Two spots in Alberta named 'alternatives' for American visitors by the New York Times

Jun 25 2025, 11:02 am

Alberta isĀ renowned worldwide for its stunning outdoors, and two spots in the province were featured byĀ The New York Times (NYT) as “alternatives” for Americans seekingĀ to escape U.S. national parks.

The prestigious American newspaper recently released a piece that rounded up Canadian national park alternatives that “offer similar appeal to certain American parks” in the midst of recent staff and budget cuts to the U.S. National Park Service that “threaten to bring long admission lines, shuttered campgrounds and overflowing garbage cans.”

Two spots in Alberta were included, and our province was the only one to be mentioned multiple times by the NYT. How impressive!

sunsinger/Shutterstock

The NYT selected Waterton Lakes National Park in southwestern Alberta due in part to it sharing the ecosystem and landscape of neighbouring Glacier National Park, making them a natural pair and filled with plenty of outdoor attractions.

We highly suggest checking out Red Rock Canyon in the park, the village of Waterton, and of course, the stylish Prince of Wales Hotel.

national parks

Laine Mitchell/Daily Hive

Banff National Park is no stranger to the spotlight, and as Canada’s first national park, it protects a large swath of the Rocky Mountains, similar to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

In addition to the usual suspects of things to do and see while visiting, such as paddling, biking, and rock climbing, iconic spots likeĀ Lake LouiseĀ andĀ Moraine LakeĀ were also mentioned.

While we are on the topic of being touted as some of the best, Alberta is no stranger to the spotlight. Just last month, two picturesque spots in the province were named the most beautiful in the world.

A small town in Alberta was also named one of the best places to visit in Canada by travel guidebook publisher Lonely Planet last month.

You can view the full list of Canadian national parks tapped by NYT online.

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