Alberta is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Canada. There is so much that it has to offer – the amazing rocky mountains of Banff, Jasper, and Waterton National Park, the rolling prairies, the dinosaur capital of the world and the badlands, the chance to see the Northern Lights, buffalo watching at Elk Island National Park, and SO MUCH more!! This is your guide to travel Alberta, and includes everything you have to see when traveling this amazing place!
When to Visit Alberta
NOVEMBER – LATE MARCH: WINTER
Winter is an amazing time to visit Alberta if you are interested in visiting some frozen waterfalls, playing any winter sports (ice skating, snowboarding, skiing…), dog-sledding, snowshoeing, or hoping to see the mountain covered in snow. In Alberta, wintertime can be freeeezing, so make sure you bundle up and come prepared with snow boots, jackets, toques, and mittens.
Read more: The 12 Best Places to Ice Skate in Banff National Park
LATE MARCH – MAY: SPRING
Spring is a beautiful time of the year to visit Alberta. The snow is melting and trees are starting to get their leaves back. Animals are waking up from a long winter and wildlife babies are starting to come out! It can get pretty slushy in the spring, but because of the melting snow, the waterfalls are at their best.
JUNE – SEPTEMBER: SUMMER
Summer is another amazing time to visit Alberta. It is actually warm out, which makes it perfect for getting outside and enjoying the stunning nature in the province. Summertime in Alberta is great for seeing the wildflowers while on hikes, camping, swimming in glacial lakes, and just enjoying Alberta while it’s nice out. There is the risk of wildfires during the summer season, so sometimes the air can get very smoky around the province.
As summer continues on, the lakes of the Rockies turn bluer and bluer in colour.
SEPTEMBER TO LATE OCTOBER: FALL
If you’re after the golden larch trees in the Rockies, you want to visit Alberta in the fall time. Yellow trees are so so sooo pretty to see all over the province as everything starts to turn golden, but the larch trees do it best (in my opinion). The fall is the perfect time to visit for fall hikes, or for autumn festivals around the province. It starts to get chilly in the fall though and there is a risk of snow, so come prepared!
Read more: This is the Perfect Fall Hike to do in Banff National Park
How to Get Around Alberta
Alberta isn’t the most “public transit friendly” place, just because it is so so huge and takes a long time to drive from place to place. But really, it depends where you are. Places like Edmonton, Calgary, and even Banff are very easy to get around using public transportation such as busses.
Other places, like Jasper, do not have public transportation options.
If you’re looking to travel far distances, I would highly recommend renting a car to drive yourself around or check out Sundog Transportation. They have a couple of buses and charters to connect cities together (including a connection to Jasper).
In the bigger cities (Edmonton & Calgary) uber is a very popular service to use as well.
Where to Stay
You can find accommodation to match your budget no matter where you’re heading in Alberta. Prices do vary depending on where you are planning to go, though.
EDMONTON
Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta and is the closest city with an airport to Jasper National Park (closer towns to Jasper include Edson and Hinton). If you’re looking to stay in Edmonton and explore for a day or two, I would recommend checking out these places –
- Metterra Hotel
- Fantasyland Hotel (inside West Edmonton Mall)
- Air BNBs are also a great option in Edmonton
CALGARY
Calgary has the biggest airport in Alberta and is only an hour drive from Banff, which makes it one of the most popular cities to stop at when heading to the mountains.
- Hotel Arts
- Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire
- Westin Hotel
- Air BNBs are great all over Alberta
CANMORE
Canmore is a cute little mountain town that is super close to Banff, but it isn’t as expensive to stay in (usually). However, it is still an awesome little town and is a place to look into if you’re planning to visit Banff. Hostels are a great option in the mountains (if you’re a hostel person), as they are all over the national parks!
BANFF
Banff is the place everyone wants to visit when they are traveling Alberta. For this reason, Banff can usually get pretty pricey to stay in! (I usually stay in Canmore or camp during the summer, to save some money).
JASPER
Jasper is a little bit of a lesser known location in the Rockies, but it is becoming more and more popular throughout the years. Either way, it is an awesome place to visit in Alberta, and I would recommend checking out these places if you’re looking to stay in Jasper –
RESOURCES FOR BOOKING
Or with the place directly.
Things to Know About Traveling Alberta
- Weather can change at any moment, come prepared with a jacket no matter the season!
- Wildlife is everywhere (even in the prairies). If you’re driving on highways or in National Parks, always watch for deer and moose that can jump out of nowhere
- You will need a Canada National Park Pass if you are stopping in a National Park (you can get them at the entrance to National Parks)
- Distances between places of interest can be quite far, so make sure you google map distances of places you’re hoping to visit, and factor in the time it takes to get there
Read more: 14 Things to Know When Planning a Trip to the Canadian Rockies
Read more: Your Guide for Planning a Trip to the Canadian Rockies
National Parks in Alberta
Alberta is home to 5 National Parks, and they are all worth a visit if you are traveling Alberta for a while! If you have a vehicle and are stopping in one of these parks, you will need a proper pass.
