Alberta, Canada: Towns to Explore on Foot

Alberta is shaped by a vast meeting of prairie and mountain country. In the east lie the Great Plains, while to the west, the province meets the Rocky Mountains. This is a landscape of distinct ecological regions—alpine country, boreal forest, parkland, and prairie—that support many kinds of animals and hold a remarkable fossil record of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs. Its modern identity is shaped by both its resource economy and the large, diverse cities where much of provincial life now takes place. Whether you are planning a trip or looking for the best towns to visit in Alberta, Neywo offers a free Alberta audio guide covering 3 cities with 169 narrated places in total across 11 walking tours, available in 11 languages.

What to See and Do in Alberta

Changing Landscapes and Natural Heritage

Alberta’s setting is a long sweep of changing country and climate. January highs can be around zero in the southwest and fall to minus 24 degrees in the far north. In western Alberta, occasional Chinook winds soften those rapid seasonal swings. The southern and central prairie was once the homeland of the American bison, also called buffalo, whose grasslands provided pasture and breeding ground for millions of animals. In central and northern Alberta, spring can be announced by the prairie crocus, a buttercup relative that may flower as early as March. Furthermore, the province holds some of the world’s greatest diversity and abundance of Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils, including complete skeletons and mass graves.

Indigenous History and European Exploration

The story of Alberta begins long before it became part of Canada. Paleo-Indians reached the region at least 10,000 years ago near the end of the last ice age, eventually differentiating into many First Nations. In the south, Plains Indians included the Blackfoot Confederacy and the Plains Cree, whose lives generally centred on hunting buffalo, while farther north, Woodland Cree and Chipewyan people hunted, trapped, and fished. European fur traders arrived in the early 18th century, with French Canadians visiting first and Anthony Henday becoming the first British subject to visit in 1754. The rival Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company used the territory for fur trading, and French Canadians integrated with local First Nations to help create the Métis nation across the Prairies. Later, the province was named for Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, a daughter of Queen Victoria, whose name also lives on in Lake Louise and Mount Alberta.

Festivals and Western Heritage

Alberta’s public character is often tied to western prairie traditions. Calgary’s Stampede is described as Canada’s biggest rodeo festival and is known as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” featuring competitions like calf roping and bull riding alongside western heritage crafts. Summer is a busy season for festivals, especially in Edmonton, which hosts the Edmonton Fringe Festival—the world’s second-largest after the Edinburgh Festival—and Heritage Days, bringing together more than 70 ethnic groups. Churchill Square also hosts summer events such as A Taste of Edmonton and The Works Art and Design Festival. While English is the official language, French, Tagalog, Punjabi, Spanish, and many others are spoken here, reflecting a broad and changing population.

Modern Cities and Urban Culture

Alberta is Canada’s largest producer of conventional crude oil, synthetic crude, natural gas, and gas products, bringing significant boom-and-bust cycles. Yet most Albertans work in services, including health care, education, retail, tourism, financial services, and professional work, alongside a substantial technology industry. More than half of Albertans live in Calgary, the largest city, or Edmonton, the provincial capital. This concentration fuels a continuing rivalry between the two urban centers. From the historic roots of the Social Credit Party and Progressive Conservatives to the United Conservative Party, and from the rodeo arenas to arts festivals, Alberta balances its resource economy with vibrant metropolitan life.

Explore Alberta Cities

To experience the province firsthand, explore its dynamic urban centers:

• Banff
• Calgary
• Edmonton

You can also discover more of the country through the broader Canada travel resources.

Explore Alberta with Neywo

Download Neywo and explore Alberta with a free audio guide that accompanies you as you walk. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule.