the Oil Capital of Canada – neatly explained at the Leduc #1 Historic Site and the Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre and Hall of Fame. Here, you’ll also find a replica oil rig, drilling equipment, photos and hands-on displays. Head back to Edmonton on Hwy 60 and stop at the Devonian Botanic Gardens. Blissfully serene, a walk through its Japanese Garden and around its extensive collection of native and alpine plants is always a lovely escape. 6 Spend a day at West Edmonton Mall. Here, you can splash around the

world’s largest indoor waterpark, flip around Galaxyland (home of the mindbender, the world’s largest indoor triple loop rollercoaster), or enjoy the one-stop shopping experience at the 800 plus stores and services and re-energize at one of the 100 dining establishments.

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Edmonton & Area

Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village

Distance: 300 km (180 mi) Travelling time: Two to three days by car Begin: Edmonton End: Edmonton

calgary & area

Stephen Avenue Mall

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Child Friendly Calgary Look for the bright yellow sun and green streak of grass if you want the official seal of approval by “kid critics,” employed by an organization that rates attractions, hotels and events in Calgary according to children’s needs. Top marks go to the Calgary Zoo, renowned for its spectacular Destination Africa pavilion and the Canada Wilds area as well as its sleepovers, tours, free feedings, demos and underwater viewing hippo pool. Other big hits with families of all ages are Canada Olympic Park (hop on the fastest zipline in North America or try out its new Zorbing attraction where you roll down a hill in a giant plastic bubble); Calaway Park (western Canada’s largest outdoor amusement park); the Aerospace Museum; the TELUS World of Science; Calgary Spaceport; Shakers Fun Centre and Butterfield Acres (a hands-on working farm).

Fish Creek Park tpr.alberta.ca/parks/ fishcreek

Can you Hear the Drums? From the floor of a tipi, listen to an elder whisper tales of ancient ways. You can almost hear the rumble of buffalo hooves barrelling across the dusty prairies as you discover thousands of years of history of First Nations people at Nitsitapiisinni: Our Way of Life, a permanent exhibit at Calgary’s Glenbow Museum. And be sure to tour the Glenbow’s innovative gallery, Mavericks: An Incorrigible History of Alberta where the story of our colourful province is told through the eyes of 48 mavericks. Ever wanted to wear a Northwest Mounted Police uniform or spend time in a turn-of-the-century jail? Step right up to Fort Calgary

The Military Museums themilitarymuseums.ca

Bar U Ranch 
 pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/ab/baru Butterfield Acres butterfieldacres.com Calaway Park calawaypark.com Calgary Attractions calgaryattractions.com Calgary Farmers’ Market calgaryfarmersmarket.ca Calgary Stampede calgarystampede.com Calgary Tower calgarytower.com Calgary Zoo calgaryzoo.org Canada Olympic Park canadaolympicpark.ca Downtown Calgary downtowncalgary.com Eau Claire Market eauclairemarket.com

Fort Calgary Historic Park fortcalgary.com Glenbow Museum glenbow.org Heritage Park Historical Village heritagepark.ca Inglewood Bird Sanctuary calgary.ca/parks/ naturecentre Kananaskis – Calgary’s Mountain Playground tpr.alberta.ca/parks/ kananaskis/flashindex.asp Lougheed House lougheedhouse.com Spruce Meadows sprucemeadows.com

TELUS World of Science calgaryscience.ca

Public Art

Calgary Tower Downtown Skyline Glenbow Museum

Calgary Attractions

calgary & Area

Calgary pulses with a youthful, entrepreneurial energy yet it still respects its humble roots – most evident in the 10 day July whoop-up known as the Calgary Stampede. The city is known as the gateway to the Canadian Rockies, less than an hour’s drive away. Amble down one of the longest urban pathways in North America and rub elbows with folks who are cycling, jogging and roller-blading. You’ll even see people fishing for trout in the Bow River – on their lunch hour!

Savour the City Get your bearings with a panoramic sweep of the city from the observation deck of Calgary’s premier landmark, the Calgary Tower, where you can dare to teeter across its glass floor at 160 m (525 ft). Time it right and you could dine at its newly renovated, ever-revolving, restaurant in the air – Sky 360. Then zip down for an amble along Stephen Avenue Walk, a lovely historic strip of handsome sandstone buildings and high-end restaurants, galleries and shops. Enjoy the dynamic arts and music scene at a variety of stages including the EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts and the Grand Theatre. Taste the city’s cosmopolitan cuisine downtown or at any number of multicultural restaurants in eclectic neighbourhoods. Or, for an in-depth dining experience take a two-hour guided Urban Safari Tour that blends unique restaurants, famed for regional cuisine, with a little architectural soupçon and local insight into the regional food scene as well as the history of the city.

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• The city has a healthy culinary scene, boasting of more than 3,700 restaurants. •A  lthough Native Blackfoot moved through the area of Calgary approximately 2,000 years ago, nobody stayed put until about 300 years ago when the Sarcee and Stoney natives moved down from the North and began warring on this turf. • White settlers first arrived in Calgary in the late 1700s. In 1875, Fort Calgary was built at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers. • The name “Calgary” comes from Calgary Bay, a remote village on the Isle of Mull in Scotland and is said to translate from Gaelic to “garden in the cove.” • Calgary is committed to green spaces. We have 29 major parks, 40 regional parks and a total of 7,500 hectares of open spaces, including all parks. • Calgary has the longest continuous bike path in Canada with 635 km (394 mi) of paved paths.

Spine Tingling Fun Want to dazzle your guests or family with an unusual history lesson that might actually make their blood run cold… well, maybe just tepid? Consider a night of ghostly entertainment that dips into the mischief, mayhem and murders of Calgary. All four ghost tours focus on historic neighbourhoods – Downtown Calgary, Inglewood, Kensington and 17 Avenue SW – and are led by a guide in a black cape with a proverbial lantern. Which is the Biggest Rock of all? Just south of Calgary in the town of Okotoks is the largest glacial “erratic” in the world, weighing in at 18,000 tons. A Calgary brewery, Big Rock, and Okotoks itself were named for this giant rock dragged from the Jasper area and deposited 10,000 years ago by glacial ice. The Adventures of “K Country” Take a short drive west of Calgary, through the foothills of the Rockies, to Kananaskis Country. Discover horseback riding, hiking, canoeing, rafting, fishing, bird watching, overnight pack trips, guest lodges, heli tours and a world-class hotel. An Olympic downhill ski hill, miles of cross country ski trails and a 36-hole golf course are all less than an hour west of Calgary. Jump to It! Spruce Meadows is one of the world’s top equestrian facilities that hosts 15 major horse jumping competitions annually and offers more than $6 million in prize money. More of our Western Ways You could be having a Mojito at a sun-kissed rooftop restaurant in Calgary over lunch and be ridin’ a snortin’, buckin’ bronco 30 minutes later. Your western fantasy lies just 15 minutes north of Calgary, near Balzac, where an arena is open year-round to put wannabe bronco

Take Calgary’s CTrain (a light rail transit system) downtown and you won’t pay a cent. The route along 7 Avenue is a free-fare zone.
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Spruce Meadows

• Calgary’s elegant Stephen Avenue Walk became a National Historic District in 2002.

calgary zoo

• Americans make up 10 per cent of Calgary’s one million plus population.

for a chance to relive the Wild West. Another must-see is the $65 million expansion of Heritage Park Historical Village, replete with a spiffy new car museum, steam train rides, an antique midway, an old-fashioned bakery, candy store and school house – all staffed by highly trained interpreters. Then march through another chapter of our history at the also newly expanded, Military Museums – full of vintage tanks, carriers and WWI paraphernalia.

Brian Keating

In addition to being one of Canada’s largest cities, Calgary is also one of the youngest and fastestgrowing. Other nuggets you need to know:

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“When I’m away from Calgary I miss the space and freedom we have here. And the clear water of the Bow River plus the easy access to mountains where I love to hike and backcountry ski. One of my favourite things to do in Calgary is snorkel down the Bow, looking for fish.”

Heritage Park

Did You Know?

Did you know the Caesar cocktail was first created in Calgary in 1969 by bartender Walter Chell? Today, the Caesar is Canada’s No.1 selling cocktail – more than 250 million Caesars are downed every year. You must try one when you’re here.

Seven Restolounge

calgary & Area

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Calgary Stampede Midway 42

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Ultimate Amusement

Kananaskis River

Calgary’s Calaway Park is western Canada’s largest outdoor amusement park, home to 33 rides including the Samba Spin as well as the Dream Machine and Falling Ace. Mini-golf, live shows, a midway and an RV park/ campground are part of the complex.

Calgary Stampede Midway

All-Star Workouts You might just find yourself working out next to an Olympic athlete at one of North America’s biggest athletic centres, Calgary’s Talisman Centre or Canada Olympic Park (COP) – future home of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. At COP, you’ll discover the legacy left by the XV Winter Olympics with its luge, skeleton and ski jumping facilities where Olympians from around the planet still train. You’ll spot even more elite athletes in the near future as WinSport Canada’s $276 million expansion rolls out, making this Centre of Sport Excellence the new home of Hockey Canada. Other popular athletic facilities include the speed skating

Visit this national historic site in Longview and discover our rich ranching history. Use a branding iron. Chow down on buffalo burgers.

Canada Olympic Park

TELUS World of Science Fruit Stand near Bragg Creek Okotoks Erratic Rock

Other Nearby Nuggets No time to drive the entire Cowboy Trail? Settle for a sample by popping into Bragg Creek, a funky “western” town, just 50 km (30 mi) southwest of Calgary. This quaint hamlet is full of restaurants, boutiques, antique shops and craft galleries. Nearby is Diamond Valley, “The Heart of the Cowboy Trail,” which includes Turner Valley (tour the Turner Valley Gas Plant Historic Site), Black Diamond, Millarville (great farmers’ market on Saturdays in the summer) and Longview (pop into Ian Tyson’s Navajo Mug for a coffee and some country tunes or pick up a chewy wedge of beef jerky made right on the premises of the Longview Jerky Shop). Can’t get enough of our western ways and stunning high ranch country? Just south of Longview is the Bar U Ranch National Historic Site, a fantastic swath of land that tells the tale of how massive and powerful “corporate” ranches were, in their day. Once stocked with 3,000 head of cattle driven north from Montana, it was also renowned throughout North America as a leading breeder of Percherons – some of these draft horses run free today on the ranch’s tumble of foothills. Another area that celebrates Calgary’s western roots is the nearby town of Cochrane. Be sure to scoop up a cone from Mackay’s Ice Cream parlour while you’re there.

The Bar U Ranch

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calgary & Area

Did you know that you can rove around Stampede Park any old time, not just during July’s 10 day shindig? Explore the grounds and you’ll discover who the “Big Four” were. These heroes are constantly mentioned in Calgary for they were the four businessmen who bankrolled Guy Weadick for $100,000 so he could kickstart the Stampede, back in 1912. The Big Four were: George Lane, A.E. Cross, A.J. MacLean and Patrick Burns.

riders through their paces. First, is Bull Riding 101 – a classroom-based, behind-the-chutes look at the sport of bull riding. This is where you get to test your skills on the back of a mechanical bull. Get Bucked is the second course, aimed at graduates who have demonstrated enough chutzpah to ride a live bull in a relatively safe, controlled environment. Fantasy Adventure Bull Riding is the world’s first bull riding school that provides a gritty, personal experience into our wild and woolly past.

Calgary Stampede Midway

Bull Riding, Calgary Stampede

Saddle Bronc, Calgary Stampede

Experience a dry float in a heated hay bath inspired by Alberta’s cowboy country, and then expand your awareness with pulsating light at Calgary’s Sublime Spa.

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Hollywood North Location, location, location – that’s precisely what movie makers seek when they’re preparing to shoot. If you experience déjà vu, say in a place such as Ranchman’s Cookhouse (Calgary’s top honky tonk dance hall), there’s a very good reason. That’s precisely where the saloon scene in Brokeback Mountain took place. Or, if Heritage Park looks familiar it might be because Brad Pitt shot a scene there featured in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Even little coffee joints such as the Dairy Lane Milk Bar in the neighbourhood of West Hillhurst have made it big – in this case in the recently shot, made-for-TV movie, Blue Smoke, based on a Nora Roberts novel. Calgary Stampede The 10-day summer shindig, known as the “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” is more than just a midway or a rodeo. The corporate city of more than a million shuts down, while parties rev up. Streets are lined with hay bales. Pinstripes get traded in for Wranglers and shiny belt buckles. Free pancake breakfasts happen daily. Platters of “prairie oysters,” get slurped back as people celebrate our woolly past – when life was full of buckin’ broncos, bulls, steers and corner saloons. But the Stampede is also about the “New West” where oil barons and entrepreneurs flourish, just like those Stetson-wearing cowboys once did. This is exactly the time where you can pony up to a bar with rootin’ tootin’ cowboys or two-step till sun-up. While the entire city gets gripped by Stampede fever the epicentre is Stampede Park, where more than 100,000 people converge each day. Here you’ll find cowboys from all over the planet showing off their skills at the world’s richest outdoor rodeo. Plus a staggeringly large midway, agricultural shows, big-act concerts and a nightly grandstand show complete with fireworks.

