Page 8 - XperienceAlberta-EDA-2024-1

JASPER
GLOBALLY KNOWN AS a mountain-lover hotspot, filled with tourists and residents from around the world, Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Rocky Mountains, spanning over 11,000 square kilometres of untamed terrain. Despite welcoming over two million visitors per year, and being featured in travel magazines and websites from around the world, Jasper still feels like a sleepy mountain town, with charming and romantic shops and sights. And with hiking and biking trails, mountain climbing and white-water rafting routes, it’s surrounded by more adventure than can be contained in a single trip.
Jasper prides itself on being more of a rustic mountain-resort town than Banff. There are fewer designer stores, more local outfitters, and a button-down attitude. That’s carried through in Terra, a fine-dining spot that is definitely
no jacket required. It celebrates rustic Canadian cooking, with wood-grilled dinners for two. Choose from an Alberta ribeye steak or a lamb sirloin.
Evil Dave’s has been a Jasper staple for almost 20 years, with a menu designed to make you laugh. Have some Bison (meat)Balls, vegan dumplings called “Vicious Hippies” or the Cowboy Sushi, marinated beef served in rolled rice and nori. Jasper also plays host to a food, film and wine festival, which brings together chefs and filmmakers from around the world.
De’d Dog Bar and Grill — formerly Jasper’s first Radio Shack — has been an end-of-the-night destination since 1995, and Papa George’s Restaurant is a great place to recover from the night before and start your day anew.
JASPER AT A GLANCE Population
4,113
Median Family Income
$111,000
Unemployment Rate
9%
Residential Vacancy Rate
0%
Life Stress
23.3%
Sense of Belonging
69%
LETHBRIDGE AT A GLANCE
LETHBRIDGE
THE TOWN OF Lethbridge was first established as a mining town in the late 1880s after Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) extended its line. In 1906, it was incorporated as a city, and three years later, CPR completed a 1.6-kilometre, single-track viaduct 96 metres above the valley floor, creating opportunities for future commerce and a landmark that stands to this day.
Overlooking the steep valley leading to the Old Man River, Lethbridge is the fourth-largest city in Alberta, and is a central location for financial institutions, southern Alberta transportation and industrial amenities. Its early economy was fueled by surrounding agricultural communities, which remain important
to this day. But the arrival of Lethbridge College (1957), the University of Lethbridge (1967), and the continued growth of the Lethbridge Research Centre and Development Centre (which house federal and provincial research facili-
ties) — along with the performing arts
theatres, museums and sports centres that followed — have varied the econ- omy and made it both an intellectual and cultural hot spot.
When in Lethbridge, make sure
to have rides planned to and from Firestone Restaurant and Bar. It prides itself on an extensive collection of rums from around the world, which
are central to a mind-boggling cocktail menu. From the kitchen, the fire-grilled Alberta steaks are crowd-pleasers.
But, there’s also a good English Sunday dinner — except it’s available every day the restaurant is open, from 5 p.m. on. It’s a prime rib dinner, served with red wine and rosemary au jus, with Yorkshire pudding on the side.
And, if there’s one thing Canadians love above all else, it’s the doughnut. And Bootsma Bakery is one of Alberta’s most famous spots to find these hole-y treats. Yes, the bakery even makes a strawberry doughnut — with
hot sauce.
MEDICINE HAT
MEDICINE HAT SITS along the South Saskatchewan River, strategically located on the Trans-Canada Highway. Over the years, this location has greatly benefitted Canada’s “sunniest” city, which averages 330 days of sunshine per year. While it’s also in one of the province’s dryer areas, sparsely populated with trees,
it does have an abundance of wildlife, including deer, pronghorn and a biodiverse array of birds.
Prior to European colonization, the area was a
Population
104,254
Median Family Income
$102,000
Unemployment Rate
9%
Residential Vacancy Rate
2.5%
Life Stress
20.2%
Sense of Belonging
71.9%
8
XPERIENCE ALBERTA 2 0 2 4
EDAAlberta.ca
Statistics source: Government of Alberta