#5 best destination in the world
Dinosaur Provincial Park
- Located in a valley noted for its badland topography
- The park is known for being one of the richest dinosaur fossil locales in the world
- 58 dinosaur species have been discovered in the park
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
- Buffalo jump located where the Rocky Mountains begin to rise from the prairie
- Museum of Blackfoot culture
- Dedicated to preserving Aboriginal culture and promoting relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Banff National Park
- Canada’s oldest national park established in 1885
- Located in the Rocky Mountains with glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes
- The mountains were formed from sedimentary rocks that were pushed over newer rock strata, between 80 and 55 million years ago
- Erosion from water and ice have carved the mountains into their current shapes
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Jasper National Park
- Largest national park in the Canadian Rockies
- The park includes glaciers, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls, and mountains
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Yoho National Park
- Park located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains
- Name comes from the Cree word for awe and wonder
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Heritage Park Historical Village
- Historical park whose exhibits span western Canadian history from the 1860s to the 1950s
- Many of the buildings are historical and were transported to the park to be placed on display
- Others are re-creations of actual buildings
- Most of the structures are furnished and decorated with genuine artifacts
- Staff dress in historic costume, and antique automobiles and horse-drawn vehicles service the site
- Opened in 1964
- The Park has two operating seasons: the Historical Village is open from May to October, but Gasoline Alley Museum is open year-round
Banff Gondola
- Scenic cableway ride to viewing decks and hiking trails at the summit of Sulphur Mountain
West Edmonton Mall
- Largest shopping mall in North America
- Was the world’s largest mall until 2004
- Over 800 stores and services including nine attractions, two hotels and over 100 dining venues in the complex
- More than 24,000 people are employed at the property
- The mall attracts between 90,000 and 200,000 shoppers daily, depending on the day and season
Fort Edmonton Park
- Named for the first enduring European post in the area of modern-day Edmonton
- Largest living history museum in Canada by area
- It includes both original and rebuilt historical structures representing the history of Edmonton (including that of post-horse Indigenous people), and is staffed during the summer by costumed historical interpreters
Moraine Lake
- Glacially fed lake in Banff National Park,
- Elevation 6,181 ft
- The lake, being glacially fed, does not reach its crest until mid to late June. When it is full, it reflects a distinctive shade of azure blue
- The unique colour is due to the refraction of light off the rock flour deposited in the lake on a continual basis by surrounding glaciers
Bankhead Ghost Town
- Once a bustling mining town operated by the Canadian Pacific Railroad, now abandoned up in the mountains of Banff National Park
- Labor strikes and walkouts resulted in workers winning higher wages but exacerbated the coal rail company’s cashflow problems, which caused the company to close in 1922
- Also called “the twenty year town”
Banff Springs Hotel
- Hotel that overlooks a valley towards Mount Rundle, both of which are situated within the Rocky Mountain mountain range
- Opened in 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, as one of the earliest of Canada’s grand railway hotels
The Vault
- Originally built into the side of a mountain in 1969 by Rocky Mountain Vaults and Archives, in order to protect the Royal Bank of Canada’s bank records, in the case of a theoretical apocalypse, due to heightened fears of the Cold War
- Royal Bank of Canada pulled out of the negotiations, causing the company to go bankrupt, and abandoned the structure
- Now a place for amateur hikers and cavers to explore
The Hoodoos of Drumheller
- Rocks naturally formed through erosion by wind and water
- The formations can be up to 20 feet high
Banff Merman
- Indian Trading Company in Banff features many unusual finds for the eclectic shopper. Watching them all quietly is their oldest resident: Mr. Banff, the Merman
- Acquired around 1915
- There are conflicting stories as to the originals of the merman
- Some say Luxton purchased the gaff from a mysterious Javanese salesman, other say the owner of the shop built it himself
Costs
Number of Days: 15 days
Best Time To Fly: June-Aug, Dec-March
Airline ticket: $282
Seattle -> Calgary (round trip)
Food: $46/day x 15 days = $690
Rental Car: $40/day x 15 days = $602
Gas: $139
Entertainment: $161
Airbnb: $164 x 14 days = $2,297
TOTAL: $4,171