Alberta

With all of the great Adventures that we offer, and the cool places we get to see, sometimes the host city (the city you fly into or out of) can get overlooked!  These cities are often great destination, and when you are looking into Alberta adventure travel, Calgary is no different!

As for what to do, the possibilities are endless!  First, there is the Heritage Park, which is a living historic site/amusement park! It gives visitors an interactive look into the past, and how the "west was once!"  It is great for all ages.  There is also The Calgary Zoo, which boasts more than 1,000 animals, including Kamala, the famous painting elephant.  The Zoo also has Botanical Gardens and a Prehistoric Park.  I love Zoo's so I always like to see if there is one at my destination!

The Calgary Tower held the ongoing flames of the 1988 Olympics, and since then has become a wonderful tourist attraction.  And don’t forget about Canada's Olympic Park!  There is also a great Aero- Space Museum.  Glenbow Museum, the largest museum in Western Canada, exhibits everything from the traditions of tattooing to life in different tribes in Western Africa. 

If you are looking into hikes, you should check out Edworthy Park and Douglas Fir Trail!  The views from the top of the hill are breathtaking!   And it might be good practice before your guides pick you up for your adventure vacation packages in the Canadian Rockies!

 

You Friendly Travel Expert,

 

Mindy Teini

When most people think of beating the heat of summer they think of heading to the beach, but for me beating the heat is heading up to the mountains. Crowded hot beaches aren't the way to escape the heat, if you really want to escape the heat you go on a glacier trek or summit an alpine peak. So here you go, 5 of my favorite places to beat the heat of summer.

Alberta- Home to glaciers, soaring peaks and electric blue/green alpine lakes. There really isn't a better place to cool off then with a trip to Alberta. Glacier trekking, biking at 7,000 feet and riding through forest, hiking to alpine lakes and hanging glaciers. But my favorite way to cool of in Alberta is with a Canadian Kiss... A Canadian Kiss is a big splash of cold water to your face while your rafting down a river, it packs a lot bigger punch than a French kiss.

Glacier National Park- Just saying Glacier National Park should cool you off a little. Glacier is home to absolutely breathtaking views, gorgeous lakes and rich alpine valleys. The glaciers that carved out these magnificent rocky peaks are still at work, but not for too much longer. Cool off in Glacier while there are still glaciers to marvel at. 

Yellowstone National Park-  Yellowstone park is a world renown destination for adventure, but what better place to cool off then somewhere where theres snow in July! Yellowstone's Plateau sits at 8,000 feet, being this high in elevation tends to leave the park at a pretty nice temperature in the summer. But if you do get hot try taking a dip in Yellowstone Lake, the largest freshwater lake above 7,000 feet. 

Yosemite National Park- Growing up in Los Angeles, Yosemite was my getaway from the hot crowed beaches of Southern California. For me walking amongst giant 300ft tall giant Sequoia trees is a lot better than walking through crowds of people on the beach. Also the beach is lacking 3,000ft granite walls, huge waterfalls and an abundance of wildlife. 

Austria- I can't not include a country famous for its mountain peaks. Imagine cooling of in the same mountain meadows where they filmed "The Sound of Music" or cycling along the Salzach River. If that's not enough to cool you off, you can always go paragliding over the Austrian Alps. Just a thought...

Well that's it, 5 places that will help you beat the heat of summer! Also for your viewing pleasure I made a flickr galley: 50 Photos to beat the heat

How do you like to beat the heat? Leave a comment and let me know!

