Banff 
Give thanks for all there is to do during Thanksgiving long weekend in Alberta!
There are many different ways to plan a getaway for the coming long weekend: you can make the most of the lack of snow with outdoor recreation and adventure, keep things chill with calm and relaxation, or try to see as much as you can in one weekend.
The accommodation options vary from hotels and resorts to cabins, lodges, and campgrounds, depending on where you’d like to celebrate Thanksgiving in Alberta. This is also a perfect time to keep your eye out for hotel deals and packages or end-of-season sales.
Plan the perfect Thanksgiving vacation in Alberta!
Book a Cabin Holiday
Get the best of both types of vacation this Thanksgiving: get a little comfort and luxury, as well as a little bit of the outdoors with a cabin stay. You will find many luxury cabins in the Rocky Mountains, but there are other scenic spots where you can book a relaxing getaway for you and a special someone, or your whole family.
- You’ll find Trappers Hill Lodges in southwestern Alberta nestled in a beautiful fall mountain setting. They offer rustic cabins with heaters, beds, patios, and access to a firepit.
- The Kikino Silver Birch Resort can make the ideal fall getaway setting with the area’s mature trees, and untouched wilderness. The long weekend will still be considered their peak season, so more amenities will be available to you like the on-site general store.
- Bring your whole family for a relaxing and scenic stay at the Lakeview Lodge on North Buck Lake, complete with a games room!
Go(ne) Fishin’
Take your Thanksgiving weekend to the water this year with a guided fishing adventure. These locations offer both accommodation and the chance to head out on some of Alberta’s best fishing lakes.
- The Big Fish Bay RV Resort on Lesser Slave Lake give you the option between 10-13 different quaint cabins for relaxing in on your Thanksgiving Weekend. A perfect option for anyone looking to take out their boat or fishing rods before winter!
- Cold Lake’s Evergreen Birch Lodge offer a secluded cabin stay in the trees that is still near all the amenities of Cold Lake. You can choose between smaller cabins and larger cottages, too, and add on one of their all-season fishing adventures.
Hunt for Ghosts
It may be Thanksgiving, but Halloween is now only a couple of weeks away! Prepare for the next holiday with a road trip to Alberta’s ghost towns. While many look creepy at first, they give you a great chance to enjoy a glimpse into Alberta’s past.
- A visit to Mountain Park Cemetery (Cadomin) and the adjacent ghost town can be accompanied by a stay at a hotel in Hinton.
- Rowley is close to Drumheller and is made up of several preserved and historic buildings that give it a real ghost town feel.
- The Windmills of Etzikom, in southern Alberta, create a spooky landscape but are also an incredible relic of Alberta’s past. The museum (where you’ll find the windmills) is closed for the season, but you can still get some great photo opportunities.
Get Away to a Scenic B&B
Keep things simple this Thanksgiving! B&Bs are great places for one-night stays on longer road trips or those looking for adventure. B&Bs can also make for a romantic long-weekend getaway when you consider some of the fall colours and scenery around these locations.
- Nanton’s Changing Seasons Bed and Breakfast brings you close to nature and southern Alberta’s fall beauty simply by its foothill location. Spend your weekend exploring historic Nanton, the nearby Rockies, or High River.
- The Hamilton House Bed and Breakfast refers to the cottage’s area as a “woodland oasis,” so you are almost guaranteed some beautiful fall scenery for your stay in Cherry Grove (southeast of Cold Lake).
- The Old Church B&B (Warner) might be one of the more unique bed and breakfast locations in Alberta, as it is a former church. All looks normal outside, but the inside looks like a small castle!
Indulge in a Luxurious Rocky Mountain Getaway
Because, after all, this is one of the best ways to see the Rockies. The premiere hotels in both Jasper and Banff have exciting Thanksgiving specials that aim to fill your weekend with family-friendly fun and a memorable experience.
- The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (Jasper National Park) hosts a Thanksgiving Weekend Special which includes your accommodation and family-friendly activities, and the hotel is in an incredibly scenic fall setting next to two lakes.
- Head to Banff and celebrate the weekend with the Chateau Lake Louise’s Thanksgiving festivities. The hotel will have kids’ crafts, campfires and s’mores, wine tasting, and dining events.
Stay out at the Ranch
Relax and unwind for the long weekend with nature, wildlife, and some beautiful vacation settings. You can get all of this with a ranch vacation in Alberta, which offers a place to stay but also trail rides, pack trips, or even spa services.
