Local Travel
Visit a city in your own province! With so many interesting things to see and do in Alberta, no need to go abroad for vacation.
Edmonton
DOWNTOWN
Stay: Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, built in 1915, a chateau looking down on the river
Eat: Fu’s Repair Shop, speakeasy dim sum
Drink: Honi Honi Tiki Lounge
Music venue: The Starlite Room
ALBERTA LEGISLATURE
assembly.ab.ca
Opened in 1912, with lovely grounds, its Beaux-Arts architecture has marble pillars and carved oak. Free tours are available, registration is required.
GALLERY WALK ON 124TH STREET
gallerieswest.ca/124-st-gallery-walk
Twelve of Edmonton’s top art galleries, found in this neighbourhood, host spring and fall gallery walks showcasing Alberta artists.
ROGERS PLACE
rogersplace.com
The multi-use sports and entertainment venue that replaced the Northlands Coliseum seats 18,500 hockey fans and 20,000 concertgoers. The venue is home to the Oil Kings of the WHL, the Oilers of the NHL and Connor McDavid.
ROYAL ALBERTA MUSEUM (RAM)
royalalbertamuseum.ca
This museum holds the Manitou Asinîy, a meteorite believed to hold great power to Indigenous communities.
WINSTON CHURCHILL SQUARE
edmonton.ca/sir-winston-churchill-square
This site hosts many cultural celebrations such as the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival. City Hall, featuring two steel and glass pyramids, offers tours. Citadel Theatre, Winspear Centre and the Art Gallery of Alberta are all here. The Square also has a wading pool and fountain.
OLD STRATHCONA
Stay: Metterra Hotel on Whyte
Eat: Pip, elevated comfort food
Drink: The Black Dog Freehouse
Music venues: Yardbird Suite, Blues on Whyte Bar
HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE STREETCAR
exploreedmonton.com/high-level-bridge-streetcar
Dramatic views of the River Valley aboard a beautifully restored vintage streetcar.
INTERNATIONAL FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL
fringetheatre.ca
Over 800,000 people attend this oldest and largest theatre festival in North America, with 182 indoor productions in 37 venues across four city blocks, plus free outdoor acts.
OLD STRATHCONA ANTIQUE MALL
oldstrathconamall.com
Featuring over 100 vendors, this is Western Canada’s largest antique mall.
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
ualberta.ca/astronomical-observatory
The Astronomical Observatory is open year- round for free solar observation. The brick mansion Rutherford House was the home of the first premier of Alberta, Alexander Cameron Rutherford.
RIVER VALLEY
At 22 times the size of New York City’s Central Park, this is one of North America’s longest stretches of urban green space.
THE EDMONTON QUEEN RIVERBOAT
edmontonriverboat.ca
Cruise down the North Saskatchewan River with a weekend brunch or a sunset dinner.
WHITEMUD EQUINE LEARNING CENTRE
welca.ca
Open year-round for visitors to see the 60–70 horses onsite.
WEST EDMONTON
Stay: Fantasyland Hotel with themed rooms such as Dino, Space, Igloo and Pirate.
Eat: Kathmandu Rasoi, Nepalese food
Drink: Five & Dive, rock ’n’ roll themed bar
FORT EDMONTON PARK
fortedmontonpark.ca
History comes alive at this 158-acre attraction, home to historically significant buildings and immersive experiences.
WEST EDMONTON MALL
wem.ca
WEM encompasses 5.3 million square feet or 48 city blocks, larger than Vatican City, and has Canada’s largest indoor waterpark. Other amusements include Dragon’s Tale Blacklight Mini-Golf and Crystal Labyrinth Mirror Maze. The ship Santa Maria is docked at the Mall’s indoor lake.
NORTH EDMONTON
Stay: The Love Love Stay
Eat: Baba’s Own Ukrainian Food: cabbage rolls, perishky and nalysnyky in the basement of St. Michael’s Long Term Care Centre.
Drink: Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company
ALBERTA RAILWAY MUSEUM
albertarailwaymuseum.com
The story of Canada’s railways is intertwined with the story of our country. Besides touring the different train cars here, you can have lunch inside a train
car, ride a rail cart down the track, or learn morse code and how to use a typewriter.
K-DAYS
k-days.com
Formerly called Klondike Days as a nod to the history of the Canadian Gold Rush in Edmonton, this exhibition, Jul 18–27, has rides, games, music, food and fireworks.
