Considered a sacred place by the Stoney Nakoda people, Spirit Island in Jasper National Park sits in the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies.
Courtesy of Travel Alberta
This article was originally published in 2021 and most recently updated on October 30, 2026, with current information.
Alberta packs a lot of landscape into a single province, from the jagged peaks and glacial lakes of the Canadian Rockies to the hoodoos, badlands, and wide-open prairies farther east. Having called Calgary home for 15 years, I’ve explored much of this terrain in-depth, and along the way I’ve discovered that some of Alberta’s most rewarding experiences lie beyond its best-known attractions.
Indeed, Alberta has something for every kind of traveler: rugged alpine wilderness and luxurious resorts, badlands ghost towns and cosmopolitan urban scenes, cowboy culture and Indigenous traditions. Here are a few favorite places to take in the scenery, eat fine food, and treat yourself to a glorious stay.
Things to see and do in Alberta
Take a boat to Spirit Island
In Jasper National Park, a winding drive leads to the cerulean waters of Maligne Lake, known to the Stoney Nakoda people as Chaba Imne (“Beaver Lake”). Here, you’ll find Spirit Island, which has become a bucket-list destination for several reasons. First, as the name indicates, it’s considered sacred by the Stoney Nakoda, who consider the mountains that surround it to be physical representations of their ancestors. Second, it’s remote, more than eight miles from the nearest road or footpath and only accessible via a 90-minute boat cruise or an eight-hour kayak or canoe outing (for experienced paddlers only). Finally, it’s home to one of Canada’s most iconic views, a panorama that unfurls toward the Valley of the Gods, the aptly named, mountain-framed southern end of the lake.
The three-acre island actually isn’t one for most of the year—it’s connected to shore by a narrow isthmus in all but the spring season, when rain and melting snow raise the water level of the lake—and tourists aren’t allowed to set foot on it anyway because of its cultural importance. A lake cruise, however, will deliver you to a short trail on the nearby mainland with designated viewing platforms. For more time to take in the views and immerse yourself in the wilderness, paddle to one of three backcountry campsites. Fisherman’s Bay is an eight-mile paddle from the Maligne Lake boat launch and just over half a mile from the sacred island. Beginning paddlers may prefer the family-friendly Hidden Cove, less than three miles from the launch, while more experienced paddlers can continue to Coronet Creek (a 13-mile journey one-way), at the lake’s far end, where motorized boats are prohibited. These campgrounds are wildly popular, so reserve well in advance.
See bison in Elk Island National Park
Elk Island National Park has been an important bison conservation site since the early 20th century, and today it’s home to several hundred plains and wood bison.
Photo by Geoffrey Prior/Shutterstock
Just east of Edmonton, Elk Island National Park is known for its free-roaming bison and its role in conserving the UNESCO-designated Beaver Hills Biosphere, a distinctive landscape of rolling hills, wetlands, lakes, and forests shaped by glacial retreat. This patchwork of habitats supports abundant wildlife: elk, beavers, and more than 250 species of birds. And the park has played a pivotal role in restoring bison populations, helping it make a comeback from the brink of extinction. Visitors today can spot bison from the roads or while hiking on well-established trails. The fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down: The park is within the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve, so it’s a great place to take in constellations, seasonal meteor showers, and the northern lights.
For a deeper understanding of the area, book a guided geo-adventure with Keith Diakiw, founder of Talking Rock Tours. Diakiw works with Indigenous Elders and specialists in geology and history to tell the region’s stories through both scientific and historical angles. Tours begin at the Moss Lake Trailhead, with snowshoe outings available in winter.
Drive the Cowboy Trail
The Cowboy Trail passes by ranches and farms in Alberta’s grasslands.
Photo by Jeff Bartlett
Alberta’s Highway 22, otherwise known as the Cowboy Trail, winds more than 400 miles through the eastern foothills of the Canadian Rockies, linking small ranching communities and working farms between the towns of Mayerthorpe, west of Edmonton, and Cardston, south of Calgary. As the name indicates, this is cowboy country, where horseback riding, beef ranching, and western traditions remain part of everyday life.
This drive is less about ticking off attractions than taking the scenic route, lingering in small towns and experiencing Alberta beyond Banff and Jasper. That said, there are plenty of one-of-a-kind sights and experiences along the road, with the most memorable between Calgary and Crowsnest Pass. Stop in Black Diamond, where historic storefronts and Old West architecture give Main Street a small-town charm. Look for the antique Black Diamond coal car, then stock up on beef jerky—salty, smoky, and tender, it’s a local road-trip staple—at Longview Jerky Shop for the rest of the drive.
