Banff 
There are multiple ways to create a memorable summer getaway in Alberta no matter your age, group size, or interests.
These are ideas and inspirations for a huge array of vacation types, suitable for couples, families, young kids, or adults-only. These could provide specific ideas for your next summer getaway, or act as inspiration for creating your own itinerary. In many cases, some of these ideas can easily be combined into one vacation, or fit into one summer.
Sightseeing Road Trip Ideas
- The Icefields Parkway runs from Jasper to Lake Louise and through an incredibly scenic stretch of the Rocky Mountains. It is a little over 200km but could take an entire day to travel if you attempt to see it all: the Columbia Icefields, Peyto Lake, the Valley of the Five Lakes, or the North Saskatchewan River Crossing, to name a few sights.
- The Alberta badlands could mean a road trip through the areas around Drumheller or Dinosaur Provincial Park, or areas further south near Writing-on-Stone PP and the Milk River. Both locations have a wealth of cultural and natural history to explore.
- Explore the wilder or more rugged parts of Alberta’s Rockies by road tripping around David Thompson Country. The area is great for a camping road trip for those who enjoy backcountry or random camping, too. Although, there are also a variety of vacation rentals and cabins in the area, too.
- The Crowsnest Highway offers many reasons to stop and take in the sights, sounds, scenes, or history. A road trip across southeastern Alberta will reveal the Frank Slide site, waterfalls, hiking trails, the Bellevue Underground Mine, and many small towns.
Visiting & Camping at Historic Sites
Take a unique camping opportunity in Alberta this summer with the different historic sites who also offer a place to stay. These are chances to get to know Alberta’s history, Indigenous history, and natural history. There may also be options for guided tours or immersive experiences.
- Northern Alberta’s Dunvegan Provincial Park has a campground open May-September. During their stay, campers can visit the Historic Park and open-air museum, as well as the events hosted by the museum each summer.
- Central Alberta’s Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site provide three options for campers: a campsite with a camping kit (tent, sleeping bags, cook stove, and lantern), camping with your own gear, or heritage camping. The heritage camping options include a tipi, trapper’s tent, or trapline cabin.
- Southern Alberta’s Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park operate a year-round campground for tents and RVs. They also have seasonal cabins that are only steps away from the historic and geological sites.
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Guided Adventure Trips
Make the next summer vacation in Alberta all about the thrills or adventures. These outfitters and guides in Alberta provide expertise for a variety of adventures, plus a place to stay at the end of the thrilling day.
- Painted Warriors are a year-round adventure camp with experiences to loop into a weekend camping trip. Their campground offers glamping tents and regular campsites, while the adventures include archery, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing.
- The Grand Rapids Wilderness Adventures in Athabasca provide lodge and campground stays for their guests who can partake in a number of river-based guided adventures. The signature experience is 5 days and 4 nights, with children welcome for the adventures.
- The Banff Trail Riders and Sundance Lodge have created the ultimate equestrian adventure packages. The trips range from two to five nights with each day being filled with horseback sightseeing before returning to the lodge.
- Canadian Rockies Rafting offer a Stay & Play package for two hours of whitewater rafting on the Bow (Horseshoe Canyon), or Kananaskis Rivers.
Natural Wonders Trip
From glaciers to waterfalls, spectacular rock formations, rivers and waterfalls across the province, Alberta has it all.
- Badlands and hoodoo formations can be found across eastern parts of southern, central, and even northern Alberta, such as Sundance Provincial Park and Kleskun Hill Natural Area.
- Alberta showcases natural marvels like the Okotoks Erratic, a result of glacial movement from 10,000 to 30,000 years ago, and the Red Rock Coulee, marking the start of desert landscapes. Enjoy breathtaking river views at Sulphur Gates Provincial Recreational Area.
- Embark on a half-day guided cave exploration tour in a small group with Canmore Cave Tours in Rat’s Nest Cave under Grotto Mountain, complete with all necessary equipment. Navigate through ancient rock formations and prehistoric bones, with optional routes through narrow passages for the adventurous.
- Alberta is a treasure trove for waterfall enthusiasts on a budget. Highlights include Lundbreck Falls, Bow Falls, Crescent Falls, and Siffleur Falls, among others.
