Alberta attractions

There’s a lot to love about the province of Alberta. I have been a couple of times and would love to go back. If you’re headed to Alberta for any reason, try your best to take in some of the beauty and fun of these great Alberta attractions.

Swings at major midway - Calgary Stampede. — Swings at major midway – Calgary Stampede.

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5 Alberta Attractions You Can’t Miss

Alberta is a beautiful province, and from the natural beauty of its many national parks, to its ski hills and, to the fun and excitement of its cities, these Alberta attractions are must sees.

Best Alberta Attractions

Alberta is a province boasting both man made and natural beauty. It has several national parks as well as cities with some great family activities as well. With everything they have to offer, Alberta attractions don’t disappoint.

1. Banff National Park

Banff National Park is about 130 kilometers west of Calgary, and it’s the most visited of the natural Alberta attractions. Regarded by many as the most impressive national park in Canada, Banff National Park boasts jaw dropping mountain scenery, ski resorts, gorgeous lakes, and the tourist town of Banff itself. In addition to the natural beauty and ski resorts of the area, it also teems with grizzlies, black bears, wolves, caribou, and elk. Most all of these are frequently seen along the park’s main highway.

In fact, Banff National Park is one of the best Alberta attractions for nature lovers. Its main summer draw is hiking either the front country or back country trails. If you’re not interested in taking in the beauty by foot, you can stop at many roadside lookouts for impressive views of the mountains, lakes, and glaciers.

CALGARY CANADA JULY 2004 - Cowgirls galloping on horseback carrying flags Calgary Stampede Alberta Canada — CALGARY CANADA JULY 2004 – Cowgirls galloping on horseback carrying flags Calgary Stampede Alberta Canada

2. Calgary Stampede

If you prefer your wildlife excitement more contained, The Calgary stampede is a great choice in Alberta attractions. This 10 day event held in early July is one huge rodeo that draws participants from all over North America. During these 10 days, Calgary is the place to be for rodeo attractions, cultural exhibits, country music, and other outdoor diversions.

Another plus is that many stores and restaurants around Calgary get in on the act. Most restaurants offer free Stampede Breakfasts, decorated windows can be seen on most stores, EVERYBODY wears cowboy hats and boots, and temporary petting zoos abound in local parking lots. We have yet to visit this event and would love to. It’s a Canadian family travel bloggers dream.

[tweetthis]This Alberta attraction made number 3 on my list. #travel[/tweetthis]

3. West Edmonton Mall

This is one of the best Alberta attractions for those who aren’t interested in the great outdoors. This is more than just a mall. This gargantuan campus houses all the shops you could ask for in a mall as well as a water park, ice rink, mini golf course, aquarium, and movie theaters. This is the destination to visit if you’ll be in Alberta during the winter months. I once visited when I was in town for conference. It’s quite amazing to see.

Calgary Alberta's Calgary Tower. Tourist attraction and revolving restaurant high above downtown Calgary. — Calgary Alberta’s Calgary Tower. Tourist attraction and revolving restaurant high above downtown Calgary.

4. The Calgary Tower

This tower is one of the top Alberta attractions, and the prime tourist spot in Calgary. This giant tower, standing above everything around it, has the highest 360 degree observation deck in the world, and on clear days, you can see wonderful views of the mountains in the region. On a day without quite so much visibility, you can get a bird’s eye view of the city with the deck’s glass floor. The Calgary Tower even has a couple of highly rated restaurants, with Sky 360, a revolving restaurant with an elevation of 155 meters, being the one of choice for visitors.

5. Drumheller

This is one of the prime Alberta attractions for those who love natural history. Drumheller is a town about 140 kilometers northeast of Calgary. It calls itself the “Town of Dinosaurs” because of the many fossils discovered in and around the town. While you’re there, you can visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology which displays some of the fossil finds of the area, as well as offering a thorough history of the area.

The Drumheller landscape is primarily bandlands which offer a unique beauty in and of themselves. A few hiking trails in the area will take you past hoodoos and through unique and interesting rock formations. It even has a driving tour, The Dinosaur Trail, which will take you through some of the area’s main attractions. Any child would love this!