Your friendly mountain man,

Jonathan

P.S. I have been to all of these destinations, so if you have any question just shoot me an email: jon@austinlehman dot com

Today I was dreaming of Canada... Why you ask? Because last summer I was lucky enough to go on one of Austin-Lehman's hiking vacations in Alberta on their Banff to Jasper trip. It was one of the most amazing trips I've ever been on. There are a lot of beautiful landscapes in the world, but for me mountains are where its at. So this trip to the Canadian Rockies was a dream come true for me. Massive peaks composed of sedimentry rock such as limestone and shale create these rocky peaks almost every where you look. I've always had a passion for hiking in the mountains, its just something about them that calls to me. But my favorite hike on this trip had to be hiking Sentinel Pass in Banff National Park. The hike starts at Moraine Lake, a beautiful glacially-fed lake with stunning blue colors. From there you head up the trail and into the Valley of the Ten Peaks (photo below), having these huge peaks all lined up alongside you is astonishing. There are also some hanging glaciers that are in view while on the trail. From there you keep going up until you get to Pinnacle Peak and Mount Temple (photos above), there you will find a high notch between the two peaks and a decently steep climb to the summit. But once you get to the summit the views will take your breathe away, soaring jagged peaks and crystal blue lakes as far as the eye can see. That's it for dreaming today, thanks for letting me share my Banff to Jasper trip and my dreams with you!

Your friendly hiker,

Jonathan 

The Canadian Rockies... Just look at that view! You'll find the Canadian Rockies in the province of Alberta and I must say Alberta blew my mind on my last trip there. Alberta in my opinion is one of the best, if not the best place for adventure vacation packages. It is just loaded with adventure activities: hiking vacations, cycling tours, white water rafting, rock climbing and all in the most beautiful places I've ever seen. The Canadian Rockies is also home to my all-time favorite hike, going up Sentinel Pass. Hiking Sentinel Pass you'll see Lake Louise, an unreal blue-green lake, Valley of the Ten Peaks, hanging glaciers, wildflowers, wildlife, dark green forest... I get excited just thinking about it! 

Another bonus of our Alberta adventure vacations is our amazing guides, this year we were able to get both our Canadian guides to return. Marcy is our veteran and lead Canadian guide, she's an Albertan local and absolute expert on the area. She will be guiding with Anne, an outdoor enthusiast with an incredible passion for sharing her love and knowledge of the outdoors. I was lucky enough to have both of them as my guides last summer and it made my trip having such professional and awesome guides. The photo below is of Anne (left) and Marcy (right) on the Sentinel Pass hike, with Valley of the Ten Peaks in the background.

 

Your friendly Alberta lover,

Jonathan

P.S. If you're reading this Marcy and Anne, thanks for showing me your beautiful country!

Our friendly neighbor up north offers some exciting adventure trips to remember.  Experience the thrill and excitement of the Canadian Rockies.  From Banff to Jasper, every angle in this stretch of mountains is postcard perfect.  Bad photography can never happen in this place.  Banff National Park offers several opportunities for mountain biking. Be on the lookout for wolves, elks and other mountain creatures that add life to the surroundings.  Visitors can also hike along Johnston Canyon. There is a self-guided trail to make it an easy hike.  All you have to do is put on comfortable shoes and follow the trail to be mesmerized by the rock formations.  

Veterans of adventure vacations will want to try a trek to Sentinel Pass. From there, you can look down on Paradise Valley.  Go whitewater rafting and conquer the rapids of Kicking Horse River.   Be amazed at the stunning views when you hike from Lake Agnes to the teahouse on Lake Louise. Take a shot at flower photography along the way.  You can also opt for cycling tours from Minnewanka Lake to Two Jack Lake. After all the adrenaline pumping activities, retail therapy is a nice way to unwind. Shop along the galleries in Banff, and buy a souvenir or two to remind you of this wonderful vacation.  Complete your stay with a relaxing night on your chalet’s porch for a wonderful dinner.

Our adventure vacation packages to the Canadian Rockies offer long lasting memories. Explore our travel catalog online to learn more about this and other exciting travel destinations.
 

We are so happy with our journey to Alberta, Canada with Austin Lehman. Our entire family really, really loved it! The guides were particularly great with our kids, and I appreciate how accommodating they were to our every need. Overall, the whole trip was well organized with a great balance of activities. The rock climbing experience was awesome, and we had great fun glacier walking! After a full day, the journey back to our nice and cozy cabins at the Baker Creek Chalets allowed us to relax and feast on great meals. Thank you for providing an amazing experience for our family!

Name: Stephanie Jacobs
City: Burlington
State: Massachusetts
Country: USA