MCLUHAN HOUSE
artshab.com/mcluhan-house
Marshall McLuhan, a leading thinker on mass media, foretold the world wide web and coined the expressions “the medium is the message” and “the global village.” He grew up in this house.
Calgary
DOWNTOWN
Stay: 111-year-old Fairmont Palliser
Eat: Silver Dragon Restaurant, est. 1966
Drink: Proof, voted by Canada’s 100 Best as the 10th best bar in the country
CALGARY CENTRAL LIBRARY
calgarylibrary.ca/central-library
Designed by architecture firms Snøhetta and DIALOG, the building’s interior features a four-storey atrium and skylight.
CALGARY TOWER
calgarytower.com
360-degree views and a glass floor.
CHINATOWN
calgary.ca/chinatown
The Chinese Cultural Centre is the venue for colourful annual events such as the Chinese New Year Festival. Its museum showcases replicas of rare artifacts.
EAST CALGARY
Stay: Alt Hotel Calgary East Village
Eat: Deane House, riverside historic home
Music venue: Ironwood Stage and Grill
BOW HABITAT STATION
bowhabitat.alberta.ca
Includes Discovery Centre, Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery and a fishing pond.
THE CONFLUENCE
theconfluence.ca
Formerly Fort Calgary and now the site of an exhibit on the culture of the Blackfoot people.
HANGAR FLIGHT MUSEUM
thehangarmuseum.ca
A collection of aircraft reflecting the evolution of aviation in Canada.
INGLEWOOD BIRD SANCTUARY
calgary.ca/inglewood-bird-sanctuary
An urban park and wildlife reserve where 270 bird species have been observed.
SAM CENTRE
samcentre.calgarystampede.com
The history of the Stampede comes to life.
STUDIO BELL: NATIONAL MUSIC CENTRE
https://www.studiobell.ca/
Over 2,000 rare instruments, including the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, the TONTO synthesizer and one of Elton John’s pianos.
ZOO (WILDER INSTITUTE)
calgaryzoo.com
On St. George’s Island in the Bow River, this zoo is home to over 4,000 animals.
NORTHWEST
Stay: Hotel Arts Kensington
Eat: Seasons of Bowness Park, overlooking the lagoon
Drink: Brewsmith Brewing Company, Bowness’s first craft brewery
BOWNESS PARK
calgary.ca/bowness-park
A weekend destination since the early 1900s for picnicking, canoeing on the lagoon (skating in winter), riding a miniature train and cooling off in a wading pool.
SOUTH
Stay: The Inn on Officers’ Garden, originally the Officers’ Mess at Currie Barracks
Eat: Bow Valley Ranche, in Fish Creek Park
Drink: Ranchman’s, a honky tonk
GASOLINE ALLEY
heritagepark.ca/gasoline-alley-museum/
Focusing on the turn of the century to the 1950s, this is Canada’s largest collection of restored gas pumps and trucks.
HERITAGE PARK
heritagepark.ca
Historic buildings gathered from all over the west recreate life in the past.
KIYOOKA OHE ARTS CENTRE AND SCULPTURE PARK
koartscentre.org
Founded by Harry Kiyooka and Katie Ohe in 2007 with studio space for artists, the 20- acre park has 26 monumental sculptures.
MILITARY MUSEUMS
themilitarymuseums.ca
Representing Canada’s navy, army and air force, here you can stand at the helm in a warship’s wheelhouse, walk through a trench and watch a bomber squadron.
SPRUCE MEADOWS
sprucemeadows.com
This 505-acre equestrian show jumping complex hosts international tournaments.
TSUUT’INA CULTURE MUSEUM
https://tsuutinamuseum.com/
See artifacts such as a rug made over 100 years ago that tells the story of Chief Bullhead and his people. Bullhead was one of the signers of Treaty 7 in 1877. The museum is next to his original homestead.
SOUTHEAST
Eat: Supreme Dosa
Drink: Establishment Brewing Company
Music venue: Big Al’s Bar & Grill
INTERNATIONAL AVENUE
https://www.intlave17se.ca/
Spanning 35 blocks of 17th Ave. are shops and food markets from five continents.
OLD TROUT PUPPET WORKSHOP
theoldtrouts.org
The creative space of this puppet theatre company has examples of their past work.
RALPH KLEIN PARK
calgary.ca/ralph-klein-park
This 30-hectare park has wetland viewing areas, gardens, an Environmental Education Centre, interpretive trails, a picnic area and an orchard with pears and apples.
