Alberta Tour Athabasca and Lac La Biche

 Another tour of a chunk of Canada, well Alberta. Unedited. Have a read!

So we went North in my first entry, now let’s go “east” Or as east as my travels have taken me more than once. I mean yes I have been to Saskatchewan. Saskatoon actually has some nice municipal golf courses, who knew! Anyways we start out leaving St Albert on Hwy2 heading north. Briefly past Mornville on the right, which I hear has a decent country bar. Or did many years ago, past the Legal  (La-Gal) turnoff. Not Legal, like it should be, I blame the French that live there and to the Clyde corner as locals call it. Turn right here, left is to Westlock and that’s another entry. A few minutes on hwy 18, then back onto 2 until we hit Athabasca. Stop #1 on our journey east.

Founded in 1877 as an HBC trading post (Like everywhere) on the river became a major travel point. Like many places people seeking the gold rush passed through. RCMP moved in 1892. 1913 major fire burns down most of downtown BUT it was rebuilt. 1914 major railroads kill River travel and population goes from 2000 down to only 425 by 1926. Town goes bankrupt in 1920 and does not gain full finical autonomy until the 70s. I honesty I never even came by this town until 2019 and have been there a ton since then.

Main Street is like so many small town main streets a cute little walk. Small non brand name stores run the street. Currently there is a giant hole in the ground at the end of the walk. It used to be a beautiful old brick hotel but it got burnt down. Fun fact I love these old brick hotels and this was the same but like all of them it looked run down and not maintained. No one ever wanted to meet there for a meeting and the one time I thought about going into the old pub in it, I changed my mind. However the park, pavilion and walk that it overlooked is beautiful. Of course that stuff is all still standing and often I will stop in this park for a coffee, between meetings. It is a nice walk and a great place to catch Pokémon. I assume live shows happen in the pavilion and I have seen a surprising number of food trucks in the parking lot on week days.

I will be brutally honest, it isn’t the place with a lot to do! If you like the outdoors yes, camping, hunting fishing all close by. There is the Amber museum which I haven’t seen but supposedly is great for local history. Walk the university grounds. They aren’t huge by any means but they are rather nice. We are just in small town Alberta, not a tour hot spot.

So it isn’t a foodie paradise either, let’s be honest you knew that if you know the town. However 49St grille has good old fashion food at decent prices. OF course like every small town it has a BP and a Tims. You always know what you are getting. I have never had Burger Barn for lunch but I will be honest the breakfast is great and the price is amazing. It is a greasy spoon in every sense of the word and I am willing to bet, lunch is the same deal. There is also Johnnys on main. It’s a hybrid? Ya I am gonna run with hybrid. While it has all the staple meals for a small town, they might throw avocado out there for you as well. Last is Friends Pub, maybe not the most amazing name but it is on the nose. A decent little pub, decent food, VLTs and the neighbourhood pub atmosphere I miss so much!!

How where to stay. Honestly there are a couple greezy hotel motels in town. Google search will tell you camping is the best option. There is a Days in that actually looks pretty nice. The few times I have had to stay here I have stayed at the Super 8. First it is a chain and in general well-kept and second it’s right beside A&W for coffee and a sausage and egger if you need.

Truth is Athabasca is just a nice little town, is it a tourist hub or a holiday place. Not really. If you were touring Alberta it might be worth an afternoon stop but that’s it. Something to note, they call it lake country. This is a great area for camping. If you have any way to camp, tent, trailer, box of your truck this is an area for it. Within an hour you are going to hit all kinds of lakes.

Lac La Biche being the final destination on this trip you leave Athabasca on 55 for a short drive then hit 63 to Lac La Biche. You’re gonna go through a couple small town and well sorry about this but…. Grassland is a bathroom. There are a couple massive gas stations with convenience stores and that is about it. Great place to stop and do what you need to. Sadly no Tims, maybe open one here….. Also drive by the turn off to Plamondon. Truth is really nothing here either, except a very decent little museum for a town so small. Hell it might be a hamlet even. However then we arrive, Lac La Biche.

In north Alberta we have a few lake towns. I never understood why Slave Lake was developed more into a tourist area. Once I started going to Lac La Biche I felt the same. I have never seen Cold Lake but from pics and talk of it at least there we were smart enough to try and develop tourism. I think LLB could be a decent tourist stop but I don’t think it is there yet.

