If you need ideas for a Christmas vacation or road trip this season, there are many options in Alberta.
The holidays are for family, and there are several ways, either relaxing, adventurous or somewhere in between, to treat your family this season. Depending on your interests, it could mean a family escape to the mountains, a quiet retreat in a private cabin, or enjoying the sights of the cities.
Each Alberta town and city have their own festivities throughout December that you can try or turn into an annual tradition.
Get to planning as soon as you can! Certain accommodations or tours have open availability but are booking up quickly for the holidays.
1. Luxurious Rocky Mountain Escapes
The luxurious and magical experiences curated by the mountain resorts this year are perfect for a family holiday or a romantic getaway. You can travel to any of the major mountain destinations, like Jasper, Banff, or Kananaskis, to see the magic of Christmas in the Rockies for yourself. Each accommodation option also offers their own holiday dining experiences, either included in the packages, or as an add-on.
- Christmas at the Castle with the Banff Springs Hotel (December 15-January 3)
- The Kananaskis Mountain Lodge has a relaxing spa package available which combines your stay with a visit to the Nordic Spa.
- Join the Jasper Park Lodge for their Home for the Holidays event (December 23-31). There are activities planned for the week of Christmas with all ages in mind.
2. Get Cozy in a B&B
Bed and breakfasts are a great and inexpensive way to travel alone or as a duo over the holidays. You can save on meals, enjoy quaint country Christmas settings, and take advantage of some quiet during a normally busy time. You have the option to find authentic B&Bs or find hotels with B&B packages.
- Tekarra Lodge in Jasper offers a few different ways to save on, and enhance your trip, including their Bed & Breakfast Package.
- The Old Church B&B in Warner is an adorable accommodation option for anyone travelling or visiting southern Alberta for the holidays.
- Enjoy the snowy winterscapes of the prairies this year with the Rolling Hills Country Resort Bed and Breakfast in Three Hills
- The Changing Seasons B&B in southern Alberta’s Nanton is one of the coziest places in Alberta you could be spending part of your winter break this year.
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3. Stay & Play Ski Packages in the Mountains
If you are looking to holiday in the mountains, and bring your skis or snowboards with you, you might as well save a few dollars on your vacation! Luckily, most Rocky Mountain ski resorts offer stay-and-play packages or discounts at the townsite hotels. This includes Jasper, Banff, and Kananaskis.
- You can save on holiday skiing, snowboarding, or snow tubing, with the Marmot Basin/Tonquin Inn Stay and Play Package. Other Options.
- Banff Sunshine Village and Sunshine Mountain Lodge give you Stay & Play Packages which can even include ski-in/ski-out lodges.
- Save on Kananaskis Accommodations with the Nakiska Stay and Play deals, a few of which are only 4km from the hill and chairlifts!
4. More Skiing and Snowboarding Getaways
Northern Alberta:
You can take a ski resort vacation in any Alberta city this holiday season. Skiing in the city usually means smaller hills of course, which can be perfect for families or smaller kids who are just learning. Plus, Alberta’s cities provide you with several accommodation options, too! Skiing and snowboarding, or even snowtubing, can be found near a few different northern Alberta cities and towns.
- Nitehawk Adventure Park, near Grande Prairie, offer a variety of lift ticket options for individuals and groups or families. You can also get separate passes for Nitehawk’s AQUATERA Tube Zone.
- Fairview Ski Hill has snow out there already and offers lift tickets for families or individuals, as well as equipment rentals.
- Peace River’s Misery Mountain Ski Area sells full- or half-day passes, as well as equipment rental. Misery Mountain also offers beautiful river views as you ride the chairlift up the hill.
- Enjoy fresh air, skiing, and snowboarding near Fort MacMurray with Vista Ridge. The hill also boasts a tube park where kids can get in some extra thrills.
Calgary & Southern Alberta:
If your holidays bring you to Calgary, or anywhere south of the city, you can purchase tickets for hills not quite in the Rockies. These ski resorts aren’t far from the mountains, though, and bring you down some great foothill runs. Get your passes as soon as possible, as the holidays are a busy time on the local hills.
