Where to go in weekend

West:

1. Banff National Park (entrance: about $20/car/day). 1 hour 40 minutes from Calgary.
Recommend activities:

A. Hiking + Hot spring: Drive to Banff hot spring, park the car, then hike to the top of the mountain, take some beautiful pictures, enjoy the hiking (2.5h), then take Gondola (free) back to hot spring, Then enjoy the hot water.



B. Hiking at Canyon: Johnston Canyon. Enjoy the beautiful Canyon.

C. Beautiful Lake: Moraine Lake, colorful water

2. Beautiful Lake: Lake Louise. Another 40 minutes from Banff. No more attractive except take pictures and hiking.

3. Best hot spring: Radium Hot Spring, 3.5 hours from Calgary. South west of Banff. Good for family. Kids love. Big, hot spring with warm swimming pool. (four season); another hot spring: Fairmount Hot Spring, for Golf lover.








4. Jasper National Park (same entrance at Banff). 5 hours from Calgary. Some people recommend (Calgary-Banff-Jasper-Edmonton-Calgary). About a week. http://www.jaspernationalpark.com/

A. Maligne lake, kayak, canon, boating…

B. Maligne Canyon: Hiking

5. Water fall: Elbow fall in Brag Creek. 40 minutes west of Calgary. Hiking, beautiful water fall. BBQ.

6. Water and mountain: Kananaski, 40 minutes west of Calgary. Camping, etc.








South:

Waterton Lake National Park (half in Canada; half in US, 3.5 hours from Calgary): Deer, bear… wild hiking, bikes. And cross the US border by Cruise.





East:
Dinosaur Museum: about 2 hours from Calgary in Drumheller.