Some posts on this site contain affiliate links. If you book or buy something through these links, I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Take a look at my privacy policy for more information.
My round-up of the most amazing places to visit in Alberta – to help you plan your Canada travel wishlist.
Alberta feels like adventure personified! The province has everything you could want from a trip to Canada. From the snowcapped and always spectacular Rockies to gentle prairies and dramatic Badlands… the geographic diversity of this province is staggering.
Over four visits, I’ve explored many of Alberta’s most impressive places. There are the obvious – like the famous national parks and cosmopolitan Calgary – as well as plenty of less-visited spots and hidden gems. Discover the history of Canada’s First Nations peoples and early settlers, stumble over dinosaur fossils in the Badlands, and soak up mountain scenery on one of the world’s most stunning road trips.
If you’re dreaming of an Alberta adventure of your own, these are the places I think truly deserve a spot on your itinerary…
Best Places to Visit in Alberta: Map
Use the map below to get a sense of where everything is, then dive into my destination guides to start planning your trip to Alberta…
Top Picks
- Calgary – the gateway to the Rockies and the point of arrival for most overseas visitors.
- Banff National Park – Epic mountain scenery, perfect for outdoor adventures.
- Icefields Parkway – One of the most scenic drives in the world.
- Jasper National Park – Stunning lakes, mountain peaks, and fantastic hiking.
Best Places to Visit in Alberta
Banff & Banff National Park
Banff is one of the two most famous National Parks in Alberta. This is where a LOT of visitors to the province are headed – and it’s easy to see why. Glittering glacial lakes, dense evergreen forests, snowcapped mountains… Banff feels like Mother Nature at her very best.
The park covers 6,641 km² along the eastern slopes of the famous Rocky Mountains. In winter, tourists flock to the mountain resorts for skiing and snowboarding in the Rockies, while summertime tempts with sunny weather and spectacular weather. The shoulder seasons of Autumn and Spring are quieter, and a great time for hiking and wildlife. Must-see highlights in Banff include…
- Banff town
- Lake Louise
- Lake Moraine
- Mt. Norquay Chairlift
- Banff Gondola
- Banff Hot Springs
READ MORE: The Perfect 1-Week Road Trip in Alberta
Jasper National Park
Jasper National Park is another must-visit! At 11,000 km², it’s the largest National Park in the Rockies, and covers some truly stunning sights. Think dramatic canyons, thundering waterfalls, and epic glaciers.
Like Banff, Jasper is particularly popular during both summer and the winter ski season. But all year round, there are so many amazing adventures to have. Hiking trails in the mountains and forests, mountain biking, white water rafting, canoeing and kayaking on the stunning lakes, climbing, and even glacier hiking.
READ MORE: Best Places to Visit in Canada
Icefields Parkway
Connecting the town of Jasper with Banff’s Lake Louise, Highway 93 North is better known as the Icefields Parkway. This is easily one of the most scenic driving routes in the world, and almost definitely the most spectacular road I’ve ever seen! Highlights include:
- Peyto Lake
- Columbia Icefield
- Sunwapta Falls
- Athabasca Falls
READ MORE: 9 Highlights of the Icefields Parkway
Athabasca Glacier
The Icefields Parkway passes the Columbia Icefield, where you can visit the Athabasca Glacier. The Glacier Sky Walk offers unbeatable views of the icefield from on high, or there’s a short but steep walk up to the Toe of the Glacier (the trail starts from a small car park across the road from the visitor centre).
Better still, you can actually hike on the glacier itself on a tour with Icewalks. I did this a few years ago, and it remains one of the best things I’ve ever done, so I highly recommend it. Just bear in mind it’s quite a tough walk, even with the crampons they provide.
Calgary
Calgary is the largest city in Alberta, and it’s often the first port of call for visitors. It’s known for the famous Calgary Stampede, but there’s a whole lot more to the city than cowboy culture.
Trendy little neighbourhoods, colourful street art, award-winning contemporary architecture, artisanal breweries, amazing food, and loads of leafy outdoor areas… and that’s just for starters!
MORE INFO: 14 Fun Things to do in Calgary
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of Alberta, but it’s all too often overlooked by tourists. Which is a shame, because this underrated city is really fun – and it’s the perfect place to while away a couple of days before hitting the national parks!
I spent nearly a whole week there a couple of years ago and had a blast. Edmonton is a cool, contemporary city with loads to keep visitors busy. Quirky neighbourhoods, segway tours along the river, an awesome food scene… even a rollercoaster inside a shopping mall!
READ MORE: Fun Things to do in Edmonton
Elk Island National Park
Banff and Jasper aren’t the only national parks in Alberta. Just outside of Edmonton, you’ll find Elk Island National Park, a 194km² area of prairies, meadows, aspen forests, and lakes. It’s much less visited than the more famous parks, but offers the perfect little countryside escape. Camping or glamping in such a serene setting is a great way to explore a very different side of Alberta.
Despite the name, the park isn’t actually an island at all. There are also far fewer elk than there are bison! In fact, the park has been working on some really important conservation efforts, which are vital as the species was almost driven to extinction by European settlers in the late 1800s. Be it bison, elk, or even wolves, you’re sure to see plenty of wildlife on a trip to Elk Island.
READ MORE: Everything You Need to Know about Elk Island
Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump
Speaking of bison, there’s no better place to learn about Canada’s long and complicated history with these magnificent creatures than Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.
