Apple Magazine - Spring 2013

First things applemag.ca 15

3 Relax at the beach

Alberta may be landlocked, but it has plenty of places to play, relax and cool off near water. Some of the most popular are in central Alberta: Jarvis Bay Provincial Park at Sylvan Lake, Ma-Me-O Beach at Pigeon Lake, Leisure Campground at Pine Lake, Aspen Beach Provincial Park at Gull Lake and Red Lodge Provincial Park at the Dickson Dam west of Innisfail.

4 Experience mountain glaciers Walk along glaciers that once covered most of the province and still feed many of our rivers and lakes on a Columbia Icefield tour. The icefield, located on Highway 93 between Lake Louise and Jasper, has more than 100 glaciers and straddles two national parks (Banff and Jasper), which offer endless outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, golfing, swimming, canoeing, camping and more.

5 Get a bird’s eye view of the
prairies

Climb to 3,800 metres ( 12,500
feet) over the prairie landscape
and then—jump! The Edmonton
Skydiving Centre, which has
Alberta’s longest safety record
in skydiving, offers safe, tandem
skydiving experiences, or jump
at one of six other drop-zones
in Alberta. The exhilaration of a
60-second free fall is described as
floating through air.

6 Gaze at the stars

Love to marvel at the night sky? You can take a closer look at the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, Twin Valley or Medicine Hat observatories. Learn even more about space and science by visiting or joining a local astronomy or stargazing club.

7 Ride the Old West

Saddle up a horse and wend your way along one of Alberta’s many trails with outfitters such as Sierra West Cabins and Ranch, which also offers cattle drives and hands-on ranch work. Ride into the backcountry and camp overnight with outfitters such as Boundary Ranch, Double Diamond Wilderness Trails or Skyline Trail Rides for a true cowboy experience. Visit albertaoutfitters. com for horseback riding close to you.

8 Breathe in summer air

Get outside in one of Alberta’s countless provincial parks, and enjoy fresh summer air. Unwind, and picnic at a day-use campsite, fly kites with the kids, or stay the night and enjoy the stars.

Spot wildlife as you walk, hike
or mountain bike along an easy,
moderate or advanced trail system.
Visit albertacampgroundguide.
ca for campsite information;
for reservations, visit reserve.
albertaparks.ca.

9 Go downstream with a paddle Canoe or kayak one of Alberta’s exciting rivers such as the Brazeau, Athabasca, Red Deer, Milk, Bow or Kananaskis, or paddle across one of Alberta’s many lakes. Find easy, intermediate or difficult paddle trips at Paddle Alberta, Canadian Canoe Routes, or join local paddling clubs on the water. Visit canoekayak.ca for local clubs close to you.

10 Discover more of Alberta Alberta’s summers are full of great cultural events and festivals. Enjoy time with friends and family at festivals such as the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, the Calgary Stampede, Big Valley Jamboree, Lethbridge Whoop-up Days or Sylvan Lake’s Centennial Jubilee. Visit travelalberta.ca for a listing of local events, festivals and attractions this summer.