Anyone here ever been to Alberta, Canada?

For a long time I've always wanted to go to Alberta, Canada. No one has ever recommended it to me, nor have I ever read anything mind-blowing about the place. However, looking at the scenery of the mountains, lakes, and all of that stuff it just puts me in a state of awe.

I don't know why, but even as a kid I always loved that kind of setting. Woods, lakes, mountains, etc. I'm a city guy growing up in Philly and there is no place I'd rather live than Philly, but I still always wanted to visit Alberta, and parts of Edmonton as well. Lake Louise looks incredible.

Has anyone here ever been to Alberta or Edmonton? Is it as beautiful as the pictures I have seen? Is there a lot to do? Just wanted to know.

I found this picture online and it's just insanely beautiful up there.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3...elouisesf3.jpg

Jam it back in, in the dark.

It could just be the best place on the planet...

I mean it's got it all, if you go in the winter - Banff has world-class slopes, heli-skiing, etc... And for the summer you have all the beautiful sights - huge outdoor festivals, and great people.

Plus, you have the best hockey team around in Calgary

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Sounds awesome man. I love that crisp cool air. My favorite seasons are fall and winter. It would never be a place I could live, but definitely would want to vacation there for a couple weeks.

Every time I ask someone an ideal vacation spot, they always say hawaii or a place with beaches. To me, Alberta looks like my ideal spot. It looks so amazing and I always wanted to go there.

Is Lake Louise as amazing as it looks?

I'm not even a skiier or a rower, but I'd go to Alberta just to admire the scenery. It looks that breathtaking.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I used to live in Edmonton. acid lives there, and Spatula lives in Calgary. There are others, I'm sure.

Going to Jasper and Banff was an annual tradition for my family. There's something completely amazing about seeing a black bear walking along the road, or having a moose walk right by your car. We never went skiing, but I always loved the mountains. The steep drives, the glaciers, the icefields, I'll never forget them.

How ya doing, buddy?

If you end up going, you MUST visit Jasper. The mountains around there are beautiful.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Haha, Jasper is such a fucking long ways north. I remember driving on the Yellowhead 5 highway in BC, from Abbotsford to Kamloops, and a sign said Jasper was over 400 kilometers away. o_O

I've been to Alberta a bunch of times, since I've taken frequent vacations there (I live in Saskatchewan). Been to Banff, Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton, it's all beautiful. I recommend driving down the Sarcee Trail in Calgary, at the very west end of the city, and you'll see a VERY LARGE chunk of the city while you're driving up there.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Jasper isn't THAT far from Banff...

FELIPE NO

Well, I live in Medicine Hat, Alberta which is in the very southeast. It's pretty much all flat farmland around here, but I love it to death. The small city and the yellow fields just really get to me.

But I do love the northern parts a lot too. I've never been to Banff, but I've seen a million photos, and I want to visit. I really want to extensively travel around the forested areas of the Canadian Rockies just because it's that damn beautiful. Might be a nice place to live, but I like my prairies.

I could take some photos for anyone who wants to see what my region is like.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Sure, go ahead.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I live in Edmonton, and I've been all over the province.

It really is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The endless fields and the rocky mountains. If you do visit, I do recommend Banff. Jasper is nice, but without skiing there isn't that much to do. Banff has a ton of stuff to do in the off season, or if you just dont want to hit the slopes. Personally though, if you ARE a skiier/boarder Jasper is where I like hit the mountain. I do have to recommend, if you do go to Banff, try to stay in the Rimrock Resort Hotel. It's very very pricey, but it's absolutely gorgeous and worth it. The hot springs are walking distance, and the view is incredible. If you can stay in winter, do it. You've never seen anything so pretty. It actually kind of reminds me of the hotel from the Shining. But with less death.

That picture you linked appears to have been taken right on the lake outside just Chataeu Lake Louise. Amazing hotel, and amazing scenery. However there really isn't alot to do there. It is close enough to Banff though if you are staying there you can easily day-trip it up, or spend a night enjoying the sights.

The Calgary Zoo is amazing, and must be seen. It's been ranked as one of the best in the world.

West Edmonton Mall is the biggest mall in the world, and is a nice tourist trap. Where else can you go to a movie, go to a waterpark (with wavepool and tons of slides), an amusement park with the world's largest indoor rooller coaster, ice skate, sea lion show, shop for hours, and stay in a hotel without leaving a fucking mall?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Mountains? In Alberta? I thought there was just the Rockies. Anyways I went to Calgary to go to the Calgary Stampede a few years ago which was pretty cool. I also went to Edmonton during the same trip to visit the West Edmonton Mall. We didn't stay long because the entire city flooded, and all the malls skylights shattered and large puddles were blocking off certain sections of the mall and flooding parking. All the roads turned into rivers and sewage was backing up out of the man holes and cars were floating away. It wasn't really a bad experience, it was pretty neat.

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Originally Posted by acid

I live in Edmonton, and I've been all over the province.

It really is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The endless fields and the rocky mountains. If you do visit, I do recommend Banff. Jasper is nice, but without skiing there isn't that much to do. Banff has a ton of stuff to do in the off season, or if you just dont want to hit the slopes. Personally though, if you ARE a skiier/boarder Jasper is where I like hit the mountain. I do have to recommend, if you do go to Banff, try to stay in the Rimrock Resort Hotel. It's very very pricey, but it's absolutely gorgeous and worth it. The hot springs are walking distance, and the view is incredible. If you can stay in winter, do it. You've never seen anything so pretty. It actually kind of reminds me of the hotel from the Shining. But with less death.

