Alberta’s skiing scene aside, there are plenty of other reasons to add a winter break to this Canadian province to your bucket list. From delicious food, nightlife and culture to other outdoor pursuits, there’s plenty on offer to make sure a holiday to here is one to remember – and we’ve rounded up just a few of our favourites.
Keep your cool on an ice walk
Ice walking might just be one of the most epic, beautiful activities you’ll ever experience. Head to Jasper’s Maligne Canyon in the winter months and you’ll get to feast your eyes on turquoise-hued glacial waters rushing between vertigo-inducing canyon walls. Or take the trail to Grotto Canyon, which can only be accessed by foot – but we can tell you the hike will be worth it. Walk up the creekbed and past a glistening waterfall and you’ll find some Hopi pictographs that were painted on the limestone walls 500-1,000 years ago. Looking for more of an adrenaline rush? Grab a guide, your ice axe and test your mettle with ice climbing at one of Alberta’s many crags, ice walls and glaciers – which are among the best on the planet. Tangle Falls in Jasper National Park is one spot to look out for, with a waterfall frozen into crystalline ice.
Fill your boots with local food and drink
No holiday is complete without utterly delicious food and drink, and what you’ll find a Alberta is an abundance of top-grade locally reared beef – which pairs perfectly with the locally brewed beer or cocktails made with spirits distilled from local grains. If you’re hungry, check out Blink restaurant, housed in a trendy renovated saddler building in Calgary, where fine dining meets contemporary cool. For something less formal, pop in for a pint at Edmonton’s favourite brew pub, Situation Brewing, which brings together beers, bites and a friendly space in which to enjoy both.
Hit the history books
From dinosaurs to 18th-century trade objects, Alberta is a destination that’s brimming with history. The province is filled with indigenous sites that are even older than Stonehenge, and it’s also home to one of the largest collections of complete dinosaur skeletons in the world at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Calgary is devoted to art as well as history and will have you more appreciative than ever of the links between Canada’s landscape and its rich heritage, from the people to the events that have shaped western Canada’s community.
Get closer to the stars
Alberta is home to some of the world’s largest Dark Sky preserves, making it one of the best places to watch as the mesmerising greens, purples and yellows of the Northern Lights illuminate the night sky. To really appreciate the beauty, book your stay between September and mid-May, and make sure October’s Jasper Dark Sky festival is in your calendar – it’s the best time to see the stars and you’ll also get fascinating insider insights from industry experts.