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Chuckwagon Racing, Calgary Stampede

Hay Days

“Oval” at the University of Calgary and numerous municipal pools and recreation complexes – many of which, like the Calgary Rotary Challenger Park, are multi-use, barrier-free facilities. If you’re more of a spectator, check out the roster of games and concerts held at the Pengrowth Saddledome – home of the NHL Calgary Flames. Or, McMahon Stadium, where the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders play.

Wild Pony Race, Calgary Stampede

Whether it’s summer or winter, winds always howl across Ghost Lake, luring kitesurfers to this spot, just west of Calgary.

Pengrowth Saddledome

Winds and Wakes

Did you know that Calgary is the sunniest city in Canada, averaging 332.93 days of sunshine each year? And the downtown core is crisscrossed with elevated, enclosed sidewalks? They call them Plus 15s as they’re 4.5 m (15 ft) above street level. There are about 15 km (9.3 mi) of them, linking malls to hotels, museums, restaurants and office buildings.

Heritage Park River Cafe

Children’s Day Camp, Canada Olympic Park

Ski Jumping, Canada Olympic Park

calgary & Area

CALGARY IN A DAY

Morning

Afternoon

Evening

The whoosh of hot air blasting into an enormous balloon is surprisingly loud, but that only lasts a couple of moments and then all is silent as we drift over our hotel. The sun begins to sneak over the prairies, to the east, staining those tidy fields of wheat with streaks of purple, crimson, and then finally gold. Over the lip of the basket I can see the rocks in the clear ribbon of water known as the Bow that winds through Calgary. What’s that? A deer in the city? Dozens roam freely in Nose Hill Park. I look west and all I see is a wall of snow-kissed peaks, the Canadian Rockies.

Raced over to the Calgary Farmers’ Market and wolfed down the juiciest Greek Souvlaki I’ve ever had. Bought a bag of cowboy popcorn for the road.

The days are long here in the summer so we were able to enjoy a patio table at the River Café until very late. Of course I had to order Alberta beef but the view of Prince’s Island Park and the lagoon and the downtown skyline were just as tasty.

Even though it was more than 20 years ago that Calgary hosted the Winter Olympics, the spirit’s still very much alive at Canada Olympic Park (COP). I stood exactly where Eddie the Eagle did on top of the 40 m (120 ft) ski jump, closed my eyes and yes, I jumped ... on North America’s fastest zipline.

I was so close that I just popped over to Heritage Park where the S.S. Moyie was about to leave the dock. Scrambled on to this sternwheeler and got a great history lesson while we cruised around the Glenmore Reservoir and then I checked out the new Gasoline Alley. I knew if I got to the Glenbow Museum I’d never want to leave so I saved it for last. The Aboriginal section is superb. Tipis were such an ingenious design. And those sod huts pioneers lived in – with their chandeliers and pianos they brought over from their homeland – must have been so chilly in the winter.

Some friendly local at dinner said we had to learn to two-step at the Ranchman’s, so we put on our western duds and went to this cookhouse and dancehall. We missed the free dance lessons but how often do you to get to ride a bull? Sure it was mechanical, but what a hoot.

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Bow River BLACK DIAMOND

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Crowsnest Pass

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Visitor Information Centre UNESCO World Heritage Site Airport

Waterton Lakes National Park

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Bar U Ranch National Historic Site, Longview

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The Cowboy Trail

CALGARY and Area Road Trip

Explore Alberta’s historic Cowboy Trail and discover how the West was really won through its art, history, food, hospitality and culture. The trail begins in Mayerthorpe (northwest of Edmonton) and ends in Pincher Creek – a nudge above Montana. While it’s possible to drive the entire distance, most people carve it into little two and three day loops, using Calgary as a logical fly-in gateway.

calgary & Area

Saddlebronc Riding, Tsuu T’ina Nation Rodeo and Powwow, Bragg Creek

Distance: 735 km (457 mi) Travelling time: Three to five days by car Begin: Mayerthorpe End: Cardston

1 Head south on Hwy 22 from Mayerthorpe and be sure to stop in at Rocky

Mountain House, home to a newly expanded national historic site that re-enacts the story of Canada’s fur trade and rugged voyageur life. Paddle back in time in a voyageur canoe that will guide you down the North Saskatchewan River, ending at this very site.

Remington Alberta Carriage Museum, Cardston

2 Head south and use Sundre as a base for wilderness trips or horseback

ventures into the Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve. 3 Small-town charmers include Bragg Creek (loaded with artisan and antique

shops plus hiking and mountain biking loops), Millarville (home to a massive farmers’ market held on Saturdays throughout the summer), Turner Valley (it was here that Canada’s first major crude oil discovery was made), Black Diamond and Longview. Just south of Longview lies the Bar U Ranch – full of original buildings, ongoing archaeological digs and intriguing exhibits.

can poke around Kootenai Brown’s Pioneer Village and then jog north to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Here you’ll find the world’s largest, oldest and best preserved buffalo jump – plus a fascinating museum. 5 To complete the official Cowboy Trail, travel south and then veer east on

Hwy 5 to Cardston where the Remington Carriage Museum houses one of North America’s largest collections of carriages, buggies and wagons. It’s a spectacular example of another era … the Wild, Wild West. 


Windsor Ridge, near Pincher Creek

Tsuu T’ina Nation, Bragg Creek

4 At the junction of Hwy 22 and Hwy 3 you’ll find Pincher Creek where you

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CANADIAN ROCKIES

Tonquin Valley, Jasper National Park

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Art Matters At the base of Tunnel Mountain, flanking the east side of the town of Banff, you’ll see a cluster of buildings – like a kingdom unto its own. Known as The Banff Centre, this “kingdom” began in 1933 as a two-week drama camp. Since then it’s grown into an internationally recognized arts complex that houses a conference centre (where visitors can stay overnight if attending a performance), two theatres, the town’s most scenic You’re at the top of Tunnel Mountain, (and cheapest) swimming pool, a rock climbing wall, breathing in pine-scented air, and art studios, galleries, artist-in-residence cottages, one now know what Alberta-born folkie, of Canada’s biggest summer arts festivals and a Joni Mitchell, was on about when she unique mountain film and book festival, in sang I Can See Clearly Now. Clarity is November. From innovative jazz and poetry readings to Indie band performances, theatre, ballet, classical all around – in the crisp air, in the charm of a pretty town called Banff, in music, artists’ talks and workshops – this place is one the whitewater froth of the Bow River of Banff’s artistic cornerstones.

and in all this Rocky Mountain space. Good thing you brought your boots, your bike, your golf clubs ...

Lake Louise – What Makes it that Colour? Find out why Lake Louise, nestled at the foot of Victoria Glacier, is known as the “Jewel of the Rockies,” and

Banff Centre 
 banffcentre.ca Banff National Park pc.gc.ca/Banff Canmore tourismcanmore.com Grande Cache grandecache.ca Hinton town.hinton.ab.ca Icefields Parkway icefieldsparkway.ca Jasper jaspercanadianrockies.com Jasper National Park pc.gc.ca/jasper Kananaskis Country kananaskisalberta.ca Lake Louise banfflakelouise.com Willmore Wilderness Park willmorewilderness park.com

Lake Edith Cavell, Jasper National Park

Banff – is that a Castle in the Peaks? Located 130 km (81 mi) west of Calgary, Banff National Park is a UNESCO site that offers hundreds of hiking trails, pristine glacial-fed lakes, wildlife, horseback riding, ski resorts and a magnificent Stanley Thompson-designed golf course – all in a protected national park setting. The entire park occupies nearly 6,641 km2 (2,564 sq mi) of land in which lie the charming town of Banff and hamlet of Lake Louise. Look for award-winning restaurants, theatres, museums, spas, a summer arts festival, camping and world-class accommodation such as two magnificent, historic Fairmont properties.

Banff 
 banfflakelouise.com

Lake Louise

Banff Upper Hot Springs Tonquin Valley, Jasper National Park

Canmore – has Three Sisters Framed by one of the world’s most spectacular mountain ranges, Canmore lies an hour west of Calgary – another gem in our crown of Rocky Mountain splendour. Sandwiched between Banff National Park and Kananaskis Country, Canmore has plenty of condos and homes to rent, making it an ideal base for a family vacation. Loads of restaurants, art galleries, hikes, mountain bike trails, golf courses, theatre, the Canmore Nordic Centre and festivals galore translate to something for everyone.

Canadian Rockies Destinations

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CANADIAN ROCKIES

Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park

Kananaskis Country – Cradles Nine Parks Less than an hour’s drive west of Calgary lies “K Country.” While most of that swath is wilderness, tiny Kananaskis Village has everything you need: a couple of fine hotels, superb golf courses, a ski resort, bike loops, hiking trails, horseback riding and campgrounds, plus plenty of wildlife without the crowds.

Grande Cache Tourism & Interpretive Centre. Hinton Nordic Ski Centre. Hinton Mtn. Bike Skills Park. Hoodoos. Miette Hot Springs. Natural Resources Interpretive Park. Sulphur Gates. William A. Switzer Provincial Park. Willmore Wilderness Park. The Canadian Death Race. Brule Sand Dunes.

Must-see in Banff National Park Bow Valley Parkway. Banff Gondola. Cascade Gardens. Banff Park Museum. Banff Summer Arts Festival. Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Johnston Canyon. Banff Upper Hot Springs. The Fairmont Banff Springs. Bankhead. Vermilion Lakes. Bow Falls. Whyte Museum. Lake Agnes Tea House. Moraine Lake and Valley of the Ten Peaks. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Lake Minnewanka.

Must-see in Kananaskis Country Bow Valley Provincial Park. Kananaskis Village. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Sheep River Provincial Park. Spray Valley Provincial Park. Highwood Pass (highest road pass in Canada).

Must-see in Canmore Canmore Nordic Centre. Cougar Canyon. Grassi Lakes. Riverside Trail Networks. Canmore Museum & GeoScience Centre.

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Take the High Road The Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93) stretches 230 km (143 mi) from Banff National Park to Jasper, past a chain of massive glaciers and waterfalls that tumble down the Continental Divide. Stop in at Peyto, Hector or Bow lakes and marvel at the peculiar colour of water, due to deposits of glacial silt. Another must-see is the Columbia Icefield, 325 km2 (125 sq mi) of ancient glacial ice, some of which you can see from the highway. Better yet, hike to the base of the Athabasca Glacier or take a tour on a specially designed coach, the “Ice Explorer.” Jasper – the Biggest of the “Jewels” Jasper National Park is Canada’s largest mountain park, spanning 10,878 km2 (4,200 sq mi). About a four-hour drive west of Edmonton, Jasper is known for its canoeing, kayaking, fishing, skiing, wildlife watching, cycling and hiking. Marvel at seven mountain ranges from the top of the Jasper Tramway, take a cruise to picturesque Spirit Island, or mountain bike on the endless trails surrounding the town. In the town of Jasper, you’ll find world class accommodation, eclectic dining, laid-back pubs and great museums.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

owner, jasper adventure centre

Must-see in Grande Cache, Hinton and Area

Murray Morgan

Athabasca Falls. Medicine Lake. Columbia Icefield. Mount Edith Cavell. Jasper Tramway. Pocahontas. Lake Annette, Pyramid and Patricia Lakes. Lake Edith. Sunwapta Falls. Maligne Canyon. Maligne Lake. Punch Bowl Falls. A Jasper Motorcycle/ Sidecar Tour.

is one of the most photographed lakes in North America (along with its neighbour, Moraine Lake). Ride a gondola. Trek to an historic log teahouse such as the one at Lake Agnes or the Plain of Six Glaciers. Or, lace up your cross country ski (or hiking) boots and venture off into the nearby wilds for a quintessential 11 km (7 mi) trek into Skoki Lodge, built in the ’30s. Ski at one of North America’s most scenic resorts or simply write postcards while having “high tea” at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

“Like so many of us transplants, I came to Jasper for a year and never left. My favourite tour is something we call the Sunburst Canoe Program. It starts at 6:30 AM when I pick up our guests, coffee and fresh croissants and head out to Pyramid Lake where we have a picnic on an island and watch the sun wash over the Colin Range.”

