Northern Alberta Tour

 I see a LOT of Alberta north of Edmonton in my travels. At first I tried to write it all out but that didn't work. Often I would get to town, go see customers. Take one out for dinner, depending I might do my night classes after or blog or write but not about my travels. I THINK I might start doing that again. Making little notes and memories about some of these towns. I will be 100% honest Alberta has some beautiful places. Places you might not think of but here my friends is my take on some of the North!

Lets start of out Edmonton down Yellowhead Highway 16. I am not doing Entwhistle or Evansburg as I really don't know them. Honestly they seem like nice enough small towns but I just don't know them. Same as Wabamun. Great lake view but again dunno anything about it. Drayton Valley (pop 6802) I started going to a year ago. It is an oil town. I say that with no issues! I need to be pretty clear about this. I am fine with fuck Trudeau stickers and truck nuts. I get that some of the oilfield and rural Alberta in general does have a toxic side to it. I also know that is only part of it. (A lot of urban Edmonton has a way to Woke side but again that is only part of it) A lot of guys just want to work hard, make good money and have a good life. So when I say oil town it isn't some hipster condescending to rural Alberta. From what I know DV has a couple nice little cafes. The town is very spread out for the actual population. Oh the Tims is awful. For me a coffee junkie to say that means it is bad!!! Everyone I have met seems really nice and I don't mind stopping here at all. Next you hit Edson (pop 7903) another oil town. I have spent a bit more time here BUT again not a ton. It was always the stop when you drive from Edmonton to Jasper, for a pee and a coffee. Also the Tims is much better! There is a decent little park in the middle of town to sit and chill if you want or do your work emails. I also love some of the old "stone" looking buildings, they just remind me of Mafia movies set in the 70s /80s. Half ass expect to see Donnie Brasco walking down the street. Hinton (pop 10,082) is the next stop. I have always thought I could live here. Nestled right in the start of the mountains. Jasper less than an hour away. Yes it can smell, I have stayed in a hotel there that warned customers about the smell. However the people are friendly, the golf course is amazing. Worth a play, just for the views. There is "Beaver walk?" Park or something which I am sure is pretty nice in the summer. Gus's pizza and Steak out are two stand outs to eat at. Might as well keep on the Tims tour, this one is good. Fast, friendly, fuck up free! Nicer hotels on the Edmonton (east) side of town but a lot of good ones all over. Did you know if you go off the main highway 16 and down into the valley, there is a whole freaking town down there? I am guessing local use that area more but there is another town down there!! Of course your last stop is going to be Jasper (pop 4113). First the drive thru the national park is beautiful in summer or winter as long as it isn't a snow storm. Summer can pull over and hike a couple trails, any season possibly going to see some wildlife. Jasper Park Lodge, well I have never stayed there but it reminds me of the lodge in Dirty Dancing. Thats not a bad thing, looks like a beauty and I would stay there. Marmot is a pretty decent little hill. Get some good skiing in for all levels of skill. Can go pretty hard OR just have a fun day on the hill with maybe a few bevys. The town is great, like any little ski town a nice downtown to walk thru. Hit up Candy Bears lair and the Bear Paw bakery for some good shit! Of course there are a million nic nac stores with the same overpriced crap.... Okay if your young and want to have fun stay at the greezy old Athabascan. Can go down to the Athabee and party. It is worth it!! If you don't wanted shared bathrooms and to actually relax I like the Sawridge. Decent indoor pool and a spa. There are lots of decent hotels though. Some with the awesome outdoor hot tubs which are just fun in the winter. Also eat at Evils Daves! One of my all time favs, some for the nostalgia as when we found it was just a great night and we go back every time. Also the food is really damn good! There used to be a really good steak house, I believe above A&W? Not sure if it is still there but if it is might be worth a try as well!! They did finally get a Starbucks and Tim but they are both always lined up!!

