Province of Alberta Travel Forum

We are coming into Calgary in mid August for 12 days. Flying into Edmonton and out of Calgary. Does anyone have itinerary suggestions? We are 2 adults, a 15, 11 and 6 year old. We were hoping to do the major National Parks but there is so much to see and we don't know how much time we should spend in each. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Roughly speaking, you should head from Edmonton west to Jasper. You could spend a couple nights there and explore the national parks, go rafting and hiking there.

On the way south from Jasper towards Banff, you can stop and visit the glaciers. Also you should stop over to Lake Louise. You could stay in/near Banff for a couple nights too and explore the local parks.

From Banff, your final destination of Calgary is not far.

You could do something similar to this:

Day 1: fly into Edmonton. Rent car. Check into hotel.
Day 2: Spend the day at the West Edmonton Mall - lots of stuff for kids/teens there.
Day 3: Drive to Jasper.
Day 4: Jasper (horseback riding, hiking, canoeing, etc).
Day 5: Jasper
Day 6: Drive down the Icefields Parkway stopping along the way at such places as Athabasca Falls, Columbie Icefields, Bow Lake, etc. Spend the night in Banff or Canmore.
Day 7: Explore Banff (the town) - lots of shops and some great little museums, the Banff Springs Hotel, Bow Falls, go up Sulphur Mountain on the Banff Gondola, go on a cruise on Lake Minnewanka, or just drive there for the scenery. Be sure to take the Minnewanka Loop back to the town of Banff as you pass through prime Rocky Mountain big horn sheep territory!
Day 8: Drive to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake (nearby Banff).
Day 9: Banff area.
Day 10: Drive to Calgary. Check in hotel early in the day then drive out into the Badlands to the the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.
Day 11: Spend a good chunk of the day at Calgary's Heritage Park.
Day 12: Depart Calgary

And by Columbie Icefields, I really meant to type Columbia Icefields.

This is so helpful. Thank you. We are actually flying out on day 13. Do you think there is anything else in Edmonton that is worth an extra day to see? Or should we use that day for some extra time in one of the mentioned parks? I think we'll use your itinerary almost exactly.

Thank you so much for responding. Good outline.

Carmanah's suggestion is very good.

If it were me, I'd probably skip West Edmonton Mall (shopping and me don't mix) ... just like many other malls except *gigantic* ... but ... with your kids and at their ages, they would likely enjoy it. It has a great amusement park in it (take swim suits, a huge wave pool and water park among other things.) And if you haven't already gotten a guidebook for the Rockies and its various hikes and attractions, it would be a good place to do so.

The Columbia Icefields, midway between Jasper and Banff, is likely to be a big hit ... a glacier comes down towards the road there. You can take snowcoach rides on the glacier, or, for more adventurous, guided hikes on the glacier.

Halfway between the Columbia Icefields and the main part of Banff is Payto Lake. It's not highly apparent from the road but its viewpoint is a spectacular site to stop at ... and if you have time and energy, hike down the trail to the lake.

When you get to Banff Park you have 2 choices of townsites to stay at.

You drive right past Lake Louise townsite on your way from Jasper. Then Banff townsite is about 30 to 45 minutes further. I'd select which to stay at based on your interests.

If you like to be in a newer, much smaller place centrally located amongst mountains, I'd stay there. If you like to be in a larger town with more town things to do, I'd stay at Banff Townsite. In either case, you will want to drive to and from the other a bit. (One idea: 2 days at Lake Louise followed by 2 days at Banff.).

At Lake Louise be sure to see the Chateau Lake Louise .. a grand old spectacular 4 or 5 star hotel ... expensive, but nice if you can afford it. A spectacular settining overlooking Lake Louise which in turn is overlooked by mountain peaks. If you are into hiking, walk along the trail by the edge of the lake ... it winds up in the mountains at a tea house ... moderate strenuous.

Also near Lake Louise you can go to Moraine Lake in a valley surrounded by 7 peaks. If inclined, you can hike up the valley to a ridge for a good view (would take the better part of a day).

At Banff Townsite there is lots .. gondola to the top of a peak, the grand Banff Springs hotel to see, a good historical museum, the home of the Banff Art Academy, some good galeries ... lots of elk wandering around the town...

The trip to Drumheller would give you a feel for Alberta's wheat and cattle country ... much like Texas ... the Tyrell Museum there is one of the best paleontology museums anywhere.

You won't have time, but some distance south of Banff you can go to Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump Provincial Park ... of of the best historical interpretive centers - at an area where native americans used to run buffalo over cliffs to get food for the winter. Any south of there there's Watertown & Glacier National Parks

Have fun.

I'd spend that extra day in the Banff/LL area as IMO this itinerary doesn't give you enough days in the parks.

Other interesting sights in Banff/LL:

Johnston Canyon - easy hike to a waterfall, very crowded so go early morning or late afternoon for fewer people

Spiral Tunnels viewpoint

Takkakaw Falls in nearby Yoho National Park, near Field, BC

Banff hot springs and Cave & Basin museum