Medicine Lake, Jasper National Park

Must-see in Jasper National Park

Rocky Mountain Fringes Veer beyond Jasper and you’ll discover lesser-known hubs for outdoor enthusiasts such as the town of Hinton. Rugged scenery, endless outdoor adventures plus interpretive tours about coal mining, forestry and natural resources surround this town on the Athabasca River. Visitors keen to hike, fish, camp, water ski or bike won’t want to miss William A. Switzer Provincial Park. High in the foothills of the Rockies, the town of Grande Cache has a panoramic view of 21 mountain peaks and two river valleys. Built on a mountain plateau, Grande Cache Did you know that two of Canada’s faces south toward the Continental Divide and the most iconic hotels look like castles – pristine Willmore Wilderness Park and is another with their turrets, sweeping staircases excellent centre for outdoor adventures.

and stunning surroundings? The

History Bubbles Up Two of Canada’s most historic Fairmont Banff Springs and The hot springs are in Banff and Jasper. Both offer Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. jaw-dropping views of peaks and valleys that appear

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The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Banff National Park

CANADIAN ROCKIES

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Banff National Park

Did you know that Banff is a Mecca for artists? Guess that’s why there are so many art galleries! You’ll probably see more black and white photos shot by Byron Harmon than any other photographer. He was an American who arrived in Banff in the early 1900s and made it his mission to shoot every major peak in the Rockies.

All-Star Views Sometimes it’s effortless to zoom in on a dazzling view – just drive the Icefields Parkway. But others take sweat. Here are a few breathtaking vistas where you’re likely to burn through batteries, a memory card and your quads! Peer over the ledge of Ha Ling Peak in Canmore and spot Calgary’s bumpy skyline – about 100 km (62 mi) away. Lake lovers will adore all the tarns and little lips of pearly blue lakes along the backcountry route from Lake Louise to Skoki Lodge. For wildflowers, the slog up Jonas Pass in Jasper National Park is worth every gasp. At the pass you’ll see a 15 km (9.3 mi) long corridor filled with delicate alpine flowers and the occasional caribou. Also in Jasper is the multi-day hike along the Skyline Trail that places you on a 5 km (3.1 mi) ridge walk that’ll stagger you with range upon range of snow kissed peaks. Near the entrance to Willmore Wilderness Park, north of Jasper, look for the Sulphur Gate Lookout which offers stunning views of the sheer cliffs along the confluence of the Smoky and Sulphur Rivers. Those who crave the jaw-dropping views but can’t hike the distance can always take a gondola ride in Banff, Sunshine Village, Lake Louise and Jasper that’ll whisk you to the top of a peak in minutes. Want something divinely decadent? Go heli-hiking and stay in a backcountry lodge. Horse Sense Twist around in your saddle and marvel at the windswept ridges that tumble into each other under a taut, blue Alberta sky. You’ve worked hard for this view. Sun up, you were helping “cookie” fire up a campstove. By 9 AM you’d packed your gear and learned why you throw a stick in a cup o’ joe when you’re brewing a pot over a snapping fire. And now, you’re high on a mountain pass listening to twigs snap in the woods, searching for signs of grizzlies. Yes, you can go on guided multi-day horsepacking trips with bear experts, biologists, horse whisperers or just plain ol’ cowboys. Plenty of operators, guest ranches and themed “educational” horsepacking trips can be found in Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Grande Cache.

If you cycle along the Bow Valley Parkway, between Banff and Lake Louise, there are at least 15 good reasons to stop – the precise number of interpretive panels that connect visitors to the area!

Wildlife Wonders The chances you’ll spot bighorn sheep, mule deer and elk in our Rocky Mountain parks are almost a given. However, sightings of moose, bear, cougars, wolves and caribou are far less likely – apart from seeing them displayed in a museum or in a heritage property. Look for the latter at the Banff Park Museum in Banff, the Wildlife Museum in Jasper, the new tourism and interpretive centre in Grande Cache, Num-Ti-Jah Lodge (along the Icefields Parkway) and the Fairmont properties in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper.

A Feast with a View Best views from restaurants include the posh Three Ravens at The Banff Centre, the five-diamond Eden in the Rimrock Hotel in Banff, the lobby bar at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and the lakefront deck at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

Wildlife Fence That 2.4 m (7.8 ft) high fence that stretches along the Trans-Canada Hwy., between Banff and Lake Louise, was built to prevent wildlife from crossing the busy road. Research says that 11 species of large mammals have used the 24 underpasses and overpasses more than 94,000 times since 1996. That’s a lot of wildlife!

What’s that You Hear? If it’s autumn and you’re on a golf course in the Rockies, it’s likely a bull elk bugling for a mate. You’ll find them clanking their racks and locking their egos during the fall rut. Wherever you are, do watch for animal crossings as many golf courses have widened their designs to accommodate wildlife.

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CANADIAN ROCKIES

Big Horn Sheep, Rockies

Lake Louise

to tumble around them. The Upper Hot Springs in Banff also offers spa facilities and the newly renovated Miette Hot Springs in Jasper is more noted for its nearby hikes and interpretive trails.

Make Green the Colour of Your Next Adventure

Ski Destinations

Choose an Alberta-based adventure company that applies sustainable business principles to their activities. Whether they offer kayaking, rafting, hiking, biking or horseback riding – ask if they use local suppliers for goods and services and if each activity is led by a well-informed interpreter/guide.

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Sunshine Village, Banff National Park

Site of the 1988 Winter Olympic ski events, Nakiska is the closest of the “big” mountain ski areas to Calgary and is an Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA) Training and Race Centre. Known for its groomed fall line skiing, Nakiska boasts six lifts, 28 runs, a 735 m (2,412 ft) vertical rise, the longest magic carpet in Alberta, and has accommodation just moments from the daylodge. skinakiska.com Ski Norquay

Located 10 minutes from the town of Banff, Ski Norquay offers well-groomed trails, 28 runs, a 503 m (1,650 ft) vertical rise, a great ski school, a night-lit terrain park, as well as a wide variety of pricing options including hourly rates – a bonus for families. banffnorquay.com Sunshine Village

Home of the longest ski season in Canada, Sunshine Village is known to have Canada’s best all-natural snow. Located 20 minutes from the town of Banff, Sunshine Village encompasses three mountains, seven quad chairs, the world’s fastest eightpassenger gondola lift, 107 runs and a vertical rise of 1,070 m (3,514 ft). There’s also a newly renovated lodge on the hill, with a wing of new suites that just opened. skibanff.com The Lake Louise Ski Area

Canada’s single largest ski area offers 18 km2 (11 sq mi) of terrain on four distinct mountain faces, serviced by 11 lifts (including five quad chairs and one six-passenger gondola). Lake Louise has 139 runs and a vertical rise of 1,010 m (3,365 ft). Continually rated as “North America’s most scenic resort,” this internationally renowned ski destination is an early season mainstay on the World Cup Downhill circuit. skilouise.com

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The Lake Louise Ski Area, Banff National Park

Wind turbines may not be powering our ski lifts, yet, but an increasing number of Alberta’s ski resorts are turning a green leaf. Upgraded snow making systems at most resorts means less water and better energy efficiency. Low-flow toilets, automatic shut-off devices and organic food items have become standard fare. What most fans of the World Cup circuit, which typically opens its season at Lake Louise Mountain Resort don’t know is that every night segments of the race’s fencing are removed allowing wildlife to roam in the area. Regular monitoring confirms these openings are frequently used by deer, coyotes and elk. In 2006, Sunshine Village Ski Resort was awarded the Silver Eagle award for ‘Excellence in Water Conservation.’ In four years they reduced their water usage by 29 per cent and their water-related operating costs by 40 per cent.

Nakiska

Nakiska Ski Resort, Kananaskis Country

Ski Green

Located in Jasper National Park, Marmot Basin is one of the least crowded family friendly ski areas in North America. Seven lifts (including the longest, new highspeed quad chair, the Canadian Rockies Express, in Alberta’s Rockies) service 84 trails. skimarmot.com

Marmot Basin, Jasper National Park

At the vanguard of responsible tourism is Banff National Park where you’ll find Canada’s first all-hybrid electric transit fleet, a.k.a. Roam. Impossible to miss, all four buses are painted with wildlife imagery of grizzlies, elk, goats and wolves. These new hybrids reduce emissions and encourage tourists to park their cars and jump aboard Roam, instead.

Just two-and-a-half hours south of Calgary, near the town of Pincher Creek, lies Castle Mountain. Castle has long been a Mecca for hardcore skiers, powder hounds and riders but with the opening of Mt. Haig, there’s a whole lot more terrain for beginners and intermediate skiers. skicastle.ca

Marmot Basin

Top of Banff Gondola, Banff National Park Moraine Lake, Banff National Park

Eddie Burger Bar, Banff

Morning

Afternoon

How often do you wake up in a castle? I arrived late last night so I had no idea how big and sumptuous The Fairmont Banff Springs actually is. Fossils embedded in their stone staircases. Knights in armour tucked in niches. A golf course so stunning I wish I played.

Jumped on a Roam (one of Banff’s hybrid-electric buses) and was at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site in moments. This is a great little museum that tells how the discovery of the hot springs turned into Canada’s first national park. I love mountaineering legends so I ambled through the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies. Could have spent all day there, but I wanted to see Banff’s wildlife so I hurried over to the Banff Park Museum. Who knew that Banff once had a zoo? And that grizzly bears could be blonde or almost black?

The concierge told me I could run up Sulphur Mountain and take the gondola back down. Can I actually run up 1,000 m (3,000 ft) to the summit? It’s supposed to have panoramic views of the Bow Valley and a cool little boardwalk to the Sanson Peak Meteorological Station. If Norm Sanson hiked up here thousands of times – even into his ’80s – to record the weather, surely I can do it once. Let’s just agree that Norm was extraordinarily fit! Decided to go for a dip in the historic Upper Hot Springs as they’re just at the base of the gondola. Perfect antidote for sore muscles.

Grabbed a burger in Banff and drove to Lake Louise where I went on a tea house tromp. First, I took all those switchbacks up to the log charmer at Lake Agnes and then took the high traverse over to the original tea house at the Plain of Six Glaciers.

CANADIAN ROCKIES

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

BANFF AND LAKE LOUISE IN A DAY

No need to pack much – hearty soups, loaves, muffins and dozens of types of tea are available at both! Evening

The sun was sliding over Victoria Glacier when I got back down to Lake Louise so I just nabbed a window seat in the Lakeview Lounge and soaked it all in. Decided I wanted more so I drove to nearby Moraine Lake where I sat outside listening to the lodgepole pines creak and moan in the breeze. What should I order – steelhead trout with a mango salsa or Alberta beef? My waiter tells me there are more remarkable hikes that fan out from this valley ... perhaps I should stay another day?

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To Kananaskis Country

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Visitor Information Centre UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Icefields Parkway

CANADIAN ROCKIES road trip

Ride the “backbone of the continent.” The Icefields Parkway, between Jasper and Lake Louise, boasts mountain peaks as high as 3,300 m (11,000 ft), more than 100 glaciers, subalpine meadows, ice-blue lakes and wildlife. Considered one of the world’s top 10 most scenic drives, the parkway can be driven year-round. 1 Head west from Edmonton on Hwy 16 to the Cadomin Caves, near Hinton.

These caves are the best known in Alberta. At Hinton take a stunning side trip north to Grande Cache, home of the Canadian Death Race and the gateway to the spectacular Willmore Wilderness Park: 4,600 km2 (1,840 sq mi) of mountain wilderness accessible only on foot or horseback.