Next lets hit the Barrhead, Westlock area. Barrhead (pop 4591) is a nice small town. Honestly that is the feel it has, like you have walked into some 1950s sitcom. OR maybe even a better one would be Charming from SOA. A very nice small town feel BUT from podcasts I have listened to isn't always always as it appears. Just saying if you know much about crime in central Alberta names like Vader and Roszko do grace this town.... But every town has its bad apples. West of the 56th is a great little brewery / restaurant there to stop in. I am just gonna say it, I do like it here because it really does remind me of a 1950s show. I feel like everyone knows everyone and people all have picket fences and smiles. The Tims is good but no drive thru! Up the road you hit Westlock (pop 4802). The little wanna be city. I always feel like Westlock wants to be a mid sized city like Grande Prairie or St Albert but just isn't there yet! It feels like a city and has all the main things that a city has but doesn't have the little extras. It has a Boston Pizza like any small town but isn't home to say a Browns yet. All in all it is a good little city, small town feel still with all the big city amenities. Oh and the Tims is decent lol. Screw it lets loop Slave Lake in here.... Head up highway 44 and your going to hit Slave Lake (pop 6377). First off, 44 on this stretch has horrible cell reception, don't plan to make any calls. It is a really wooded area as well, kind of a nice drive. If you want some good fishing stop at Fawcett lake, I am not sure if you still can but you used to be able to keep one Walleye, so it is worth it! Slave is honestly one of my fav towns. Admittedly nostalgia from camping this way, at Marten Mountain or Diamond Willow back in the day. My grandfather knew the town well and we would go in for visits with the "old timers". Now my family goes there for fishing derbys and stuff like that. Its a crazy mix, feels like an oil town mixed with a fun lake side town. If you like outdoors this is a town for you to go to. Pretty much any activity you want you can do within an hour drive. The lake is amazing and fishing in June is awesome. Although I keep ending up in Mr Mikes here I have heard there are a few great "hole in the walls" to eat at. Personally, I think Lakeveiw is the best hotel but there are a few that are pretty nice. Also HUGE thank you to the really friendly people at Canadian Tire here that got me in and out in the middle of winter with my tire fixed in a rush so I could make my appointments! I like this Tims, I am picky and they have never screwed up my orders. Next you can head up highway 2 towards High Prairie, first there is a ton of small towns along the road. Some are pretty welcoming and you can check out the lake. ALSO you can head south on Highway 33 if you want. It is the "Grizzly trail" & it is a beautiful drive to be honest. You can go straight down to Whitecourt on 32 from there or keep on 33 and eventually you end up back in Barrhead. So yes it is a real round about way to get there BUT it is a very scenic and nice drive if you have the time. Again not the best cell reception. If you carry on instead of heading down the Grizzly Trail you end up in High Prairie. To me for many years High Prairie (pop 2386) was the liquor store on the way to the lake... I forgot to mention between Slave and High you pass both Shaws point and Hilliards Bay campground. Both EXCELLENT. Shaws tends to get over filled and have a party crowd though just an FYI, while Hilliards is more family friendly.... Anyways I always just thought of HP as a liquor store. It also has Evas sandwich shop, which is freakin good!! Set off the main road so if your not local you likely never even notice it. Also Spotted Fawn coffee, which is more like a Star Bucks and rather nice for the town. HP never seems to grow or change. Sorry just 25 years now and I am sure it has grown but I still see it the same.... I did attend a wedding here a LONG time ago, like 20 plus years. I remember leaving it and wandering the town in the middle of the night. Finding a Duncans deep and delicious cake at a gas station and eating that in a hotel room. Funny thing I couldn't point out what gas station or hotel anymore..... Also I believe they just got a Tim, I can't speak to how good this one is.

