Moving to Alberta? 25 Fall Bucket List Activities and Adventures You Will Love

If you are moving to Alberta or are just planning to visit it during the wonderful autumn season and are uncertain about how to make the most of this season and this spectacular region, then worry not! Because we are mentioning the top 25 fall bucket list activities and adventures that you will love doing in Alberta during fall.

1. Visit the Magical Small Towns in Alberta

Alberta has several beautiful small towns which become unimaginably heavenly as soon as the autumn season begins. The towns of Canmore, Drumheller, Okotoks, Vegreville, Camrose, Lacombe, and Bassano are worth visiting during the fall. These towns have alluring landscapes, places to hike, and spots to eat and enjoy delicious fall food. These towns have a lot of character, stunning backdrops, and trees engulfed in fall foliage. The towns of Alberta offer its tourists wide open fields to roam around along with a lot of history to explore. 

2. Enjoy the Cozy Coffee Shops

With the fall season starting, eventually, everyone likes a hot cup of cappuccino to make themselves feel warm and cozy. Since pumpkin spice is the whole autumn vibe, there are several shops in the cities of Calgary and Edmonton that you can visit and have a relaxing afternoon. Nothing makes a chilly day in autumn more enjoyable than having a hot cup of coffee in a cute coffee shop. Some of the local coffee shops you can find here are Cat Cafe on Whyte, Local Stock Coffee, Block 1912, Square One Coffee, and Coffee Bureau. All of these shops are located in Edmonton and can be easily accessed using google maps.

3. Take a Road Trip on Alberta’s Highways

All the highways in Alberta have stunning landscape views surrounding them. However, two highways in Alberta are regarded as the most beautiful highways in Canada. The first one is the Badlands Trail; this route does not offer the usual landscapes. There are no grasslands or forests to explore on this highway. However, the huge rock formations compel tourists and explorers to hike on them. The second highway, which is exactly the opposite of Badlands Trail in terms of landscape, is the Icefields Parkway. This highway has mesmerizing glaciers surrounding it. The drive is exceptionally smooth on this highway, with little to no steep elevations. The ones who have travelled on this highway have always labelled it as stunning. 

4. Attend StARTS Fest in St. Albert

If you are an art and culture lover, then you must attend the StARTS Fest in St. Albert. The festival begins on September 27th and lasts for two days. During these days, the festival holds numerous events all over the town and lets the attendees explore various places like the art gallery, St. Albert Place, and Musee Heritage Museum with a lot of dancing and fun activities. The festival also allows you to enroll in various art and acting classes to make the most of the event.

5. Visit the Harvest Festival

Alberta is big on different festivals during the fall season, and the harvest festival is the most popular among them all. This festival initiates the celebration of the start of the autumn season by memorializing the harvest and pumpkins, the two key attributes associated with the fall. Several small festivals fall under the umbrella of the harvest festival, such as the Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival, which begins on September 21st and lasts till September 25th. Another festival is hosted in Smoky Lake, where the annual Great White North Pumpkin Fair takes place, along with letting the guests visit the corn maze. 

6. Navigate through Corn Mazes

Corn mazes are one of the symbols of the fall season in Alberta. You can find numerous corn mazes throughout Alberta. The larger mazes have bridges distributed between the trails, which help in replanning and reevaluating your way-out strategies. The notable corn mazes in Alberta are Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm, The Amazing Corn Maze, Bowden Sun Maze, Cobb’s Corn Maze & Family Farm, and Lethbridge Cornmaze.

7. Get Spooked During the Halloween Festivals

The beginning of fall signifies the start of Halloween too. There are different spooky events you can indulge in during your stay in Alberta. Pumpkins After Dark is an event that is hosted in both Edmonton and Calgary. This mammoth event showcases thousands of pumpkins carved into various shapes of Halloween characters to spook you up. During the Halloween season, you can also visit different haunted houses, and various tours offer you to visit the haunted places. One of the most notable tours is the three ghost tour which allows you to visit old historical Strathcona for a haunted hike and history related to the haunted places. Alberta also has several ghost towns which you can visit. These towns are not haunted but do have an eerily vibe to them as the town of Retlaw, Nordegg, Orion, Rowley, Fort Normandeau, Bankhead, Anthracite, and Calwell are perfect for your Halloween adventure.  

8. Alpine Night Sky

If astronomy enchants you, then you must visit the Jasper Planetarium to enjoy the posh dining and stargazing experience in the Jasper Skytram. The Skytram will take you one kilometre closer to the stars in the sky and will allow you to observe the stars on the darkest nights by using one of the most powerful telescopes. You can photograph the spectacular night sky and views through the telescope. 

9. Stroll Through the Gardens 

You can visit various botanic and gated gardens in Alberta for a relaxing stroll. Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, Trochu Arboretum, and George Pegg Botanic Garden are some of the botanic gardens you can visit and appreciate the views of magnificent trees and birds. And not to miss, the orange and yellow hues of trees make a breathtaking sight to witness.

10. Paddling 

Alberta’s cooler and calm fall weather is an excellent time to enjoy paddling. You can take kayak and canoe trips and enjoy them to the fullest. Through these trips, you can enjoy the changing colours of the leaves, wildlife, and birds. Autumn is the best time to enjoy the stellar landscapes around the smaller lakes of the Rocky Mountains. You can visit Cross Lake Provincial Park, The Bow River, Beaver Lake Provincial Recreation Area, Little McLeod Lake, and the Icefields Parkway to enjoy paddling, canoeing, and rafting.