Longview is only a few minutes down the road from Black Diamond, but you’ll want to plan ahead—like, more than a year ahead—to book a table at the world-renowned Longview Steakhouse. Despite its fame, the family-run restaurant has a relaxed, country-lodge feel, where a warm, unpretentious atmosphere sets the stage for an exceptional meal. The menu focuses on Alberta beef but draws on flavors and influences gathered through the owners’ travels, giving the classic steakhouse experience an unexpected twist.
If you’re looking for a nightcap, the nearby Eau Claire Distillery is known for small-batch, “farm-to-glass” spirits that celebrate locally grown grains and traditional distilling methods, resulting in bold whiskey, botanical gin, and fruit-infused vodka. The distillery, located in the nearly 100-year-old former Turner Valley Movie Theatre and Dance Hall, also offers a Prohibition-themed experience that explores the area’s history, replete with stories of illicit whiskey trading during the 1920s. (Alberta banned alcohol from 1916 to 1924.)
Places to eat and drink in Alberta
Pizza options at Lupo include a classic margherita, a diavola with house-cured coppa, and a pie with wild British Columbia mushrooms.
Photos by Cakewalk Media/Travel Alberta
Sample modern Italian cuisine at Lupo Banff
Banff’s culinary scene is having a moment, with chefs opening restaurants that seek to rival the Rockies as destinations The best is Lupo, which specializes in modern Italian cooking, meaning hand-stretched pizza, fresh pasta (the melt-in-your mouth agnolotti is a big winner), and grilled Alberta rib-eyes. The cocktail menu has an Italian flourish as well, with drinks like the Sicilian Sour, which blends Park Flora and Fauna gin (from the first distillery inside a Canadian national park) and Scarlett Berry tea, with amaro, orange liqueur, and egg white. (Lupo created that drink for Jolene’s Tea House and Park Distillery Cocktail Tour, a self-guided experience for which seven Banff bars and restaurants devised tea-infused cocktails.) Save room for dessert: “The James” Tiramisu riffs on the classic with decaffeinated coffee, Park Espresso vodka, and mascarpone. The lively dining room and patio, with a tiled pizza oven and a central Negroni bar, help bring la dolce vita to the Rockies.
Have a drink at the Last Chance Saloon
The Last Chance Saloon has had only three owners in its 100-plus-year history.
Photo by Cody Baker/Travel Alberta
The Rosedeer Hotel is one of the first buildings you see in the former coal-mining ghost town of Wayne, just south of Drumheller. Sitting squat on a narrow piece of land between the railroad tracks and the hills behind, the home of the Last Chance Saloon looks like something from a movie set—which it has been many times. Scenes for Running Brave, Shanghai Noon, and In Cold Blood were shot here, along with numerous commercials and music videos. Owners Dave Arsenault and Paula Sutherland, who took over from the Dayman family, which operated the place for 65 years, upgraded the menu beyond the standby burgers to include smokehouse offerings such as burnt ends and St. Louis–style ribs—but you’re not really here for the food. Instead, you’re stopping to see a legit holdout of the Wild West, a place once known as the “Bucket of Blood” because of the many altercations between miners. You also might spot a ghost: The hotel and bar are rumored to be haunted. Book a room to investigate for yourself, or, if you’re the skittish type, reserve a campsite.
Check out the award-winning design at Calcutta Cricket Club
A Calgary favorite, Calcutta Cricket Club is the place to go if you want to feel like you’re dining with Bill Murray on the set of a Wes Anderson film shot in 1960s India. Mint and jade greens, soft pink, and touches of gold set the color palette, while a black-and-white checkerboard floor, Moroccan tiles, and botanical printed wallpaper add graphic flair. Rattan screens, vintage illustrations of cricket players, Tiffany-style lamps, and the centerpiece, a wooden leopard salvaged from a vintage carousel and perched above the bar, also ensure the restaurant is as much a visual experience as a culinary one. (Owner Maya Gohill, who is an artist, was awarded the best restaurant design in Canada in 2018.)
In the kitchen, chef Amit Bangar’s menu has evolved significantly over the past year, exploring Canadian identity through South Asian culinary traditions. A prime example is the Alberta beef, which appears in the form of a 32-ounce porterhouse finished with a tangy tamarind glaze and crusted in curry leaf and pepper fry spice. Bookend that dish with the hot-and-sweet, tandoori-spiced chicken kati roll at the start, and the Mishti Doi, a traditional sweetened Bengali yogurt served with poached rhubarb, to finish.
