Visiting our neighbors to the north is a great option for seniors, due to the short flight times and huge number of destinations to choose from when you arrive. A top destination is Alberta, which has major airports in Calgary and Edmonton. Although both cities have several tourist attractions, it’s worth renting a car and exploring more of the province.
The following are a few of the top places to visit.
1. Confluence Historic Site & Parkland
If you fly in to Calgary, start your trip by learning about the city’s history with a visit to Confluence Historic Site & Parkland, formerly called Fort Calgary. It stands on the site where the North West Mounted Police built a wooden fort in 1875, which later developed into the city of Calgary.
2. Dinosaur Provincial Park
Go further back in history, all the way to prehistoric times, with a trip to Dinosaur Provincial Park, located two hours from Calgary. You can explore the park on your own or take a guided tour to learn more about the excavation sites. Either way, you’ll see some of the best examples of dinosaur fossils in the world.
3. Calgary Tower
If you’re not afraid of heights, don’t miss Calgary Tower. The 60-story-high skyscraper in downtown Calgary has a glass floor in its viewing platform, allowing you to see around you in every direction. On a clear day, you’ll be able to see all the way to the mountains. The panoramic views are also particularly impressive at sunset and after nightfall.
If you’d rather not be up so high, just admire the tower from a distance — it makes for some good photos.
4. Prince’s Island Park
Another highlight of Calgary is Prince’s Island Park, set on an island in the middle of the Bow River. You can reach the park by crossing any of the bridges, although Peace Bridge is a particularly popular tourist spot. Find out if the park will be holding any events while you’re in town.
5. Banff National Park
Canada’s first national park was Banff. It began as just 26 square kilometers and was a protected spot for the hot springs. It has since grown to 6,641 square kilometers and includes the Canadian Rockies. A top activity is to experience the Rockies is to take the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain — the ride takes eight minutes and crosses snow-topped trees.
Banff National Park is only two hours from Calgary by car, but it’s also reachable by train, including in a luxury domed car that offers spectacular views. The weather is perfect between May and September, although you’ll likely encounter crowds at the height of summer. There are even activities during the winter — and not just skiing. At Banff Spring Hotel, you’ll find Solace Spa, which has whirlpools, aromatherapy saunas, and private massage rooms.
6. Elk Island National Park
A national park closer to Edmonton is Elk Island. As its name implies, it is home to many elk, but you’ll also find bison and hundreds of bird species. In addition to hiking trails, there’s a lake with boats available for rent. The lack of light pollution in the Dark Sky Preserve makes it an ideal spot for seeing the aurora borealis.
7. University of Alberta Botanical Gardens
Within Edmonton itself, you can also experience some nature. Spanning 240 acres, the botanical gardens are large enough to give you an activity for the whole day. If you want to see all the key locations and as many of the 4,000 plant species as possible but don’t have the energy to walk the entire garden, take advantage of the Bee Line. This is a hop-on, hop-off tram service available just on Tuesdays.
8. Wood Buffalo National Park
Another top place to explore the great outdoors in Alberta is Wood Buffalo National Park. It was established to protect wood bison and today has the largest free-ranging herd. It is also the only remaining breeding habitat of whooping crane. Another claim to fame is that it has the largest inland delta, which is home to a huge amount of wildlife.
During the summer, there are only a few hours of darkness, whereas winter is ideal for stargazing in the Dark Sky Preserve. This also means you have another chance to see the northern lights.
9. Abraham Lake
An artificial lake, Abraham Lake is the largest reservoir in Alberta. What makes it interesting to visit, though, is not its size but the interesting phenomenon that occurs in the water. Trapped methane from decaying plants create bubbles that freeze and rise to the surface of the lake, which contrast with the clear blue water. The best time to see the bubbles is when the lake is fully frozen, between mid-January and mid-February.
10. Jasper National Park
One more place to spend time in the wilderness in Alberta is at Jasper National Park. It has another spot that’s best for those who are not afraid of heights: Columbia Icefield Skywalk in the Sunwapta Valley. This consists of a one-kilometer-long observation platform with a glass floor to maximize the views of the terrain 918 feet below. It’s an accessible way to see the glaciers, mountains, and valleys of the area.
Another highlight of Jasper is Athabasca Falls. At just 23 meters, the waterfall is not high — but its power makes it impressive. Even visitors who don’t want to hike can reach the waterfall, as there’s a parking lot near a short trail. If you want to walk further, you can continue the trail to see the waterfall at various other points, including at a footbridge over the canyon.
11. Drumheller
Although there are several things to see in Drumheller, most people come for the geological formations called hoodoos. These are spires of rock created by erosion, some of which are up to 20 feet tall.
Also in Drumheller, you can see a model Tyrannosaurus rex, marketed as the world’s largest dinosaur. Visitors can climb up it to see views of the badlands beyond.
One more site in Drumheller is the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, where you’ll learn about history of life on Earth.
12. Gopher Hole Museum
One of the strangest sites in Alberta is Gopher Hole Museum. It has stuffed gophers dressed up to resemble townspeople in 47 elaborate dioramas. The museum advertises itself as being world famous — which it is, in fact, fast becoming.
13. Last Chance Saloon
If you’d like to see a ghost town in Alberta, a top option is Wayne. After the town’s mines shut down in the 1950s, the population dropped from 2,000 to the 30 residents it has today. Wayne is home to an active saloon, which is packed with antiques and has many stories to share. For instance, there are bullet holes in the wall (now framed) where the bartender once fired warning shots at customers who were refusing to pay for their drinks.
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