Alberta Tourist Map

Description:
This map shows cities, towns, regions, visitor information centres, unesco world heritage sites, airports, primary highways, Trans-Canada highway, crowsnest highway, and U.S. ports of entry in Alberta.

Tourism in Alberta represents a significant sector in the Canadian province, with the region attracting millions of visitors annually to its diverse natural landscapes, national parks, and cultural attractions. Alberta is home to some of Canada's most visited destinations, including Banff National Park, which recorded 4,130,081 visitors in 2022-23, making it the most visited national park in Canada. The province's tourism infrastructure spans from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the unique badlands formations in the east, offering experiences ranging from mountain recreation to paleontological exploration.

The province contains five national parks, with Banff National Park established in 1885 as Canada's first national park, covering 6,641 square kilometers in the Canadian Rockies. Located 110-180 kilometers west of Calgary, the park features iconic destinations including Lake Louise, known for its turquoise glacial waters, and Moraine Lake in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. The park implements visitor management strategies, with approximately 9,000 daily visitors to Lake Louise and 5,000 to Moraine Lake during peak season in 2023. Private vehicle access to Moraine Lake has been restricted since 2023, with shuttle services transporting 51% of visitors to the lake. Jasper National Park, the second most visited park in Alberta with 2,415,463 visitors in 2022-23, is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies at 10,800 square kilometers. Key attractions include the Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield south of the Arctic Circle, and the Athabasca Glacier, accessible via specialized ice explorer vehicles. The Icefields Parkway, a 232-kilometer scenic highway connecting Lake Louise to Jasper, opened in 1941 and is considered one of the world's most spectacular mountain drives.

Waterton Lakes National Park, located in southwestern Alberta's corner, holds triple designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, International Peace Park (shared with Montana's Glacier National Park), and Biosphere Reserve. The park offers 255 kilometers of hiking trails, including the popular Crypt Lake Trail and Carthew-Alderson Trail. Prime hiking season extends from July through mid-September, with many trails remaining snow-bound until late June.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, located 90 minutes from Calgary, houses one of the world's largest collections of dinosaur specimens and fossils. The museum sits in Alberta's badlands, a distinctive landscape of hoodoos and eroded rock formations. Drumheller is situated in the heart of an area that has yielded numerous significant paleontological discoveries. The museum operates year-round, with hours varying by season. Nearby attractions include Horseshoe Canyon and Horsethief Canyon, offering views of the badlands topography.

Calgary serves as a primary gateway for Alberta tourism, with its international airport located 271 kilometers from Waterton Lakes and providing access to mountain destinations. The city hosts the annual Calgary Stampede, a rodeo and festival held since 1923 that draws significant visitor numbers each July. The event features rodeo competitions, chuckwagon races, and cultural programming. Other Calgary attractions include Heritage Park Historical Village, a living history museum depicting prairie life from 1860 to 1950, and the Calgary Zoo, Canada's second-largest zoo with over 1,000 animals.

Alberta's Rocky Mountain tourism region recorded 5.5 million domestic visits in 2024, with nearly 90% from Alberta residents. Visitors spent approximately 2 billion Canadian dollars in the region during 2024, with major expenditures on accommodation (34.7%) and dining (23.3%). Peak visitation occurs from late spring through summer, with August 2024 recording 793,000 visits. More than 90% of visitors arrive by personal vehicle. The province requires entry passes for national parks, available as daily permits or annual Discovery Passes.

Main sights in Alberta