Lets go Highway 2 out of St Albert again but instead of turning towards Westlock keep going towards Athabasca (pop 2815). I am not going to get into all of them but there are a TON of small towns along the way here on different routes. A lot have some historic background. The only one I can really speak on is Boyle. It is kinda like High Prairie to me. A place to stop for booze and groceries when hitting the lake. I have stayed at Amisk (Lots), Skeleton and North Buck a few times. Its called lake country because there is a lot more as well. Hit and miss, some like Buck and Amisk have good swimming and fishing. Skeleton you want a boat to get into the middle to actually enjoy the lake. Anyways once you hit Athabasca you have hit another small gem. Downtown is right on the river and the little park is a great place to just sit or even have a walk. The walk down either of what I would call the "Main" streets reminds me of days gone by. Honestly I wanna say howdy ma'am as I stroll them. I have HEARD that crimes like B&E are maybe a bit high but I cannot confirm or deny that. Both Johnnys and Diner on 54 are really good to eat at fast and friendly. The campus up the hill is also very nice to stroll around if you have time and there is a great little overlook of the river by the Athabasca sign worked into the river bank. The Tims here has never let me down, though it is on the "far" side of town. If you carry on up highway 55 you hit Grassland. I shouldn't say much as I honestly have only stopped at gas stations here but this place just seems like a giant gas station. I don't know what else is here beside Petro Canada..... Plamondon is a few KM off the highway, its an alright little stop. Had a sandwich or two there but I can't say much more about it, then you hit Lac La Biche (pop 8330 County wide). I am guessing had I grown up in the more Eastern side of the province this would be were I went instead of Slave Lake. (Or maybe Cold Lake would be but I have never been there) The town very much has the same feel as Slave. A nice town for locals that probably gets a ton of tourists in the summer. Now the crazy thing is CURRENTLY they have no Timmies. Without even thinking the first time I was there I drove around confused one wasn't there. Then stopped and ask some RCMP where the Timmies was. Not even thinking about the whole cop and donut thing. They pointed me to a local bakery which was good but it was later it was pointed out to me I mighta looked like a dick. Either way it is a town ready for summer lake people. Lots of supplies places for camping. Personally I would stay at the 2 newer hotels on the far end of town. The Ramada or Canalta, both very nice. Oslos is amazing Thai and I will flat out say the nicest place to eat by far. Fat Unicorn is good, Costa is alright. I prefer breakfast there not dinner as it feels more like a little cafe than a steak house. La Bones is classic.... I stopped in, in work clothes on a hot summer afternoon. Ordered a glass of wine and was going to order supper. It was full of locals, all in normal summer clothes and everyone stared at me. They knew sure AF I wasn't local. So I got some amazing potato skins to go. I don't think wine gets drunk there very often. Everyone was super nice, chatted for a few seconds and have gone back for meals after that but that first time boy did I feel out of place. Lot of nice lake front places to walk, I have never been camping here but I hear the camps around here are also very nice. 

