Page 41 - 2026-2027 Travel Guide to Canada

The 4,645-sq. m (50,000-sq. ft.) Kananaskis
Nordic Spa includes outdoor hot, warm
and cold pools.
Alberta’s glacier-fed waterways,
particularly the Bow and Red Deer rivers,
attract anglers with the promise of top-notch
trout fishing. In the same day, visitors can play
the back nine of a world-class golf course,
hopscotch past cactus patches in search of
ancient rock carvings in the desert, and then
retire to the hotel hot tub to watch the sunset.
VENTURING OUT
Float your boat down a river or head for
calmer waters along Lake Minnewanka or
Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. Bonus:
hear the crack of avalanches overhead, well
out of your path but still powerful. Chase
champagne powder from the top of first-rate
resorts such as Sunshine Village, Lake Louise
or Marmot Basin, or explore them in summer
to unveil abundant wildlife and colourful
carpets of wildflowers. Canada Olympic Park
in northwest Calgary offers a variety of winter
and summer activities including: mountain
biking, skiing, hockey, outdoor camps,
skating and sports training, while Peter
Lougheed Provincial Park in Kananaskis
Country boasts unparalleled opportunities
for adventure year round.
Travellers with time on their hands head
north to Wood Buffalo National Park
Kananaskis Country, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site with 44,807 sq. km (17,300 sq.
mi.) of protected wilderness where the
endangered whooping crane and the world’s
largest herd of free-roaming wood bison can
be found.
WHAT’S NEW?
Discover a new dimension of alpine luxury
at BASIN Glacial Waters, Fairmont Chateau
Lake Louise’s stunning new thermal spa,
now open. Seamlessly integrated into the
natural landscape, this indoor-outdoor
sanctuary offers breathtaking mountain
views, infinity pools, and immersive
wellness rituals—redefining relaxation in
the heart of the Canadian Rockies
(www.thebasin.com).
In the heart of Edmonton, the Indigenous
Art Park has new installations, featuring
contemporary works by Indigenous artists.
These vibrant pieces, set within the city’s
natural landscapes, celebrate Indigenous
stories and perspectives. Visitors can experi-
ence a fusion of art and nature.
AB
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Explore Banff on a guided bike tour with
Bikescape. The area features some of
Canada’s most scenic trails. The tours cater
to all abilities and ages (www.bikescape.ca).
Experience the grit and glory of Stampede’s
greatest stories at Sam Centre. This new year-
round attraction brings the Stampede story
to life via interactive exhibits and digital
experiences. (www.samcentre.calgary
stampede.com).
CITY LIGHTS
Alberta’s two major cities offer quite
different insights into the province, though
they share a love of green space, sprawling
river pathways and bustling downtowns.
The provincial capital of Edmonton is a
government city with a grand legislature
building, a thriving arts community and
numerous galleries, craft stores and art
shops. Most can be found along trendy
Whyte Avenue or downtown. In the Arts
District, find the modern Art Gallery of
Alberta, the Winspear Centre and the
Citadel Theatre. Also in this locale is the
stunning Royal Alberta Museum, the largest
museum in western Canada (www.royal
albertamuseum.ca). The meandering
North Saskatchewan River cuts a steep
swath through the city north of downtown
and can be explored by canoe or raft
(www.edmontoncanoe.ca).
The “Festival City” boasts more than 60
festivals in a year. Its long winters are cause
for several events including Silver Skate
winter festival in February. Summer
offerings include the Fringe Theatre Festival,
the Folk Music Festival, K-Days and Heritage
Festival. Located on the North Saskatchewan
River, Fort Edmonton Park offers a look at
the historic 1846 fort, leading to the 1920s
at a new midway and exhibition
(www.exploreedmonton.com).
Calgary’s office towers, which contain the
majority of Canada’s oil and gas company
headquarters, were built to showcase the
Rockies on the western horizon. Nearby
Chinatown segues to the Bow River pathway
and the redevelopment of the East Village
neighbourhood has revitalized this historic
section of east downtown. The Alt Hotel
East Village, and the restaurants and shops
in the Simmons Building, are two highlights
of the area.
The city has preserved much of the
sandstone buildings along Stephen Avenue
Walk, where many great restaurants and
shops are found, along with the Calgary
Tower. Numerous retail stores and eateries
are also part of The CORE Shopping Centre
(www.visitcalgary.com). The architecturally
striking Calgary Central Library is adjacent to
the popular Studio Bell National Music
Centre, east of downtown’s office towers. The
library’s features include a public art exhibit,
a performance hall, community meeting
spaces, Indigenous Place Making and early
learning centres (www.calgarylibrary.ca).
Residents are devout nature lovers,
flocking to the city’s network of river
pathways as well as the inner city Prince’s
Island Park, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, and
Bowness Park and its pretty lagoon, where
families can skate in winter and canoe and
paddleboat in summer.
RODEO RIDER AT THE CALGARY STAMPEDE • COURTESY OF TRAVEL ALBERTA