Our guest post this week comes from Carmel L. Mooney, editor at our sister site Road Trips for Couples. Carmel and her family consistently drive thousands of miles a year — all over North America. We asked her for some tips on an Alberta road trip.

We found Edmonton, Alberta to be the perfect starting point for our family vacation to the beautiful Alberta province. Canada’s festival city welcomes families the entire year through with thriving arts and festivals attracting visiting families from around the world. A natural beauty with eclectic shops and neighborhoods, museums, parks and the North Saskatchewan River, its iconic landmarks like the West Edmonton Mall, and the biggest indoor water park in North America, this diverse and cultural hub was named the Cultural Capital of Canada in 2007.

Edmonton is family-friendly in every sense of the word and FamilyEdmonton.com is a wonderful resource for all things family orientated. While exploring downtown, the Holiday Inn Express Edmonton Downtown offered for us the perfect central location for exploring on foot and by taxi. The kids liked the complimentary High Speed Internet in each guestroom as well as a deluxe breakfast. We liked how this family-friendly lodging venue was very close to all the local festivals, dining, and museums.

Fort Edmonton Park is another one of our favorite historic and fun adventure spots where various time periods are depicted by costumed docents. We enjoyed the wonderful train ride through various parts of the park and an amusement area with rides and carnival attractions added to our fun. The kids won lots of prizes at the carnival; what a novelty!

After immersing our clan in the culture and arts of Edmonton, we hopped on the VIA Rail system for a weekender to Jasper National Park, one of the crown jewels of Canada. The spectacular rail adventure takes only a few hours and is some of the most breathtaking and gorgeous scenery a family can experience anywhere. Every second of the journey was savored as we took in the majestic snow covered Canadian Rocky mountains. The train offers a great vantage point to enjoy the majesty from a glass domed car.

Jasper is a serene small town in a big park, a historic settlement that seemingly without effort, strikes a complex balance between conservation and development, ecology and economics. This gateway to adventure and unsurpassed beauty is part of a World Heritage Site where you’ll likely commune with elk, deer, bear, and eagles like we did.

Jasper offers world class luxury married with rugged wilderness and great food paired with the simple beauty of blanketed skies dotted with millions of stars. As a mom, I liked the outdoorsy-ness mixed with comfort.

We enjoyed dinner at Evil Dave’s downtown where a locally owned, funky and laid back restaurant offers globally inspired dishes that share elegance and comfort food. Family-friendly and classy at the same time, this restaurant was unique and fun for everyone.

We stayed at the Tonquin Inn surrounded by snow peaked mountains and located right in the heart of Jasper, convenient to the train station and with easy access to hiking trails, rafting, shopping, and dining. Cozy, comfortable, rustic, and with pool and spas, this should be any traveling family’s top pick. It’s popular though, so plan a little extra time to stand in line for check-in and check-out.

One of the best highlights of our Jasper visit was our float rip down the Athabasca River. We were glad we tried Jasper Raft Tours. This operation was highly organized, safe, and our guide was informed and competent. The scenery was lovely and a great time was had by all the young and old in our group who came from nearly a half dozen different countries.

After rafting all morning, we worked up an appetite for a great dinner at Tekarra Restaurant, a favorite by celebrities and locals alike. A warm, rustic ambiance with delicious hearty entrees and a spectacular view of the rivers and wilderness made this a great all around experience.

The highlight of our entire Jasper trip was taking a Harley Davidson motorcycle and sidecar tour of Jasper National Park. Jasper Motorcycle Tours outfitted us with complete riding gear and the experience was truly the thrill of the trip. My tween has never stopped talking about it. Although I rode motorcycles, B.K. (before kids), I shy away from it now and I actually felt safe letting the kids try this out in a relatively controlled environment. In a National Park the speeds were low, traffic light, and scenery was astounding.

We also took the Jasper Tramway and we thoroughly enjoyed the views from the top as well as spying the local wildlife. Hiking trails abound so plan a few hours to enjoy the various vistas. Looking back, we should have allowed more time for hiking.

