What to See in the Prairies

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The Prairies are home to 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, all located in the province of Alberta.

Head-Smashed-In ★ (1981)
This site, also known as "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump," is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its significance in Indigenous culture. A museum explains the environment and traditional cultures of the region.

Canadian Rockies Parks ★★★★ (1984)
Seven stunning parks in British Columbia (Kootenay, Yoho, plus three provincial parks) and Alberta (Banff, Jasper) united in a UNESCO-listed ensemble. Their mountains, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons, and caves create a magnificent setting for enjoying a wide range of outdoor sports and nature activities.

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park ★★★ (1995)
In the far southwest of Alberta, this mountainous park is the extension of Glacier NP in Montana. It’s a destination for stunning landscapes, a wide range of outdoor activities, and, incidentally, scenic lake cruises. The entire area—both the American and Canadian sides—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wood Buffalo National Park ★★★ (1983)
It's the second-largest national park in the world, straddling Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Created to protect Canada's bison, it's also home to bears, lynx, and wolves. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Dinosaur Provincial Park ★★ (1979)
In the Badlands of Alberta, this rather desert-like area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the many fossils, particularly dinosaurs, found here.

Alberta

Cities and Cultural Heritage

Banff ★★
At the heart of the national park of the same name, this small town is traditionally the base for exploring the mountains and outdoor activities available here. Banff is one of the main tourist destinations in Western Canada.

Bar U Ranch ★
Located in Longview, south of Calgary, this ranch, one of the largest in the country in the early 20th century, is now a "museum" with period buildings and costumed reenactments.

Calgary ★★
Alberta's largest and Canada's most prosperous city owes its wealth to oil and gas. For tourists, it's primarily the festivals, country music, and its famous stampede (rodeo) that draw crowds, along with the nearby Rockies and their stunning landscapes and multitude of outdoor activities.

Edmonton ★★
It’s the capital of Alberta, with several museums, some historic buildings, and the largest shopping mall in North America. Surrounding the city, the North Saskatchewan River Valley is a vast network of urban parks that locals love.

Head-Smashed-In ★
This site, also known as "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump," is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its significance in Indigenous culture. A museum explains the environment and traditional cultures of the region.

Jasper ★★
Alongside Banff, it’s the other base for exploring the Canadian Rockies mountain parks, their landscapes, wildlife, and flora, and above all, all the outdoor sports activities possible in this region.

Lake Louise Ski Resort ★★
One of the main ski resorts in the Rockies, between Banff and Jasper.

Natural Heritage

Kananaskis Country ★★
At the foot of the Rockies, this small region encompassing several provincial parks is a premier outdoor destination, especially for residents of Calgary, which is less than an hour away.

Canadian Rockies Parks ★★★★
Seven stunning parks in British Columbia (Kootenay, Yoho, plus three provincial parks) and Alberta (Banff, Jasper) united in a UNESCO-listed ensemble. Their mountains, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons, and caves create a magnificent setting for enjoying a wide range of outdoor sports and nature activities.

Elk Island National Park ★★
The reserve, right next to Edmonton, protects local wildlife such as bison, coyotes, and elk. You can go skiing, canoeing, and hiking there. On-site, the Ukrainian Pioneer Home is a museum dedicated to Ukrainian immigration to Canada.

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park ★★★
In the far southwest of Alberta, this mountainous park is the extension of Glacier NP in Montana. It’s a destination for stunning landscapes, a wide range of outdoor activities, and, incidentally, scenic lake cruises. The entire area—both the American and Canadian sides—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wood Buffalo National Park ★★★
It's the second-largest national park in the world, straddling Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Created to protect Canada's bison, it's also home to bears, lynx, and wolves. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Dinosaur Provincial Park ★★
In the Badlands of Alberta, this rather desert-like area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the many fossils, particularly dinosaurs, found here.

Lesser Slave Lake ★
This large lake in central Alberta is the main camping and swimming area in this part of the province. It’s a great spot for birdwatching.

Manitoba

Cities and Cultural Heritage

Churchill ★
This northern village on the shores of Hudson Bay is known as the "polar bear capital of the world." It’s a hub for eco-tourism and (guided) polar bear discovery. Wapusk National Park is nearby.

Lower Fort Garry ★
North of Winnipeg, one of the oldest forts of the Hudson's Bay Company.

Winnipeg ★★
The largest urban area and capital of Manitoba, Winnipeg boasts a historic downtown, a diverse and fairly attractive architecture, and several museums.

Natural Heritage

Wapusk National Park ★★
Next to the village of Churchill. The park remains the best place for polar bear observation.

Whiteshell Provincial Park ★★
This park in the southeast, bordering Ontario, is made up of lakes and forests. You can hike and enjoy various water activities, from diving to canoeing.

Saskatchewan

Cities and Cultural Heritage

Batoche ★
This village was the site of the most "significant" battle of the 1885 North-West Rebellion. The location is now a "historic park".

Regina ★
The capital of Saskatchewan. Not exactly a tourist hotspot, but it has plenty of urban parks and gardens like Wascana Centre.

Saskatoon ★
It's the largest city in the province, a little lost in the middle of a vast agricultural region.

Natural Heritage

Prairie National Park ★
This park of plains, bordering the United States, is home to a few hundred bison.

Prince Albert National Park ★★
A large park of plains and lakes in northern Saskatchewan, not far from the city of the same name. It’s a popular recreational area for camping, hiking, fishing, and canoeing.