"Adventure Tourism Information About Places Ya'Gotta Go To!"
Alberta Vacations, Rentals, Adventure Travel, Tours & Getaways
Alberta has about everything that an adventure traveler is looking for in a Canadian destination. In the province of Alberta you will be treated to prairies, boreal forest, badlands, foothills, and the Canadian Rocky Mountain National Parks of Banff, Jasper and Waterton.
For information about parks, locations, clubs, outdoors activities and conservation activities go to our Alberta Adventure Tourism Links page.
Looking for a campground? There are an abundance of private, municipal, Provincial and National Park campgrounds. Provincial wilderness areas don't require permits, for overnight back country use, however as with all National Parks permits are required, as is also in the provincial recreation area refered to as Kannanaskis. Also, pay close attention to posted warnings about bears and fire bans.
Alberta's Provincial campgrounds can be reserved in advance and in peak seasons, this is highly advised. Don't be disappointed, for information about reserving a camping site click here.
During the summer months sites in National Park campgrounds in Alberta (Banff,Jasper, and Elk Island) are at a premium and it is suggested that campers should use Parks Canada's online Campground Reservation Service. Travelers using hotels, motels, hostels and bed and breakfast are also encouraged to make reservations.
For accomdations information, sample itineraries and information about traveling in Alberta, the official source of information for the Province is Travel Alberta.
From late spring until early fall has long sunny days, with the sun hardly setting during June and July and as you reach the Northwest Territories the midnight sun is experienced. Winter can also be very sunny, however days can be very short and temperatures can be cold. During late winter and early spring, the northern lights (aurora borealis) is often visible.
As with all of Canada, Alberta measures temperature on the Celsius scale (F = 9/5 X C + 32) and extreme temperatures can range between summer (+30) and winter (-30). Normal average temperatures range between summer (+17C) and winter (-15C). With these factors in mind, travellers should have a variety of clothing with light to medium for summer and medium to heavy in winter. In mountain regions summer temperatures can vary greatly, with weather and altitude.
You can find out current weather conditions for Alberta at Environment Canada's website.
You can find out Alberta's (Edmonton) sunrise and sunset times, at timeandate.com.
Summer Activities:Aboriginal powwows, backpacking and hiking, camping, canoeing, caving, climbing, cycling, dragon boat racing, fishing, hiking, horse riding, orienteering, rodeos, sailing, scrambling, and water sports.
Winter Activities: Biathlon, mushing, snow shoeing, skiing (x-country and downhill), tobogganing, winter camping.
Nature watching is excellent year round and many Watchable Wildlife sites exist. Alberta also has it's Special Places program, to protect many naturally sensitive areas.
The north central gateway city is Edmonton, which provides access as follows:
Jasper National Park, William Switzer Provincial Park, Willmore Wilderness Area are accessed via Edson and Hinton on the Yellowhead Trans-Canada Highway. Highway 40 (The Ram Highway), runs from west of Hinton and through William Switzer Provincial Park, Willmore Wilderness Area and onto Grande Cache , is also known as the "Scenic Route to Alaska".
West of the Alberta/British Columbia provincial boundaries the Yellowhead Trans-Canada Highway continues on to the central and southern parts of British Columbia.
This highway is also the north access route to the Province of British Columbia. Northern British Columbia can also be accessed, via Grande Prairie and on to Fort St. John.
Traveling south on the eastern slope of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, is the rugged, isolated and un-serviced, coal branch road, running from Edson to the David Thompson Highway at Nordegg. Highway 22 also runs north and south, but intersects the David Thomson Highway at Rocky Mountain House.
Elk Island National Park, about ½ hour east of Edmonton and the Blackfoot Cooking Lake Recreational area, are accessed by the Yellowhead Trans-Canada Highway (#16). The eastern route of this highway also provides access to the great outdoors experiences of Northeast Alberta and the province of Saskatchewan.
Taking a variety of routes, north from Edmonton, travelers can also enjoy the outdoors experiences of the Lake District, Swan Hills, Lesser Slave Lake and the Peace Country.
The Canadian Rockies can also be entered via the David Thompson Highway, at Saskatchewan Crossing on the Icefields Parkway (#93), which runs between Banff and Jasper are accessed by west of Red Deer, the Coal Branch Road, or Hwy. #22. The Queen Elizabeth II Hwy. (#2), also goes to Calgary via Red Deer.
Alberta's south central gateway city is Calgary, which provides access as follows:
From Calgary the Trans Canada #1 highway provides access, via Kanansakis Country, Castle Wilderness Area and Banff, to the Canadian Rockies and on to British Columbia.
Many travelers go to Calgary for its famous Calgary Stampede and cowboy atmosphere. If you're seeking authentic cowboy atmosphere, then go southwest from Calgary, or travel the "Cowboy Trail" (#22).
The Trans Canada #1 highway provides access to the Alberta badlands Drumheller and Dinosaur Provincial Park, as well the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park.
Highway #2 also travels south to the Canada/United States border (Montana State) and also provides access to the Whaleback and south east British Columbia via the Crowsnest Pass. Further southwest is Waterton National Park.
The main highway access routes to Alberta are:
For cyclists, Alberta's highways are a pleasure with their wide shoulders. Helmets, lights, bells and reflectors are required. In the National Parks, and some Provincial areas, be aware of restrictions on off-road cycling.
Speed limits and distances are measured in kilometres (Miles = Kms. x .6). Many major highways, in central northern and southern areas are twinned, with many having a maximum posted speed limit of 100 km/h. (60 mph) and some at 110 km/hr. In the National Parks traffic is limited to 90 km/h. (54 mph.) and most urban speed limits are 50 km/h. (30 mph.), however speed limits will increase on freeways. Both traditional radar and photo radar are used and major urban centres use cameras to ticket for red-light infractions.
Gasoline for vehicles is sold by the litre (3.78 litres = 1 US gallon). Diesel and propane fuel is also available in major urban and tourist centers.
Online road reports are available from the Alberta Motor Association. During the winter months vehicles should be appropriately tuned and equipped with block heaters, snow tires and emergency supplies, clothing and equipment. Distances between centers and services can be long, especially in the northern and isolated parts of the Province.
Major car rental companies operate in Alberta and most points are served by regular scheduled bus services and all major centres have excellent public transit.
Edmonton International Airport (YEG) and Calgary International Airport (YYC) provide international and trans-continental air service. is also regional service to smaller municipalities.
The Trans-Canada rail service, VIA Rail, services Edmonton and Jasper. It goes west into British Columbia and and comes west via Manitoba and Saskatchewan. There are special tourist train services between Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise and Vancouver.
For shopping Alberta has cosmopolitan downtown areas is its two major cities, shopping centres or "malls" in the suburbs and great opportunities for poking around small and resort towns.
The province of Alberta has a wide variety of arts and entertainment in its towns and cities, with established arts districts in both of its major metropolitan regions of Edmonton and Calgary. Cinemas, theatres, art galleries venues for all genres of music are readily accessible. Ya'Gotta maintains roots music and rock music pages, for information about local Alberta musicians and their upcoming gigs.
A great source for upcoming arts events in Alberta, CKUA, is its province-wide, public broadcasting network, which uses both AM and FM radio frequencies and also available in streaming audio world-wide over the Internet and via satellite.
For folk music fans, our Ya'Gotta pages, maintains a listing folk music festivals, that occur throughout the summer months.
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