Weekend Music Festivals with Camping
Tickets are on sale now for most of Alberta’s summer music festivals. Many of these events are multi-day concerts with camping either added to the price of the ticket or looped into the price of a weekend festival pass.
Alberta Summer Music Festivals
- July: The Wild Mountain Music Festival in Hinton, or Pembina River Nights near Evansburg.
- August: Blueberry Music Festival in Stony Plain, The Southern Alberta Music Festival at Aspen Crossing near Calgary, The Womp in Evansburg, Waynestock in Drumheller, or Big Valley Jamboree near Camrose.
Jasper National Park in the Summer
Jasper National Park is about 370km west of Edmonton and is on the north end of the Icefields Parkway. Hiking, cycling, and camping are the main summer activities to enjoy around Jasper, with many other unique attractions to see along the way.
- The Miette Hot Springs are on the east side of the park with a scenic drive leading up to the parking area. Along with a soak in the large hot spring pools, there is a delicious café to try, and an interesting hike to take to the old, abandoned pool area.
- Maligne Canyon and Lake are two separate attractions, but may both be enjoyed in a day, depending on how you spend your time. The Canyon has a long and scenic hike, while the lake offers boat rentals and tours. The Maligne Lake Cruise is open May-September.
- The Jasper SkyTram has many ways to make the most of the mountain attraction: tram rides, dining opportunities, adventure packages, or nighttime Star Sessions.
- The accommodation options include budget-friendly to luxurious hotels in town, cabin resorts, National Park campgrounds, or the National Park cabin and oTENTik comfort camping options.
Elk Island National Park in Summer
Elk Island National Park is a beautiful escape for any nature enthusiast, camper, or for families. The park is well-known for its bison conservation. This helps make it a great place for wildlife viewing, as the bison are usually spotted sleeping on the side of the Elk Island Parkway. The smaller park has a lot to offer for accommodation and weekend activities.
Credit: Parks Canada
- Astotin Lake is a hub for the park’s adventures. While the lake is not swimmable, the surrounding sandy beach provides picnic space with amenities nearby. This is also where you’ll find the boat launch and boat house for rentals. The lake has many small islands to explore by boat, with wildlife to see all around the shores.
- The park begins its summer tours and programs in May each year.
- There are 11 main hiking trails around Elk Island, which vary from easy to moderate to difficult. The two more challenging hikes will take your adventure towards the south end of the park on the Tawayik Lake Trail or the Wood Bison Trail, both about 15km each.
- The simpler and more family-friendly trails head near Astotin Lake, or to the east of the lake and the Visitor Centre.
- The National Park operates a campground onsite, a backcountry camping area, and O’TENTik comfort camping. Plus, there is the option of Elk Island Retrea, who offer even more in comfort camping accommodations.
- Look up while camping overnight, as Elk Island is part of one of the dark sky preserves in Alberta. There is no light pollution to obstruct stargazing from the park and campgrounds.
Banff National Park in Summer
A summer vacation in Banff usually requires careful planning if you have certain things you’d like to see or do as there are a lot. The National Park begins to the west of Canmore and ends at Lake Louise and the south side of the Icefields Parkway. While known as a winter playground, Banff is just as busy with excitement in the summer.
- Not all summer evenings and nights in Banff will be warm, but those cooler nights will be perfect for a soak in the town’s Upper Hot Springs. Also nearby is the Cave & Basin National Historic Site with self-guided walking tours through the caves and around the steaming pools.
- Each of Banff’s ski resorts turns its ski lifts into sightseeing gondolas for the summer. This includes Norquay, Lake Louise, and Sunshine.
- Explore with the help of a guide and transportation. Operators like Open Top Touring or Brewsters Sightseeing, offer many opportunities to get to Banff’s biggest attractions.
- Lake Minnewanka Road is a scenic drive to take, no matter the reason, even if just for sightseeing. Along the way is a collection of gorgeous lakes open to paddling, swimming, or fishing,g with many picnic areas. At the end of the road is the massive Lake Minnewanka, where Cruise Tours are available all summer.
