Alberta: where the prairies meet the mountains, rolling hills slowly rising ever higher until suddenly you’re surrounded by the Rockies. If I had to choose (but please don’t make me), Alberta would probably be my favourite province in Canada (Newfoundland is definitely a very close second). It has so much variety in terms of landscapes and activities, there’s no way you’d ever get bored. These Alberta destinations were the highlights of my roadtrip through the province, and I was lucky enough to call one of them my home for six months.
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Alberta Destinations: Prairies
Edmonton
I certainly didn’t know this before I visited, but Edmonton is one of the sunniest places in Canada. Yes, really! It certainly was hot and sunny when I passed through for a few days. The city is also known for its food scene, with tons of restaurants and bars, many paying homage to the European history of the city. Canada, like its southern neighbour, is a country of immigrants, and the Edmonton food scene doesn’t shy away from that fact.
There are also historic streetcars, tall bridges and a whole heap of street art to search for in the city. The impressive Alberta Legislative Building in the city centre is worth visiting, and has a long area outside with fountains and pools that are full of young people (and not-so young) swimming and cooling off in the water. I dipped my feet in after a long, hot day of walking around the city, and it was exactly what my aching feet needed.
Highest-rated hostel in Edmonton: HI Edmonton
Elk Island National Park
Elk Island National Park is only 30 minutes from Edmonton, but it feels light years away from city life. Designated a protected area in the early 20th century, it was originally intended to protect the elk inhabiting the northern prairies, but it actually became an extremely important site for the reintroduction and survival of the American Bison, which had been almost entirely wiped out by European settlers.
As part of a reintroduction programme, around 400 bison were brought to Elk Island as a temporary stopping point on their journey from Montana to another part of Alberta. About 40 of the bison escaped and bred over the years to produce the park’s current large population. Bison from Elk Island National Park are often used for reintroduction programmes around North America, so it’s not just a beautiful Alberta destination, but an important one too.
I originally intended to just spend an afternoon at Elk Island, but I had to return the next day for more. I saw the bison herds, my first moose and a family of beavers working on their dam, followed by sunset by the lake and an astronomy demonstration by the park staff once night had fallen. Definitely one of the most memorable Alberta destinations for me. It’s worth checking out the park’s website to see when their next free activities are scheduled.
Read More: Canadian Wildlife Bucket List: 16 Incredible Species
Calgary
In the interest of total honesty I will say I preferred Calgary to Edmonton, but shhhhh… don’t tell anyone from Edmonton I said that!
The rivalry between Alberta’s two cities has been ongoing for over a hundred years, and shows no sign of slowing down. Edmonton may be the Gateway to the North, but Calgary has the Stampede, a huge rodeo and festival held in the city every July (except 2020, of course), bringing over a million people to the city for its week of events and exhibits. It’s also the reason for Calgary’s informal nickname: “Cowtown”.
For the rest of the year, Calgary has a lot of other attractions worth visiting. The Calgary Tower, though unfortunately closed for maintenance when I was there, reminded me of the CN Tower in Toronto. Architecture is a large part of what made me like Calgary so much – from the colonial style along Stephen’s Avenue to the modern marvel that is the Central Library.
While many may find the two cities very similar, there was something about the atmosphere in Calgary that I really enjoyed. There was more colour to be found, and spending an evening watching a Shakespeare performance by the Bow River, then walking across the Peace Bridge as night fell definitely increased my enjoyment of Calgary.
Highest-rated hostel in Calgary: Wicked Hostels Calgary
Alberta Destinations: Badlands
Drumheller
I cannot say enough about how much I loved Drumheller. Not only does it feel very cool driving through Canada’s “Badlands”, but Drumheller is the Dinosaur Capital of the World. How could you not want to go? Boasting the largest dinosaur statue in the world, which you can actually climb up into to stand in its gaping mouth, Drumheller is extremely proud of its status.
Driving into the town through the winding canyon, the striped rock layers in different shades of red, brown and grey, you know you’re not in the prairies anymore. In the surrounding area you’ll find what could possibly be the smallest church in the world (“seats 10,000 people…6 at a time”), the fantastic Royal Tyrell Museum full of incredible fossils, hoodoos and canyons to explore, suspension bridges to nervously cross…I could go on and on.