- Calgary’s WinSport and Canada Olympic Park will get you to some great mountain views from the city chairlift and offer their own snow tube park.
- Castle Mountain Ski Resort is a mountain ski resort that is right on the edge of the mountains and foothills. The resort has several other activities to try, too, like cat skiing and snowshoe tours.
- Head in the opposite direction toward the Cypress Hills for a unique skiing experience in Alberta’s southeast corner. Hidden Valley Ski Resort also offers rentals.
Central Alberta
If you’re headed to Edmonton for the holidays, or anywhere near the capital region, you can pick from four within the city alone. Additionally, Red Deer and Long Lake both have their own prairie ski clubs.
- Edmonton and area has four local ski hills, all thanks to the deep North Saskatchewan River Valley. You can enjoy a day on the hill with Rabbit Hill in the southwest, Snow Valley or the Edmonton Ski Club in central Edmonton, and Sunridge in east Edmonton.
- Red Deer’s Canyon Ski Resort is the biggest in the province aside from those in the mountains, and is great for skiers or snowboarders, but also for those wanting to try snow tubing!
- Eastern Alberta offers some skiing and snowboarding at the Long Lake Ski Area.
5. Explore the Holiday Light Displays
The magical holiday light displays we get to enjoy around Alberta make for a great family outing, especially the closer you get to Christmas. Bundle up and take a walk or drive through some of the best light displays in the province, many of which are conveniently in the cities.
- Lakeshore Drive in Sylvan Lake will be bright as ever this holiday season for Christmas Under the Lights (entire month of December until March). The town transforms the Lakeshore Drive into a magical Winter Village of Christmas trees, light displays, and music.
- Both Edmonton and Calgary have many holiday light displays coupled with markets, cocktail sales, and numerous holiday photo opportunities.
- You can visit Lethbridge’s Nika Yuko Japanese Garden and enjoy a beautiful walk through their Winter Light Festival (December-February), which decorates the snow-covered grounds in LEDs from top to bottom. You may even book a wagon ride through the magical displays.
6. Venture onto the Lakes with an Ice Fishing Trip
Experienced and new ice fishers can come together over the holidays and celebrate together, in close quarters, for a relaxing afternoon on the lakes. If you are experienced, or a group of knowledgeable ice fishers, then you have over 60 Provincial Park and area options for setting up. But if this is your first time ice fishing, you can also book with local Alberta ice fishing charters and guides.
- Gull Lake Fishing Charters have a variety of cozy cabins for ice-fishing, located on the lake. You have everything you need in your little shack for a comfortable and warm stay overnight, and the fishing holes drilled for you in the middle of the shack.
- Ice fishing is permitted in over 60 provincial parks like Long Lake or Thunder Lake north of Edmonton, French Bay and Cold Lake in northeastern Alberta, the entire Lakeland area, or Beauvais and Oldman Dam near Pincher Creek. These are just a few examples, of course!
- The ice fishing tours with Reel Angling Adventures usually begin in mid-December which works out perfectly for the holidays! The company services the areas north and northeast of Edmonton, as far as Athabasca, and can give you a choice between lakes in the area.
7. Find A Quintessential Holiday Log Cabin
There is nothing quite like a snow-covered cabin for the holiday season, especially in Alberta where you KNOW there will be snow for the holidays. You have several options from north to south, and east to west, when it comes to quiet log cabins in the woods, the prairies, or the mountains. And many of these lodges or resorts offer ways to enhance your stay through different packages.
- Your ultimate Christmas getaway awaits at southern Alberta’s Burrow. These unique cottages offer a Christmas at the Burrow package which also doubles as their grand opening. Kids can also meet Santa onsite!
- Mount Engadine Lodge near Canmore has wide holiday availability and accommodations which can fit large groups or families.
