The 10 Day Alberta Road Trip

Abraham Lake

We’ve been lucky enough to have three sets of Belgian visitors over the past five months. During that time, I think we’ve nailed down the ultimate Alberta road trip. It’s guaranteed for beauty, adventure, and culture.

Day 1: Arrive in Alberta, either in Edmonton International Airport or Calgary International Airport. I have found that flights into Calgary are cheaper. Be sure to arrange a rental car or hook up with your Alberta friends to drive you around. The wonderful part about Calgary is that you can drive to the Rockies in 45 minutes. If you arrive early in the day, Canmore is a short drive. Believe me, you want to see the mountains as soon as possible.

If you spend your first evening in Calgary, check out the Blues Can, a unique and vibrant blues bar. Try to stay up as late as possible by taking in some live blues (to beat your jet lag of course…) and enjoy the Cajun eats.

Cross Country Skiing in Canmore

Day 2 & 3: MOUNTAINS – Canmore – Once you arrive, go for a stroll in Canmore’s historic downtown. Breath in the crisp air and take in the view of the mountains that surround you. There are lots of unique shops on this street that will surely lure you in. Be sure to stop for breakfast or lunch at the Rocky Mountain Bagel Co. They have great coffee, latte’s and THE BEST bagelwiches. Next door is Cafe Books to pick up some Can-Lit or some cute book-lover accessories.

We love taking guests for hikes around Canmore. For beginners, we loved Grotto Canyon and Grassi Lakes. Both are gorgeous trails. If you go in the winter-time, be sure to try snowshoeing or ice-hiking. I suggest renting a condo in Canmore with a private outdoor hot-tub for an extra-luxe stay.

Day 4: Banff – Downtown Banff is great but it’s also very touristic and busy. We almost always stop at the Wildflower Bakery. The bread, goodies, and coffee are wonderful. Often, we grab a loaf or two of bread to make sandwiches on the road. Take a little drive up the mountain where you can stop by and wander around the Fairmont Hotel. You may get lucky and find an employee to share a couple ghost stories.

Be sure to pack your swimsuit to go the Banff Hot Springs.  Johnstone Canyon is a beautiful hike that takes about 2-3 hours. You can also keep going higher to visit the Ink Pots.

Sunshine Mountain Resort is great for skier’s. As a snowboarder it’s not my favourite because of flat spots.  But I’m just being picky. We are very lucky here because there are a lot of world class ski-hills to choose from. Any day spent on a snowboard is a good day… unless you break an arm or leg, I guess.

Looking down below on the town of Banff

Day 5: Lake Louise & Icepark Freeway Drive –  This is a big driving day but it will go by quickly because there are stunning views left, right, and centre. Make sure you have a full tank of gas because you don’t want to fill up at the Saskatchewan Crossing – you will be paying at least quadruple gas prices.

Lake Louise is a great stop for the photographer on your trip. If you have time, I recommend the hike up to Agnes Lake. It’s really fun in the winter because the trail is often empty and very peaceful. The teahouse is closed in the winter, so it’s a good idea to pack a little snack.

Lake Louise has an excellent mountain resort and most snowboarders prefer it over Sunshine.

If you want to venture off the Icepark Freeway,  Abraham Lake is wonderful and the most beautiful lake in Alberta. There are some challenging and fun hikes in this area too.

Day 6: Jasper – Marmot Basin is a really fun ski resort to visit. Be sure to stop and have a beer at the mid-mountain lodge. In town, there are several restaurants and a great bakery (The Bear’s Paw). I would suggest staying in a local B&B to really get the feel for Jasper as a town. I like Jasper because it is a lot more rustic than Banff or Canmore.

Patricia Lake is also great. In the winter, there is often an outdoor curling rink, complete with picturesque mountains in the background. It doesn’t get much more Canadian than that!

Edmonton in Autumn

Day 7: Drive to Edmonton and stay near Whyte Avenue and the Edmonton River Valley. I’m positive you’ll be charmed by the unique neighbourhoods in the area. I often like to take guests to see the Alberta Gallery of Art (AGA) to stick in a bit of culture into the trip. Downtown is fun to wander and to stop in at the unique restaurants throughout.  There is much to discover like the charming Legislature grounds, High Street (124th), and Winston Churchill Square.

It’s no secret that Edmonton is my favourite city in Alberta, it’s a little more bad-ass and has a really great cultural scene. The river valley is stunning, there’s a huge foodie scene, and talking to strangers is a fun pastime.

Day 8: Edmonton – Dedicate this day to exploring West Edmonton Mall. It’s actually the largest mall in North America and it has a lot to offer. You can either go balls to the wall with shopping or take it easy by checking out the pirate ship, Waterpark, Galaxyland, Bourbon Street, mini-golf, a movie, or say, a seal show.

Sturgeon fishing on the North Saskatchewan River

Day 9: Drumheller or Rural Alberta Exploring – You haven’t seen Alberta if you haven’t driving in the prairies. I suggest stopping in a few small towns to try the local chinese food restaurant and chatting with the colourful locals. Some of us Albertans are a little rough around the edges but most of us are really teddy bears. Drumheller is fantastic in the summertime – you can explore among the Hoodoos, learn about all the dinosaurs that have been discovered in Alberta at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.

Day 10: Relax and meander in Calgary – You can either go shopping at Chinook Mall for some high-fashion swag or go down to 17th Ave for cool cafes, yummy restos with craft beer and good food, or take in some unique shops. My faves: David’s Tea, Steeling Home, Blame Betty, Waves Coffee House, and Janice Beaton Fine Cheese. I still have to check out Purr Clothing! Pop by the Calgary Tower to see the view of the mountains and the city scape.

This trip is going to work for you in ANY SEASON with a few alterations to activities. Well, fellow Albertans: What would you add to this trip?