That picture you linked appears to have been taken right on the lake outside just Chataeu Lake Louise. Amazing hotel, and amazing scenery. However there really isn't alot to do there. It is close enough to Banff though if you are staying there you can easily day-trip it up, or spend a night enjoying the sights.

The Calgary Zoo is amazing, and must be seen. It's been ranked as one of the best in the world.

West Edmonton Mall is the biggest mall in the world, and is a nice tourist trap. Where else can you go to a movie, go to a waterpark (with wavepool and tons of slides), an amusement park with the world's largest indoor rooller coaster, ice skate, sea lion show, shop for hours, and stay in a hotel without leaving a fucking mall?

Have you stayed at Chateau Lake Louise? I was looking up a lot of info on the hotel. It looks very nice and it's pretty much smack dab on Lake Louise. I'm not the kind of guy that needs a billion activities to be satisfied with a vacation. I could sit and admire the scenery for a week straight and have fun.

If I did go I'd probably be gooing in the spring or summer, because I absolutely could not miss football season. Unless I want in late february. But I do love the whole wintry scene. Snowy mountains, etc. The place does look amazing. Alberta just looks like my kinda vacation spot.

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/3263/banff29eb8.jpg

I found that picture of Banff on google. It may not look like anything to the average person, but I love those kinda towns on the base of a mountain. Looks awesome.

Also I wanted to ask you about the climate. If I go in the spring or summer, what will the climate be up there? Since I probably couldn't go during winter, I'd at least want that 40 or 50 degree crisp air in my face all day.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Aw. I was supposed to meet up with my ex in Calgary up until recently. But... well... we're not together anymore ;_;.

I was speaking idiomatically.

My boyfriend is currently working there and will be home this xmas. I also have a cousin there. The place is gorgous, however some of the towns are a little red-necked from what I hear.

Some of the communites are filled with Newfoundladers because everyone is leaving for Alberta to work. We have no choice really because there is no work here, even though we now have 100% of the offshore oil revenues, so you'd think our economy would boom to Alberta's level.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I have quite a few pics just outside of Medicine Hat. None in town because the city is quite unattractive. :/

http://www.gamingforce.com/forums/jo...&entryid=10987

http://www.gamingforce.com/forums/jo...3&entryid=7894

FELIPE NO

LOL, Alberta, Canada. What a hell hole.* <3

It's funny how some have regarded Alberta as the Canadian Texas, with oil sands in Fort McMurray and Calgary deeply vested in the oil and gas sector, which both are now big boom towns.

For politics, Ralph Klein is seeing the end of his 14 years as premier for the province, and the race is on for several candidates to step into his shoes.
As I've sat my ass in this province for the better part of eight years, I've seen quite a bit of change in my city. I should take some pictures and let you enjoy. I also like how Banff is exactly one hour away from my house, given nominal traffic and road conditions. It's also funny how Banff and Jasper can be considered "mini-Nippon", so many Japanese tourists there it isn't funny.

Quote:

I ever read anything mind-blowing about the place.

*It isn't mind blowing. At all. Maybe the prices of houses since the past few months might be wallet blowing. =/

Also, I am a traitor. I do not like the Flames.

Quote:

West Edmonton Mall is the biggest mall in the world

The Americans like big things too. Sup Mall of America.

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I recommend driving down the Sarcee Trail in Calgary

Shhhh....don't tell them that Sarcee Trail north and south DON'T connect. Oh snap~
Go on the Deerfoot Trail, LOL, PERFECTLY 100% SAFE. I GUARANTEE IT!

Thinking about it now, man we've got really fucked up names for our streets.

Consider:

NOSEHILL DRIVE
CROWCHILD TRAIL
SHAGANAPPI TRAIL (I like how this sign would be banned in the UK)
DEERFOOT TRAIL

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

HEATHEN!

THOU SHALT BE STRUCK DOWN BY DION PHANEUF!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

KIPPER/IGGY GONNA RAPE ME LOLOL.

This makes me wonder, has Qwarky ever met Mikka Kiprusoff? He could easily! QWARKY, TURKU GET>!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by DragoonKain

Have you stayed at Chateau Lake Louise? I was looking up a lot of info on the hotel. It looks very nice and it's pretty much smack dab on Lake Louise. I'm not the kind of guy that needs a billion activities to be satisfied with a vacation. I could sit and admire the scenery for a week straight and have fun.

If I did go I'd probably be gooing in the spring or summer, because I absolutely could not miss football season. Unless I want in late february. But I do love the whole wintry scene. Snowy mountains, etc. The place does look amazing. Alberta just looks like my kinda vacation spot.

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/3263/banff29eb8.jpg

I found that picture of Banff on google. It may not look like anything to the average person, but I love those kinda towns on the base of a mountain. Looks awesome.

Also I wanted to ask you about the climate. If I go in the spring or summer, what will the climate be up there? Since I probably couldn't go during winter, I'd at least want that 40 or 50 degree crisp air in my face all day.

I've never personally stayed at the Chateau Lake Louise, but I have been too it. And yes, it is a very nice hotel. If you could just sit and admire the scenery, you would enjoy it.

Spring or summer, depending on exactly what time you go you could expect temperatures of anywhere from the low teens to mid to high twenties (in celsius ofcourse, no idea what that is in F). We went in march to banff last year and it was still quite "winter-y". Hot springs while it's snowing FTW.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.