Central
DRUMHELLER
Stay: Rosebud Country Inn
Eat: Bernie & the Boys, gourmet burgers
Drink: Last Chance Saloon in Wayne
ATLAS COAL MINE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
atlascoalmine.ab.ca
Having operated from 1936 to 1984, this is Canada’s most complete historic coal mine. The site includes two mines, the last wooden tipple, and miners’ homes. It was declared a National Historic Site in 2002.
BADLANDS
travelalberta.com/canadian-badlands
A region of otherworldly, weird and wild beauty with multi-coloured canyons and wind-sculpted hoodoos—sandstone pillars that stand up to 7 m tall.
BLERIOT FERRY
travelalberta.com/bleriot-ferry
This cable ferry is a vital transportation link and an attraction in its own right.
ROYAL TYRRELL MUSEUM
https://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/
Named after Joseph Burr Tyrrell, a geologist who discovered the 70-million- year-old skull of a dinosaur here in 1884, the museum opened in 1985 and today houses over 130,000 fossils, including complete dinosaur skeletons. Its scientists continue to make new discoveries. Digs for fossils can be booked. Visitors can observe the preparation lab, where fossils are readied for display.
WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAUR
worldslargestdinosaur.com
Tyra, a T-Rex roadside attraction, stands 25 m tall. Visitors can climb 106 stairs— lined with murals—to take in the view of the Canadian Badlands from Tyra’s jaws.
LLOYDMINSTER
Stay: Golden Circle Inn
Eat: The Three Trees Tap + Kitchen Drink: 4th Meridian Brewing Co.
DOWNTOWN
lloydminster.ca/downtown
Lloyd has the unusual geographic distinction of straddling the provincial boundary between Alberta and Saskatchewan. The city is incorporated by both provinces as a single city and municipal administration. Intended to be an exclusively British utopian settlement centred on the idea of sobriety, it was founded in 1903 by the Barr Colonists, who came from the United Kingdom.
RCMP HOPE MONUMENT
This 2009 bronze statue by Rudi Schmidt is Lloydminster’s tribute to the RCMP.It depicts an officer consoling a boy.
WORLD’S LARGEST BORDER MARKERS
lloydminster.ca/border-markers
Commemorating Lloydminster’s distinctive bi-provincial status, a monument consisting of four 100-ft survey markers was erected downtown in 1994.
RED DEER
Stay: Wolf Creek Bed & Breakfast
Eat: 53 on Ross, simple, local ingredients
Drink: Belly Hop Brewing, family-owned
Music venue: Bo’s Bar and Stage
ALBERTA SPORTS HALL OF FAME
albertasportshall.ca
7,000 square feet of exhibit space and 16,000 artifacts of Alberta sports history.
CENTRAL ALBERTA RACEWAYS
sites.google.com/caraceways
A variety of high-speed racing options: drag strip, dirt oval, mud bogs, motocross and demolition derby events.
FORT NORMANDEAU
waskasoopark.ca/historic-fort-normandeau
The historical site marking the birthplace of Red Deer. The fort, near Red Deer Crossing on the Red Deer River, was occupied by the 65th Battalion, Mount Royal Rifles, in 1885 during the North- West Rebellion.
THE JUNGLE FARM
thejunglefarm.com
This centennial family farm features seasonal pick-your-own produce (saskatoons, strawberries, broccoli, beans, corn, pumpkins, artichokes and more), plants and flowers, as well as festivals, events and educational programs.
KERRY WOOD NATURE CENTRE
waskasoopark.ca/kerry-wood-nature-centre
The hub of the city’s Waskasoo Park trail system and environmental education and hands-on natural history interpretation and interactive exhibits.
NORWEGIAN LAFT HUS
norwegianlafthussociety.ca
A traditional log house with artifacts, exhibits and cultural events that bring Norwegian-Albertan history to life.
ST. MARY’S CHURCH
stmarysparishreddeer.ca
Designed by Douglas Cardinal with curving walls and no square corners, this brick church is an architectural marvel made
in response to the modernizations of the Second Vatican Council.
SUNNYBROOK FARM MUSEUM
sunnybrookfarmmuseum.ca
Red Deer’s oldest farm demonstrates the early days of Alberta farming. Here you can feed chickens, go on a wagon ride or see restored farming equipment in action.
SYLVAN LAKE
sylvanlake.ca
A holiday town with beaches and a lake of pristine waters.