Lac Beauvert, Jasper National Park

Herbert Lake, Banff National Park

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

2 While in Jasper, take Canada’s most scenic boat tour (according to Reader’s

Digest magazine, 2007) on Maligne Lake, golf, or have tea and a spa treatment at the luxurious Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Then again, you could hike the half-day Bald Hills loop, join a multi-day horse pack trip along the Skyline Trail, explore the old mining town known as Pocahontas, or simply relax in the newly restored Miette Hot Springs. 3 From Jasper, follow the spectacular Icefields Parkway south to Banff National

Park. Points of interest include Sunwapta Falls, Parker Ridge, Panther Falls and Peyto Lake Lookout. Just remember – if you make only one stop, let it be the Columbia Icefield Centre. Here, you can hop on a specially designed Ice Explorer for a tour up the icy tongue of the Athabasca Glacier, zigzagged by crevasses, lateral moraines and ice that formed 400 years ago. 4 In the tiny village of Lake Louise, you will find two of the most photographed

lakes in the world – Lake Louise and its neighbour, Moraine Lake. Trek to backcountry tea houses, rent a canoe for a leisurely paddle across these lakes or hire a guide for a technical climb – the roster is rich for outdoor enthusiasts and, actually, anyone who enjoys gazing at grandeur. 5 From Lake Louise, take the scenic Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy 1A) to Banff,

stopping at Baker Creek and Johnston Canyon (great spots for a picnic, hike or overnight). Then use the town of Banff as a base and explore its past by starting at the Cave and Basin Centennial Centre. In the summer, hop on the Banff Gondola or take a boat ride on Lake Minnewanka. Culture buffs should check out the summer-long arts festival at The Banff Centre. 6 As you head east to Calgary, squeeze in more outdoor adventures in

Kananaskis Country, a sharp detour south off the Trans-Canada Hwy. A small village with two hotels and a hostel serves as a great base for golfers, hikers, cyclists, anglers and skiers plus there are numerous places to camp in this park. Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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CANADIAN ROCKIES

Columbia Icefields, Jasper National Park

Distance: 230 km (142 mi) (Parkway alone) Travelling time: About two to five days by car Begin: Edmonton End: Calgary

ALBERTA SOUTH

Milk River, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park

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Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park Dinosaur Provincial Park

Where the Dinosaurs Roamed Prepare to be awed by the eerie beauty of the Canadian Badlands. At Dinosaur Provincial Park, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, tiptoe in the footsteps of the dinosaurs and see where complete dinosaur skeletons have been unearthed. At the heart of Dino-land is Drumheller – just two hours from Dinosaur Provincial Park – which offers all the conveniences of a modern town and all the intrigue of 70 million years of geological history. Just outside Drumheller, the newly renovated Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology has an extensive display of dinosaur skeletons and a huge roster of special programs. There’s no need to hustle back to a large urban centre – plenty of charming rural towns offer a wide range of accommodation, such as Rosebud. Famous for its old-fashioned dinner theatre productions you can chow down on a country style meal in the Mercantile Dining Room with live music and then enjoy a first-rate play. Beyond the Pavement Southern Alberta is a Mecca for fly fishers and ranch-goers. Guided, all-inclusive fly fishing operations are popular on the Old Man, Crowsnest and Castle rivers. Want to haul in a monster fish that predates dinosaurs? Then join a guided sturgeon fishing trip on the South Saskatchewan River. Ranches offer horseback riding, cattle roundups, mountain biking and whitewater rafting. Just shop around.

Alberta South Destinations Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park blackfootcrossing.ca Canadian Badlands canadianbadlands.com Crown of the Continent crownofthecontinent.org Cypress Hills
 Interprovincial Park tprc.alberta.ca/parks Dinosaur Provincial Park tprc.alberta.ca/parks Drumheller traveldrumheller.com Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump head-smashed-in.com Lethbridge chinookcountry.com Medicine Hat tourismmedicinehat.com Waterton Lakes National Park pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/ waterton

Tread Softly Leave lighter footprints by taking local transit. In the tiny town of Waterton, rent an Italian Surry – these romantic bicycles built for two are complete with four wheels, a jaunty bench-like seat, steering wheel and hand brakes.

Great Canadian Barn Dance For a toe-tappin’ good time mosey up to an old fashioned barn dance and enjoy a hearty beef dinner, available every weekend in the summer in Hill Spring.

The Tenderfoot’s Almanac Other family favourites are fossil hunting with a guide from the Royal Tyrrell Museum near Drumheller, horseback riding in Waterton and camping near the hoodoos in Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park.

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Southern Alberta can turn you into a happy shutterbug. If its ethereal evening light doesn’t seduce you, then its three UNESCO World Heritage Sites just might. Paddle past ancient petroglyphs and pictographs. Bed down in a tipi. Peek over a buffalo jump. Fly fish, horseback ride – or just listen to the wind moan through the hoodoos of the Canadian Badlands. 


Historical Highs Nowhere is the transition from prairie to peak more dramatic than at WatertonGlacier International Peace Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Straddling the Canada/U.S. border, this park has exceptionally rich plant and mammal life. In the rolling foothills nearby, visit Cardston, a town established in 1887 by Mormon pioneers who travelled from Utah in one of the last great covered wagon migrations. The Remington Carriage Museum takes you back to the horse and buggy days with carriage rides and the largest collection of horse drawn vehicles in North America. Explore the history of the clay industry in Medicine Hat and see the world’s largest exhibit of Medalta pottery and Hycroft china (once used exclusively by CPR-owned hotels). Then step outside and if the endless prairie sky doesn’t make your head wobble, the 20-storey-tall Saamis Tepee, certainly will. From here, amble down into the Seven Persons coulee, an enormously rich archaeological site where experts believe some 83 million artifacts lie buried!

Perched on a windswept bluff on the Siksika Nation Reserve, an hour east of Calgary, this $33 million historical park overlooks one of the most significant sites in Canadian history. This is where the famous Treaty No. 7 was signed in 1877, a groundbreaking agreement that allowed the peaceful settling of traditional Blackfoot territory. This is also where Chief Crowfoot is buried. In the shape of a stylized tipi, this eco-friendly museum – Canada’s largest Aboriginal museum – is artfully decorated with Blackfoot symbols from a buffalo-jump entranceway to an eagle-feather fan above the doorway. Inside you’ll find the requisite museum, artifacts, guided walking tours, art gallery, gift shop, restaurant, theatre, visual exhibitions – even tipi sleepovers.

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Rock Stars Under a full moon, paddle down the Milk River in Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park and listen to the wind hiss through the coulees and canyons of the Canadian Badlands. Hoodoos rise out of the sandy shores as though sculpted by the hands of fairies into otherworldly shapes. The warm breezes that blow off the prairies nuzzle your back just as they have for thousands of years. Members of the Blackfoot Nation believe this is the place where their ancestors were brought to die. The bodies were trussed to the branches in big cottonwoods lining the Milk River while others were lodged in caves in the nearby eroded sandstone cliffs. No one knows the exact dates of this place. Even the Blackfoot call it Ayin’eep (“It Has Been Written”) because it existed before they came. Today the site contains the largest collection of native rock art in North America. A Starry, Starry Night Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, where people have lived for 10,000 years, is the only park to straddle two provinces (Alberta and Saskatchewan) and is the highest point between the Rockies and Labrador, resulting in a unique ecosystem. Some 400 plant species, 37 species of mammals, four ecological zones, parkland, foothills and boreal forest have been recorded here. In 2008, Cypress Hills received its “Dark-Sky Preserve” status – because of its programs that profile the night skies, including astronomy, night hikes, and nocturnal wildlife ‘watching.’

Frank Slide from Bellevue Underground Mine, Bellevue, Crowsnest Pass

Interpreter at head-smashed-in buffalo jump

Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park

Buried in History Drive through the Crowsnest Pass in southern Alberta and you immediately feel tiny and inconsequential when entering the shadow of Turtle Mountain. The rocks are the size of condos and the slide still looks fresh… there’s no vegetation, just a 90 ton jumble of jagged boulders that the wind hopscotches around. On April 29, 1903, at 4:10 AM, the entire face of this mountain peeled away, pummelling the town of Frank (pop. 600), killing 92 people. The tales of survival, bizarre warning systems, luck, fate and how those in the mine were spared, are legendary in these parts. A newly renovated interpretive centre is loaded with local anecdotes, award-winning films and a seismic monitoring system. It’s also a great place to connect with old-timers who are still thrilled to tell the tales of Frank.

Conrad Little Leaf

Hold an original plate in your hand and you might be spirited back to the ’20s when Alberta Clay Products and Medalta Potteries were shipping stoneware all over the globe. The Medicine Hat Historic Clay District’s 150-acre working industrial museum is massive and its new visiting artist program is very innovative. So is the old beehive kiln, its collection of 30,000 pieces, the factory tour – where there were once 18 kilns – and funky galleries. Discover more about the “Hat,” by ambling through its historic downtown and along the Esplanade. Download a walking tour at: tourismmedicinehat. com/documents/ HISTORICAL WALKINGTOUR2.pdf

“I love Alberta for this land is my book. It’s my history. It’s who I am. The language I speak comes from this land. The air I breathe is the same as what ran through my ancestors. The sweat that ran though their pores is the same as mine. I thank the Great Spirit for the beautiful place he’s laid out for me.”

Horseshoe Canyon, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

The Turning of Time

Play chess for free on Medicine Hat’s giant chess board. Located near the Esplanade, it’s also close to the public library where there’s free Internet access.

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Powwow Teepee Village, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, near Fort Macleod

Afternoon

Woke up to the smell of bacon and coffee and drifted back again. Must have been the fluffy duvet and crisp mountain air in the town of Waterton because I rarely sleep in. Couldn’t get enough of the views so we took the scenic boat tour that stops in the United States. Posted a memo for peace on their park bulletin board and scanned the shores for grizzlies on the way back.

Got lucky and wandered into the Fort Museum when the Mounted Police Musical Ride was about to start. Learned how those Mounties get their boots so shiny. They buff them with floor polish. Really. I might get a pair custom made for me (at Calgary’s Alberta Boot store).

Popped into Fort Macleod for a bison burger, en route to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump but got sidetracked at The Empress Theatre. Turns out it’s the oldest operating theatre in the province and once had vaudevillian acts from as far away as New York and Australia. I wanted to curl up on one of their love seats and watch tonight’s show but I’m camping at the Jump.

I finally made it to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and can see why it’s a UNESCO site. This 305-meter-long (1,000 ft) jump is the oldest, largest, and best-preserved buffalo jump on Earth. Blackfoot elders who operate many of the programs at this site say it earned its name when a young brave stood at the bottom of the jump to watch buffalo barrel off the edge of the cliff. The crowds started thinning so I ambled along the grassy cliff tops peering over into the scrub where archaeologists claim skeletons lie, some 11 meters (36.09 ft) deep,

that date back 5,700 years. The area on top of the cliff is where it all began … the Blackfoot’s intricate system of stone cairns that formed drive lanes forcing the bison to stampede off the precipice. Evening

While the wind whipped the flaps at the top of our tipi, I leaned against an authentic backboard and listened, really listened, to an elder whisper tales of Napi and other mythical creatures that ruled our First Nations people for centuries. The low thud of drums and distant yelp of coyotes stirred something deep inside me, as I slunk deeper in my sleeping bag. Of all the experiences that have connected me to our Aboriginal people, a stay in an authentic tipi on these hallowed grounds is IT.

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Waterton Lakes National Park

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Reel Adventures

ALBERTA SOUTH road trips

Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park Reesor Lake, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

Alberta has been a popular backdrop for Hollywood for decades with southern Alberta’s style of frontier history and unspoiled wilderness an all-star favourite. On this road trip we sneak behind the camera to look at places featured in classics such as Unforgiven and Brokeback Mountain. 1 There’s plenty to see around Drumheller, as Clint Eastwood discovered when

filming Unforgiven, his Oscar-winning western. About 17 km (10.5 mi) west of Drumheller, on Hwy 9, the prairies dissolve into the spectacular Horseshoe Canyon in the Drumheller Valley. Next to the valley was the location of Morgan Freeman’s shack in Unforgiven. While in Drumheller do what Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie did when filming Jesse James and take your children to the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Western fans will also find more scenes from Unforgiven in Brooks, Stettler and Longview (along the Cowboy Trail). Head south on Hwy 56 from Drumheller to the Trans-Canada and then veer west to Cluny where you’ll see signs for Blackfoot Crossing. Stop at this national historic site that is steeped in the history of the Blackfoot people and then carry on westward to Hwy 22 and then drop south to Longview. 2 This stunning ranch country has been the backdrop for numerous westerns

– just ask the folks at the Longview Jerky Shop while picking up a pack of chewy beef. They served Clint Eastwood while Unforgiven was being shot. Next, head south along the Cowboy Trail to the tiny town of Cowley, where some Brokeback Mountain scenes featuring Jack’s 1950 GMC truck were filmed outside the town’s fire hall. In the Savory Suite Café on Railway Avenue in the post office building, look for the “Brokeback Mountain was filmed here” plaque. 3 From Cowley, head east on Hwy 3 past the wind turbines near Pincher

Creek to Fort Macleod – the backdrop for several scenes in Brokeback Mountain and Passchendaele. The town of 3,000 has maintained its historic Main Street where you’ll see the Red Coat Inn, the temporary digs for the cast and crew for both movies. While on Main Street, head to the Photo Plus/The Source Apartment Building where you’ll spy the staircase leading to Ennis and Alma’s apartment. A poster commemorates the controversial Brokeback smooch scene. While here, look for the Queen’s Hotel, built of sandstone in 1903. Inside is the dance-floor locale, Cassie’s Bar, from Brokeback. The streetscape was used in Passchendaele to represent 1917 downtown Calgary. Just down the block is Alberta’s oldest theatre, the enchanting Empress, which still runs movies and hosts top stage presentations. Of course, while you’re in Fort Macleod do as Ennis did and have a meal at the Java Shop, near the Greyhound Depot and don’t forget to tour The Fort – Museum of the North West Mounted Police. For more Reel Adventures, visit albertamoviemaps.com. Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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ALBERTA SOUTH

Waterton Lakes National Park

Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller

Distance: About 400 km (249 mi) Travelling time: One to two days by car Begin: Drumheller End: Fort Macleod

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Hoodoos, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park

Badlands Circle Tour

ALBERTA SOUTH road trip

Distance: Distance varies with loops Travelling time: About three to four days by car Begin: Drumheller End: Calgary or Edmonton

Royal Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller

Refer to map on page 62

On this excursion, marvel at Alberta’s two-billion-year-old geological history – on full display in the lunar-like landscape known as the Canadian Badlands. Listen to the wind whistle around canyons, explore ancient bone beds, Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park and enjoy remarkable dinner theatre. 1 Whether you begin in Calgary or Edmonton, aim for the world’s largest

dinosaur in Drumheller. The information stop at this attraction doubles as the Drumheller Tourist Information Centre and is the perfect starting point for several short drives. Head west on the Dinosaur Trail, a 48 km (30 mi) route through the Drumheller Valley.

thousands but only six at a time. Continue north to Horsethief Canyon for a spectacular view of the badlands. Then, cross the Red Deer River on the Bleriot Ferry, one of the last remaining cable-operated ferries in Alberta. Head back to Drumheller to the Royal Tyrrell Museum, home of more than 35 dinosaur skeletons, interactive galleries and innovative programs. 3 Next, head west on Hwy 9 for Horseshoe Canyon – a picturesque pocket of

badlands representing 70 million years of history. Travel further west on Hwy 9, then south on Hwy 840 to Rosebud for dinner theatre.

Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park

Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site, East Coulee

4 Back in Drumheller, look for the Hoodoo Trail, a 25 km (15.5 mi) drive east

along Hwy 10 which takes you to Canada’s most complete coal mine experience. Explore the newly excavated 61 meter (200 ft) long tunnel at the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site. At this point zigzag south to Cluny. 5 From Cluny, follow signs to Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. A stylized tipi

serves as the interpretive centre where ancient legends are told through innovative methods. Outside you’ll find medicine wheels, Chief Crowfoot’s gravesite and a tipi village where you can camp overnight. 6 Head east on Hwy 1 and north to Dinosaur Provincial Park on Hwy 36. The

Field station (where 35 species of dinosaurs have been found) offers guided walks and popular badlands bus tours. 7 S tay east on Hwy 1 to Medicine Hat. Here you can visit the world’s tallest tipi and tour the Medicine Hat Historic Clay District. Other diversions include Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, the Windmill Museum in Etzikom, Devil’s Coulee Dinosaur Heritage Museum in Warner and Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park near Milk River. Then head back to Calgary or Edmonton via Hwy 2 or Hwy 22.

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Chin Reservoir, near Taber

2 Continue west to the Little Church, described as being able to seat

ALBERTA central

Abraham Lake, near Nordegg

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Lac La Biche Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site Battle River Trestle, near Wainwright

Alberta Central Destinations

Retrace those Early Footsteps Can’t get enough of David Thompson – even if you did spend time delving into his life at the newly expanded Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site? Then head to Lac La Biche, one of the earliest western hubs of the fur trade (1798) and home of the oldest sawn lumber building in Alberta. Southeast, near Elk Point, lies Fort George-Buckingham House – two rival trading posts, constructed side by side in 1792. Interpretive displays offer a glimpse into the lives of Thompson, the voyageurs and natives affected by the posts. Further west and south, explore the historic churches and other sites in a 20,000 km2 (7,722 sq mi) swath of rich farmland in one of Canada’s oldest Ukrainian and East European settlements, Kalyna Country. This area, the world’s largest Ecomuseum, includes Lamont County, also known as the church capital of North America, where you’ll find 47 churches – more, per capita, than anywhere else on this continent. Poking out of the rich ranchland and charming towns are distinctive “onion-domed” sanctuaries of the Ukrainian pioneers that reflect architectural traditions that hark back to Byzantine Christianity in Eastern Europe.

Nordegg West Tourism travelnordegg.com

Pick Away at our Past Just south of the town of Provost lies a massive area studded with arrowheads, buffalo bone fragments and shards of pottery that date back 3,000 to 5,000 years. Known as the Bodo Archaeological Site, the centre is open to visitors until the end of August, with new programs slated for 2010. Call 1-780-753-6353 to book a tour.

Alberta’s Lakeland albertaslakeland.ca Boomtown Trail boomtowntrail.com Brazeau Regional Tourism brazeautourism.ca Camrose tourismcamrose.com Kalyna Country kalynacountry.com Lac La Biche Region laclabicheregion.com Lacombe Tourism lacombetourism.com Lloydminster lloydminstertourism.ca

Prairies to Peaks Tourism prairies2peaks.ca Red Deer tourismreddeer.net Rocky Mountain House whereadventure begins.com Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/ab/ rockymountain/ index_e.asp Sylvan Lake town.sylvan-lake.ab.ca Trail of the Buffalo trailofthebuffalo.com

Larger than Life Every province has them – those wacky, tacky icons that make for goofy photos. Line up at Vegreville for a shot with the world’s largest Easter egg or head to Vilna, home of the giant mushrooms or St. Paul, where you’ll find the world’s first UFO landing pad. Don’t forget Andrew, home to the world’s largest mallard duck and Donalda, proud to cast a beam from the world’s tallest lamp.

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ALBERTA central

From the dizzying heights of the Rocky Mountains you drop into central Alberta. Down heritage rivers that David Thompson paddled to forts once lined with beaver pelts and striped Hudson’s Bay blankets. The landscape gives way to boreal forests, tree-lined lakes, lonely grain elevators and checkered fields. Want cultural and geographic diversity? You just found it – magnified – in Alberta Central.

Central Wonders Alberta Central is massive, for it stretches from the tumble of the Rockies in the west to the prairies in the east. Within this area lies: Bighorn Country, famous for its 700 km (434 mi) of hiking trails, crosscountry skiing, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, rafting, canoeing and kayaking; Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve, southwest of Nordegg, featuring natural grasslands and dozens of species of birds, mammals and amphibians uncommon to other Rocky Mountain passes; David Thompson Highway, Hwy 11, named after the explorer who was one of the world’s most prolific cartographers and fur traders; Alberta’s Lakeland, aptly named for its 250 lakes, white sandy beaches, 3,200 campsites and 400 km (248 mi) of trails.

More Central Diversions Sylvan Lake’s sandy beaches have made this resort one of Alberta’s favourites since 1901. It’s now just as famous for its waterslide park, boating, campgrounds and scenic cruises aboard the Miss Mermaid. Other beaches worth the drive include the ones in Bonnyville, Cold Lake and Lac La Biche. In Innisfail on Wednesday afternoons in the summer, watch a demonstration at the RCMP Police Dog Service Training Centre – the only one of its kind in Canada. Or, poke into the 1911 Camrose Railway Station Museum, full of local railway heritage and an archive library. In Carstairs, visit PaSu Farms – a working sheep farm that also has a large restaurant and boutique full of exhibits that focus on wool and sheepskin products. Visit Lac La Biche in March when the Winter Festival of Speed takes over the frozen expanse of the lake, turning it into an adrenaline addict’s dream. Snowmobile racing, motorbike and ATV racing plus a pond hockey tournament also takes place. 68

Even Stephen Halfway between Edmonton and Calgary is Red Deer, a modern, thriving city where half the folks cheer for the Edmonton Oilers and the other half for the Calgary Flames. See for yourself at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, where more than 6,000 artifacts of sports history, trivia and games reflect their love for anything athletic. You’ll find chuckwagon races and livestock shows at Westerner Days plus a reconstruction of a fort originally built in 1885 during the Riel Rebellion at the Fort Normandeau Historic Site and Interpretive Centre. Unique Urban Landscapes Camrose: Tour the downtown district lined with 100-year-old buildings. Country music fans should bring a blanket or a comfy chair for the four-day Big Valley Country Music Jamboree, Canada’s biggest country music festival, held annually in early August. Lacombe: Named after the famous priest and diplomat, Father Albert Lacombe, the town is lined with Edwardian edifices, including a unique flatiron building. Cold Lake: Visit Canadian Forces Base 4wing, especially during Maple Flag where you can view the crews in training and watch simulated air combat drills. Lloydminster: Canada’s only two-province city has a divided population; 60 per cent live in Alberta, the rest in Saskatchewan.

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St. Edmund’s Blue Church, Big Valley

singer/songwriter

Scandinavian Surprises The lovingly restored buildings in the tiny towns of Markerville and Dickson provide a remarkable trip back to the pioneer days of central Alberta. A century ago, settlers from Iceland and Denmark cleared and drained this boggy land to create farms and unique communities. One of the highlights is the Markerville Creamery (circa 1932) which illustrates how butter was made in earlier days. The other must-see is a visit to the Stephansson House Provincial Historic Site. Stephan G. Stephansson (1853-1927) was a farmer by day and a prolific poet by night. Many Icelanders today make the pilgrimage to Markerville to visit Stephansson’s house, where he raised eight children. Just south of Markerville is Dickson, the oldest Danish settlement in western Canada where you can visit the Dickson Store Museum, beautifully restored to appear as it did during the 1930s.

Ben Crane

Just east of Edmonton lies tiny, fenced-in Elk Island National Park – an “island” of conservation for bison, elk, moose, deer, beaver, coyotes and a variety of birds. With approximately 3,000 large mammals, the park is one of the best spots in Alberta for wildlife watching. Serious birders who wish to join a mountain bluebird banding program can do so at the Ellis Bird Farm (available in June and July). Others will enjoy the self-guided trails, educational programs, tea room and wildlife habitat. Another great base for birders is Thunder Lake Provincial Park, near Barrhead, where numerous colonies of blue herons reside.

“One of my favourite lines I’ve ever written is ‘wherever I go I find the last place on that dirt road is the first thing on my mind.’ Besides living within two hours of mountains, grasslands and the badlands what I miss when I’m on the road is the lack of fear we have here. No banana spiders or snakes will eat us for lunch – the worst thing we have are mosquitoes and they never last long.”

Sylvan Lake Marina

Wildlife Guaranteed

In the summer, take a free 60-minute guided tour of a sawmill or pulp mill through the Whitecourt Chamber of Commerce. To book, call 1-780-778-5363.

Reynolds Alberta Museum, Wetaskiwin

Morning

Afternoon

Arrived in Stettler just in time to scoop up our tickets for the Murder Mystery run on the Alberta Prairie Railway steam train. Within moments of chugging away we’d witnessed a shoot-out, met a Mountie, and spied our first coyote loping across a farmer’s field.

Evening

Arrived in Big Valley, confused. I’m not sure if it’s what I consumed in the Lone Star Saloon or if I’m just thick, but I can’t separate the characters from the theatre company from the passengers. We’re all wandering around this cute town trying to solve the mystery by chatting to locals before we settle down to a country dinner, served in the old town hall. Laughed all the way back to Stettler with my new friends (one of them the “murderer”).

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ALBERTA central

I admit it – I thought I’d be the last person to find a museum devoted to transportation remotely interesting. But I’ve just finished “working” on an assembly line for Model T’s and had my photo taken with Tin Lizzie at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin. Before that I saw a 1929 Duesenburg Phaeton Royale Model J (only kind in the world) and a 1913 Chevy Classic Six (oldest known Chevy in the world), but how they transform these heaps in the restoration studio is what really boggled my mind.

I felt like a character in The Great Gatsby or Out of Africa. With a scarf swirled around my head we took off in the museum’s old biplane and swooped around for 10 glorious minutes. Flying is so different when the wind is whooshing around you and the cows in the fields far below appear like plastic toys. Still don’t understand how the lines separating crops stay so straight. It was a checkerboard of colours up there.

Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, Stettler

Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, Stettler

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Alberta’s Yellowhead Highway

ALBERTA central road trips

Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton

Distance: 613 km (380 mi) Travelling time: About four days by car Begin: Lloydminster End: Jasper

You’ll love what this cultural venture along the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16) has to offer. Named for a golden-haired trapper, Pierre Bostonais, who once led fur traders through the Rocky Mountains, what you’ll find today is a journey through some of Alberta’s most expansive territories. 1 Begin in Lloydminster, the only city in Canada to straddle two provinces.