- Moose Mountain Horseback Adventures (Kananaskis) offers a variety of ranch vacations like lodge stays or trail rides. You can also book horseback expeditions through the foothills and mountains.
- Rocking R Guest Ranch (Wheatland County) let you pick from several vacation packages, each with their own appeal: choose from romance, relaxation, adventure, or all of the above with Rocking R.
- The Thanksgiving Ranch (Pincher Creek) makes an obvious choice for this long weekend, but beyond the fitting name, the Ranch has several amenities to make for a perfect long weekend getaway (including an indoor pool!).
- 12 Places For Ranch Vacations and Western-Themed Getaways in Alberta
Hunt for Alberta’s Best Fall Colours
You could just spend your long weekend following the scenery. Doing this will take you to some neat Alberta views – in any part of Alberta. While you find the best views and photo ops, you can take time to explore the small towns and businesses along the way, or the nature/hiking trails.
- Visit Albert’s provincial parks showcasing the best fall colours — the blue and green lakes are now surrounded by contrasting trees, the mountains are gold with larches, and the northern forests create a spectacle of colour.
- See Albert’s fall colours from up above on hot air balloon rides, paraglide/paramotor lessons, discovery flights, and helicopter tours.
- Northern Alberta has many towns and smaller cities located in the middle of the boreal forest, making it prime for fall photography and colours. Areas like Lac La Biche, Lesser Slave Lake, or Peace River, all offer beautifully colourful scenery.
- Central Alberta makes find the pretty foliage simple with the North Saskatchewan and Red Deer River valleys. Both areas offer a rural or urban escape into the fall colours.
- Many picturesque small towns in southern Alberta have preserved historic buildings look even better with the fall colours. Check out Nanton, Cardston, Turner Valley, or Pincher Creek.
- The Rockies are well-known for their abundance of larch trees, which turn a beautiful gold colour each fall. It is a beautiful sight, which can be accessed via a number of hikes.
Travel to the Stars
Well, not actually, of course! But Alberta does have numerous dark sky preserves scattered around the province, as well as Jasper’s Dark Sky Festival taking place over the long weekend (plus before and after Thanksgiving). Fall stargazing also means you can get out a lot earlier to stargaze than you could in July and August, making it more suited to children.
- Elk Island National Park is only a short drive from Edmonton, and other towns like Vegreville, Mundare, Smoky Lake, and more. Their Astotin Lake Campground still has long weekend camping available, too!
- Cypress Hills Provincial Park, in Alberta’s southeast corner, offers year-round camping, making it easy to find a site for the weekend.
- Lakeland Provincial Park is Alberta’s newest preserve and offers year-round back-country camping. But if you want a comfier stay, you’ll find hotels nearby St. Paul or Lac La Biche.
Find the Farm Fun
Many of Alberta’s fun farms are relatively close to Edmonton and Calgary, allowing you several accommodation options for a weekend centred around farm fun. Each of these spots can create a memorable afternoon through pumpkin picking, family photos, games, and more.
- Kraay Family Farm (Lacombe) will only be open for one more week after Thanksgiving and offer pumpkin sales (with proceeds on Thanksgiving going to the Canadian Mental Health Association), photo ops, and a corn maze.
- Stop in at the Calgary Farmyard for two celebrations (on top of Thanksgiving): their Fall Days and Harvest Lights are on now. Both feature fall-themed activities, access to the petting zoo, and a petting zoo.
- The Harvest Pumpkin Fest at Butterfield Acres Petting Farm (Calgary) gives you several chances for fall photo ops, and access to games and activities to keep people of all ages entertained.
- Corn Mazes in Alberta
Calgary Farm Yards
Drive Alberta’s most Amazing Highways
These trips can be done in a day, or extended over your Thanksgiving long weekend.
- The Icefields Parkway connects Jasper and Banff and can offer more than a day of fun depending on how many hikes, bike rides, or stops you plan to take. And in the fall, these hikes are often a combination of bright foliage colours and light dustings of bright white snow.
- The Cowboy Trail runs from Mayerthorpe in the north to Lundbreck on Highway 3 in southern Alberta. Plan around a few interesting attractions like waterfalls, museums, or historic sites, as well as unique accommodations like ranch and glamping stays.
- Waterton’s Akamina Parkway leads from Waterton Park and townsite through rolling foothills until they turn into mountains. There are several hikes and picnic areas along the road, and the crystal clear Cameron Lake at the end.
