Edmonton & Alberta's Prairies Holidays

Sprawling eastwards of the Rocky Mountain peaks, you’ll find rolling grasslands where cattle graze, a rich indigenous culture, and a riverside city where almost every day is a celebration. This is a lesser visited region that’ll reward you highly if you venture over. Edmonton, Alberta’s capital, is its cultural heart. It’s also the last urban frontier before the untouched north, giving it something of an edge of the world feel. When you’re in town, it will be almost impossible to miss how green it is: the city has miles upon miles of riverside parklands and more acres of green space than any other city in North America. And if you’re to celebrate arts and culture, it’s highly likely that your visit will coincide with a festival, be it film, fringe or “flying canoë”.

Just shy of 70 miles northeast of Edmonton is the unique Metis Crossing, an immersive cultural destination where the lives of the Métis peoples comes to life. Come away from your stay (perhaps in the clear-roofed Sky Watching Domes) with knowledge of their 18th-Century fur-trading origins, and the unique customs, languages and traditions. As you dive the long distances from place to place, cattle grazing grasslands and big skies will seem like a constant backdrop, but Mother Nature throws up a few surprises. The alien-esque Badlands landscapes and dinosaur fossil beds around the town of Drumheller are worth at least a day of your time on an Alberta round trip road trip.