- Take your getaway to Jasper’s doorstep with Cougar Creek Cabins in Hinton, which offer quaint and cozy cabins or cottages.
- There are a few different accommodation options open for the holiday at Bearberry Cabins near Sundre which comfortably sleeps 2-6 people.
- Head north for the holidays and enjoy the winter landscapes of Lesser Slave Lake and Marten Beach from a private family cabin complete with a hot tub!
- If you need a large space for the holidays, this Meridian Beach log cabin can make a beautiful vacation home for 8 guests and offers a hot tub, lakefront views hot tub or take off on a skating adventure.
8. Book a Romantic Getaway
The holidays can be set aside for romance! Especially considering some of the hotels and resort romance packages available throughout December. These are a few ideas, but remember that many hotels offer their own form of a romance package or enhancement.
- A holiday getaway in the city can receive some enhancements with the romance package available at Calgary’s Hotel Arts. Treat a loved one to some romance, Prosecco, chocolate, and a relaxing night away. The hotel is near downtown shopping, skating, and a ton of local dining.
- Bear & Bison Inn has a scenic enough setting for some romance in the Rockies over the winter months and has some availability for the holidays with their actual Romance in the Rockies Package which aims to treat. You’ll receive prosecco, chocolate strawberries, a rose petal bath, and late checkout.
- The northern Rockies Overlander Mountain Lodge (Jasper) has an indulgent Romance Package which includes two nights and breakfast for two on both mornings, a three-course dinner for two, and other small goodies.
9. Try a Scenic Ranch Stay
Christmas at the ranch, or a ranch, can be pretty darn magical. The snowy cabins or lodges make for a comfortable, quiet, and cozy place to celebrate, while some ranch resorts can even get you out on their trails with sleigh and horseback riding.
- Hinton’s Old Entrance B&B Cabins have a few different room options open for the holidays which can sleep 4-6 people.
- Moose Mountain Horseback Adventures are nestled in their own winter wonderland and can add horse activities to your vacation like trail rides and sleigh rides.
- You can book a special Winter Escape Package at the Rockin’ R Guest Ranch in Wheatland County, which gets you two nights in a luxury cabin, daily breakfast, and a sleigh ride complete with hot chocolate and snacks.
10. Unwind at the Spa
Take a day, or two, or three, this holiday season for YOU. If you have the time or are already in one of these holiday spots for Christmas, you can set aside some time at Alberta’s spas or spa resorts for some pool time, a steam, a massage, or whatever you need to unwind.
- The Banff Upper Hot Springs are open for the winter and holiday break, including Christmas day! You can relax in the natural pool while enjoying sweeping views of the town and valley.
- The Kananaskis Nordic Spa offer a Spa & Stay Package through the Pomeroy Lodge which can be booked for families, too.
- Banff’s Rimrock Resort Hotel houses a full-service spa with a pool, hot tub, and a variety of spa treatment options.
11. Add Adventure to a Mountain Getaway with Ice Walk Tours
The deep canyons of both Jasper and Banff National Parks can be safely explored with each’s guided Ice Walk Tours. These are an incredible way to see areas of the Parks which you can’t otherwise view or photograph. Your tours include all the necessary equipment for a safe climb or parle.
- White Mountain Adventures have open availability for the week before and the week after Christmas and are only closed on the 25th and 26th. With White Mountain, you can explore Johnston Canyon at all levels.
- Jasper’s Maligne Canyon Ice Walk tours begin December 15th, just in time for your Christmas or winter break! These can be combined with Wildlife Tours, Foodie tours, or a train rides.
- Nordegg Adventures takes you on a unique ice walk tour across the magnificent Abraham Lake. You’ll get a unique view of David Thompson Country, waterfalls, and the famous ice bubbles in the lake. These tours begin in mid-November.