Drumheller is often overlooked on the tourist trail, which is an absolute shame. You’ll need a minimum of a few days to really appreciate this place.
Side note: though a huge number of important fossils have been found in this area, if you actually want to visit one of Alberta’s two UNESCO World Heritage sites you’ll need to go another hundred kilometres east to Dinosaur Provincial Park.
No hostels in Drumheller, but there are other accommodations available.
Alberta Destinations: The Rockies
Banff
My home for six months, there are no words to do this town justice. When I arrived in Banff, it was the end of summer, still hot enough for shorts, cool enough to hike without dying. As the temperatures dropped and the snow started to fall, Banff and the whole Bow Valley transformed into a winter wonderland. The only other place I’ve lived that was anywhere close to Banff in terms of sheer natural beauty was Queenstown in New Zealand, a very similar place where tourism was king and backpackers outnumbered locals.
There’s so much to do in Banff in any season – skiing, ice-climbing and skating in winter, and hiking, swimming and wildlife viewing in summer (and spring and autumn). Definitely don’t miss Tunnel Mountain, Lake Minnewanka, the Vermillion Lakes, Johnston Canyon (a personal fave) and a visit to Canmore, another nearby town that has its own charms.
Just remember, the town of Banff is within the bounds of Banff National Park (Canada’s first national park), so park rules apply at all times. Don’t feed or approach the wildlife, no matter how tame they appear, leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos.
Highest-rated hostel in Banff: Samesun Banff
Read more: Your Banff Bucket List: 20 Unmissable Places
Icefields Parkway
Not so much an Alberta destination as it is a journey between them. This 232km winding, single lane road is full of places you’ll not want to miss, although you might be too busy staring at the mountains around you to notice the signposts for them. Starting at Lake Louise and reaching all the way up to Jasper, this is often described as one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, two of the most famous and most photographed lakes in Canada (if not the world), can be found just before the start of the Icefields Parkway, on the other side of the village of Lake Louise. Though extremely busy, they are both worth the effort.
Though I only drove about half the Icefields Parkway, there were so many places along the way that I’m glad I stopped at. In particular, Bow Lake and Peyto Lake both had my jaw hitting the floor, and the Crowfoot Glacier, which you can see right from the road, was incredible to behold. I’d never been anywhere like this before. Not sure I will ever again.
Travelling the Icefields Parkway is one of those Alberta destinations that needs to be seen to be believed, but you need to be prepared for the journey. There’s no phone signal for a lot of the road, and a few hundred kilometres go by between petrol stations, so make sure you fill up before setting out. I managed to get a flat tyre near Peyto Lake and was unable to call for help when I discovered there was no jack in my car… Thankfully a lovely German couple passing by pulled over to help.
Columbia Icefield
The Columbia Icefield is the most easily accessible of all the glacial areas on the Icefields Parkway, so of course it’s a popular place for visitors stopping to see the Athabasca Glacier.
You can see the Athabasca Glacier from the road, or walk up to the lower edge of it if you want, but the only responsible way to actually step foot on the glacier is to join a tour. Glaciers all over the world are decreasing rapidly due to climate change, so they need all the protection they can get.
On the 2-hour guided tour, a regular coach brings you from the Discovery Centre close to the side of the glacier, where you transfer onto specialised vehicles called Ice Explorers that take you right onto the glacier itself. With a small area designated especially for visitors to walk on, it leaves the rest of the glacier protected from foot traffic. Here you can take photos and drink fresh, clean water straight from the glacier itself.
Close by is the Skywalk, a glass-bottomed walkway stretching out over the valley floor, 900-feet in the air. With informative panels and art, it’s a beautiful activity to do, although maybe not if heights aren’t your thing!
Surprisingly, visiting the glacier is only possible during the summer months, as the winter weather is too harsh for tours. The tours are also extremely popular, so booking in advance is usually a good idea. But oh my god, what an experience it is.
Once you’ve had your fill of the Columbia Icefield, you can continue up the Icefields Parkway all the way to Jasper, where more incredible mountain scenery awaits, or return to Banff.
So what do you think of my roadtrip through these Alberta destinations? Which one would you like to see most?
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