THE TRACK ON 2
thetrackon2.com
Standardbred horse racing.
South
CROWSNEST PASS
Stay: Charmed Resorts, 16 fairytale cottages such as Beast’s Castle and Huntsman’s Hut
Eat: Limber Pine Smokehouse & Taberna
Drink: The Pass Beer Company
Music venue: The Rum Runner
The municipality of Crowsnest Pass is the amalgamation of five communities: Bellevue, Blairmore, Coleman, Frank and Hillcrest. The area was built on coal, but now all mines are closed.
ALBERTA PROVINCIAL POLICE BARRACKS
appbarracks.com
The APP policed from 1917 to 1932. During Prohibition (1916–1924) they had to deal with rum-running from BC. Their barracks is now an interpretive centre.
BELLEVUE UNDERGROUND MINE
bellevuemine.com
A tour led by experienced heritage interpreters goes 1,000 ft into the mine and 150 ft below the surface to explore the operation’s inner workings.
CROWSNEST MUSEUM
crowsnestmuseum.ca
Housed in the original Coleman High School (built in 1936), here you can learn the Pass’s history, including information about the Hillcrest Mine disaster of 1914, an explosion that killed 189 miners.
FRANK SLIDE
frankslide.ca
In 1903 the tip of Turtle Mountain broke loose and decimated part of the village of Frank. Some 110 million tonnes of rock killed over 90 residents, most of whom remain buried under the rubble.
LETHBRIDGE
Eat: Two Guys & A Pizza Place
Drink: Steel and Vines, cocktails
Music venue: Owl Acoustic Lounge
FORT WHOOP-UP
fort.galtmuseum.com
A replica of an original fur-trading post first constructed in 1869.
HELEN SCHULER NATURE CENTRE
nature.lethbridge.ca
A 200-acre nature preserve with trails, local wildlife and geocache treasure hunts.
LETHBRIDGE BULLS BASEBALL GAME
bullsbaseball.com
Part of the Western Canadian Baseball League, the collegiate summer team plays at Spitz Stadium.
LISTEN (PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION)
publicartlethbridge.ca/art/listen
A “sound mirror” located near the Nature Centre, the installation’s contours enhance the natural audio and its bench encourages visitors to stop and reflect.
NIKKA YUKO JAPANESE GARDENS
nikkayuko.com
This authentic Japanese garden emphasizes the concepts of beauty in age and simplicity, concealment and borrowed scenery. Translated as “Japan-Canada friendship,” it was established in 1967 as part of Canada’s Centennial.
STREET MACHINE WEEKEND
streetwheelers.com/events
A three-day celebration of car culture, with 1,000 vehicles on display July 11–13.
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
ulethbridge.ca
Designed by Arthur Erickson, one of Canada’s most distinguished architects, the building’s straight lines mirror the prairies and the nearby High Level Bridge.
MEDICINE HAT
Eat: Tino’s, classic hamburgers
Drink: Travois Ale Works
Music venue: Esplanade
EWART-DUGGAN HOUSE
esplanade.ca/ewart-duggan-house
Acknowledged as the oldest brick residence in Alberta, this home has been designated a Provincial Historic Site. It also houses an artist-in-residence program.
KIN COULEE PARK
tourismmedicinehat.com/kin-coulee-park
The city provides free bikes for visitors to explore this 100-acre park.
MEDALTA IN THE HISTORIC CLAY DISTRICT
medalta.org
This National Historic Site includes a museum and art gallery as well as a ceramic arts facility. At one time the original plant produced as much as 75 per cent of Canada’s stoneware. It was a popular attraction for foreign dignitaries, including the Prince of Wales and Lord Byng.
MEDICINE HAT CITY HALL
medicinehat.ca
Drawing inspiration from the contours
of the South Saskatchewan River valley, the building won the Governor General’s Medal for Architectural Design in 1986.
MEDICINE HAT SPEEDWAY
medicinehatspeedway.net
Races on the oval track and the crowd- favourite demolition derby take place on Saturdays from May to August.
MONARCH THEATRE
themonarchtheatre.ca
Take in a film at Canada’s oldest surviving purpose-built movie house (1911).
RISE UP HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL
ourcollectivejourney.ca/rise-up
From May 22 to 25, hot air balloon pilots from across the continent take to the skies to promote mental health wellness and awareness.
