Primarily known for its placid lakes and towering mountain ranges, Alberta is bordered by the prairies of Saskatchewan to the east and the Canadian Rocky Mountains to the west. Jasper and Banff in the Canadian Rockies are two of the world’s oldest national parks, and they are enjoyable year-round. Alberta’s two main cities are Calgary and Edmonton. The easiest connection to Banff is through Calgary, a vibrant city with more than a million inhabitants set along the Bow River where the prairie meets the low foothills of the Rockies. The city celebrates its heritage every July with its best-known visitor event, the Calgary Stampede. The city has a thriving music and arts community, galleries and museums — notably the Glenbow museum of art and history — and, along the lively Stephen Avenue pedestrian mall, scores of boutiques and restaurants.

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