- There are accommodation options around Banff National Park, from smaller hotels and motels to the grand and luxurious historic hotels. The park also offers camping, comfort camping, and backcountry camping options.
Waterton National Park in Summer
The wilderness and beauty of Waterton Lakes National Park attract visitors from all over, but it is still a relatively quiet mountain park compared to others. There is an abundance of hiking trails and cycling trails in the park, and these methods are some of the best ways to sightsee in Waterton.
- There are a number of natural attractions to see in the park, in addition to the lakes. The Red Rock Parkway leads to the Canyon of the same name, and of the same colour! Both the Parkway and the Akamina Pass have a collection of waterfalls to see, too. And at the end of the Akamina Parkway is pristine Cameron Lake.
- This is another of Alberta’s dark sky preserves, with guide tours also available from the Dark Sky Guides.
- The Waterton Shoreline Cruise Co. operate on the Upper Lake from May-October. It also acts as access to the backcountry Crypt Lake Trail.
- The Bison Paddock Loop (open seasonally) offers a simple and fun wildlife viewing opportunity, and great photo opportunities.
- The National Park offers camping in Waterton, and backcountry camping areas. The town also has a variety of Inns, and the iconic Prince of Wales Hotel overlooking the water. There are also several more options east of the park and close to the park gates.
Backcountry Camping Trips
There are two ways to embark on a backcountry camping trip this summer in Alberta: through the random camping allowed in public land use zones, or the designated backcountry camping in Provincial Parks. This type of camping will involve hiking or boating to your campsite, where there are no services. Certain areas may have amenities like outhouses, established fire rings, or shelters and cookhouses.
- There are over 60 Alberta Provincial Parks with backcountry campgrounds. A large number of these are along the foothills and mountains.
- You’ll need a Public Lands Camping Pass for PLUZ camping along the Eastern slopes of the Rockies, which are also the most popular of the random camping areas.
Glamping Trips
General tent and RV camping are not for everyone. And to accommodate those who’d rather add a bit more comfort to their accommodation, Alberta offers plenty of ways to glamp or comfort camp. The National Parks offer the O’TENTik options and more, while comfort camping is also available in select Provincial Parks. Below are even more ideas for a glamping getaway in Alberta.
- Central Alberta: Urban River Adventures, Elk Island Retreat, Glamp Good, Metis Crossing, Refuge Bay, Willey West Campground
- Rockies: Mount Engadine Lodge, Sundance by Basecamp, Glamping Resorts at Castle Provincial Park
Vacation Ideas in Alberta for large Groups
If travelling with and booking places for a large group this summer, there are many ways to create a memorable vacation in Alberta.
- Provincial Parks and National Parks in Alberta off group campsites. These are meant to accommodate multiple tents and RVs, and usually offer a cookhouse or multiple fire pits.
- Renting a full home on Airbnb or VRBO could also come with amenities like a pool or hot tub for the group to enjoy. There are dozens around Alberta for summer rentals with enough space for multiple families.
Beach Vacations in Alberta
This summer, a beach vacation in Alberta is as simple as filtering provincial campsites by “swimming.” There are dozens of swimmable lakes in Alberta with provincial campsites adjacent or near the beach. In addition, these lakes with popular beaches have many nearby vacation rental options with short drives.
- Sylvan Lake is a year-round lake destination with plenty of beach activities to enjoy over the summer, including swimming, floating, boating, and picnics. The beach also has a large field nearby, perfect for games and sports. And there are several dining options within steps of the beach areas. Kids can also enjoy the summer Aqua Splash attraction, a massive inflatable park set on the water.
- Lesser Slave Lake is a perfect family beach destination with expansive sandy areas near the camping, bird and wildlife viewing, exploring the town, and hiking trails.
- Aspen Beach Provincial Park in central Alberta is home to a large campground with over 100 sites. Aspen Beach is set on the large Gull Lake, which permits swimming, fishing, and boating.
- Elkwater Lake in Cypress Hills Provincial Park makes for a nice and quiet getaway in some of Alberta’s more unique scenery. The large Interprovincial Park covers southeastern Alberta while stretching over into Saskatchewan. The central lake offers swimming and paddling and is near the Elkwater Lake Lodge.
