It’s summer road trip season and we can’t wait to load up the kids, grab the snacks and the supplies we’ll need for the day and get out and explore. From beaches to amusement parks, hikes to interpretive centres and even walking across a lake – we’ve got time carved out for summer adventures.
one hour from Edmonton
Alberta Railway Museum
Located within the city, this near-by road trip is perfect for small children. They’ll love climbing in and out o the trains! The Alberta Railway Museum located in the north end of Edmonton, Alberta houses a collection of railway equipment and buildings. It has locomotives from both the Canadian National Railways and Northern Alberta Railways.
Allan Beach Resort
Allan Beach Resort is one of those close-to-home beaches, with clean water (that even the seaweed fearing Mom will wade in, or float in) and it’s nice and cold – refreshing on those days when it’s nearing thirty degrees late in August and you’re searching for a place to cool off. It’s just forty-five minutes from Edmonton.
Devon Lifestyle River Tubing
River Lifestyle Co. is a family run and family orientated river tubing rental company with a focus on creating a fun and safe activity for families to enjoy. Included one river tube, life jacket and paddle. It’s a short (or long) there are two options for tubing, for families to choose from. Voyageur Park is also a fun place to walk along the shore when the water is low!
Constable Chelsey Robinsin Park
Constable Chelsey Robinson Park is Parkland County’s newest park on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. Enhoy the beautiful view of the river as you fish, enjoy a picnic or go for a walk along the riverbank. There are 16 picnic sites, fire pits with firewood provided free of charge, and washrooms. Dogs are welcome on leash.
Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary
Perfect to visit every season of the year. Exploring Edmonton with kids should take you outside of your comfort zone, outside of the boundaries of the city and literally, outside. At the Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary, the child-friendly walk will do just that, getting you outside to explore four, short, boardwalk paths that will lead you on an interactive path of trails through the natural preserve.
Two Hours from Edmonton
Discovery Wildlife Park
Have you ever wondered what happens at night in a zoo? Here is your chance to find out! Discovery Wildlife Park would like to introduce our new campground! Stay overnight and listen to the night sounds while you are snug in your camper. You can even book behind the scenes and personal animal experiences!
Sylvan Lake Aqua Splash Park
The aqua splash park is a must-do if you’re spending the day at Sylvan Lake. It’s a splash park for children to conquer and climb, and enjoy while you spend the afternoon on the lake.
Long Island Lake Beach
Long Island Lake Campground and Day Use Area Beach is large with soft sand and a shallower, marked swimming area. There is a fee of $5 for the day use area and beach. This area includes some play structures for the kids and a beach volleyball net. The kids will love the playground right on the beach and the dock to jump off of.
Whitecourt River Slides
Slide all day long! Rotary Park is located at the end of 51 Street (north of the Whitecourt Fire Hall) in downtown Whitecourt. From Highway 43, turn north onto 51 Street and follow 51 Street until you reach the park entrance gate. It is recommended that you bring tubes and flotation toys to fully experience the fun of the Whitecourt River Slides (rentals are not available).
Discovery Canyon
On a hot summer day enjoy bubbling pools of water, trickling rivulets and a lagoon at the bottom of the canyon. Water is pumped up from the lake below and splashes and bubbles its way down grass and tree-lined riffles.
McKay Ranch Outdoor Aquatic Centre
The McKay Ranch Outdoor Aquatic Centre features a children’s water Tpark with a slide, giant tipping buckets and lots of spray features. Families & friends can also enjoy the leisure pool with a zero depth entrance, the tots area, and 2 water slides. Lane swimmers and divers can take advantage of the 4-lane Jr. Olympic pool (25m) with a 1 metre diving board and 10 ft. rock wall and all are welcome to relax in the 26-person hot tub.
Three Hours from Edmonton
Granary Road
Granary Road Active Learning Park provides an interactive, educational and fun experience for all ages to enjoy. With 36 acres of activities, 3.5 kilometers of trails, a petting zoo and almost a dozen themed exhibits, bring your family and friends and let your imaginations run wild.
Pizza in a Ghost Town
Thirty minutes north of Drumheller you’ll find a small sign that almost blends in with the usual, side-of-the-road scenery as you’re driving. It’s a sign that promises to take you back in time. You might be intrigued, you might even have made a note to yourself to stop on the way back from your destination, or the next time around, and maybe you’ve even stopped to explore. There’s even pizza nights through the summer!
Drumheller for the Day
The Town of Drumheller is one with a rich and unique heritage. The dinosaur capital of the world, we have more to offer than you could have ever imagined! There are so many things to experience that you could create an itinerary for a weekend adventure, or fit it all into a day trip that enables you to sleep in your own bed at the end of the day – having had the best adventure in the badlands.
Devonshire Beach
Devonshire is a 1.5 km-long natural and groomed beach that’s perfect for families. Some summers even include one of the biggest sand sculpture contests in the province! It’s long sandy stretch and large lake make it perfect for playing, and is our second favourite beach in Alberta to adventure to with the kids. There’s also a comfort-camping option that makes for a great overnight trip close to the beach.
Walk Across a Lake near Jasper
There’s a lake you can walk across, just before you arrive to Jasper. During the summer months, it’s one of those must do things with kids that gets them out of the car for the perfect amount of time before you are about to arrive in the mountains and check into your hotel. For young children, the water around your feet will rarely go above your knees – but it’s cold, so be prepared to carry them across, or float them across in a small boat.
Crescent Falls
Crescent Falls Campground is in Crescent Falls Provincial Recreation Area located 22 km west of Nordegg on Hwy. 11 and 6 km north on a gravel access road. This small well-treed campground includes 7 tent-only sites, 22 RV sites and 2 equestrian sites with hitching rails. A 2.5 km trail takes you to the Bighorn Gorge Lookout for spectacular views of Crescent Falls and the Bighorn River Valley.
Four Hours from Edmonton
Path of the Glacier Trail
This kid friendly (and gorgeous) hike, is located in Jasper at Mount Edith Cavell. The turquoise meltwater of Cavell Pond sitting below the jagged summit of Mount Edith Cavell is one of the most beautiful settings in Jasper National Park. This is one of the few places where a short walk will get you up close and personal with a glacier. Make sure the trail is open, it usually opens mid-July.
Five Hours from Edmonton
Kinbrook Island Provincial Park
Kinbrook Island Provincial park lies in southern Alberta, a few minutes from the city of Brooks and less than an hour’s drive from Dinosaur Provincial Park. The park is named for one of the islands in Lake Newell, where birds like double-crested cormorants and white pelicans nest. Visitors who stay at the large lakeside campground enjoy excellent bird-watching opportunities thanks to the wetlands nearby. Outside of birding, the park supports a long list of outdoor pursuits, including fishing, power boating, sailing, swimming, hiking, volleyball, cross-country skiing and more.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Dinosaur Provincial Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located about two-and-a-half hours drive east of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; or 48 kilometres, about a half-hour drive northeast of Brooks. The park is situated in the valley of the Red Deer River, which is noted for its striking badland topography.
Columbia Icefields
The Icefields Parkway and the Athabasca Glacier are one of the Candian Rockies’ most beautiful and fascinating sights. The many attractions, guided tours and interpretive experiences will give you the opportunity to have fun exploring and learning about this incredible natural environment.
Roadtrips can be an exciting adventure for the whole family. Before buckling up and hitting the road, however, it’s always best to take a few safety precautions and make sure your insurance policy is up to date. The last thing you’d want is for a vehicle breakdown to spoil your trip.