Whether your break is from school or work, there are plenty of ways to spend a memorable vacation with friends and family in Alberta during spring break.
You can base your spring break vacation around an adventure in the Rockies, exploring the towns and cities of Alberta, taking in local art and culture, or in a quiet slice of paradise.
Giant Alberta Tour
Take a road trip to see the best of “Big Alberta.” What is Big Alberta? All throughout our small towns and cities, you can find life-sized and over-sized odes and homages to the area’s history or cultures. As you tour the small towns with the big items, you’ll also have chances to stop at museums, forts and historical sites, and art installations. Each town has something different to offer in terms of local food, so help #supportlocal in Alberta this Spring with a break for snacks or coffee.
See:
15 Roadside Attractions and Landmarks For a Road Trip in Alberta
25 Giant Attractions For Your Road Trip Across Northern Alberta
10 Places to See Public Art in Edmonton
Places to Go to See Public Art in Calgary
- Andrew: Mallard Duck
- Bonnyville: Angus Shaw
- Donalda: Lamp
- Glendon: Pyrogy
- Hanna: Grey Geese
- Smoky Lake: Pumpkins
- Taber: Corn Stalk
- Vegreville: Pysanka (Ukrainian Easter egg)
Take Advantage of Spring Promotions in Alberta
There is no reason you shouldn’t save a bit of money on your spring break getaway this year. It doesn’t matter if you’re booking for a group of friends, a family, or multiple families, there are numerous ways to save with Alberta’s accommodations.
- Mount Engadine Lodge on the Smith Dorrien Highway (south of Canmore), is hosting a Spring Shoulder Promotion from February 7-April 15, 2023. This offers special rates on weekday bookings.
- The Overlander Mountain Lodge in Jasper is offering a Deluxe Mountain Getaway package from now until April 30, 2023. The package includes a two night stay, breakfast on both mornings, a three-course dinner for two, and a bottle of your choice in the room upon arrival.
- The Edmonton Fairmont Hotel MacDonald’s Embrace the Season offer is available for stays as late as April 30th 2023 and can get you up to 20% off your stay price.
- Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise offers a similar package with savings of up to 25% off on stays from now until April 30th.
Visit Alberta’s Ski Hills for Spring Break Events
Spring break can be one of the last chances to get to Alberta’s ski hills for many families and groups. So, take advantage, and make the most of your trip to the mountains with these Spring Break events at Alberta’s Mountain resorts. These include activities for all ages and ski/snowboard skill levels.
- Take in sounds from DJs Bunny Hops & Dougasaurus Decks at Lake Louise Ski Resort. There will be a stand on-scene, dolling out tasty tacos! Plus plenty of fire pits to keep things toasty.
- March 31 is Pride Ski Day at Mount Norquay Ski Resort in Banff with a few feature events planned for the day like Drag Ski Races, ski and snowboard tours of the mountain, the S’more the Merrier campfire get together, and the Stay & Après with Banff Ave. Brewing (at the Lone Pine Restaurant).
- Castle Mountain Ski Resort in southern Alberta offer a couple of events through the T-Bar Pub & Grub. These include a Trivia Night on March 26th, and Musical Bingo on April 2nd. You can book accommodations on site, or in the nearby town of Pincher Creek.
- Marmot Basin will host the SkiMo (Ski Mountaineering) Championships from March 31-April 2 2023, with exciting races planned all weekend long.
- PBR Session is returning to Banff Sunshine Village from March 31st to April 2nd. The PBR (Pro Bowl Riding) brings a unique and creative course to the Canadian Rockies. Skiers will have 3 days to learn, ride, and film on the private course.
Camping in Alberta over Spring Break
Alberta is home to a large number of Provincial campgrounds which are open year-round. On top of those, many campgrounds start opening around March and the Spring Break season. This is ideal for adventurous tent campers, RV owners, and anyone looking for some quiet over their break.
- One of Alberta’s southernmost Provincial Parks, Writing-on-Stone, offers over 60 winter campsites with power available year-round for RVers. Bookings are on a first-come-first-served basis until May 19th. The park has three different interpretive trails to follow near the Milk River.
- The Sulphur Gates PRA, near Grande Cache, offers a backcountry experience with 15 nonserviced campsites. The area offers numerous beautiful spots and trails to explore, including the main trail overlooking the rivers from high above the rocky cliffs. The site has space for equestrian hitching and posting.
- Cypress Hills Provincial Park, in southeastern Alberta, offers 9 different winter campsites at the Spruce Coulee Campground. There are many winter activities to enjoy around the Cypress Hills, too, like skating (weather permitting), snowshoeing, hiking, and cross country skiing.
- If you want to take your camping trip closer to the mountains, you can reserve a winter campsite at the McLean Creek Campground, near Bragg Creek, and have the option for sites only accessible via OHV/ATV. The park is in Kananaskis Country, where you’ll find several different options for OHV riding, winter hiking, cross country skiing, or snowshoeing.
Book an Adventure in Alberta’s Rockies
There are many different ways to see and enjoy the sights of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. If you’re in search of the most adventurous ways to experience the mountains, then a great place to start is with an experienced guide. These guided tours in Alberta’s mountain parks can bring you to places that are otherwise inaccessible to the public. And therefore, these adventures can get you new views.
