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Exploring Nordegg Alberta (Summer and Winter Travel Guide)

By Matthew G. Bailey 5 Comments

Siffleur Falls Alberta Canada
Is David Thompson Country the most beautiful place on Earth?

Updated: February 5, 2021

Located in magical David Thompson Country, smack dab in the middle of both the incredible Icefields Parkway and the Cowboy Trail, Nordegg is a picturesque community that’s perfect for the outdoor adventurer. From exploring its historic mine to hitting the road and exploring some of Alberta’s most stunning natural scenery, Nordegg is a great base for getting out into some of Canada’s most spectacular nature.

Nordegg, however, is just one small part of David Thompson Country, so we’ll explore the entire area in this travel guide, showing you what to do, where to stay, and how to get the most out of this incredible Alberta road trip. [Read more…] about Exploring Nordegg Alberta (Summer and Winter Travel Guide)

Jasper Accommodations

By Matthew G. Bailey 1 Comment

Jasper National Park from the Jasper Sky Tram
Jasper National Park as seen from the Jasper Sky Tram. Photo by Matthew G. Bailey.

Surrounded by towering mountain peaks, turquoise-coloured rivers and lakes, and hordes of wildlife, Jasper is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It’s also a bustling tourist town, though not nearly as busy as its neighbour Banff, which means it has a variety of delicious restaurants, souvenir shops, and an array of Jasper accommodations. 

Jasper is one of our favourite places in Canada. Not only is it such an incredibly beautiful place, but it’s also located at the northern end of the world-famous Icefields Parkway, which makes it one of the top road trips in the world. For those who love outdoor adventure, Jasper is paradise. From hiking, golfing, and gondola sightseeing in the summer to ice climbing, skiing, and skating in the winter, there’s no shortage of fun things to do.

In this Jasper accommodations guide, we’re going to share with you some of our top recommendations for where to stay in Jasper, including hotels, cabins, camping, and more. [Read more…] about Jasper Accommodations

Tips for Driving the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper in 2021

By Matthew G. Bailey 22 Comments

Icefields Parkway Banff to Jasper
Driving the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper in the fall.

Last updated: February 3rd, 2020

Alberta is home to some of the top road trips in Canada, including the stretch from Banff to Jasper (or from Jasper to Banff), which is perhaps the most beautiful road trip in the country if not the entire world. In fact, various publications have awarded the Icefields Parkways as one of the most scenic road trips on the planet as it takes you through two Canadian Rockies national parks and all kinds of natural beauty including towering mountain peaks, turquoise lakes and rivers, glaciers, and lush alpine forest. 

The Icefields Parkway itself stretches for approximately 233km from Lake Louise to Jasper, but it clocks in at 288km if you include the drive from Banff to Jasper. Without stopping, it would take around four hours in good weather. However, it would be silly to drive this beautiful route without stopping to admire the natural attractions or take part in one of the many activities. If you can’t make the drive yourself, there’s plenty of tour companies offering the experience as well. 

The drive is also located in the middle of the Canadian Rockies, which can be home to some inhospitable weather, especially during the winter months. Before setting out on the adventure, be sure to check in for road closures and hazards. You’ll also want to take particular care during the winter months as the roads are slippery and the weather can be very cold should your vehicle decide to break down. Even in the summer, there are hazards though, including wildlife encounters both on the road and on the trails, not to mention a lot of traffic. 

In this guide, we’ll help you plan your trip from Banff to Jasper as well as learn all the best things to do along the Icefields Parkway.

[Read more…] about Tips for Driving the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper in 2021

Banff in the Winter

By Matthew G. Bailey Leave a Comment

Banff in the Winter - Matthew Bailey of Must Do Canada

As one of Canada’s most popular destinations, Banff needs no introduction. Not only was it Canada’s first national park but also the world’s third. It’s home to some of the best scenery in the world and is a true paradise for anyone interested in outdoor adventure. Although it’s busiest during the summer months, Banff in the winter is about as spectacular as winter in Canada gets. 

Banff in the winter is like stepping into a winter wonderland with snow-capped mountains, a snow-dusted forest, charming streets, and all sorts of winter attractions ranging from ice castles to world-class skiing and more. As much as we love Banff in the summer, we actually prefer it in the winter. Not only are hotels cheaper and easier to come by, but nothing can quite compare to a town like Banff covered in white sparkling snow. Even my mother-in-law who hails from Mexico prefers the winter months, despite the often bone-chilling temperatures. Imagine yourself inside a snow globe. That’s Banff in the winter. [Read more…] about Banff in the Winter

Romantic Things to Do for Valentine’s Day in Canada

By Matthew G. Bailey 2 Comments

Skating in Banff

Updated: January 25th, 2021

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many of you are likely trying to think of romantic things to do or see. February 14 in Canada is right in the middle of winter, which typically means cold weather and lots of snow. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. In fact, sparkling snow can be just what it takes to create that magically romantic winter wonderland.

You may want to sleep under the Yukon Northern Lights or admire them from the Northwest Territories. You may want to take a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls or go winter wine tasting in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Maybe you want to check out live theatre in the big city of Toronto or go for a graffiti tour in trendy Montreal.

Whatever it is, there are tons of places to go for Valentine’s day and things to do. Leave the family members behind, grab your partner and choose a Valentine’s activity from this list.