- 25 of the Best Highway Scenic Viewpoints in Alberta
- 15 Scenic Road Trips / Drives in Alberta
Find the Birds & Wildlife
Fall is an excellent time in Alberta for bird and general wildlife photography. The scenery is a bonus, as the fall season is busy with bird activity almost anywhere you go in the province. This is especially true of Alberta’s wetland areas. And for the larger mammals, you do chance spotting them on any Rocky Mountain drive. Bears, deer, coyotes, or moose, for example, don’t just stick to the mountains, and can be spotted in the foothills or boreal forest areas.
- Waterton Lakes National Park is less populated than Banff and Jasper, and can offer more opportunities for wildlife viewing. There are numerous trails in the area, or the Akamina Parkway to explore.
- In northern Alberta, you’ll get some chances for remote hikes around areas like Winagami PP, Lesser Slave Lake PP, or Cross Lake PP, to see the boreal forest birds, and even maybe a black bear.
- Central Alberta has many Provincial Park areas dedicated to conserving bird and wildlife habitat, but also some great conservation areas with trails: head to Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary, the John E. Pool Wetlands in St. Albert, or the Ellis Bird Farm near Red Deer for excellent photo ops.
Find Unique Accommodations on AirBnB
Alberta is filled with some fabulous and unique places to spend the night, including several places which offer glamping, cool historic houses, or buildings to sleep in, or scenic places to spend your weekend. When you search under ‘Alberta’ on the site, zoom in to find several more places!
- This farm stay in Rocky View County let’s you shack up in a vintage ranch located among gorgeous fall scenery.
- Bunk up in this geodome near Barrhead and enjoy all the comforts of home while you camp.
- This impressive lakefront cottage near Red Deer is perfect for families with small kids, and you’ll get private lake access.
- 5 Incredible Geodesic Domes to Go Glamping in Alberta
Make the Weekend About Adventures
There are a handful of companies in Alberta that offer accommodations along epic adventures. You can cruise the remote stretches of the Athabasca River, paddle the Mighty Peace, or embark on forest hikes.
- Peace River Cabins & Outdoors close for the season on October 17th, so this is one of your last chances to try out their rustic camping, guided hikes, guided paddling, or self-guided paddling.
- Live like a pioneer with High Peak Country Adventures in a picturesque fall setting! The Pioneer Getaway includes two nights in a log cabin, at least two hours on trail rides (more if you wish!), and some non-pioneer essentials like a barbecue, and a gas stove.
- If you want to see the more remote side of Alberta on your adventures, you can book with Grande Rapids Wilderness Adventures, who operate near the town of Athabasca and offer river jet boat adventures, hikes, and camping.
- The glamping-plus-adventure options from Painted Warriors in central Alberta are offered year-round; you’ll spend your weekend in a trappers’ tent and get to select from adventures like Bimoomigo trial rides, or Bimojige Archery Practice.
Peace River Cabins and Outdoors
Tent & RV Camping
We’re off to a warm start to fall in Alberta, making late-season camping a little more appealing. Another bonus to camping in Alberta’s Provincial areas this time of year is the much wider availability among the different parks.
- You can take your pick from a couple of the different campgrounds in the Cypress Hills Provincial Park including remote areas like Spruce Coulee or the more populated Elkwater area.
- Looking for some mountain fall camping? Both the Peter Lougheed and Bow Valley Provincial Parks have campsites available for Thanksgiving weekend.
- To get the best of central Alberta’s fall scenery, you can pick from Medicine Lake PRA’s (not the same as Medicine Lake in Jasper) numerous campsites. Some of the sites are right beside the water, or trails which lead to the lake.
- Take your camping adventure north this fall to Cold Lake Provincial Park where there are sites with power hook-up, and where there is access to incredible fall scenery over the water.
Romance in the Rockies
Add some quality time and romance to your Thanksgiving celebrations. There are a few exclusively ‘romantic’ packages with great accommodation choices. And once you’re at your hotel, you’ll have options for biking, hiking, dining, and spa services to enhance your trip even more.
- Explore Kananaskis this Thanksgiving and leave the romance plus accommodations up to Mount Engadine Lodge. You can choose between a cabin, yurt, lodge rooms, or glamping tent, and romantic add-ons like chocolate covered strawberries, and champagne or prosecco on ice.
