Alberta · best-of list
11 Top Things to Do in Alberta
All 11 things to do our route editors picked in Alberta, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. Each one is a stop on a route you can open and copy into a trip.
Our curated picks
11 things to do in Alberta, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Banff 4 picks
Banff Gondola
Banff · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Gondola up Sulphur Mountain to a summit boardwalk with views over six ranges.
Tip: Book online; go first thing or near sunset to avoid lines.
Photo: Gurjeet Singh · Google
Banff Upper Hot Springs
Banff · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Hot mineral pool with mountain views, next to the gondola base.
Tip: Closes each fall for maintenance (mid-Oct to early Nov).
Photo: Kimpayant · CC BY-SA 3.0
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
Banff · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Birthplace of Canada's national parks, with a thermal cave and marsh boardwalk.
Tip: Short walk or bike ride from downtown.
Photo: Kimpayant · CC BY-SA 3.0
Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies
Banff · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Local art and mountain history museum on Bear Street.
Tip: Good rainy-day stop.
Photo: The Whyte · Google
Jasper 4 picks
Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure
Jasper · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Ice Explorer ride onto the Athabasca Glacier from the Icefield Centre.
Tip: Runs about mid-April to mid-October; book ahead and bring layers.
Photo: Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure · Google
Columbia Icefield Skywalk
Jasper · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Glass-floored walkway 280 m above the Sunwapta Valley.
Tip: Open about May to early October; usually bundled with the Glacier Adventure.
Photo: J Young · Google
Jasper SkyTram
Jasper · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Tramway up Whistlers Mountain with views over Jasper and the Athabasca Valley.
Tip: Seasonal (late Mar–Oct); hike to the true summit from the top.
Photo: Kandis C · Google
Maligne Lake Cruise
Jasper · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Boat cruise to Spirit Island on Jasper's largest lake.
Tip: Cruises run about late May to early October; book ahead in summer.
Photo: Perry · Google
Lake Louise 3 picks
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Boathouse
Lake Louise · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Rent a red canoe for a paddle on Lake Louise.
Tip: Expensive and first come, first served; go at opening.
Photo: KunTa Tsai · Google
Lake Louise Gondola
Lake Louise · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Summer gondola on the ski hill with grizzly-habitat views and an interpretive centre.
Tip: Bears are often seen on the slopes in June.
Photo: Pier-Luc Bonneville · Google
Plain of Six Glaciers Trail
Lake Louise · On our Banff & Jasper Loop route
Longer hike past the lake to a teahouse below Victoria Glacier.
Tip: Teahouse at the end opens about June to early October; avalanche risk on upper trail in winter.
Photo: Central MA Explorer · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Alberta?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 11 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Alberta has the most things to do on this list?
Banff and Jasper lead with 4 each; the other picks are spread across 1 more destination.
Are any of these free?
1 pick on this list is marked free in our route notes: Plain of Six Glaciers Trail. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Alberta
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Banff 4 on this list
- Jasper 4 on this list
- Lake Louise 3 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.