Okay so lets move to Fairview (pop 2733).... Seems like a farm town lol. Its small but nice and tidy. Everyone seems to know everyone and everyone is friendly, or so it seems. (Side note you would think Rachel Notley would give half a shit about rural Albertans or really any Albertans besides the teacher and healthcare unions growing up here but I guess it didn't rub off on her. Sorry NO more politics now) I have a friend who grew up here in the 80s and him and all his buddies are country boys. Ya most the stereotypes you are thinking he nails. He is also a great guy and would give the shirt off his back if you needed it. The Helian brewhouse is my recommendation for a place to eat or have a beer. Take a drive across the Dunvegan bridge, check out the river landing just outside town. Its a beaut! If you carry on up highway 2 your gonna hit Grimshaw (pop 2646). IDK what to say about Grimshaw. It feels a lot like High Prairie. A bit old and run down. Not much there, people are nice enough but honestly for me it is mostly a pass thru on my way to Peace River. Neither one of these towns have the Tims. Actually I think Fairview may have just got one but I have never been there. So follow Highway 2 for 15 minutes and you hit Peace River (pop 6662). I honestly really like it here. In the summer it looks amazing driving in and looking down on the river valley. Spring and fall it is nice to see the mist in the morning. I have never really had the time or chance to walk up the river but I would love to. Call me crazy but honestly in the AM the air is just fresher here. Everyone seems big into an active outdoor lifestyle. For the most part people are friendly. It sadly is like every Alberta town a Boston Pizza or Mr Mikes. Mikes has always been good but it is sad a couple people there now know me from how often I am in. Once 3 meals in 24 hours. There is a place down on the river Board and Barrel that is good and I would bet the patio in the summer is amazing but it was super slow service the couple times I have been there. Nova on the hill is the nice hotel. The old Sawridge is good as well, bigger rooms and more central. Tims 5/5 it has always been quick, correct and friendly. Lets continue on highway 35 and head north to Manning. I can't really comment on this place, only been there twice and it wasn't my fav. Nothing wrong with it just literally barely know anything about it and lets say my meeting weren't super pleasant so it isn't my fav BUT you can keep going up to Tompkins Landing Ferry. Give it a try, its only a few minute ride across the Peace but its neat. No its not BC ferries, its not even a covered boat more like a raft but on a summer day really just an interesting ride. Trust me the guy working the ferry knows his shit and will be happy to give you a lesson on it. If you don't cross the river your going to hit High Level. I can't even describe this town proper. So it does have the feel of an oil town but it also is VERY much a small farming town. Plus it seems to have all the "chain" places of a bigger city. Being it is legit in the middle of nowhere it is kind of its own world, best way I can think to describe it. A quick note the countryside here is beautiful if you like rural, farm looking country. It blew my mind honestly, part of me wanted to just live in this countryside between High Level (pop 3293) and La Crete (pop 3856). Have a little chunk of land and never see the city again.... This isn't a joke or being a dick but La Crete is a bit shocking. I stopped in for a chicken sandwich at KFC and everyone was speaking something I did not understand. I am told it is high German and a LOT of the locals are of Mennonite descent, they can tell if you aint local cause you speak English. Everyone however was super nice and polite AF. I honestly cant even tell you the name of the café we ate at but it was amazing. Even a google search don't help.... I love it, honestly I just love this countryside and could never see the city again. I hate listening to Cidiots rant about rural Alberta and how backwards they are and blah blah blah. Manners still exist out here. The air is clean, no one seems to be a pretentious dick. Its just a nice way to live. YES I know there are issues as there are anywhere but I am saying maybe some people should just go spend a few weeks up here.