Kayak & Canoe Trips in Alberta
These areas are ideal for a camping or weekend trip centred around canoeing or kayaking. You’ll get expansive lake areas to explore, one of Alberta’s best paddling rivers, places to camp in any of these areas, and many chances at wildlife viewing.
- Lakeland Provincial Park offers a great opportunity for backcountry camping and canoeing with a circuit running through four of the park’s lakes.
- William A. Switzer Provincial Park offers a better option for beginners or less experienced paddlers with routes that could be broken up over days.
- Red Deer River offers an incredibly scenic journey by boat through the badlands. There are many route options from short and sweet, to multi-day pack trips.
Alberta Summer Trip Ideas for Kids
You and your family will be able to find family-friendly summer attractions all over Alberta. These attractions and destinations are not only kid-friendly, but mostly aimed at kids in general.
- Northern Alberta has outdoor adventure parks like Vista Ridge in Fort McMurray or Kinosoo Ridge in Cold Lake.
- Find adventures in central Alberta at the Canyon Ski Resort in Red Deer, the Aqua Splash in Sylvan Lake, or Adventure Zipline in Hinton.
Annual Summer Festivals in Alberta’s Smaller Cities & Towns
These are a few ideas for small-town and small-city festivals happening this summer in Alberta. Most have their own, so you are bound to find a local summer festival or rodeo no matter where you go this summer.
- The Westerner Days Fair & Exhibition (July) is an annual Red Deer tradition with a midway, parade, and rodeo.
- Celebrate summer at the beach with Slave Lake’s Beach Fest hosted at Devonshire in the Provincial Park (August), with the Sandcastle Competition as a major part of the event.
- Visit Lethbridge during the city’s annual Whoop-Up Days (August) and the various family-friendly activities offered: a midway, food, entertainment, and the Pro Rodeo.
A Summer Getaway in Calgary
As a large city, Calgary accommodations can include anything from small vacation rentals to hotel suites, to full-home vacation rentals. Where you stay may depend on the things you want to do while you’re here. But keep in mind that for Stampede week, hotels book up quickly and should be reserved asap.
- This is patio season! Take the opportunity to enjoy dinner with a view from a rooftop patio, take your pick from those on Stephen Ave, or explore the brewery patios around Inglewood.
- The Calgary Stampede is a July mainstay in the city and will include 10 days’ worth of family-friendly fun, adult-only parties, the kick-off parade, midway, concerts, and rodeo events.
- Notable summer music festivals in Calgary include Sled Island Music & Arts Festival, Cowboys Music Festival, and Country Thunder.
- Outdoor attractions to fill a day in Calgary include Fish Creek Provincial Park, Heritage Park, Fort Calgary, or Calaway Park.
- Tubing or rafting on the Bow River is a perfect way to see the city in the summer.
A Summer Getaway in Edmonton
Edmonton is a busy city in the summer between festivals, the river valley, and local attractions. The festivals will cover almost every week in July and August, too, and bring your visit to the city’s busier neighbourhoods; with this comes lots of options for dining and shopping.
- Edmonton is home to a wide variety of festival and events types each summer, including K-Days, Taste of Edmonton, Heritage Days, The Fringe Theatre Festival, or the Street Performers’ Festival.
- Enjoy the arts, culture, and history of the city with visits to Fort Edmonton Park, the Art Gallery of Alberta, or the Royal Alberta Museum.
- Summer recreation in Edmonton centres around the river valley and could include being on the trails, or on the water. Edmonton is also home to a handful of outdoor pools, many of which are also in river valley locations.
- Explore Edmonton’s patio dining through areas like Old Strathcona and Whyte Avenue, Happy Beer Street in the south, Jasper Avenue downtown, or the Ice District in north downtown.
Reserve a Cozy Cabin
Alberta’s cabin resorts offer a variety of different options in terms of the level of amenities offered. These cabins will range from the rustic to the luxurious, and can accommodate a variety of group sizes, including couples.
- The Charmed Resorts are an excellent option for kids, with each cabin representing a different fairy tale. Find them near the Crowsnest Highway.
- The Evergreen Birch Lodge & RV Resort in Cold Lake offers summer cabin stays and is a short distance from a beach area.