12. Winter Break in Banff National Park
Banff can be your ultimate winter playground, no matter how you choose to play. From the townsite to the remote trails, and the popular ski resorts, there is an incredible amount of holiday fun for you and your family. Between the ski resorts in Banff alone, you can rent for the first time and book lessons, ski or snowboard on your own, get cozy in the chalet or race your family on snow tubes. The fun extends off the hills, too, with magical light displays, or atop the Banff Gondola. And Banff is filled with other free outdoor fun for families, like pond skating, tobogganing, winter hiking, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing.
- Ride up the Banff Gondola to experience one of two magical winter nights: Nightrise, or Mountaintop Christmas (November 19-December 30th). Nightrise is better suited to adults or couples, while Christmas at the Gondola promises extra fun for kids.
- Ski the Big 3 this holiday break but get your lift tickets soon. You can even save on several types of accommodations with your lift tickets. These passes can work for Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, or Mt. Norquay.
- Book a unique tour ! You can tour Banff by bus, or see frozen waterfalls in Johnston Canyon.
- Walk the grounds of the Cascade of Time gardens through their wonderful In Search of Christmas Spirit lights display (November 23-December 31).
- The almanacs are calling for a frigid winter, so this could be good news if you want to bring your skates on a Christmas holiday. You have the gorgeous option of Lake Louise, as well as some equally as scenic lakes like Two Jack, Lake Minnewanka, or Vermillion Lakes. You can contact the Visitor’s Centre to learn about ice conditions.
13. Winter Break in Jasper National Park
Many love coming to Jasper as it generally offers fewer crowds than Banff, but still offers the same kind of winter fun. You can take your pick from several downtown dining spots for family holiday dinners, or local cafes for warm drinks and sweet treats. Jasper is also home to premiere skiing and snowboarding hills at Marmot Basin, and several places for free outdoor recreation. The lack of human activity in the park also serves the animals well, and there are many opportunities for spotting larger mammals. So, you can travel to Jasper for the holidays and experience all the magical nature under the snow, book the ultimate ski getaway, or receive some help from knowledgeable tour guides.
- Try something new with an ice climbing experience, and see Maligne Canyon in a new way! There are ice climbing tours available through the winter holiday break.
- Truly get to know the culinary side of Jasper with a Food Tour through town (about 3 hours long).
- Tackle the massive Marmot Basin! You can choose between a few easy runs, moderate runs, and quite a few black diamond trails. The hill also has a terrain park and a large chalet.
- Lake Mildred, a short drive from the town of Jasper, is regularly maintained and groomed for skating. You may also lace up at the Pyramid Lake Resort.
- You’ll find five main and groomed cross-country ski trails within the park, each of which offer a different difficulty level and their own set of small challenges.
14. Winter Break in Grande Prairie
Grande Prairie, as a city, does not have to do much to transform into a winter wonderland for the holidays. The natural weather helps with that and provides visitors with a ton of snowy outdoor recreation like cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skating, or pond hockey. A visit to Evergreen Park is also a must over the holiday break in Grande Prairie, as the Park hosts a large outdoor light display, and sled dog tours.
- Enjoy a drive through Evergreen Park’s winter wonderland and Northern Spirit Light Show, open from November 17-December 31. You can combine your trip with a unique sled dog experience open on November 25th for the season.
- Get right into the spirit in Grande Prairie with the local Live Theatre’s Christmas Concert. The concert runs December 16-19 and will feature some familiar and famous holiday carols.
- Fit in some outdoor recreation with a trip to the Muskoseepi Park skating rink, the city’s largest, or to one of the city’s eight other outdoor rinks.
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15. Winter Break in Edmonton
Edmonton is making great strides in becoming a winter playground, and each neighbourhood or section of the city will have its own holiday celebrations and activities to offer. You can find many outdoor skating areas including ponds and manmade iceways, as well as cross-country ski trails, and toboggan hills, all throughout the river valley. And as much as Edmonton is a winter city, it is also a festival city, with winter being almost as busy as the summer months in terms of local festivals.
- The GLOW Winter Lights Festival is back at Northlands this year with a new Fairy Tale theme, and completely new light displays.
- There are pretty places to skate throughout the river valley like the Victoria Park Oval and Rundle Park, both of which are lit and night, and offer warm places to lace up your skates.
- Find the holiday parties! The Hotel MacDonald in downtown Edmonton, for example, are now selling tickets for their Yuletide and their New Year’s Eve parties.
- Zoominescence is lighting up the Edmonton Valley Zoo this year from December 2 until January 31st, giving you several options throughout the break for an evening walk.
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16. Winter Break in Sylvan Lake
A lakeside cabin could be a magical way to spend your holidays this year, especially with the festive fun planned around Sylvan Lake in central Alberta. Even if you visit for a day, you can take advantage of some fresh winter air by way of snowshoeing or cross country skiing, skating, walking through Christmas light displays, and exploring the rest of the town.
- Christmas Under the Lights (the entire month of December until March) will transform the lakefront park and pathways of Sylvan into a magical display of lights and sound. A trip through the trail can easily be accompanied by skating, or a trip a nearby café for a hot drink.
- Try out an ice fishing adventure with Sunsport Recreation. They offer day or overnight trips with all the equipment you need for a perfect catch.
- If ice fishing isn’t your thing, you could also rent a pair of snowshoes from Sunsport and bring them out to the Provincial Park trails.
- Skate around the lights! The Winter Village will extend into the Lakeshore Drive skating areas, where you can hear the music and enjoy a festive night on the ice.
17. Winter Break in Red Deer
If you come to Red Deer over the holidays, you will want to make downtown one of your first stops. The area, along with city hall, are decorated top to bottom with holiday light displays for November and December and features other fun outdoor activities alongside the walking. And as you’re downtown, you’ll have several options for a warm drink. There is no shortage of outdoor fun here either, with skating, sledding, winter walks, and a full ski resort.
- Take part in an annual Red Deer Tradition with the City’s North Pole Stroll, a walk around the beautiful lights of city hall, and follow it with a visit to the Downtown Winter Market!
- Lace-up as a family and head to one of Red Deer’s many outdoor skating rinks, and consider the scenic parks like Bower Ponds, Great Chief Park, or West Lake.
- Outside the city is the Canyon Ski Resort, where you and your family can take part in snowboarding, skiing, or snowtubing.
18. Winter Break in Calgary
The holiday celebrations are all over Calgary, including some magnificent outdoor light displays. And on top of the festivals, Calgary is home to many outdoor parks which can make for a great family skating or sledding day.
- Take the kids and family tobogganing while in Calgary! You’ll find the most fun and fastest hills around Confederation Park, Stanley Park, or Big Marlborough Park (which also has a skating rink!)
- Go skiing or snow tubing at Winsport.
- Visit the Calgary Zoo for a totally unique experience with their Zoo Lights festival (November 18-January 8). You can walk the grounds and explore a variety of bright and beautiful light displays. You may also attend one of their theme nights like Adults Only, the Enchanted Dinner, or the Beary Merry Holiday Party.
- Watch a theatre show – Alberta Theatre Projects is presenting The Jungle Book and Theatre Calgary, Little Women.
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19. Winter Break in Lethbridge
Southern Alberta might be a prime destination for those looking for a bit warmer winter weather. Winters in Lethbridge still provide all the scenic snowscapes you’d want for the holidays, too, and many ways to enjoy the city inside and out. Celebrate your holidays in Lethbridge with walks around historic downtown, or a historic Christmas at the Fort, or walks around some epic holiday light displays.
- Nika Yuko Japanese Garden Winter Light Festival provides you with the most wonderful setting for a winter walk. The garden will be on full display in all of its snowy glory.
- Celebrate Christmas at the Fort: at Lethbridge’s Fort Whoop Up that is! On December 10-11, and 17-18, you and your family can take in a day of crafts, treats, sleigh rides, blacksmithing, and overall festive fun at the Fort.
- Take an evening to explore Lethbridge’s historic downtown or catch a performance at the nearby New West Theatre and their showing of Blockbuster.