SAAMIS TEPEE
medicinehat.ca/saamis-tepee
This is the world’s tallest tepee, at 65 m. It was originally constructed for the 1988 Olympics in Calgary before being moved to Medicine Hat in 1991.
Mountains
BANFF
Stay: Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Eat: Bluebird, wood-fired steakhouse
Drink: PARK Distillery, gin, vodka and rye
BANFF CENTRE
banffcentre.ca
Home to the Walter Phillips Gallery and dance, theatre and musical performances, including the Banff International String Quartet Competition (Aug 25–31). The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival’s 50th anniversary (Nov 1–9) will celebrate mountain culture through readings, films, presentations and more.
BANFF GONDOLA
banfflakelouise.com/banff-gondola
Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station, a National Historic Site, can be accessed via a boardwalk from the gondola.
BANKHEAD GHOST TOWN
travelbanffcanada.com/bankhead-ghost-town-banff
The remains of a once thriving town that ceased its coal mine operations in 1922.
CAVE AND BASIN NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
banfflakelouise.com/cave-basin-national-historic-site
The birthplace of Canada’s national parks, with a natural grotto and replica bathhouse.
HOP ON BANFF
hoponbanff.com
Visit Banff townsite, Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake at your own leisure with a single bus tour ticket.
UPPER HOT SPRINGS
hotsprings.ca/banff
The geothermally heated mineral water remains one of Banff’s premier attractions.
WHYTE MUSEUM
whyte.org
The museum will be exhibiting The Ancestors are Talking–Paintings by the Indigenous Seven May 2–Oct 19.
CANMORE
Stay: The Malcolm Hotel
Eat: Sauvage, hyper-local tasting menu
Drink: Grizzly Paw Brewing Company
CAVE TOUR
canmorecavetours.com
The Rat’s Nest Cave stays at 5 degrees Celsius year-round. The tour ends in a picturesque grotto.
GRASSI LAKES TRAIL
explorecanmore.ca/grassi-lakes-trail
Beginner-friendly trail with a final destination of two turquoise lakes.
HA LING PEAK
albertaparks.ca/parks/ha-ling
A challenging hike, including a scramble, that overlooks the town.
JASPER
Stay: Wapiti Campground
Eat: The Maligne Range, with a meat- centric menu offering whisky tastings
Drink: Folding Mountain Brewing
DARK SKY RESERVE
jasperdarksky.travel
Jasper National Park is the second-largest Dark Sky Preserve (where no artificial lighting is visible and measures are in place to reduce light pollution) in the world. The 15th anniversary of the Jasper Dark Sky Festival runs Oct 17–Nov 2.
ICEFIELD PARKWAY
icefieldsparkway.com
A famous drive offering views of over 100 glaciers, including the Columbia Icefield.
MIETTE HOT SPRINGS
hotsprings.ca/miette
Miette produces the hottest mineral water in the Canadian Rockies (up to 54°C).
PROJECT HABAKKUK
albertaunderwatercouncil.com/diving-jaspers-habbakuk-wreck
Divers with open-water certification can visit the former site of Project Habakkuk, a Second-World-War-era project to create an aircraft carrier made of wood pulp and ice.
SUNWAPTA FALLS
sunwaptafalls.com
The upper falls are more popular, while the lower falls offer a quieter experience.
WARRIOR WOMEN
warriorwomen.ca
This mother–daughter duo leads Indigenous cultural experiences, including beading, plant walks and cultural tours.
WATERTON
Stay: Prince of Wales Hotel
Eat: Lakeside Chophouse
Drink: Thirsty Bear Kitchen + Bar
BISON PADDOCK ROAD
watertontourism.com/bison-paddock-road
Offering a view of the six newly returned plains bison after their removal during the 2017 Kenow wildfire.
THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE PARK
parks.canada.ca/culture
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a union of two national parks on either side of the Canada–US border and was created to promote goodwill between the countries. The Waterton Shoreline Cruise crosses the border during its trip of the entire length of the lake, and features interpretive commentary, plenty of opportunities to see wildlife and a stop at the Goat Haunt Ranger Station.
RED ROCK CANYON PARKWAY
watertontourism.com/red-rock-canyon-parkway
The road is lined with wildflowers and argillite, an iron-rich red rock that runs through the mountains. The parkway leads to numerous hikes and vantage points.
STARGAZING
parks.canada.ca/etoile-star
Recognized as a Dark Sky Park, Waterton offers views of the moon, planets, constellations and the Milky Way with assistance of binoculars and telescopes.