Rocky Mountaineer passing through Banff National Park.
Why visit Alberta
Alberta does lakes and mountains like Rome does cathedrals and chapels, but without the penance. For proof head west to Jasper and Banff, two of the world’s oldest national parks; despite their wild and rugged terrain, they remain untrammeled and easily accessible. They're majestic, breathtaking, awesome. No one should leave without first laying eyes on Peyto Lake and the Columbia Icefield, nor before traveling east to the fossil-encrusted badlands around Drumheller, south to the Crypt Lake trail in Waterton Lakes National Park, and north to spot bison in the vast, empty northern parklands.
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Top places to visit in Alberta
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Things to Know
Shimmering turquoise lakes, epic mountain vistas and outstanding outdoor activities – Kananaskis Country has all the action of Banff with fewer crowds.
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Best Road Trips
When the snow flies and Alberta, Canada, freezes, the ski hills open, the lakes turn to rinks, and the province is transformed into a winter wonderland.
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