- Plan a fall getaway with mountain adventure and book a stay with Kananaskis Nordic Spa for both relaxation and romance after time in the outdoors. Their Spa Package includes two hydrotherapy sessions per nights of stay which all you to soak in the outdoor spa, beside the fires, or in the sauna.
- Book a romantic and luxurious getaway this fall at the Grande Rockies Resort and spend your days relaxing or adventuring. Their Stay Romantic Package includes one or two nights’ accommodation in a room with a view, a gift from Rocky Mountain Soap Company, and a bottle of wine at check in. You can explore the surrounding Rockies during your vacation with the resort’s equipment rentals, or just stay on the resort to enjoy the pool, hot tub, and dining.
Thanksgiving in Grande Prairie
Plan a road trip to one of Alberta’s smaller cities to get the best of both worlds on your Thanksgiving weekend: several amenities and accommodations, plus the great outdoors all around the city to explore. You can make your Grande Prairie trip all about the local food, all about Halloween, the beautiful nature around places like Bear Creek, or further south to the Wapiti River.
- Hike around the Old Bezanson townsite via a couple of trails: 1.4km, 2.7km, or 3km. All of the trails greet you with rich fall colours and scenery. You can even camp here until October 15th!
- Enjoy some spooky Halloween fun at Evergreen Park: the Blachford Field of Nightmares outdoor haunted field experience is back for every Thursday-Sunday until Halloween.
- Treat yourselves! Grande Prairie is home to some wonderful local bakeries and confectionaries like OMG! Cupcakes, the Crooked Creek General Store, or Ole Smokes Coffee.
Thanksgiving in Edmonton
Long weekends in the city, especially a city like Edmonton, are easily spent relaxing, exploring, and eating. There are several different Thanksgiving dinner options around Edmonton, with the Fairmont MacDonald offering a luxurious set of holiday dining options. You may also find a few frightful events ready for the next holiday, Halloween, as well as the beautiful river valley for fall family photos.
- Explore the expansive River Valley Trails around Edmonton, all of which make for great photo backdrops in the fall.
- Take part in the Halloween events popping up around the city like the kid-friendly Pumpkins After Dark, or the Deadmonton Haunted House which is more suited to an older crowd.
- The Edmonton Corn Maze is open all weekend, and offers a huge field of twists and turns, all of which create the Edmonton Elks CFL logo! Plus, kids can enjoy several other on-site activities.
- If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving meal while you’re in Edmonton, you can opt for a luxurious meal for dine-in or to-go from the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald.
- Thanksgiving Weekend Activities and Events in and Around Edmonton
Thanksgiving in Red Deer
The Red Deer River valley alone can be reason to visit central Alberta in the fall, as the fall colour come to life, and the weather becomes more comfortable for things like hiking and biking. You can also find the Halloween and pumpkin fun at the nearby Kraay Family Farm, or regular outdoor fun at the Canyon Coaster.
- Get ready for the upcoming NHL season with a visit to the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame; there are interactive exhibits for kids, and tons of cool memorabilia to browse.
- There are many ways to enjoy the fall colours around Red Deer, but how about at high speed while you soar down a hill? The Canyon Coaster, brand new in 2022, is open for Thanksgiving Weekend, and involve a single-pipe track ridden with a small cart.
- Explore the Ellis Bird Farm, just outside of Red Deer, and bring your camera! There are many ways to enjoy your time here like walking the trails, taking family photos, or sitting down to a meal at the Ellis Café.
- Head to Sylvan Lake for fireworks and fun on Saturday.
Thanksgiving in Calgary
You and your family can choose from many ways to create a memorable weekend in Calgary for Thanksgiving. You can find the holiday dining events, a couple of family Halloween celebrations, and all the recreation offered from the Bow River. If you choose a downtown hotel for your stay, you’ll be nice and close to the river valley, the Zoo, Prince’s Island Park, and other great fall scenery locations.
- Visit the iconic Calgary Zoo for a special Harvest/Thanksgiving dinner, which allows for time to walk the grounds and see the animals.
- Head out on a fall bike ride or walk around Calgary’s best trails like those along the Bow River Valley, further south at Fish Creek Park, or in the north at the Glenmore Reservoir.
- October 7-9 are the final days of Callaway Park’s Halloweekends in which families can sport their costumes around the thrill park while taking in all the fall and Halloween fun. For more family Halloween fun, you can also take a walk through Pumpkins After Dark.