Best Things to Do on Valentine’s Day, Canada

So whether you choose to ditch the roses and chocolate altogether or bring them with you on an unforgettable adventure, here are 14 ideas for things to do on Valentine’s Day in Canada. [Read more…] about Romantic Things to Do for Valentine’s Day in Canada

Canada’s Road to 150

By Matthew G. Bailey 3 Comments

icefields parkway canada

Updated: January 19th, 2021

It’s not very often that someone has the opportunity to travel across Canada for 150 days. That’s 5 months of travel across one of the biggest countries on Earth. But in 2017, that’s just what we did.

After a rough 2016, we were trying to come up with a big passion project for 2017. After mulling it over for some time, I wanted to do something that capitalized on the Canada150 momentum that seemed to be taking the world by storm. Wanting to create something that had “marketing flare”, I came up with the idea to do a 150-day road trip across. However, no one cares about a personal road trip. So, I decided to turn it into a documentary about what makes Canada special. The idea was to travel to each and every province and territory while interviewing people of all backgrounds as to why they think Canada is such a great country.

There was just one problem. We needed funding. [Read more…] about Canada’s Road to 150

51 Cool and Interesting Calgary Facts

By Matthew G. Bailey 2 Comments

Calgary skyline with the Saddledome at night
Calgary skyline with the Saddledome at night.

As the biggest city in Alberta and also the home of Must Do Canada, we were interested in finding some of the most unique, coolest, and fun Calgary facts that make this city what it is. 

While Calgary doesn’t have the tourism fame of a city like Toronto, when it comes to beautiful scenery and quality of life, it’s one of the best in the world. One of the special things about Calgary is that it offers all the energy of a large metropolitan city with the warm and welcoming spirit of a connected community. It’s large on the outside but feels kinda small on the inside.

It’s also one of the top cities in Canada for people who love the outdoors. Not only is the city itself full of massive parks, but it’s also very close to the Canadian badlands, the Kananaskis, and Banff National Park. 

But enough chit chat. You came here to learn some cool Calgary facts, so let’s get into it. [Read more…] about 51 Cool and Interesting Calgary Facts

81 Fun and Interesting Ontario Facts

By Matthew G. Bailey Leave a Comment

Things to do in Toronto

If you’re looking for some cool Ontario facts, you’ve come to the right place.

Thanks to the huge city of Toronto, the capital city of Ottawa, and the stunning natural wonder of Niagara Falls, Ontario is one of the most famous provinces in Canada. But the province is much more than major cities. The varied landscapes of Ontario include the mineral-rich Canadian Shield, a tremendous amount of forests, and more than 250,000 lakes. It’s also the second-largest province in Canada with Quebec to the east and Manitoba to the west. 

Ontario is also the economic powerhouse of Canada with industries ranging from cultivating crops, mining minerals, manufacturing automobiles, designing software and leading-edge technology, and much more. It’s also one of the most multicultural places on Earth and is home to many festivals such as Caribbean Carnival, Oktoberfest and the Canadian Aboriginal Festival. It’s also home to more than one-third of Canada’s population.

Almost everyone has heard about the city of Toronto and the beauty of Niagara Falls, but after learning about these unique, cool, and interesting facts about Ontario, you’ll know more than almost anyone about this massive Canadian province. So whether you’re looking for facts about Lake Ontario or about one of its major cities, we’ve got you covered! [Read more…] about 81 Fun and Interesting Ontario Facts

89 Fun and Interesting Alberta Facts

By Matthew G. Bailey 9 Comments

 

Siffleur Falls Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve
The stunning scenery in David Thompson Country, just east of the Icefields Parkway.

Interested in some really cool, insightful, and interesting Alberta facts?

Last year, I wrote an article about more than 200 interesting facts about Canada and it instantly became a hit. It turns out that I’m not the only one interested in the cool and fun facts about this massive country. But why stop there! 

Having lived in Alberta for 36 years, I’ve learned a lot about this province. But when it comes to cool Alberta facts, I know about as much as the average Albertan and Canadian – next to nothing. So I wanted to search far and wide to find out some of the coolest, weirdest, most unusual interesting facts about Alberta. Some of them I knew just by growing up here. Some I learned by travelling so much around the province. Others came from books, websites, and the wide web of Google. It’s mind-boggling how deep the rabbit hole can go when it comes to Alberta facts. 

There are a lot of interesting, strange, and super cool Alberta facts out there. I found so many that I actually struggled with how to lay them out to be read easily. In the end, I think I found a way, separating them into various categories, including general history, parks and wildlife, cities, small towns, natural disasters, and more. 

I hope you enjoy learning about Alberta and please feel free to leave a comment, whether it’s about something I missed or something you know that I don’t. I also want to make a note that facts can change over time. For example, West Edmonton Mall used to the world’s largest mall but is now only North America’s largest mall. That may change again. If something is outdated, please let me know in the comments or by sending us an email.

But enough chit chat, let’s get into it! [Read more…] about 89 Fun and Interesting Alberta Facts

Where to Stay in Banff

By Matthew G. Bailey Leave a Comment

Fairmont Banff Springs

If you’ve been following us for a while, you probably know how much we love Banff. For people who love the outdoors, love the mountains, love beautiful clear turquoise-coloured lakes, and love skiing in a winter wonderland, Banff is paradise. Living in Calgary, we go to Banff quite often and have been there close to 100 times. In fact, we’ve spent more time in Banff than anywhere else in Canada. It’s our backyard.

With all of these visits, we’ve had the opportunity to try out a variety of hotels and lodges. Whether it was a budget stay in the King Edward Hotel or a luxurious stay in the Fairmont Banff Springs, we know a lot about accommodation in Banff.

In this guide, we’re going to list out some of our favourite hotels for you to consider on your next trip to Banff. [Read more…] about Where to Stay in Banff

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