Alberta travel guide

Glenbow Museum

The Glenbow Museum is Canada's largest museum, with more than 93,000 square feet (8,640 sq metres) of exhibition space, spread over three floors. It houses more than a million objects that fill up its 20 galleries and showcase the colourful history of Canada's West, with exhibits focusing on its First Nations to the arrival of European settlers. A special feature is the Blackfoot Gallery, which tells the story of the Nitsitapi people through interactive displays, artefacts and a circular narrative path.

There are also some 28,000 artworks dating from the 19th century to the present on display in the museum. Glenbow's library is a treasure trove of reference materials on western Canada, with the Glenbow Archives serving as a major research centre for historians, writers, students and the media.

Calgary Zoo

Canada's second largest zoo is home to more than 1,000 animals from all over the world, as well as a variety of fish and insects in natural habitat enclosures. It also features a prehistoric park with 19 life-size animatronic dinosaurs on display. The botanical gardens include a 20,000 square foot (1,858 sq m) conservatory, butterfly garden and a special Rocky Mountains exhibit featuring many indigenous Alberta animals, including the endangered Whooping Crane. The zoo is situated close to the downtown area, on St George's Island, and is a wonderful treat for the whole family.

Fort Calgary

This historical site chronicles Calgary's history between 1875 and the 1940s, allowing visitors to step back in time and explore the early days of the city through interactive exhibits, costumed interpreters, hands-on activities, guided tours and an entertaining audio-visual presentation. Fort Calgary is situated on the site of an original North West Mounted Police Fort and is designed to preserve the history of the founding, development and growth of the city. The 40-acre riverside park includes the reconstructed 1875 fort, 1888 barracks, the interpretive centre, and Deane House Historic Site and Restaurant.

Columbia Icefields

Consisting of eight major glaciers, this massive field of ancient ice is situated near the town of Jasper in the middle of Jasper National Park. The icefield covers 125 square miles (325 sq km) and is estimated to be 1,270ft (385m) deep in places. The icefield feeds four of North America's major river systems: the Columbia, Fraser, Mackenzie and Saskatchewan Rivers, and its meltwaters flow into all three oceans. Tours of the glacier are offered on snowcoaches between April and October each year, and ice-walk tours are also offered by the Jasper Adventure Centre. The icefields are one of Alberta's natural marvels and a must-see for outdoor enthusiasts visiting the region.

Jasper

Affectionately known as 'the little town in the big park', Jasper lies in the middle of Canada's largest mountain park, the Jasper National Park, and makes a delightful base from which to explore the surrounding lakes and mountains.

The town of just over 4,000 people lies 233 miles (373km) from Edmonton and is surrounded by pristine wilderness, including a necklace of green lakes and majestic waterfalls. There are also a few notable attractions in the town itself, including the Jasper-Yellowhead Historical Society Museum, which features displays of early Canadian explorers; the 165 foot (55m) deep Maligne River Canyon; the longest and highest reversible tramway in Canada that transports passengers up Whistlers Mountain; and the Den Wildlife Museum that houses more than 100 animal specimens displayed in their natural habitat.

Driving to Jasper is relatively simple. However, harsh winter weather can sometimes make the roads impassable so check the weather reports before you go. In the surrounding areas, there are many natural wonders to explore.

Using Jasper as a base gives you the opportunity to try dog sledding, snowmobiling, cat-skiing, cross-country skiing and ice climbing in the winter. Summer activities include white water rafting, hiking, horseback riding, camping, rock climbing, mountain biking and wildlife spotting.

Banff

The small resort town of Banff is a holiday destination situated in the spectacular and unspoilt Banff National Park, Canada's first national park and most popular tourist attraction. About an hour and a half's drive west of Calgary, the national park offers 2,564 square miles (6,641 sq km) of unparalleled mountain scenery in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, including glaciers, ice fields, jagged peaks, crystal clear lakes and raging rivers.

Holiday attractions in the town itself include the Banff Park Museum on Buffalo Street, which is the oldest natural history museum in western Canada and features a fantastic assortment of wildlife specimens, minerals and other artefacts. Not far away is the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, dedicated to the rich cultural history of the area with four art galleries, a heritage gallery and a research library.

The Cave and Basin National Historic Site, on Cave Avenue, tells the story of the discovery of the hot springs that led to the establishment of Canada's first national reserve in 1885. Visitors can also take a gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain to enjoy the spectacular views from the observation deck, or soak in the hot mineral waters at the Upper Hot Springs on Mountain Avenue.

Winter is low season in Banff National Park, but the low temperatures hardly deter brave skiers and snowboarders who delight in the fresh powder. From steep couloirs to gentle cruising, the slopes have something for everyone, and the snow is some of the coldest, driest and most reliable anywhere in the world. And there's a lot of it, particularly in the Sunshine Village ski area. Lake Louise is the most extensive and popular ski resort in the Banff region. See our separate Lake Louise ski resort guide.

The staggering scenery and mountain wildlife, along with the warm and welcoming locals make Banff highly popular, regardless of the season.

Heritage Park Historical Village

Heritage Park is a village of living history, comprising more than 180 exhibitions that attempt to show what life was like in Alberta in the 19th and 20th centuries. Set on 127 beautiful acres of parkland and located just 15 minutes from Calgary's central business district, Heritage Park makes for a worthwhile day trip, especially if you have kids in tow. Highlights include steam train rides and an impressive collection of vintage automobiles. Thousands of genuine historical artefacts have been used in the creation of the park, while other buildings and scenes have been faithfully recreated. Costumed interpreters educate and entertain visitors, bringing history to life.

Canada Olympic Park

Canada Olympic Park was a major venue during the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and now hosts skiing and snowboarding programmes every winter. It also houses the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum, and is frequently used as a venue for festivals and events in Calgary. Known to locals as COP, it remains a chief tourist attraction for casual visitors and winter sports enthusiasts alike. The park is operated by WinSport Canada and is used throughout the year. During summer, it is used for sports such as mountain biking, and its obstacle courses and zip lines are also highly popular.

Calgary Tower

The city's most recognisable structure looming 626 feet (191m) above the city, Calgary Tower is a must-visit landmark. The glass-floored observation deck offers spectacular 360 degree views of the city below, and there's a revolving restaurant too. Tours of the city are offered by guides on the Observation Deck, allowing visitors to take in many of the city's major attractions from their vantage point in the sky. Calgary's Tourist Information Centre is located at the base of the tower, a useful stop for all visitors, and there are also gift shops selling Calgary souvenirs and the like.