Road trips aren’t just for the summer season. During the winter, our road trip game is just as strong. Now that we’re getting into the winter months and we’ve found our groove when it comes to school and life – we’re back into the groove and have planned two weekend road trips for the upcoming months. Hot tubs, mountains and family naps. Long weekends, in-car dance parties and trying new foods – that’s our favorite part of winter road trips from Edmonton.
Hop on the Polar Express
The Aspen Crossing Polar Express is coming to town – just not to our town. To hop on the polar express, you’re going to have to make your way about four hours out of town, where you’ll wait to hop on the Polar Express Train to create memories that will last a lifetime. Tickets are a splurge at $70, but you can bet the kids will talk about this one for years to come. Hot cocoa, holiday magic and carols and a gift from Santa himself – this is one thing that should be on your childhood in Alberta bucket list.
See the Christmas Parade in Banff
Last year we happened to plan a weekend in Banff at the same time as the Banff Santa Clause Parade of Lights. Finding out about it and heading out after dinner into the town to see the Parade was a wonderful start to our holiday season, and it was the perfect chance to do a bit of shopping at the same time.
Spend a Winter Weekend in Canmore
Canmore is one of our favorite places to get away for the weekend. At just over three hours it’s an easy trip for a Friday and Saturday night, and there are great, kid-friendly places to eat, stay and play in Canmore. Outdoor winter activities, great hot-tubs, and lots to see and do outdoors (and close enough to go into Banff) – it’s a great relaxing getaway for families from Edmonton. If you want something a little more event-centered, check out the Canmore Winter Carnival.
Spend the Night at the Royal Tyrrell Museum
Did you know that you can spend the night at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, in Drumheller? It’s a fantastic way to have an experience to last a lifetime. Parents and children can stay at the museum (ages 5+) overnight, and sleep with the dinosaurs. You have to register ahead of time (get the information here) but what a wonderful treat for dinosaur-loving-children!
See the Ice Magic Festival in Lake Louise
There’s something magical about skating on the Frozen Lake Louise amidst the ice sculptures created as part of the Ice Magic Festival, and I’m going to let you in on a little secret. If you go right after the festival has finished, the ice sculptures are still there – but most of the crowds are not.
Sleepover with the Penguins at the Calgary Zoo
There are actually more than one type of sleepover options available at the Calgary Zoo and if you’re looking for an adventure, it’s a great place to start. It’s close enough to home that you can make it there in three hours (and you can do fun things like shop, get donuts and delicious food while you’re in the city).
Take the Glacier Discovery Walk
On the top of our bucket list this year is to take the discover glacier walk and walk under ice that’s tall, tall, tall. Here’s the brochure version: To fully Experience the Canyon Icewalk Tours, there is no other place to begin than at the top! With our guide we will wind down beside the canyon, viewing Icefalls and peering down 51m to its deepest point. Then we venture down into Maligne Canyon with its limestone walls and Icefalls towering overhead. This is the Ultimate Jasper Winter Experience and the only canyon that has it all in Western Canada. Adults are $59, children are $29 for the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk.
Experience Dogsledding
One of the most exciting things that we’ve done with the kids was dogsledding. They were cold (but in awe) at the power, and just how fast we could go. That was with a toddler. Now with an older kid, and that speed ramped up, it’s going to be more exciting this year. Banff, Canmore, Jasper, Lake Louise – you can find a dogsledding company at most of these locations if you check with the local tourism information or even the hotel you’re staying at.