- The Prairie Creek Inn near Rocky Mountain House offer cottages and suites, and different stay packages.
Summer Vacation on an Alberta Ranch
A summer vacation with one of Alberta’s ranch resorts will give you an authentic cowboy or girl experience with activities like trail rides and beautiful surrounding scenery.
- Choose between two great ranch vacation and accommodation options near Sundre: Schott’s Lake Cabins or Sunset Guiding & Outfitting.
- The Old Entrance B&B near Hinton have year-round cabin availability, summer trail rides, and beautiful foothill scenery.
- Explore the Kananaskis scenery with Moose Mountain Adventures and their variety of vacation packages.
A Luxurious Mountain Getaway
Time to treat yourself (yourselves)! If that is the case, this summer, the mountains and their parks or hotels offer several ways to lap in luxury.
- In Banff, choose between top-tier hotels like the Chateau Lake Louise, Banff Springs Hotel, or the Rimrock Resort Hotel.
- On the edge of the Rockies, choose between luxury hotels in Canmore and Kananaskis.
- In Jasper, book a memorable getaway with top hotels like the Jasper Park Lodge, or the Pyramid Lake Resort.
- Waterton’s Prince of Wales Hotel offers arguably the best accommodation views out of anywhere in the park and is only open for the summer.
Fishing Spots in Alberta
These top-rated fishing locations in Alberta will also have places to stay nearby, whether hotels, cabins, or campgrounds.
- Alberta’s rivers are a great place to start, from the Peace and Athabasca in the North to the Oldman River in the south, and everything in between.
- Spray Lake Reservoir, or Kananaskis Lakes (all in Kananaskis) are a favourite for many who enjoy the mountain fishing experience.
- Calling Lake and Cold Lake, both in northeastern Alberta, are considered to be great places to fish for a diverse range of species.
- For fishing in southern Alberta, many take to the expansive Lake Newell.
- See all of the Alberta fishing lakes and parks here.
Find Alberta’s Historical Attractions and Fun
Alberta is home to a large number of big museums and important historical or heritage sites. These are all in locations where you’ll find many other ways to fill time in the summer holidays.
- The Crowsnest Highway is home to the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre, Bellevue Underground Mine, Leitch Collieries Historical Site, and is near many cool outdoor sights to see, including Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump.
- Drumheller and Midland Provincial Park provide places like the Royal Tyrell Museum, Midland Coal Mine, and, for those on a longer trip, Dinosaur Provincial Park.
- The Peace Region of northwestern Alberta has a large network of small museums scattered across the counties and towns, many of which are only open for the summer.
- The rural areas around central Alberta are home to places like the Alberta Reynolds Museum, Stephansson House Provincial Historic Site, or the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village.
Small Town Touring in Alberta
Take your pick from a variety of different areas to explore this summer. Between each town, there will be different opportunities for local dining and shopping, markets, fairs, and a chance to see some of Alberta’s big roadside attractions.
- Tour through northwestern Alberta: Peace River, Grimshaw, Fairview, Spirit River, Falher, Valleyview, Bezanson, and Grande Prairie or High Prairie.
- Northeastern Alberta: Athabasca, Lac La Biche, Smoky Lake, St. Paul, Elk Point, Cold Lake
- Central Alberta: Lacombe, Camrose, Stettler, Trochu, Olds, Sundre, Caroline, Rimbey, Drayton Valley, or Devon
- Southern Alberta: Pincher Creek, Fort McLeod, Nanton, Vulcan, Brooks, Cardston
Provincial Park Camping
There will be several campsites from which to choose this summer for front-country RV or tent camping in a provincial park.
The caveat is that Provincial campsites can only be reserved up to 90 days from the date of your trip. So, plan ahead and book according to availability and desired activities. Some parks are better for boating and fishing, while others are better for beaches and swimming.
Alberta Parks also offer first-come, first-served campsites around the province.
Find a Private Campground
The locally owned and operated campgrounds around Alberta can be found by searching county websites, municipal websites, or area tourism websites. Oftentimes, these private campgrounds will have a surprisingly large list of activities and amenities for a week or weekend stay.