Settled by the British Barr colonists, this area was wholly dependent upon agriculture until 1933 when oil and gas were discovered. 2 Head west along the Trans-Canada/Yellowhead Highway to Vegreville,

Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site Pysanka Festival, Vegreville

3 Visit the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton and discover 11,000 years

and 500 generations of history. Next, visit Canada’s largest living history park – Fort Edmonton. 4 Continue west on Hwy 16 past the murals of Stony Plain, Wabamun Lake

and Pembina River Provincial Park to Edson. Once used by early settlers to access the North, this town now houses the Galloway Station Museum, jammed with artifacts, as well as a 1917 caboose and 1964 Lockheed jet that sits in the RCMP Centennial Park. Just west lies Hornbeck Provincial Recreation Area complete with campground and fishing in Sundance Creek, noted mostly for its trout, perch, burbot and lake chub. 5 Just 20 minutes east of Jasper National Park is Hinton, where coal mining

and the forestry industry still play major roles in the town’s economy. Take an unusual tour of a coal mine, pulp mill or sawmill and gain a unique perspective on Alberta’s past. 6 Jasper National Park, Canada’s largest mountain national park, is loaded

with wildlife. It’s also historic – teeming with stories of fur traders, gold seekers, miners, railway workers and intrepid explorers whose tales are told at the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives. The range of outdoor activities in Jasper is vast: wildlife viewing, fishing, rafting, golfing, horseback riding and hiking. And those are just a start.

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Jasper National Park

famous for its Pysanka, a giant Ukrainian Easter Egg, more than 7 m (23 ft) long and 5.5 m (18 ft) wide, weighing 2,270 kg (5,000 lb). Continue west to the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, where Ukrainian pioneer life in east central Alberta is re-enacted.

ALBERTA central road trips

David Thompson Explorer’s Trail

Distance: 345 km (215 mi) Travelling time: One to three days by car Begin: Stettler End: Saskatchewan River Crossing

One of the most spectacular gateways to the Rockies is the David Thompson Highway (Hwy 11), a tranquil alternative to the popular Trans-Canada (Hwy 1). Named after one of the world’s greatest geographers, this “trail” officially begins in Stettler and heads west along Hwy 11 to the junction of Hwy 93, skimming through prairie farmland, the foothills, remote wilderness areas and several historic sites. 1 Begin in Stettler, where you’ll find one of Canada’s last remaining

passenger steam trains operated by Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions. This historic adventure links Stettler with Big Valley, and offers a variety of “themed” excursions.

Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site

Refer to map on page 70

2 Continue west on Hwy 11 to Red Deer, and visit Waskasoo Park, Fort

Normandeau, Heritage Ranch, Kerry Wood Nature Centre and the Red Deer & District Museum.

waterpark surrounded by sandy beaches, a large marina, fishing, golfing and camping facilities. 4 Follow Hwy 11 west to Rocky Mountain House, where you should visit the

newly renovated national historic site – home of an excellent visitor centre, the ruins of four forts and a buffalo paddock.

Sylvan Lake

3 Just west of Red Deer lies Sylvan Lake – western Canada’s largest outdoor

reservoirs. Then the highway enters the Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve – precisely the spot where David Thompson traded goods with the Kootenay Indians in 1800. 6 Keep west to Saskatchewan River Crossing where this trail ends at the

Waskasoo Park, Red Deer

junction of Hwy 93, just inside Banff National Park. It was from here, in 1807, that David Thompson continued his trek over the Rockies into present-day British Columbia. From Saskatchewan River Crossing, visitors may journey north via the Icefields Parkway to Jasper and then east to Edmonton on the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16). Or, turn south on the Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93) to Lake Louise and Banff.

Stephansson House, Markerville

5 Continue west to Nordegg, then to Abraham Lake, one of Alberta’s largest

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The Boomtown Trail

ALBERTA central road trips

Distance: 332 km (207 mi) Travelling time: About one to two days Begin: Calgary End: Camrose

Donalda Lamp Museum, Donalda

Refer to map on page 70

An alternate route between Calgary and Edmonton is Hwy 21 a.k.a. the Boomtown Trail, studded with “boomtown” architecture. Whether it’s nostalgia for the Wild West or the lure of towns that reinvent themselves, you’ll find it somewhere on the Boomtown Trail. 1 Head east of Calgary on Hwy 1 to Strathmore, then zigzag north and east

to the lovely town of Rosebud, famous for its popular dinner theatre and School of the Arts. Little craft stores, a tiny museum and the actual theatre have breathed new life into a handful of turn-of-the-century buildings. 2 From Rosebud, meander north and west on to the Boomtown Trail toward

Parade, Hivernant Rendezvous, Big Valley Grain Elevator, Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, east of Edmonton

3 Next, weave back to Hwy 21 through towns such as Three Hills and Trochu,

famous for their excellent golf courses. Also at Trochu is an Arboretum (100 different plant species) plus the St. Ann Ranch & Trading Co. originally built as a francophone settlement in 1905. Now a provincial historic site, St. Ann’s features several museums, an interpretive centre, a tea room, as well as a handsome B&B. Another nearby side-trip is a jaunt to Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park, where Cree Indians stampeded bison over a cliff some 2,000 years ago. Just north on Hwy 56 lies Big Valley, a perfect replica of a frontier town complete with two art galleries, a fudge factory, tea room and barber shop. 4 Back on Hwy 21 point your compass north to Bashaw where an original

boomtown theatre has been restored to its 1915 glory. This is a good point at which to jog east on Hwy 53 to Donalda where you can see the world’s largest lamp, some 12 m (42 ft) high. Right beside it is the largest collection of oil lamps in North America, about 850 of them! Before returning to the Boomtown Trail, head north on Hwy 56 to Meeting Creek, where one of the finest examples of an early grain elevator, complete with hydraulic engine, is open to the public. 5 From here, jog north along the shores of Dried Meat Lake or west to

Hwy 21 and then north to Camrose. If you time it perfectly (arriving the first weekend in August) you will find yourself at one of Canada’s premiere country music festivals, the Big Valley Jamboree. Otherwise you’ll discover Camrose is yet another boomtown on the Trail, first settled by Scandinavians in the late 1800s. As a tribute, a 10 m (30 ft) Viking longship is on display in the Bill Fowler Centre. 
 Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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ALBERTA central

Rosebud Theatre

Three Hills. When you see Hwy 581 jog west on it and follow the signs to the Custom Woolen Mills, a working museum. Here, history is replayed as raw wool is processed on unique machines that date back to the industrial revolution. Many items such as comforters, handwoven blankets and sweaters are sold on the premises.

ALBERTA north

Lesser Slave Lake

TravelAlberta.com/ North

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Fort Chipewyan woodbuffalo.ab.ca/ visitors Fort McMurray fortmcmurraytourism.com Grande Prairie gptourism.ca Peace River mightypeace.com Slave Lake lesserslavelake.ca Wood Buffalo National Park pc.gc.ca/woodbuffalo

Fort McMurray Take a tour of the Oil Sands Discovery Centre. In the winter, watch the northern lights.

Grande Prairie

Peace River

Go birding and search for trumpeter swans.

ALBERTA North

Modern Amenities to Backcountry Basics En route to the Alaska Highway, visit Grande Prairie to see trumpeter swans and the Great Northern Casino. This fully modern city, a.k.a. the “Shopping Capital of the North,” is loaded with malls, theatres and museums plus it offers excellent bird watching, fishing and Make northern Alberta the backdrop for an outdoor experience of a lifetime hunting opportunities. The two must-see attractions are the Grande Prairie Museum in Muskoseepi Park by horseback, canoe/kayak, jet boat, which has a surprisingly large and eclectic collection ATV, or simply by foot. Experienced of artifacts from dinosaur bones (found nearby) to guides will help you catch the big one, pioneer and farming implements as well as the see many of its 230 species of birds, Grande Prairie Regional College, designed by learn traditional Aboriginal uses of renowned architect Douglas Cardinal. Just south, plants, and take you to places where Kakwa Wildland Park, provides a breathtaking bison, deer, moose, bears and wolves backcountry experience, framed by mountains, foothills, meadows, streams and rivers. Nestled in a still roam freely.

Athabasca athabascacountry.com

Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park, near Grimshaw

Marvel at Mother Nature’s Treasures What’s green and white – no – yellow and mauve and purple all over? The aurora borealis, a.k.a. the northern lights, dance and flicker across Alberta’s northern landscape all year-round, but most sharply from October through March. The province’s best viewing platform is the fur-trading post, and now oil capital, Fort McMurray. Numerous tours take visitors out on guided photo safaris that start late at night when the colours are brightest. During the day guests can go dog-sledding, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, downhill skiing, skating or snuggle up on a horse-drawn sleigh ride.

Alberta North Destinations

North Peace Stampede, Grimshaw

Grande Prairie Regional College Kakwa Falls, near Grande Cache Northern Lights, Fort McMurray

Huge, Wild and Right Next Door There’s something about the North that elevates the soul and soothes the spirit. Perhaps it’s the fact there are more birds here than people. More sunny hours (in the summer) than not. More history than anywhere else in Alberta. Whatever your motivation for visiting Alberta North, you’ll find what so many visitors are searching for these days – “authenticity.” There’s no room or reason for pretence in this sparsely populated swath of rugged beauty – just boreal forests, immense space and dozens of warm lakes, wide rivers, sandy beaches and wildlife. RV travellers and other motorists will find good, paved roads and abundant places to rest or relax, thanks to numerous provincial recreation and natural areas and dozens of lovely, quiet campgrounds, many of them on the waterfront. Those visitors wanting the comforts of small towns or urban centres – from Grande Prairie to Lesser Slave Lake, Athabasca, Fort McMurray and Peace River – will be pleasantly surprised at the amenities and services available.

Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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1 small can of crab meat, drained 2 to 3 green onions, chopped 1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup of mayonnaise 1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs Mix all ingredients. Form into patties. Dip in eggwash. Coat with seasoned breadcrumbs. Fry in small amount of vegetable oil until crisp, about 3 minutes each side.

Haying in the ’30s

Fort Assiniboine

Highway 2 near Dunvegan

Every August long weekend, the town of Mallaig recreates Alberta’s past with an event that uses horse drawn equipment to perform tasks from haying and threshing to road construction and shingle making.

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Lesser Slave Lake

1 lb. minced walleye

Hooked on Alberta For a world class fishing holiday, circle northern Alberta on your map as it attracts both novice and expert with its hundreds of lakes on the Canadian Shield, plus its rivers and spring-fed creeks. There’s more water here than any other area in the province. And the range of lodging is almost as extensive as the species of fish. Choose from houseboats and rustic fly-in cabins to luxurious lodges, tipis and camps. Let’s dip below the surface of just one lake – Lesser Slave (the largest vehicle accessible lake in Alberta, only two and a half hours north of Edmonton). This lake is home to more than 15 fish species which can be caught from shore but the pros say it’s much better to take a boat (rentals available in town). The walleye is said to grow up to 9 kg (20 lbs), the northern walleye up to 4 kg (10 lbs). Every lake in the North has its water-fed legends – that’s why so many anglers fly from one to another.

Canadian Freestyle skier

Fish Cakes

majestic valley where three rivers converge, the town of Peace River boasts excellent cuisine and amenities plus the spectacular beauty of the valley and numerous outdoor adventures from ranch stays to jet boat excursions.

Ryan Blais

Don’t think that all of Alberta cuisine is off the hoof. Try the superb walleye fish cakes that are served in fishing lodges all over the North. Here’s a recipe from John Semple of Points North Adventures:

Discover Dunvegan This historic town in the Peace River Valley is the site of one of Alberta’s earliest fur trading posts and missionary centres. Interpreters dressed in period costume guide you through 19th century log buildings, meticulously restored. Equally impressive is the entryway – over the longest suspension bridge in Alberta. Dunvegan Provincial Park is laced with paved walking trails, 67 campsites, a boat launch and u-pick gardens. Fort McMurray’s Must-Visits At Fort McMurray you can canoe or jet boat along the historic routes of Alberta’s earliest hunters, trappers and explorers. Experience the Oil Sands Discovery Centre from the seat of a 150 ton truck or marvel at the town’s colourful past at Fort McMurray Heritage Park. Next to the shopping malls, luxe hotels and spas are golf courses where you can tee off at 11 PM (the sun barely sets here in the height of summer), scuba dive or skydive plus enjoy a vast network of hiking trails and spectacular sand dunes. Just new is the 35,303 m2 (380,000 sq ft) Suncor Community Leisure Centre with two field houses, a running track, curling rink, hockey rink, library and squash courts.

TravelAlberta.com 1-800-ALBERTA

“When I was growing up, all I could do for some air was huck myself off anything – picnic tables, roof tops. Anything. Not much has changed ... I’m still hucking myself into the air – more air. But I still come home to Grande Prairie where I can be riverboating or skidooing within three minutes of town.”

Near Fort McMurray

A Northern Catch

Did you know that you’ll find everything you need in the North’s urban centres? Grocery stores. Camping shops. Museums. Even spas!

Aboriginal Dancer, near Slave Lake

ALBERTA North

Official Alberta Vacation Guide

77

Fort Vermilion Heritage Centre geocities.com/ fort_vermilion Historic Dunvegan albertaparks.ca Oil Sands Discovery Centre oilsandsdiscovery.com

Sticky Business

Driftpile Powwow

Bucketwheel Reclaimer, Fort McMurray

Oh, the things that stick! Oil in Alberta was first reported in 1719 by a Cree Native who brought samples of the tar sands to Fort Churchill. He told them the First Nations people used the gooey stuff to waterproof their birch bark canoes.

