Page 51 - 2023-2024 Travel Guide to Canada

head north to the town of Wembley—24 km
(15 mi.) west of Grande Prairie—to tour the
Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, which
chronicles the work done to preserve the
world’s largest hornbill dinosaur bonebed.
Quick Fact
ESTABLISHED AS A PROVINCE IN 1905,
ALBERTA WAS NAMED AFTER A DAUGHTER
OF THEN-QUEEN VICTORIA—PRINCESS
LOUISE CAROLINE ALBERTA.
MUST SEE, MUST DO
Pilot to Bombardier! Hop aboard an open-air
biplane at Reynolds-Alberta Museum for a
bird’s-eye view of the prairies around
Camrose and Wetaskiwin. You can also tour
the museum’s many heritage transportation
vehicles such as cars, industrial machines
and airplanes (www.reynoldsmuseum.ca).
Nestled into the lush coulees of the Rosebud
River Valley, the abandoned railway town of
Rosebud was overtaken by a group of faith-
based artists three decades ago. They created
a thriving professional theatre school and
arts centre that offers high-calibre, family-
friendly theatre and music. Many tourists
stroll along the hamlet’s two streets, which
are spattered with funky art shops and
galleries (www.rosebudtheatre.com).
SKYWALK, ICEFIELDS PARKWAY • SHUTTERSTOCK/TODAMO
Historic Fort Macleod, in southern Alberta, is
the birthplace of the North-West Mounted
Police—now the RCMP. The first musical ride
in Canada was held in the town in 1876.
Modelled after British Army cavalry drills, the
musical ride is held daily in July and August
(www.nwmpmuseum.com).
SCENIC DRIVES
Crowsnest Highway: This historic route
stretches from Fort Macleod in the
province’s far south to the town of Coleman,
where the province’s coal-mining heritage
was born. Travellers should not miss the
jaw-dropping boulder fields lining the
highway to the town of Frank, where 82
million metric tonnes of rock crashed down
from the mines at Turtle Mountain and
buried the town. A visit to the Frank Slide
Interpretive Centre tells the story of the
nighttime tragedy.
Deh Cho Trail: The best of northern Alberta
is found along this journey northwest of
Edmonton to High Level. It offers vast tracts
of stunning wilderness with countless
lakes and rivers; the boreal forests,
parkland and wetlands are teeming with
wildlife including rare birds. Explore old
fur trade posts at historic sites such as Fort
Vermilion, or cross Alberta’s longest vehicle
suspension bridge over the Peace River at
Dunvegan.
AB
49
Cowboy Trail: Western heritage takes the
spotlight along this scenic Highway 22 drive
through the foothills of the Rockies between
Pincher Creek and Mayerthorpe. Highlights
of the route include Bar U Ranch National
Historic Site and historic Cochrane
RancheHouse (www.thecowboytrail.com).
FAMILY FUN
Don’t miss the World Waterpark at West
Edmonton Mall, the Calgary Zoo’s Penguin
Plunge or The Brainasium outdoor
playground at the TELUS Spark Science
Centre. Kids enjoy the Tropical Pyramid at
the Muttart Conservatory. The Great
Canadian Barn Dance at Hillspring features
campfires, music and food (www.gcbd.ca),
while the Innisfail Discovery Wildlife Park is
a 36 ha (90 acre) zoo housing more than 30
species of orphaned animals including bears,
wolves and lions (www.discoverywildlife
park.com). The Royal Tyrrell Museum offers
a Jurassic joyride; also the chance to climb
into the belly of the World’s Largest Dinosaur
in Drumheller in the Canadian Badlands.
Park Pick
JASPER NATIONAL PARK
Extending over 11,000 sq. km (4,247 sq.
mi.), it is the largest national park in the
Canadian Rockies and part of UNESCO’s
Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World
Heritage site. Travellers come to Alberta
for its Rocky Mountain vibe and to travel
the glacier-lined Icefields Parkway.
Situated between Jasper and Lake
Louise, the epic 237-km (147-mi.) drive
offers excellent wildlife viewing opportu-
nities and breathtaking year-round
recreation. Ringed by towering glaciers,
the park is home to the Columbia
Icefield, where you can climb into the
belly of the glacier and take specially-
designed vehicles right onto it. Other
must-sees include the historic Miette
Hot Springs, the string of postcard-
worthy lakes such as Peyto Lake and
Bow Lake, and the Glacier Skywalk
overlooking the icefield (www.parks
canada.gc.ca/jasper).
National Parks and Historic Sites:
www.parkscanada.gc.ca
1-888-773-8888