WATERTON NATIONAL PARK
BANFF NATIONAL PARK
JASPER NATIONAL PARK
WOOD BUFFALO NATIONAL PARK
ELK ISLAND NATIONAL PARK
Top 5 Things to do in Alberta
1. Explore the mountains –
BANFF NATIONAL PARK
Banff, Alberta is FULL of amazing things to do. During Alberta’s winter, you can go wild ice skating, dog sledding, skiing, and snowboarding in Banff. In the fall you can hike and be surrounded by amazing golden alpine larches. In the summertime, you can hike around popular places like Lake Louise (with a teahouse in the mountains), swim in glacial lakes, or head out on a canoe tour. Springtime in Banff gives visitors incredible opportunities to beat the crowds (especially to Moraine Lake), and see waterfalls at their peak as the snow melts.
Read more: Your Banff National Park Bucket List
JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Jasper National Park is another INCREDIBLE place to visit in Alberta. Surrounded by mountains (just like Banff), there are so many amazing things to do in this National Park. One of my favourite adventures is renting a canoe to visit iconic Spirit Island, or taking the Jasper Sky Tram up the mountain to get amazing views of the surrounding mountains. Jasper is also home to so many amazing hikes, you could spend a lifetime exploring the nature here.
Read more: Your Jasper National Park Bucket List: 25 Things to See & Do
ICEFIELDS PARKWAY
The Icefields Parkway is another incredible stop to make on a trip across Alberta. This is the road that connects the town of Banff to the town of Jasper and is rated as one of the most beautiful drives in the world. You’ll have to budget quite a bit of time to drive this road because you’ll want to stop every 5 minutes to look at the amazing viewpoints and lakes along the way.
Read more: Where to Stop Along the Icefields Parkway
Read more: How to see the Frozen Methane Bubbles of Abraham Lake
WATERTON NATIONAL PARK
Hike, swim, and camp at Waterton National Park. It is located at the very southern end of Alberta and is an awesome (and a little lesser known) place to visit. Waterton National Park is basically the Canadian side of Glacier National Park in Montana, which makes it the perfect place to hike if you’re trying to stay in Alberta.
KANANASKIS PROVINCIAL PARK
Kananaskis Provincial Park is located just outside of Banff and is a hikers dream. There are soo many amazing places to hike and camp here, it is worth a stop on any Alberta itinerary. One of my favourite spots in Kananaskis is the Blackshale Suspension Bridge, which isn’t too bad of a hike to visit! (and it is also free).
Tip: If you’re stopping in Kananaskis, you will need to purchase a Kananaskis Conservation Pass.
2. See the Bison
If you’re looking to see Alberta’s bison, the two best places to see them are at Elk Island National Park (about 35 minutes out of Edmonton) or up North at Wood Buffalo National Park.
3. Explore Alberta’s Cities
EDMONTON
The City of Edmonton is Alberta’s capital and is one of two cities with a major airport. Edmonton is a cool place to explore if you have the time, but it is similar to most other cities in the world. Some popular spots to check out include the Muttart Conservatory, University of Alberta Botanical Gardens, Fort Edmonton Park, and the river valley. If visiting in the summer, there are a ton of festivals in Edmonton, such as K-Days, The Fringe, Taste of Edmonton, and Heritage Days. You can also take a day trip to Elk Island from Edmonton!
CALGARY
Calgary is the city that most people will fly into when visiting Alberta, and is a good base to explore from! The City of Calgary is only an hour drive from Banff, an hour and a half to Drumheller, and just under 3 hours to Waterton. If you’re spending some time in Calgary, I would recommend checking out Prince’s Island Park, the Calgary Zoo, or go to the top of the Calgary Tower.
4. See the Badlands in Dinosaur Country
Drumheller is a town located in the heart of dinosaur country and is actually pretty close to Calgary. Here you’ll find landscapes of the badlands, the world’s largest dinosaur, and the chance to discover fossils.
Read more: The Top Things to see in Drumheller, Alberta
5. Hunt for the Northern Lights
There are dark sky preserves (places with little to no light pollution) in Alberta which are perfect for seeing the Aurora. Popular ones include Jasper National Park and Elk Island National Park, but if you can get out of the city you have a high chance of seeing the lights (if they’re out that night). Fort McMurray and up North are also great places to go Northern Lights hunting.
Tip: Check out Aurorawatch for the Northern Lights forecast
Hopefully, this guide helps you travel Alberta! Please let me know if you have any questions, or about your Alberta trip!
Other Resources to Help Plan Your Alberta Trip
All Trails (for hiking)
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Hey! I’m Kat. Based in Alberta, Canada I love to travel to the Rockies and explore new places around the world. Follow along on my adventures and find inspiration and tips for your own travels.
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