Climb the Roof of Alberta The largest national park in Canada, Wood Buffalo National Park, is an astounding 45,000 km2 (17,100 sq mi) of protected land. This UNESCO site boasts the biggest herd of wood bison in the world (about 5,000) where these magnificent beasts still roam as freely as they have for thousands of years. Endangered species such as the whooping crane and peregrine falcon also call the park home. They keep company with more than one million ducks, geese and swans that migrate through the park each year. Launch your Wood Buffalo adventure from Fort Chipewyan (Alberta’s most remote community) on the western shores of Lake Athabasca. More than 200 years of history are on display at the Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum. Marvel at murals in the local Roman Catholic Church that were painted with blueberry and cranberry juice mixed with fish oils. Discover more about the Dene people with an interpretive tour focused on fishing, wildlife viewing and native cooking. Fort Chipewyan is accessible by boat, plane and winter road.

Marten Mountain, Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park

Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum woodbuffalo.ab.ca/ visitors

Salt Plains, Wood Buffalo National Park

Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation borealbirdcentre.ca

Hilliards Bay Provincial Park

Alberta Professional Outfitters Society apos.ab.ca

Northern Adventures Thanks to the “Magnificent River Rats Festival,” historic Athabasca is fast becoming known as Northern Alberta’s “Festival Town.” But it’s far more than that, evident in its heritage buildings and its history as a boatbuilding hub. Indeed, 150 years ago, this is where paddlewheelers and scows came to be repaired before loading up with furs for their return journey, eastward. Robert Service, the renowned poet, lived at Athabasca Landing for a time and captures those wild and woolly days in much of his early work. Just a couple of hours northwest of Athabasca is Lesser Slave Lake, the largest recreational lake in Alberta, with 108 km (67 mi) of sandy beaches and clear warm water. It’s bordered by two beautiful provincial parks; Lesser Slave Lake and Hilliard’s Bay where you can camp, fish, boat, kayak, hunt, ice fish and golf. Special annual events include the Sand Sculpture Championship, Songbird Festival and the Elks Pro Rodeo.

Wood Buffalo National Park

More Northern Grandeur

Sink your chops into a tasty bison “smokie” with coleslaw, potato salad, pickles and lemonade. All for free – every Wednesday during summer at Grande Prairie’s Visitor Information Centre.

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Alberta Open Sand Sculpture Championship, Lesser Slave Lake Devonshire Beach, Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park

Sandhill Crane

Kimiwan Lake Birdwalk, McLennan

LESSER SLAVE LAKE AND MCLENNAN IN A DAY

Morning

I yank on my toque and head lamp and swing out of my bunk bed at The Nest, a cool little hostel at the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation on Lesser Slave Lake. We wander down to the banding lab. We can hear the birds starting to twitter and chirp. The coffee’s on. The mist is starting to curl off the lake.

We caught a flycatcher with an old, battered band on its leg. The head researcher went wild because he’d put that very band on this bird’s leg 10 years ago. Recapturing a bird is

planks were vibrating. I looked up and the sky was plastered with white flapping wings. I thought I was in a Nat Geo centrefold.

Afternoon

Evening

Added an American red-start, a Tennessee warbler, flycatchers, chickadees, a red-eyed vireo and a tundra swan to my life list.

I heard there were nightly skits at the Marten River Campground, at the north end of Slave Lake Provincial Park, but I didn’t think they’d haul me up on stage and dress me up like a flying squirrel. That’s when other human-sized “birds” began pecking at me, twittering with environmental messages and singing wacky songs that were so funny, I cracked up. Then the interpreters (university drama students from all across Canada) punted me off the stage calling me a bird brain and a not-so-fair feathered friend.

Hopped in my car for a 90-minute drive west to another birder’s paradise – Kimiwan Lake, which they say is “The Bird Capital of Canada,” close to the town of McLennan. All I can see are waterfowl. I have my scope out on the boardwalk and I see geese, mallards, grebes, pintails, wigeons, mergansers, scaups. A guide tells me that 250,000 waterfowl and 27,000 shorebirds live or migrate through here every year. It’s so hot here that I just lay down on the boardwalk for a little siesta and it started shaking. Truly, the

Official Alberta Vacation Guide

79

ALBERTA North

So far, I’ve caught three little warblers in the net lines. Placing the first one in a little yellow bag was a struggle but I’m slowly getting the hang of it. Measuring their wingspan and muscles and snapping a little aluminum band on their spindly legs takes experts less than a minute. They’re so small, I worry I might break one in two.

sooooo rare; the chances are less than one per cent. Learned the Boreal Centre has banded 50,000 birds in its 15 year history.

N O RT HW E ST

T E R R I TO R I ES

Bistcho Lake

Wood Buffalo National Park

HIGH LEVEL

r

e Riv

88

35 Peace Ri ver

COLUMBIA

Athab a

Chi

nch

aga

697

FORT VERMILION LA CRETE

MANNING

CLEARDALE

FORT McMURRAY RED EARTH CREEK

4

64

HINES PEACE RIVER GRIMSHAW 88 CREEK 2 Utikuma FAIRVIEW 2 Lake DUNVEGAN GIROUXVILLE SPIRIT 49 RIVER McLENNAN FALHER

49

6

SEXSMITH

BEAVERLODGE

GRANDE PRAIRIE

43

North Wabasca Lake WABASCA South Wabasca Lake 754

63 Winefred Lake

Lesser Slave Lake HIGH PRAIRIE

VALLEYVIEW

3 33

Calling Lake

SLAVE LAKE

2 44 ATHABASCA

55

2

2

LEGAL

Visitor Information Centre UNESCO World Heritage Site Airport

TravelAlberta.com/roadtrips TravelAlberta.com 1-800-ALBERTA

55 LAC LA BICHE

Northern Alberta Heritage Trail

MORINVILLE

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EWAN SASKATCH

BRITISH

5Boyer

1 To Edmonton

Dunvegan Bridge, near Fairview

RAINBOW LAKE

FORT CHIPEWYAN

Lake Claire

58

sca Riv er

58

Lake Athabasca

Northern Alberta Heritage Trail

ALBERTA north road trip

Chez Dube Country Inn, Fort McMurray

Distance: Varies with route Travelling time: About seven to 12 days by car Begin: Edmonton End: Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie or High Level

Immerse yourself in this spectacular northern landscape by touring its many historic sites that pay homage to pioneering roots that reach back to the 1700s. Churches, museums and interpretive programs tell the tales of the heroic pioneers, missionaries and Aboriginals who settled this vast area. 1 Play a round of 1920s-style miniature golf at Fort Edmonton Park or stay a

night in the restored 1920s Hotel Selkirk. Then travel north on Hwy 2 to St. Albert for a tour of the Father Lacombe Chapel, the Musée Heritage Museum and a 1909 replica of a train station. Continue north to Morinville to the St. Jean Baptiste Church and then on to the famous murals in Legal, the heart of French culture in Alberta. End in the historic town of Athabasca and enjoy self-guided tours of the town and riverfront.

Peace River

2 From Athabasca, head east on Hwy 55 to Amber Valley and visit the

museum that celebrates the history of the black pioneers. Be sure to tour the Lac La Biche Mission, full of role-playing interpreters who’ll spirit you back 150 years. Zip back to Hwy 63 and then start heading north to Fort McMurray where you’ll find the Heritage Park Museum and the Oil Sands Discovery Centre. Further north is Fort Chipewyan, Alberta’s oldest settlement. 3 Steer west of Athabasca on Hwy 2 into the Lesser Slave Lake region, where

David Thompson arrived in 1799, via canoe. Whatever you do, don’t miss Grouard, once a Roman Catholic mission and later a gold-seeker’s hub.

Black Bear, Lesser Slave Lake

Davis, named for the fortune he made from a 4 m (12 ft) gold claim in the Klondike. En route, visit the Northern Alberta Historic Railways Museum in McLennan and detour on to Hwy 49 to Girouxville to visit its museum of 5,000 artifacts. 5 Highlights along the Mackenzie, Hwy 35, include the Old Hospital Gallery &

Museum and the Battle River Pioneer Museum in Manning. Stay north until High Level (home of the Mackenzie Crossroads Museum) and then head east on Hwy 58 to Fort Vermilion (see the Heritage Centre collection). Turn south to La Crete, a thriving Mennonite community reflected in its Mennonite Heritage Village. 6 Drive south on Hwy 35 to Grimshaw, jog west and south to Grande Prairie

and stop along Hwy 2, at numerous historic sites. Pop into the Fairview Pioneer Museum, the original fur trade post at Historic Dunvegan Provincial Park, Spirit River’s Settlement Museum, Sexsmith’s 1916 blacksmith shop museum, Beaverlodge’s Centennial Museum as well as the Heritage Discovery Centre in Grande Prairie. Official Alberta Vacation Guide

81

ALBERTA North

Guest Ranch, Beaverlodge

4 Head north on Hwy 2 to Peace River to see the gravesite of Twelve Foot

U.S. Ports of Entry

Customs and Immigration Visitors to Canada require a

Rail Travel Alberta is served by VIA Rail scheduled

International visitors driving to Canada can use any of the following ports of entry:

valid passport, proof of identity or other travel

service. Stops are scheduled in Edmonton and Jasper.

documents. Contact: Western Hemisphere Travel

Call 1-888-842-7245 (in North America) or the VIA

Initiative knowyourborder.gov; Passport Canada

number in your area for reservations and information. In

ppt.gc.ca; nearest Canadian Consulate or Embassy

the U.S., VIA Rail can be booked through AMTRAK at

cic.gc.ca; Canadian Border Services Agency

1-800-872-7245.

cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Rocky Mountaineer offers service from Calgary, Banff

Weapons Revolvers, pistols, fully automatic firearms

and Jasper to the West Coast of British Columbia. These

and other weapons and self-defence sprays (e.g. mace,

routes through Canada’s Rockies are considered some

pepper spray) are prohibited entry into Canada. All

of the world’s classic rail trips. For details, visit:

Alberta Aden Carway Del Bonita Wild Horse Coutts Chief Mountain Montana Whitlash Piegan Del Bonita Wild Horse Sweetgrass Chief Mountain

Average Temperatures Summer: June to August 20°C (68°F) Fall: September to November 11°C (52°F) Winter: December to February -11°C (12°F)

firearms (e.g. hunting rifles, shotguns) must be

rockymountaineer.com

declared. To obtain information on firearms legislation,

Motorcoach Travel Special tours and services are

please call the Canadian Firearms Centre inquiry line at 1-800-731-4000.

insight into the area.

cards are accepted at most commercial establishments,

Brewster Vacations: 1-403-762-6700 or in

banks and currency exchange offices. Banking hours are generally 9:30 AM to 4 PM, Monday to Friday; some banks are open Saturdays. Most automated teller machines (ATMs) accept one or more of the following networks: Interac, Cirrus or Plus. They are found at banks and in retail areas.

Taxes Alberta is the only province in Canada with no Provincial Sales Tax (PST). There is a four per cent Tourism Levy on accommodation. The Canadian Government charges a five per cent Goods & Services Tax (GST) on most purchases. The Foreign Convention

Metric Conversion

short-term in Canada. For more information in

Canada uses the metric system. All highway and traffic indicators are in km and km/h, gas is sold by the liter, temperature is measured in Celsius, and the electrical current is 110 volts.

Canada: call 1-800-668-4748; outside Canada, call

Speed: 100 km/h = 62 mph Volume: 3.8 liters = 1 U.S. gallon Temperature: 25°C (77°F)

and Tour Incentive Program (FCTIP) provides a tax rebate to visitors purchasing tour packages that include

1-902-432-5604; or visit cra-arc.gc.ca/tax

Tipping The average tip in Canada is 15 per cent. However, depending on the level and the nature of the service, tipping may range from 10 per cent to more than 20 per cent. Tips are generally given for good service by food and beverage servers in bars and restaurants, taxi drivers, tour guides, hotel bellman and estheticians. While it is not required to tip other service staff, you are at your liberty to do so.

Air Travel Alberta is home to two international airports, one in Edmonton and one in Calgary. Easy access to Alberta from more than 100 cities world wide is available with most major airlines and charter companies. For specific information on scheduled and charter flights, contact your local travel agent.

82

Drivers and guides offer historical information and

Banking and Currency Traveller’s cheques and credit

Spring: March to May 9°C (48°F)

Distance: 1 kilometer = 0.62 miles

available throughout Alberta including the Rockies.

