After spending nearly 8 months in Alberta over the course of the last two years, I can definitely say that Lauren and I have absolutely fallen in love. While the city of Calgary itself has a lot to do with it, there’s also something about this area that makes us want to keep coming back. I could sit here and try to write out all the reasons we love Alberta but instead I’ll show you what keeps us coming back and what should make you want to drop what you are doing and come explore Alberta with us.
Our love affair with Alberta began well before we ever set foot in Calgary. It happened while we were on our mega road trip from Florida to Alaska. We entered Canada from Kalispell, MT and spent our first few nights in this fine province surrounded by the nature and beauty of Banff National Park. I mean who wouldn’t love this?!?!
If you need even more convincing, you could head further North and take in the charming and rustic beauty of Jasper National Park. With lots of wildlife, incredible vistas, and glacial lakes, it’s enough to transport you away from all your worries.
Exploring Alberta isn’t just about spending time in the Canadian Rockies and communing with wilderness though. Alberta is home to Canada’s fourth largest city, Calgary. Despite the fact that it’s best known for the annual Stampede, Calgary is a vibrant city with some really incredible architecture.
As if majestic mountain tops and the bustle of a big city weren’t enough, Alberta has wonders in every direction. If you head South of Calgary, you find yourself exploring what’s lovingly called the Cowboy Trail. This will take you through some of the lovely prairies of Alberta were you can visit Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump (a UNESCO heritage site), Lundbreck Falls, and Crowsnest Pass which is home to the infamous Frank Slide.
Heading East of Calgary will take you to yet another incredibly unique landscape that any explorer of Alberta would be crazy to miss. The town of Drumheller is a gateway to the Canadian Badlands, which is a rough and rugged landscape filled with canyons and other interesting geological formations.