11. Taste of Nations

The Taste of Nations is a one-day festival celebrated to commemorate Alberta’s history, heritage, and culture. This festival is the epitome of east meets west. Twenty vendors from around the globe will participate in this festival happening in September to celebrate the diversity Alberta has to offer in terms of culture and people.

12. Hike the Vibrant Mountain Trails

The fall colours are brought to life in the Rockies during autumn. No matter which mountain trail you visit, you will find a picturesque view of the beautiful landscapes everywhere. There are several hiking trails you can choose from depending on your experience and how much time you want to spend in the mountains. Some of the popular hiking trails include Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass Trail, Buller Pass, Mount Stearn, and Skyline Trail.

13. Taste the Local Cider

Alberta offers the freshest and tastiest local ciders. You can stop by any cider company in Alberta to taste their cider. These companies have cider tasting rooms set up, offering you to taste the cider only or choose from a variety of full restaurant menus. The most notable companies that offer cider tasting are Sunnycider in Calgary, Uncommon Cider Tap, True North Cider, and Bonnyville’s Journey North Cider Company.

14. Visit the Rivers

As mentioned earlier, Alberta is home to hundreds of beautiful rivers, each offering a stunning view. You can visit the Athabasca River, the Peace River, or the Bow River to enjoy the autumn verdure and to make the most of this season in a serene place. 

15. Dance Your Heart Out in Music Festival

Calgary, Alberta hosts a music festival in October to promote the New Works Calgary Season. The festival has so much to offer to visitors, with different soloists, composition premiers, and ensembles. This festival which the whole city is a part of celebrates both the local and international music artists. 

16. Birdwatching 

With vibrant landscapes and diverse wildlife, Alberta is an ideal place to make the most of your bird-watching experience. You can watch various birds settle in the various parts of Alberta’s landscape either permanently or temporarily. Some places to witness them are Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Lesser Slave Lake, Central Alberta’s Beaverhill Natural Area, and Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park. 

17. Have a Fun Picnic

Alberta is such a beautiful province and offers you a variety of picnic spots. You can plan a small picnic party with your friends and loved ones and have a relaxing day in one of the picnic spots in Alberta. Many sites can be reserved and offer fire pits too, in Calgary, Edmonton, and other cities.

18. Watch the Spectacular Waterfalls

Having scenic mountain ranges, Alberta also has glorious waterfalls. These waterfalls are generally frozen during the winter, but during the autumn, you can enjoy looking at the pristine blue water complimenting all the autumn colours. The best waterfalls you can visit are the Athabasca Falls, The Bow Falls in Banff, Siffleur Falls, The Eaton Falls, and The Upper and Lower Bertha Falls.

19. Book a Cabin in the Mountains

Alberta offers different cozy cabin spots to enjoy nature, surrounded by mountains and forests. This can be a family trip, a romantic getaway, or just a fun road trip with your friends. Several cabins are cozy but at the same time extremely luxurious and offer all the required facilities. Some of the cabins that you can book include the Gingerbread Cabin and Pocahontas Cabins in Jasper, Johnston Canyon Lodge and Bungalows in Banff, Baker Creek Mountain Resort in Lake Louise, and HI Rampart Creek Hostel at Saskatchewan River Crossing. 

20. Geology Hiking Tour to the Grotto Canyon

This hiking tour is very different from your usual hikes. It is a three to four-hour hiking tour where you can bring your family to Grotto Canyon, usually guided by Gabrielle Abernethy. This tour makes you witness all the vertical rocks of the canyon, and you can also learn about the geology, ecology, and history of the landscape, including fossil hunting.

21. Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival

The annual hot air balloon festival is hosted on the high river in September (21st to 25th this year). Hot air balloons from all around the world will fly into the High River. The festival is fun in itself, but it also offers a breathtaking and mesmerizing experience in what they label as the night glow. It is the time when all the balloons will glow in the dark all at once.

22. Learn About Cars in Reynolds-Alberta Museum

Reynolds-Alberta Museum features the history of Alberta’s racing. In this event, numerous cars and motorbikes are featured along with their history, making, and the people involved. This event lets you learn a lot about cars if you are a car lover and enthusiast. 

23. Enjoy the Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest offers numerous festivals in Alberta during the fall season. You have a lot of festival options to choose from at Oktoberfest. Oktoberstock is a friendly event with lots of live music, fun activities, and food trucks. On the other hand, Oktoberfest offers a combination of Bavarian Oktoberfest events and a Rodeo. 

24. Food Tasting in the Town of Vermilion

The town of Vermilion is home to delicious wine, scotch, and beer. It hosts an event known as Savor, where all the expert tasters are invited along with the people who want to have a mouth-watering experience of trying different food and cuisines. 

25. Hunting in the Canadian Badlands Pheasant Festival

If you enjoy hunting, then this festival is for you. The Pheasant Festival offers four days long private hunting in Stettler. The participants have to register themselves beforehand. The festival also offers learning sessions to enhance your skills. At the end of the festival, many hens are released to keep their population stable and improve conservation. 

Alberta is rich in culture, nature, and community.  If you are thinking of moving to Alberta, the timing has never been better! 
Remember, U Store It is available throughout Alberta to assist in all your storage needs.