TravelAlberta.com 1-800-ALBERTA

North America: 1-866-606-6700
 Greyhound Bus Lines: 1-800-661-8747 Red Arrow Motor Coach: 1-800-232-1958

Health and Travel Insurance Alberta has an excellent health care system; however, the health care plan does not cover out-of-province visitors. Clarify your coverage before entering Alberta through your personal insurance carrier. Contact your local travel agent for further details.

Highway Travel Alberta is accessible from the east and west by two officially designated Trans-Canada routes. Hwy 1 crosses Alberta in the South and the TransCanada Yellowhead Hwy (Hwy 16) crosses Central Alberta. North-South travel is provided on Queen Elizabeth II Hwy, or you may want to take the scenic route through the mountain parks on the spectacular Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93).

Camping Camping is available throughout the province in private campgrounds and resorts, national parks and provincial parks. Reservations can be made at private campgrounds and at certain parks. Camping fees range from $10-$40 per night depending on services. To receive a campground guide, call Travel Alberta at 1-800-ALBERTA (252-3782), stop in at a visitor information centre, or visit: TravelAlberta.com/camping

Alberta Public Holidays (please see page 26)

Rocky Mountaineer

Travel essentials

You could win a free seven-day holiday to Alberta by simply completing the survey at TravelAlberta.com/survey. And after reading this Vacation Guide you’ll be able to customize your trip for two. Hostelling in Alberta Hostels vary from basic (bed,

operate local and regional visitor information centres

kitchen facilities) to superior standards (family rooms,

that offer detailed travel information. A number of

laundry facilities, licensed café, showers, sauna). Alberta

these have been recognized as accredited centres that

offers 15 hostels in Banff, Jasper (along the Icefields

provide a broad range of amenities and services.

Parkway), Kananaskis Country, David Thompson Country,

Operating hours at visitor information centres vary, and

Calgary and Edmonton. For more details, visit hihostels.ca

many are seasonal.

or contact Central Reservations at 1-866-762-4122, or e-mail: [email protected]

Fishing and Hunting Regulations Fishing licences

Meetings and Conventions There are visitor and convention centres in Calgary, Edmonton, the Canadian Rockies and many of the smaller cities, which are able

outside the national parks can be purchased from select

to host meetings and conventions. The full-service

sporting good stores, convenience stores and some gas

resorts, hotels, lodges and restaurants in Alberta’s

stations. For details, call: 1-888-944-5494.

most popular destinations are ideal sites for conferences

Hunting regulations and special licensing requirements

and meetings. A Meetings, Convention & Incentive

vary depending on the type of hunting. Hunting is

Travel Guide is also available from Travel Alberta.

absolutely prohibited in the national parks. For

Visit: TravelAlberta.com/meetings

everything you need to know about fishing and hunting

Travel Alberta Guides Drop by a Visitor Information

in Alberta, visit: mywildalberta.com

Centre for a Travel Alberta Vacation Guide,

Pets Owners must accompany their pets when entering

Accommodation Guide, Campground Guide or

Canada. Owners of dogs and cats must bring a

Official Road Map. Call 1-800-ALBERTA (252-3782) to

certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian clearly

order any of these guides or do so online at:

identifying the pet and certifying that it has been

TravelAlberta.com/guides

vaccinated against rabies within the preceding 36

Be Responsible Whether you’re in one of Alberta’s

months. There are exceptions made for seeing-eye

urban centres, the badlands, prairies or the Rockies,

dogs and puppies or kittens that are younger than three

you can respect our environment by being a

months old. For more details on border crossings with

responsible visitor:

a pet, contact:

• If you fly to Alberta, consider purchasing carbon offsets.

Canadian Border Services Agency

Independent agencies funnel these carbon offsets, or

Within Canada, call: 1-800-461-9999

voluntary donations, into renewable-energy research,

Outside Canada, call: 1-204-983-3500 or 


reforestation projects and other carbon-reduction

1-506-636-5064 or visit: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

schemes. Visit aircanada.ca or offsetters.ca for more

Renting an Automobile All car rental companies have a strong network of outlets in Alberta. To rent a car you

details on carbon offset programs. • Become familiar with local cultures and

must be 21 years old and hold a valid driver’s licence

communities, especially those of our First Nations’

and a major credit card. (A small surcharge may apply

people. Take time to listen to the people. Encourage

to drivers under 25 years of age).

local conservation efforts.

Renting a Motorhome/RV Renting a motorhome is a convenient way to explore Alberta. You may purchase insurance at the time of rental. For best rates, it is recommended that bookings be made three to four months in advance.

Visitor Information Centres Knowledgeable and

• Respect the natural environment of the places you visit. • Choose products that are reusable and recyclable. • Buy goods and services from companies that respect the environment. • Support the integrity of your destination – whether it’s

friendly Alberta specialists await you at the 10

noted for its architecture, heritage, cuisine, aesthetics

provincial Travel Alberta Visitor Information Centres,

or ecology.

strategically located along key highways and at border

• Choose those (hotels, airlines, resorts, tour operators

entry points. Stop in for a variety of province-wide

and suppliers) who advance energy and

tourism information including all Travel Alberta guides

environmental conservation; water and air quality;

and official road map. Let our specialists help customize

recycling; safe management of waste and toxic

your vacation in Alberta.

materials; noise abatement; community involvement;

To complement the provincial information services

and which provide experienced, well-trained staff

network, more than 100 communities across Alberta

dedicated to strong principles of conservation.

Contact Phone Toll-free Canada & U.S. 1-800-ALBERTA (252-3782) International 1-780-427-4321 E-mail travelinfo@ TravelAlberta.com Fax 1-780-427-0867 Post Travel Alberta Box 2500 Edmonton Alberta, Canada T5J 2Z4 Travel Alberta assumes no responsibility or liability in connection with the services listed and provided by the operators. While every effort is made to ensure the information contained in the brochure is correct, Travel Alberta disclaims any liability in negligence or otherwise for any loss or damage that may occur as a result of reliance upon any of this material. All information is accurate at press time but is subject to change without notice. Travel Alberta provides this publication for information purposes only. Travel Alberta does not endorse any of the persons or entities listed in this publication or make any representations or warranties as to their reliability, financial condition and suitability for any particular purpose. You are advised to make your own inquiries of any person or entity in this publication to determine if he/she/it is satisfactory for your purposes. All rights reserved. No material may be reproduced from this publication without prior written permission from Travel Alberta. 
 Some photographs in this publication are courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission.

Official Alberta Vacation Guide

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• Banff Summer Arts Festival • Calgary Stampede • Edmonton International Fringe Festival • The Canadian Badlands Passion Play • Big Valley Jamboree • Magnificent River Rats Festival • Banff Mountain Film Festival

Must Experience • Columbia Icefields • NHL Hockey Game • Royal Tyrrell Museum • Spirit Island Boat Cruise • Horseback Riding • Hiking

Must Photograph • Lake Louise/Moraine Lake • Fringe Festival, Edmonton • Glaciers, Icefields Parkway • Calgary Stampede • Sunset, Canadian Badlands • Northern lights • You in Alberta

Must Know • Alberta population: 3.5 million • Capital: Edmonton • Size: 4th most popular provincial destination • Provincial Flower: Wild Rose • Highest Peak: Mt. Columbia 3,747 m (12,294 ft) • Canada’s oldest national park: Banff

Must Eat • Beef jerky • Beef on a bun • Cheemo’s perogies • Big Rock beer • Bernard Callebaut chocolates • Field Stone fruit wine • Prairie oysters • Alberta game/wildmeats

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TravelAlberta.com 1-800-ALBERTA

We hope this Vacation Guide moves you to new places both physically and emotionally. More planning tips to help you ... Package Tours Let a professional tour operator design an itinerary for you. Choose from North American and International based tour operators who offer fully escorted tours, fly/drive packages, and a variety of independent “Land Only” packages. We’ve made it easy for you to link directly to tour operators in the country of your choice. For a complete list visit: TravelAlberta. com and click on Packages and Tours. Things to Know Before You Go Most of the nuts and bolts that go into planning a vacation are on the previous page, Travel Essentials. Prefer to call? Dial 1-800-ALBERTA (252-3782), only in North America. Or meet an Alberta Travel expert at one of our Visitor Information Centres. More Siteful Information This Guide is merely a starting point. Our newly enhanced website has a wealth of information plus the ability to customize your holiday so you can design a vacation where you truly get away from it all. From budgetary matters to specific interest areas, Travel Alberta will connect you to some of the planet’s most beautiful wilderness areas and fascinating cultural escapes. Visit: TravelAlberta.com. When to Go Alberta is a four-season destination but most visitors plan their vacation around the summer or winter. Summer holidays typically revolve around outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, fishing and golfing – or our

massive festivals from the Calgary Stampede to the Edmonton Fringe. In winter, the focus is on skiing and snowboarding. Summer days are long, sunny, hot and simply stunning. Winter is marked by fluffy snow and sunny skies – perfect for skiing. Late spring and early fall are also lovely times to visit, marked by fewer visitors and lower prices. What to Pack The diversity in Alberta calls for shrewd packing. If you’re heading to the Rockies for any sort of outdoor adventure, dress in layers. Apart from a handful of very formal urban restaurants most dining establishments in Alberta welcome casual attire. Always bring sunglasses and a hat to provide protection from strong sunlight. With airlines tightening luggage restrictions, remember to leave all liquids and sharp objects in your piece of check-in baggage. Your carry-on bag should contain valuables, medications, reading materials and vital documents. National Park Entry Permits are required for entry into any national park in Canada – and Alberta has five. You can buy a day pass at a park gate but if you’re intending to spend time in many of our parks consider an annual National Parks of Canada Pass that’s good for one year from the date of purchase and comes with a booklet of discount coupons. National park fees have been waived until 2011 as have fees to historic sites – more good news for budget-minded travellers!

Hot Air Ballooning, Grande Prairie

Must Attend

Key Destinations and Driving Distances

Alberta Map

For greater detail, please refer to the Official Alberta Road Map.

Wood Buffalo National Park

FORT CHIPEWYAN

RAINBOW LAKE 138 km 86 mi

Travel Alberta Visitor Information Centres

HIGH LEVEL

Canmore Year Round Crowsnest Pass May – September

271 km 168 mi

6

296 km 184 mi

Field, British Columbia May – October Grande Prairie May – September

FORT McMURRAY

Hinton May – October

690 km 439 mi

PEACE RIVER

Lloydminster May – September Milk River May – October

198 km 123 mi

488 km 303 mi

187 km 116 mi

Walsh May – September

460 km 286 mi

West Glacier, Montana May – September

1

GRANDE CACHE

3

146 km 91 mi

HINTON

79 km 49 mi

IC EF IE LD S

Jasper National Park

XX%

PA RK W AY

Edmonton & Area Calgary & Area Canadian Rockies Alberta South Alberta Central Alberta North

276 km 172 mi

RED DEER

232 km 144 mi

Banff National Park

145 km 90 mi

LAKE LOUISE BANFF CANMORE 26 km 16 mi

LLOYDMINSTER

158 km 98 mi

Columbia Icefield

57 km 35 mi

250 km 155 mi

EDMONTON

5

FIELD

Visitor Information Centre UNESCO World Heritage Site Airport

Elk Island National Park

288 km 179 mi

JASPER

1 2 3 4 5 6

Oyen May – September

456 km 283 mi

GRANDE PRAIRIE

104 km 65 mi

DRUMHELLER 139 km 86 mi

Dinosaur

4

169 km 105 mi

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

140 km 87 mi

188 km 117 mi

MEDICINE HAT

223 km 139 mi

LETHBRIDGE 84 km 52 mi

Waterton Lakes National Park

WEST GLACIER

Cert no. XXX-XXX-000

OYEN

CALGARY Provincial Park

2

CROWSNEST PASS

189 km 118 mi

54 km 33 mi

WALSH 239 km 149 mi

MILK RIVER

The Official Travel Alberta Vacation Guide is printed on recycled, post-consumer waste certified by both the Rainforest Alliance and Forest Stewardship Council. The 30% recycled content in our pages translates into the conservation of trees, energy, and water as well as a decrease in pollutants.

WIN A

Trip of a Lifetime!* TRAVELALBERTA.COM 1-800-ALBERTA We want to know how helpful this Official Vacation Guide was in planning your holiday. All you have to do is: Fill out the survey at TravelAlberta.com/survey You’ll automatically be entered into Travel Alberta’s Trip of a Lifetime contest which will award some lucky winner with a seven-day customized holiday for two. This incredible $5,000 vacation for two includes accommodations, airfare, car rental and activities for an extraordinary holiday that only you could create. * Some restrictions may apply.

Across the Bow River from The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is a series of pocket beaches – cool little spots to picnic or simply admire Bow Falls and iconic peaks such as Sulphur Mountain and Mt. Rundle. The area is also a dream for rafters, trail runners, horseback riders, fishers and hikers.

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