Before the Europeans came and almost wiped them out, North America was home to some 30 million bison (aka buffalo). For the indigenous Blackfoot people, these bison herds were vital to everyday life and survival. In Alberta, there were several “Buffalo Jumps”, clifftop sites where the Blackfoot once held enormous mass hunts.
They’d rile the buffalo up into a stampede and run the whole herd off the edge of a cliff, before harvesting the meat and pelts. The annual Jumps would see the tribe through the harsh winter. The Interpretive Centre offers the chance to learn more about the hunts, the history of the buffalo in Canada, and the culture of the Blackfoot people.
RELATED POST: Discovering the Blackfoot Culture at Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park
If you want to learn more about the Blackfoot people, head to Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park. Overlooked by the brooding Sweetgrass Mountains in neighbouring Montana, the park takes its name from the petroglyphs that litter the wide valley.
Literal writing – and drawing – on stone can be found all over the valley, left behind by the Blackfoot people over thousands of years.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Delving even further back into Canada’s history now, Dinosaur Provincial Park is one of Alberta’s lesser-known destinations. The park is in the heart of the Badlands, an impressive landscape of winding rocky gullies, twisted hoodoos, and layered sandstone rock.
This is Dinosaur Country: Alberta’s Badlands were once home to about 35 species of dinosaurs, and the small provincial park is one of the world’s richest fossil sites. Visitors can take a guided hike or bus tour to explore the dramatic landscape, spotting fossils and dinosaur bones on the ground.
Drumheller
In another part of the Badlands, the small town of Drumheller is home to the Royal Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology. Even if you only have a passing interest in dinosaurs, the collection of fossils here is amazing. And with hiking trails setting off from the museum’s doorstep, you can get out into the spectacular scenery easily!
Drumheller is also home to the world’s largest dinosaur. A 26m high model of a T. rex towers over the visitor centre carpark, giving visitors a unique welcome. Don’t miss it!
FIND OUT MORE: Watch my Alberta Badlands Road Trip video to find out more about these incredible dino-themed Alberta destinations.
Fort Whoop-Up
Just outside the city of Lethbridge, Fort Whoop-Up is a carefully reconstructed replica of a 19th-century trading fort. Officially a fur trading post, the fort was also part of the illegal whisky trade. This is a brilliantly hands-on look at Alberta’s more recent history, showcasing what frontier life was like for early settlers.
Waterton Lakes National Park
Last but not least is Waterton Lakes National Park. This is probably my personal favourite discovery. Tucked away in a quiet corner of southwestern Alberta, right on the border with the USA, Waterton Lakes feels like Banff and Jasper’s beautiful baby sister.
Although smaller than its more famous cousins, the park also feels more secluded. Only locals seem to know about it, and Waterton is very much “off the beaten path” when compared to the better-known national parks. But the Rockies are the same, the stunning landscapes are the same, and the vividly blue glacial lakes are the same, too.
The lack of crowds also means there’s a better chance of spotting wildlife. There were deer wandering through the town’s streets, and I had to brake for a wolf crossing the road as I was driving in! On a boat tour of Upper Waterton Lake we saw a mother and baby moose. I even saw a black bear as I was hiking the Bertha Lake trail!
READ MORE: My Canada Trips: An Honest Review
How to Get to Alberta
Getting to Alberta from the UK is so easy! There are non-stop flights from London to both Calgary (9hr 15min) and Edmonton (8hr 40min).
Once there, I recommend renting a car to explore the province at your leisure. There’s so much to see, so having your own car is really handy. If you’re unsure about driving abroad, Alberta is a great place to try it – read all about my own experiences here!
Top tip: Be sure to apply for and purchase an official Canadian Government ETA before you book your tickets. There are loads of sites offering various versions of it, but all you need is the official government one, which costs $7 CAD. Anyone charging more than this is not the official site! Find out more at www.canada.gc.ca/immigration.
Are there any more amazing places to visit in Alberta that I’ve missed? Let me know your favourites in the comments!
It sounds so bad but I’ve only ever considered going to Toronto or Vancouver (ease from the UK) but these pictures of Alberta, especially Banff National Park are making me reconsider!
I think a lot of people are the same – but you can fly direct to both Calgary and Edmonton from London so Alberta is as easy from the UK as Vancouver! And it’s SO beautiful, definitely worth a trip.
Nice post. I feel the same way Lottie feels. I have to make it go there next time.
Definitely – Alberta is stunning and has so much to offer!
I am kicking myself now that we didn’t go that bit further and make it over to Waterton Lakes. Was on our list and got culled as we ran out of days… Jasper National Park is a stunner though!
Oh well you’ll just have to go back to Alberta again won’t you?! All 3 parks are stunning, but there was something really magical about Waterton, I think because it was so quiet and I had such amazing weather when I was there. Plus I was solo and ran into a bear, so it’s one of my more unforgettable travel experiences! Jasper is really breathtaking though isn’t it?!
I tagged Waterton Lakes National Park briefly on a trip to Glacier National Park. I wish I had more time. I hope to get back in the near future. Think I will add Jasper as a side trip.
I loved Waterton Lakes, such an amazing place. I’d like to go back again now and see it a few years later, as I’m sure the regrowth is much better now after the fires! Hope you get to visit again soon!