- See it all from above with one of the many helicopter sightseeing tours available. Different Rocky Mountain operators, and offers trips over the Columbia Icefields, Abraham Lake, or Banff as a whole.
- Book an adventure tour that is still suitable for younger kids with the Sundog Wildlife Discovery Tours in Jasper National Park. These tours take you around the park in a vehicle to show off all the possible wildlife like big horned sheep, deer, coyotes, or moose.
- Winter in Jasper
- Winter in Banff
Make Spring Break about Stargazing in Alberta
If you want to catch the Aurora Borealis hovering over Alberta’s skies, then March and the start of spring can be a prime time to do so. We still have less hours of sunlight each day and have more time for stargazing. Plus, Alberta gives you several options for where to plan your stargazing getaway. This is because Alberta is home to dark sky preserves, which help eliminate light pollution, promote nocturnal habitats, and give us the most amazing starry sky experiences.
- Waterton National Park in southern Alberta has hotel accommodations available in March, along with guided Dark Sky Tours available on weekends. These local guides offer a variety of different experiences, too, with telescopes, snowshoes, or both.
- Elk Island National Park is near several accommodation options in Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, and Edmonton. The park is open 24/7 to visitors, so you can visit whenever the skies clear up and darken. Or, you can book a winter campsite right in the park, and enjoy the starry skies from your private firepit and picnic table.
- The dark sky preserve of Jasper National Park can create unforgettable stargazing experiences with the lakes and mountains only enhancing your views. The Jasper townsite has several hotel options, while the National Park offers winter camping.
Plan around an Alberta Food & Drink Festival
There will be two large food and drink festivals this Spring Break in Alberta. These are both perfect chances to try all the wonderful food, brews, spirits, and more, being made around the province.
- Alberta Food & Beverage Expo (April 1) in Red Deer’s Western Park offers visitors a chance to sample wine, beer, cocktails, and the best of Red Deer’s local food scene.
- The Jasper Park Lodge is set to host their Devour! Food & Film Fest from March 31-April 1st, 2023.
Find Alberta’s Unique Accommodations
For a spring break getaway, you can try a hotel or motel, cabins, lodges, and ski resorts. Or, you can opt for something a little different for this vacation. Alberta has several unique offerings when it comes to vacation rentals. And each of these rentals are near or within areas that offer winter recreation like hiking, skating, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
- The Dutch Windmill is a beautifully remodelled windmill with modern amenities in the small hamlet of Rosebud, near Drumheller.
- Stay in this luxury yurt in the foothills for a memorable getaway that will include your own fire pit, indoor fireplace, and a telescope to use on clear nights.
- Book a romantic retreat to the Tin Bin Cabins this spring break, and enjoy your private fire pit, indoor fireplace, private hot tub, and the ability to bring your furry friends.
- Refuge Bay on Lac St. Anne is one of the only year-round glamping operators in Alberta. Their luxurious domes keep you cozy during any season, and offer the ultimate spring stargazing experiences.
Explore new Places in Alberta
With a week off of school or work, you have time to pick a small town near you to visit and explore for the week, weekend, or even a day. Alberta’s smaller towns can bring you to new scenery, help you find new shopping, experience new art, and discover the best of Alberta’s local food. While you may be tempted to pick a place at random, below are a few guided suggestions.
- Southern Alberta can make for a warmer and sunnier spring break getaway, depending on from where you’re visiting. The smaller city of Medicine Hat offers several accommodation options, self-guided art walks, and a huge lineup of local restaurants to try.
- Central Alberta’s town of Sundre is on the Red Deer River which you can follow on long nature walks during your visit. The area has many cabins and lodges surrounding the town, and several options for local dining. The natural areas around Sundre are worth exploring as well, with the Big Horn Falls only a 45-minute drive west of Sundre.
- Northeastern Alberta’s town of St. Paul is filled with several pieces of public art to uncover on a walk. This includes the main attraction of the town’s famous UFO landing pad on Main Street.
- Drive northwest from Edmonton or Highway 16, or south from High Level, to reach the Mighty Peace Region of Alberta. This part of Alberta is where you are likely to find snow by spring break. This means you can explore the areas on snowshoes, cross country skis, or by bundling up for a brisk spring walk.
Explore Alberta’s Cities during Spring Break
Given the space between each of Alberta’s major cities, you can expect a huge variety of vacation fun from any one of them. Each city offers its own type of natural areas and scenery in which to enjoy the last of the winter recreation. On top of free winter recreation, these cities all have thriving local art scenes, food scenes, and micro-brewing industries.
- Edmonton’s downtown core alone can provide family entertainment in the way of the Art Gallery of Alberta, the Royal Alberta Museum, and the North Saskatchewan River Valley. A spring break getaway in Edmonton can also be spent at West Edmonton Mall, on Whyte Avenue, or exploring the new areas on the edge of the city. Spring Break in Edmonton
- Where you stay in Calgary will depend on what kind of getaway you want. There are several hotels in downtown Calgary which can offer romantic getaway experiences for two, and family hotels with pools or waterslides. Staying downtown gets you close to the Bow River, and the Calgary Zoo. Or, a stay in west Calgary gets you closer to the Rocky Mountains, and the city’s own ski hill, Winsport. Spring Break in Calgary