20 Things to Do in Any Season
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@AllTrails
Experience the Lakeland
From Mexican eats and trestle walks to cozy forest stays and inspiring galleries, the Lakeland is full of surprises that you can experience spring, summer, winter or fall.
1. Walk. The Lakeland has hundreds of kms of excellent hiking trails. Whitney Lakes Provincial Park’s Glacial Esker Hike takes you 4.6 kilometres along a winding narrow ridge of gravel and sand left behind by a retreating glacier 10,000 years ago.
2. Eat fresh. Buy old. Antiques & Eats leads you to stores with beautiful old things and ideas for where to grab a bite. A Driving Loop of Five Culinary Picks brings you to yet more amazing foodie places in Northeast Alberta.
3. Rack ‘em up in Vilna, population 300, for time travel back to 1921 at Alberta’s oldest operating Pool Hall & Barbershop on Historic Main Street (open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday). Call Leroy at 780 656 053 to book one of four original turn of the century tables.
4. View more than 2,000 Indigenous artworks, some from the Professional Native Indian Artists Incorporated, known as the Indigenous Group of Seven, at Lakeland College’s Museum of Aboriginal Peoples’ Art and Artifacts.
5. If you’re feeling it, pray to Saint Hyacinth, patron saint of pyrogies. Technically—or beatifically—he oversees all the world’s perogies, so thank you, Hy. Love up Glendon’s giant perogy, the biggest in the world, by snapping fun photos—you eating the perogy, you holding the perogy, you get the idea.
6. Learn about the Métis through hands on experiences at Métis Crossing. Programming varies by season and runs from Paddle into the Past to Ribbon Skirt Workshops to the Vision, Hopes and Dreams at Metis Crossing Wildlife Tour, all great ways to experience the culture. Overnight in Sky Watching Domes, perfect for couples or families.
7. Cross a long trestle. ATVing or walking across the Beaver River Trestle, 60 metres high and 450 metres long, the longest of 18 along Alberta’s 300 km Iron Horse Trail, is special. Walk down to the Beaver River for a great view of the trestle and try to spot the construction date. Access via Cold Lake South at 50th Street and 47th Avenue.
8. Go retro with a coke float and fries—make them Piggy Fries—at Jennie’s Diner & Bakery in Bonnyville. Play a tune on the old style juke boxes here.
9. Kinosoo Ridge Resort is known for its excellent ski runs and skateboarding park in the winter. But, before the snow flies, elevate your day at the four storey high Aerial Adventure Park. Forty challenges including ropes, ladders, planks and more will get your adrenalin flowing.
10. Absorb incredible history along the Victoria Trail, a driving route that takes in breathtaking views over the North Saskatchewan River, and 16 intriguing stops along a 58 km scenic drive and Alberta’s oldest trail (road) still in regular use. A house in the middle of the road, is one example of the many special Instagram moments along the route between Victoria Settlement 14 kms south of Smoky Lake, and farmland southeast of Redwater.
11. Treat your eyes to amazing views of constellations, meteor showers and more at a Dark Sky Preserve, unspoiled by light. Borrow a telescope from Stuart MacPherson Public Library in the Bold Center in Lac La Biche and zip out to Pinehurst Lake Day Use Area at Lakeland Provincial Park. You’ll have panoramic views in three directions at one of very few Dark Sky Preserves in Alberta. Cozy up in warm sleeping bags in portable picnic chairs or lie on the ground, eyes skyward.
12. Buff up on bison. The Elk Island Discovery Tour with Talking Rock Tours takes place out of Elk Island National Park just east of Edmonton. With a focus on reconciliation and appreciation for the land, explore the geological wonders of Alberta through an Indigenous lens. Gain insights into natural and cultural history while experiencing Indigenous ceremony, storytelling and teachings. Watch for bison.
13. Say cheese. And eat it, too. The Old School Cheesery is a small family run cheesery, with an in house restaurant and boutique in Vermilion. Buy or taste excellent artisan made cheese including fresh cheese curds.
14. Point your way to Elk Point. Stop for fresh apple cinnamon buns, cream filled long johns, or whoopee cakes at Elk Point’s Golden Loaf Bakery. Check out an unusual 2-D statue, carved with a chainsaw from wood beams, standing 9.8 m (32 ft) tall in front of an equally oversized stockade fence at the north end of Elk Point on Highway 41. Peter Fidler was a Hudson Bay fur trader and surveyor, and the statue commemorates the history of fur trading posts in the region.
15. Marvel at world renowned art at the Alex Janvier Gallery. Inspired by the land and the sky, world-renowned artist Alex Janvier, who died in 2024, has original works in the Janvier Gallery on Cold Lake First Nations. The gallery was designed by globally recognized architect Douglas Cardinal. Inside, Janvier’s vibrantly coloured paintings tell the stories of his Indigenous culture. Viewings are by appointment only by calling 780.639.4545.
16. Cozy up in a serene woodland oasis. With six acres of open lawns, cultured flower gardens and boreal forest, Hamilton House Inn near Cold Lake is a serene woodland oasis. Run by hosts Brian and Debbie Hamilton, five rooms themed from romance to wilderness feature rustic pine plank and tile floors, with private ensuites. The Cottage Room is in a private cabin and sleeps up to five. The Island Cabin is canoe or ski in only. Check out more places to stay in the Lakeland including unique accommodations.
17. Add to your wardrobe at The Crowbar Boutique in St. Paul. Choose stylish picks such as leggings, a cozy blazer cardigan and chiffon top. Mother and daughter duo Bailee Ayotte and Maureen Kruesel are keen to help you out. Get a sunless tan from Bailee while you’re at it.
18. Head out for Mexican in Two Hills. Two Hills welcomed Old Colony Mennonites from Mexico—as well as Alberta—in 1999 and 2000 increasing church membership to more than 2000. With that, came Mexican food. You’ll swear you’re in Guadalajara, with two family restaurants, a burger place, and a bakery all serving up authentic Mexican breakfasts, dinners and baked treats.
19. Explore the 300 plus kms of the Iron Horse Trail. Just over an hour outside the city begins one of the largest completed sections of the Trans-Canada Trail: the Alberta Iron Horse Trail. This iconic route, once part of Canada’s vast railway network, draws its name from the "Iron Horse" that transported people and goods across the prairies. Today, the former rail line is a celebrated trail network inviting travelers to explore Lakeland’s rich heritage and landscapes.
20. Check out a distillery. Copper Creek Distillery in Vermilion, or V-Town as they call it, has vodka, gin, and saskatoon moonshine and creates cocktails in house. Four Albertans started Copper Creek, a full fledged distillery, to do something they love. Try Passionate Pete, a mix of saskatoon moonshine, ginger beer and pear, passionfruit juice and ginger ale. If you want to dine at the outdoor deck here, pick up dill cheese curds at the nearby Old School Cheesery first.