Alright lets go up highway 43. You head first thru Mayerthorpe (pop 1651). Normally I likely wouldn't even mention it but it does have the fallen four memorial and a long time ago I had friends from here. Damn did they know how to drink.... Then you are going to hit Whitecourt (pop 10,204), another "oil" town. I have only stayed here once and I think it is called the Ritz on the far end of the city, wasn't bad when it first went up. Tims here is a bit slow if you want the truth BUT they are good, so I can deal with the wait. Mr Mikes or Crown and Anchor are also really good. I have heard the same about Mountain pizza but cannot confirm that. One of the last towns with a strip club! We drove thru and saw it has changed. Used to be called Tail Gators but it looked like it had been updated. One day I will stop for a show. There are some rather nice camps along the river just outside of town, or Carson Pegasus which has great bikes trails and if I remember correct good fishing. The most frustrating thing somehow cell service around here is garabge...... Then you hit Fox Vegas, sorry Fox Creek (pop 1735). Years ago when my dad had to work if they went passed Fox it was an overnight trip. Supposedly VLTs was all there was to do for fun, so it became Fox Vegas. I believe they finally got a Tims, to me this is just a turn out town. Have a quick pee fill up the tank and carry on. I have heard from MANY people the hunting around here is great. Can't say anything about dining, I know they have an A&W and you can never go wrong there. The last real stop is Valleyview (pop 1849). First off, gas stations got a lot nicer in the last few years. Shell will give you free coffee if it is after 11PM or they used to. They do have a Tims, another one slow AF but never screw up. You can head towards Peace River from here but we are going to GP. I know most people just drive thru but if you go into town they have all the amenities you may need. Not a joke watch for hitch hikers or just people on the road for the next few KMs. Also don't buy booze here, way over priced! I kinda forgot to grab wine one time for Xmas and stopped for a bottle here oh wow, way too much! Little Smokey is literally a road side turn out. Used to have a little store, to buy lotto or water if you needed to stop for a pee. Super nice people. It is / was closed so I ran to the restaurant, cause well I really needed to use it. They let me without buying a meal lol, super nice people. SO you finally hit Grande Prairie (Pop 67,669). My town. I am biased but I love it. I hear so many people in the city or online shit talk it. For example, a few years back when I started this traveling job, a person who used to travel a lot told me GP was insane. That he knew a person of color who travelled there once. Soon as they got out of their car everyone stared at them and by the end of the day, they were chased out of town by three guys in a pickup with the confederate flag in the rear window. The incredible urge to come unglued and tell the person that was a bullshit story was hard to ignore but I did. Anyways that's just what I mean, there are these stories that are just so insane so let me dispel some. So GP has all the amenities of any city. All the big name chain places as well. I will be honest 90% of the time we are at Earls or Browns which are both good. Also the Keg is really good but you should pretty much expect that at any Keg. The Sawmill here IMO is also very good, eat on the "Mill" side if you can. While it is a "classy" place now in the 90s it was a crazy drunken night spot. Also Jefferys is VERY good. Not just as a coffee place but for lunch as well, check it out. Notable mentions are Mad Trapper, for fish. Madhatters and the Den for good eats as well. Hotels, stay out on the west side they are the newest and nicest. I prefer the Podollan, underground parking great free breakfast but any of them on this side are nice. If you are golfing I always liked Bear Creek when I was younger, decent price, decent course. However if you got lots of cash and want to play a nice one check out the Dunes. Muskoseepi park used to be where I would say to check out as a tourist. Outdoor pool, skatepark, trails to hike, mini golf, museum and fish pond.  I have heard though over the last few years it has kind of become gross, so I dunno maybe not. There is the Currie dinosaur museum up the highway which is worth looking at. Good river boating and SOME decent lakes. Sturgeon lake probably the best but its an hour away or just head to Slave.  All in all it is a nice little city.... Saying that yes I can almost guarantee you are going to run into some "redneck" attitudes, hell even some down right hillbilly shit. ALSO while it doesn't seems as high stats wise these days crime has always been a thing here. GP has money, money brings drugs and drugs bring crime. In general not a huge deal if your a tourist but I heard it said once every guy thinks hes tough and every girl thinks shes hot. Thats the 18 - 30 crowd, hell maybe older and younger as well but I am saying for some reason if someone feels insulted fists fly.

