Apple Magazine - Spring 2013

First thingsapplemag.ca 15

3 Relax at the beach

Alberta may be landlocked, but ithas plenty of places to play, relaxand cool off near water. Some ofthe most popular are in centralAlberta: Jarvis Bay Provincial Parkat Sylvan Lake, Ma-Me-O Beach atPigeon Lake, Leisure Campgroundat Pine Lake, Aspen BeachProvincial Park at Gull Lake andRed Lodge Provincial Park at theDickson Dam west of Innisfail.

4 Experience mountain glaciersWalk along glaciers that oncecovered most of the province andstill feed many of our rivers andlakes on a Columbia Icefield tour.The icefield, located on Highway93 between Lake Louise andJasper, has more than 100 glaciersand straddles two national parks(Banff and Jasper), which offerendless outdoor activities such ashiking, mountain biking, golfing,swimming, canoeing, campingand 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 theUniversity of Alberta, Universityof Calgary, Twin Valley orMedicine Hat observatories. Learneven more about space and scienceby visiting or joining a localastronomy or stargazing club.

7 Ride the Old West

Saddle up a horse and wend yourway along one of Alberta’s manytrails with outfitters such as SierraWest Cabins and Ranch, whichalso offers cattle drives and hands-on ranch work. Ride into thebackcountry and camp overnightwith outfitters such as BoundaryRanch, Double DiamondWilderness Trails or SkylineTrail Rides for a true cowboyexperience. Visit albertaoutfitters.com for horseback riding close toyou.

8 Breathe in summer air

Get outside in one of Alberta’scountless provincial parks, andenjoy fresh summer air. Unwind,and picnic at a day-use campsite,fly kites with the kids, or staythe 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 paddleCanoe or kayak one of Alberta’sexciting rivers such as the Brazeau,Athabasca, Red Deer, Milk, Bowor Kananaskis, or paddle acrossone of Alberta’s many lakes. Findeasy, intermediate or difficultpaddle trips at Paddle Alberta,Canadian Canoe Routes, or joinlocal paddling clubs on the water.Visit canoekayak.ca for local clubsclose to you.

10 Discover more of AlbertaAlberta’s summers are full ofgreat cultural events and festivals.Enjoy time with friends andfamily at festivals such as theEdmonton International FringeTheatre Festival, the CalgaryStampede, Big Valley Jamboree,Lethbridge Whoop-up Days orSylvan Lake’s Centennial Jubilee.Visit travelalberta.ca for a listingof local events, festivals andattractions this summer.