Thanksgiving in Lethbridge
Head to southern Alberta for better chances at warmer weather this Thanksgiving weekend (depending upon where you live), or for the great experiences in Lethbridge set to fill the long weekend. Plan a local fall picnic with a stop at the Farmer’s Market, explore the Oldman River Valley (or bring kayaks!), or simply explore on foot to find the local dining and shopping.
- Lethbridge’s Farmers’ Market, hosted at Exhibition Park, will be open for the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, giving you a great chance to find some last minute food items for those family meals.
- Thanksgiving weekend is all about anime at Lethbridge’s Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden. On Friday, the Garden will put on a screening of Spirited Away, and on Saturday, will screen anime TV episodes, with other fun activities included.
- Grab a to-go Turkey Dinner; you can pick up Thanksgiving dinner for two from Chef Stell Diner & Catering.
- Enjoy the beautiful fall colours of the city’s Oldman River Valley. You can follow trails from Indian Battle Park, or Botterill Bottom Park.
Tour Alberta’s Natural History
Museums, are of course, one of the best ways to explore natural history of Alberta: the RAM in Edmonton, and the famous Royal Tyrrell near Drumheller. You can also explore natural history in a totally free way: there are natural relics all over the province, most of which are surrounded by interpretive signage to help you learn the history.
- Drumheller’s hoodoos are easy to access and require a short climb up some stairs for a good view. For those who can’t make it up the stairs, you will still be able to view the hoodoos from the platforms and parking lot.
- Beyond Drumheller’s hoodoos are the surrounding badlands and their magnificent viewpoints like Orkney, Horseshoe Canyon, or Horsethief Canyon.
- Drive even further east (by about 1.5 hours) to visit Dinosaur Provincial Park. They don’t have camping available, but you can still access the Dinosaur and Fossil Trails.
- Head north to explore the Kleskun Hill Natural Area, where you’ll get to see the unique hill formation which appears as though it doesn’t have any business being this far from the rest of Alberta’s badlands.
Take Advantage of Other Hotel Offers
If you are looking forward to, or planning on experiencing, Thanksgiving in Alberta’s cities, you can choose from a variety of hotel offers and packages. Many hotels around Alberta also offer a residents’ discounts for anyone who lives in Alberta. Staycation anyone?
- Stay with Grande Prairie’s Podollan Inn & Spa and take full advantage of the spa services! Their Stay & Spa for Two Package is available from now until the end of the year.
- Edmonton’s West Coast Hotel & Conference Centre let’s Alberta residents save up to 15% from their stay.
- Red Deer’s Cambridge Hotel offers a special date night package with the help of The Heritage Ranch. Explore the ranch, relax in your room, and dine with the West Lake Grill.
- Calgary’s Le Germaine Hotel has a similar staycation offer, in which Alberta residents can take 10% off their hotel bill.
- If you book a stay with the Sandman Lethbridge Lodge before October 4th, you can save up to 40% off the standard rates for stay until December 30th.
Embark on a Guided Banff/Kananaskis Hike
Heading to the Rockies for the long weekend? The area is filled with an almost overwhelming number of hiking trails; so sometimes it is nice to go with a guide who knows the area well. Banff is especially gorgeous this time of year, and there are some helpful guides who can bring you to the best views of the park- day or night!
- Choose Hiking Experiences including Stanley Glacier, Larch Valley, Consolation Lakes, or Plain of Six Glaciers.
- Alpine Air Adventures, based out of the Banff townsite, can take you way OUT of town on hikes to beautiful locations like Castle Mountain and Sulphur Mountain. These are considered more difficult hikes (not suited to small kids).
- Take another unique sort of hiking experience with Kananaskis Outfitters, who have spots open on the long weekend for their Coal Mine Hike & a Beer.
Enjoy Jasper’s Guided Tours
These guided tours in Jasper let you experience the park in many different ways, from the food of downtown, to the epic viewpoints and sights, to the beautiful and pristine waters. Further, these guided tours don’t require a lot of outdoor recreation or physical activity, making them more accessible for different people on your family long weekend trip.
- Tours in the mountains don’t always need to be about recreation. The Jasper Foodie Tours take you through town on a memorable culinary experience.
- Get on an Open-Top Tour! These unique Rocky Mountain rides let you tour via an open-top vehicle to see all the legendary Jasper sights.
- The Maligne Lake Cruise is open for Thanksgiving and gives you a glimpse into the more remote areas of the lake from the comfort of a covered boat.
Thanks for including our cottage on your list!