Founded October 4^th1798 of course for HBC by David Thompson. Fun fact when rail came in 1915 it was hailed as Edmontons new summer resort but that didn’t last. Place does have some crazy facts like the first powered sawmill in Alberta along with first printing press and only the second Mosque in all of Canada. That’s right, redneck Alberta second Mosque. Huge multicultural population, which shouldn’t be a shock with the second Mosque. Just some rando fun facts for you.

The town is surprisingly spread out. You first hit the commercial area, which also has the Boston Pizza (Like every small town) a hotel and a few stores, home depot type shit. Also a giant gas, camping, hunting store. Then just up the road you hit the actual town. It is like a beautiful old hotel that could use a few dent repairs and a coat of paint. It has the quaintness of a small lake town, people still smile and wave on the main street everyone knows. However that main street could use a touch up. Honestly 80s horror movies have rotten my brain, I think Crystal Lake when I arrive!! Fun story, first time I came here I wanted to pick up some donuts. What town doesn’t have a Tims right?? I was a dumb ass, I didn’t do it on purpose. I just wasn’t thinking but I saw an RCMP car sitting there. Town cops beside it, I think just enjoying the sun on a quick break. So I walked over said hi and asked where the nearest donut shop would be, GPS said no Tims, wtf. You should have seen the stares I got, then it clicked and I apologized. Thank god I was in work clothes and explained I was bringing them to a customer. I was always told if you need help ask a cop, so I did…… Anyways eventually we had a chuckle and they said the grocery store. PS they have a Tims now.

Without a doubt, the thing to do is the lake. Camping is actually really close and it is a surprisingly nice park for that close to the town. You clearly can boat, tube, waterski. The fishing winter and summer is great. They have a massive fishing derby here. Even in town there is a dock or two for the public. So the Pow Wow days and fish derby on August long is the biggest event. Parade, fishing derby, fireworks, talent shows on the August long. Summer rodeo is supposedly very good as well. A wife carrying contest where you win the wifes weight in beer sounds very interesting. There are a couple musuems that I still have yet to check out but are supposedly very good. The Bold center is new and a very nice looking arena, if your kid has some sort of tourney in Lac La Biche check this place out. I said they could do more for tourism and they could. All these things are hidden gems. I stick to my first thought, a little work and you are looking at a Northern AB, or I guess central AB outdoor hot spot. Something to keep in mind. It’s a Peace Officer training area. Don’t be a jackass cause the place is crawling with law enforcement!!!

Been a good day checking out LLB, it’s time to eat! This really depends who you are. A family looking for a safe meal. It’s the Boston Pizza again, if you’re boring. No offence BP. There is also a decent little Chinese Buffet, Lucky 15. Hit it up, pretty normal but tasty Chinese buffet if that is what you want. Now there is also the Fat Unicorn. You can bring the fam in and it has a bit more options. Plus great drinks. I have never had a bad meal here. Honestly I default to the fish. Now maybe you’re an adult, hit up LaBones. So the first time I went here I came by myself at the end of the day in a collared shirt and khakis. I asked for a red wine and I am fairly certain they found a bottle that said red wine and blew dust off it. A few minutes later a man in an unbuttoned shirt sat at the bar, then even with the no shirt sign he took off the shirt and got served. I was out of place. I have been back numerous times. Couple things, it is a pub. If I lived here it’s the Moes to my Homer. The food is amazing, it is greasy but you will be delighted to eat it. It isn’t for kids, there are VLTs and it gets loud with locals. It is a great vibe though, hell if you are here for the fishing tourney, stop by here for a drink! Then the last place I am gonna say is Oslos. This is the fancy place. Honestly it is nice, I would take a date here. They are supposed to specialize in Thai and they do. It is so damn good and you can range the spice. They are also the steak joint. I have never tried the steak BUT is the Thai is any indication of the place it would be worth trying for sure. I will be honest, bring your wallet! Costa is my default breakfast. It says steak and seafood but I have only ever had bacon and eggs. I will say the food here is good so maybe try a meal. The service is what amazed me though, so good.

Finally you need somewhere to stay. Canalta and Ramada are side by side. Either one will do. I have stayed in both and I can barely tell them apart. If I had to pick one over the other probably Ramada, literally no reason why though. Both are nice, both are clean and seem to have great service. There are other places but I haven’t tried them.

So that’s it a quick run down of the Athabasca Lac La Biche area. It’s worth checking, as a Sunday drive or a few nights camping!