Where to stay in Alberta
Stay on Sulphur Mountain at Rimrock Banff
Rimrock Banff offers views of the surrounding forests and peaks from its perch on the side of Sulphur Mountain.
Photo by Chloë Chapdelaine/Travel Alberta
Perched high above the Bow Valley, teetering on the edge of Sulphur Mountain—one of the most popular tourist attractions in Banff—stands Rimrock Banff, Emblems Collection. Originally built in 1963, the hotel, a part of the Accor Group since 2023, reopened in 2026 after an $80-plus-million redesign. The reborn property’s 320 rooms and suites have contemporary mountain interiors, with natural wood, plush upholstery, and expansive windows that frame the Rockies and the forests below, while also letting in lots of natural light. For a truly, ahem, peak experience, book the Infinity Two-Bedroom Suite, which has a 1,200-square-foot wraparound terrace with an outdoor barrel sauna.
You’ll also find saunas in the nearly 10,000-square-foot, all-new Bathhouse, along with steam rooms, an infinity pool, cold plunges, and a meditation room. After relaxing in the spa, guests can investigate four new restaurants and bars, most notably Parker’s Table, named for Alpine Club of Canada cofounder Elizabeth Parker. Dishes here are built around local and seasonal ingredients (heirloom beet salads and wild boar chops) and served in a dining room with panoramic mountain views. It’s an ideal place to fuel up before or after exploring Sulphur Mountain and Banff. When you’re ready to venture out, talk to the folks at the hotel’s Expeditions Centre about its year-round outings, such as guided trail rides, forest bathing, and glacier hikes.
Take in Waterton Lake at the Prince of Wales Hotel
The Prince of Wales Hotel stands at the meeting point of Middle and Upper Waterton Lakes.
Photo by Jess Dales
The historic Prince of Wales Hotel has been part of the under-the-radar Waterton Lakes National Park since 1927. Built by the Great Northern Railway and now a National Historic Site, the seasonal 86-room-and-suite hotel has a dramatic setting perched above Waterton Lake and a fun-filled century’s worth of character: During Prohibition, it reportedly became a popular hideaway for booze-starved Americans looking to escape dry laws. Today, the property’s appeal is considerably more wholesome: Enjoy an old-school afternoon tea overlooking the water, then take the original 1927 elevator—one of the last remaining manually operated passenger elevators in North America—back to your heritage room.
The hotel is also a perfect base for exploring the park. Hike Bear’s Hump, which climbs 1.8 miles to a viewpoint high above the lake; tackle the famous Crypt Lake Trail, a roughly 11-mile trek that passes several waterfalls and involves crawling through a tunnel and navigating cables on narrow ledges; or drive the scenic Akamina Parkway to Red Rock Canyon. If the daytime sights don’t leave your eyes sufficiently starry, step outside at night; the transnational Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is an International Dark Sky Park.
Soak in the spa at the Woods Experience
A wood-fired hot tub gives visitors to the Woods Experience’s Wilderness Nordic Spa a place to warm up before and after a cold plunge.
Photo by Cooper & O’Hara/Travel Alberta
Forget a raised bed and four walls: Inside a 24-foot-tall, Sioux-style tepee, spruce boughs and soft furs replace the mattress, and a wood fire takes the place of a furnace. At the Woods Experience, a Métis-owned retreat set on 80 acres of boreal forest near Wildwood, about a 90-minute drive west of Edmonton, the comforts of a conventional hotel stay give way to a more elemental experience.
The central fire is a key aspect of the resort’s Traditional Tipi Experience, providing all the warmth you’ll need at night, as well as a place to gather, reconnect with family and friends, and prepare simple meals using ingredients like bannock and dried meats. Basic cooking essentials such as a kettle, pot, utensils, and water are provided during your stay. Bring your own pillow and sleeping bag, and prepare to trade a few familiar comforts for a night closer to the earth.
The Woods also has a Wilderness Nordic Spa, with a wood-fired hot tub, barrel sauna, and cold plunge. Overnight guests and day visitors alike can book a private two-hour session and cycle through hot and cold while surrounded by the forest. There’s also the opportunity to step into the traditions of the Canadian Northwest with the Trapline Experience. Led by veteran guides, you’ll follow trails while learning about trapping, wildlife, and the skills required to navigate the wilderness. Rooted in respect for the land and Indigenous knowledge, the outing offers a deeper understanding of the relationship between people and the natural world.