BONUS area! The far north.... First off I always thought Yellowknife (pop 19,969) and Whitehorse ( pop 23,272) would be very similar & in some ways they are. In general the people are friendly, things cost a shit ton. They have cold winters but beauty summers. If you LOVE outdoor lifestyle you will be in heaven. They both have long and interesting histories. There are also some startling differences. The fact is I am sure there is some pretty bad poverty in both cities BUT you see it much more in Yellowknife. First Yellowknife is a beautiful city, you land at the airport just outside the city and breath in the fresh air. Then a quick drive and you are "downtown" I have already said I love GP but that it has a dirty feel to it. Well Yellowknife is almost the exact same. Even the downtown reminds me of GP or Edmonton, just a smaller version. Don't get me wrong a quick drive out of town is amazingly beautiful. Great Slave, I could just sit and watch for hours pondering the world. Is it a memorial park for miners on the out skirts? Watched a fox and cubs run around. Very calming, then two crackheads wandered by. A stark contrast to the peaceful wilderness. The Nova is a nice hotel and even though it looks like it is a bit out of town it is literally 2 seconds away. I have also heard the Explorer is very fancy but I have never seen in it. You have to eat at Bullocks bistro. Fresh from the lake fish. The service was super fast and friendly BUT I heard when the daily catch runs out, food runs out. So get there fairly early it is worth it. I guess what I can say is it is not that you won't feel safe or anything crazy like downtown Edmonton but Yellowknife has a rougher feel and some of the social issues are more visible. However you should see it at some point, it is worth it. Oh also the "Midnight Sun" isn't just a catch phrase, in the summer close your blinds!! Whitehorse on the other hand could double as Victoria or Banff. NOW I would bet anything that Whitehorse has the same issues but they are much better at sliding it under the covers somewhere. The downtown and boardwalk honestly do remind me a lot of Banff. Supposedly the actual area of the city is larger than Edmonton. I would believe that it possible, you can be driving then seems like your in the woods, then hit another part of the city. I can't say any stand out small places as Whitehorse seems to have all the chains, so the bus loads of tourists can try familiar favs. I didn't have time but a lot of people told me within 15 minutes of the city you can see some beauty waterfalls, woods, really any outdoor thing you would like again. Another one worth seeing, however everything costs more way up here and they still have coin parking meters EVERYWHERE so bring some loonies. I would stay at the Best Western, nice old hotel and good location. I mean Skky is also good but way out of the way and also if I am paying that much for a room it better be a boutique hotel! 

Fuck it, Ill end with my favs from Edmonton (pop  1,544,000). I moved to Edmonton in 2000. Thats 23 years now I have seen the city grow and change. I have grown and changed as well. Meaning back when I was 19 and had no money and liked dive bars I went out a lot. Now I am older and boring and prefer nice things..... So I can speak a bit for both. Your a tourist, stay at the Fantasyland Hotel. Honestly, if your a tourist chances are you are going to spend some time at West Edmonton Mall. I used to hate it when anyone came to visit I had to take them to WEM. Anyways if you stay in that hotel you probably would never need to leave the mall. Have the water park, galaxyland a dozen places to eat, a theatre, a million places to shop. So ya if your coming check out WEM and if you can stay in the fantasyland. A theme room is fun, is it amazing? Meh maybe if you have kids or if you have romantic ideas in your head. If you are looking for good food, I have always loved Louisiana Purchase (Cajun), Melting Pot (Fondue), Japanese Village. You can also try the Black Pearl (Seafood) or Sicilian Pasta Kitchen downtown. Thats just me though, a wander down Jasper or Whyte ave and you will find a lot of places to stop in and try. Those are also two places to just wander. Jasper Ave from 124st up to maybe 100st. (Ill be honest just wander a couple blocks more and it gets really nasty really fast, not a place for tourists!) Down in the 100st area and Ice District there is a lot to see and do as well or head a few blocks away to the Brewery district. Whyte are is also a nice place to wander, more "artsy" lots of stores and at night a great night spot. All this is kind of shopping and dining though. I would say check out the botanical gardens just outside the city, maybe the muttart, the royal Alberta Museum or Fort Ed! I really enjoy all these places. The thing is a city over 1.3 million people there is a lot to do. We are 5th largest in Canada and supposedly 30th largest in North America. (That doesn't seem that impressive BUT keep in mind a lot of the cities above us are massive like NY or L.A or in Mexico) We have pro hockey, foot ball and baseball to watch. The cultural scene of plays, ballet and orchestra is booming. Check out even the dinner theatres like Mayfield or Jubilations which are awesome. Plus we are called the festival city. The fact is almost any week a quick google search will show you something to do. IMO summer ones are the best Heritage days or the Fringe. I would love to ride the river boat one day. I can't lie a lot of the politics of Edmonton annoy the SHIT out of me but the city itself, ya its a beauty!