After a few wonderful days in glorious Jasper, we opted to return to Edmonton to take in some more festivals and to explore more of the fun there. Staying at the beautiful Fantasyland Hotel right inside the West Edmonton Mall, is by far, the best family-friendly choice anywhere. All the rooms are themed with anything from cowboy western, to igloo, to Africa Safari, to race car, Roman, and Hollywood Star styles. Kids and parents alike will delight in this experience which includes huge in-room jacuzzi tubs, fresh chocolates and liqueurs, fresh fruit, and a sumptuous gourmet buffet breakfast in the mall.

If your kids love a pool like ours, you won’t have to look far for the biggest and most spectacular indoor water park in North America, which happens to be in the mall right by the hotel. The mall has dozens of the best restaurants in the city along with shopping, Olympic size ice rink, life-sized models of famous pirate and sailing ships, miniature golf, and an ocean animal performance and aquatic museum. And don’t forget Galaxyland where kids and parents can enjoy an indoor theme park complete with train and huge indoor thrill rides, roller coasters and attractions. We went several times.

You’ll want to eat at Earl’s, one of the best Canadian family-friendly dining experiences we have ever encountered. Earl’s food is superb, and the staff offers impeccable service. They offer educational, hands on cooking/dining experiences. When we were there, they taught our family about sushi making and the kids loved trying their hand with Earl’s best chefs. This was a great memory!

The beauty of this hotel and mall is that a family can be as involved in the noisy merry-making and excitement as they want while the relaxing and peaceful hotel waits at the edge of the mall, to pamper the weary or those in need of a nap or some down time. You really get the best of both worlds.

If planning your trip in the summer, you won’t want to miss CapitalEx, Canada’s huge Fair of excitement with loads of fun, rides, and education.

We enjoyed the Tellus World of Science Museum and IMAX theater where we learned a lot and had tons of fun with interactive displays and attractions.

When planning your family trip to Edmonton, plan your trip, like we did, around some of the world famous festivals offered throughout the year so you can enjoy a real taste of Edmonton. Whether you plan to stay during the Folk Music, Street Performers, Heritage, Jazz, or Literary Festival, you’ll find Edmonton’s festivals fascinating.

“Terrace l’hiver” photo credit: Cap au Leste

When it comes to winter, this Canadian gal says “if you can’t beat’em, join’em!” So although winter is decidedly not my favorite season, I have taken to jumping in feet first when it comes to snowy season.

And with its 22 weeks of winter, there is arguably nowhere better to do so than in the Saguenay – Lac Saint-Jean area of Northern Quebec, Canada. While its first visitors came for the fur trade and lived an isolated existence, the region has long since become easily accessible. Offering an immersion into francophone culture, every member of your family—the history buff, artisan, foodie and nature-lover—can have their interests indulged.

Where to start

Cap au Leste is an ideal place to launch a winter wonderland adventure. I fell in love with the view, but wanted to stay for the cozy accommodations and home-style meals. Overlooking the Saguenay Fjord, a family can settle into a room with a double bed and three single beds for as little as $150/night.

To get yourself acquainted with your new surroundings, you can borrow complementary snow-shoes from the front desk and start exploring! Alternatively, you can book a guided tour ($100 for 1 hour).

“Traineau a chiens” photo credit: Cap au Leste

Family tip: before arriving to the peaceful property at Cap au Leste, stop at a grocery store and pick up some snacks and drinks to keep in your room. This should help keep everyone happy in between meals available at the on-site restaurant.

What to do

After you’ve enjoyed a fresh buffet style brunch of croissants, Belgian waffles, fresh fruit and local jams at the Cap au Leste restaurant, waddle yourself on over to a dog-sledding adventure! Your children will shriek with exhilaration as they are pulled through the snow by beautiful sled dogs. If you’re not used to the cold, a half day will likely be plenty ($105 per adult, $52.50 per child).

For a more calm experience, you can also try ice-fishing. From January to mid-March, signs of this popular past time are everywhere as ice-fishing huts dot the frozen lakes throughout the region. A family of four can try their luck in a rented hut with complementary fishing gear for the price of $85.

Family tip: You’ll need to be dressed for the weather to enjoy these activities. Snow pants, snow jackets, hats, mitts and a good pair of boots are essentials.

Next stop

"Tente-village sur glace” photo credit: www.villagesurglace.com

Time to move your road trip along to the town of Roberval, which is about two hours away and hosts the Village sur Glace an entire village on Lac Saint-Jean, complete with more than 300 little houses and three skating rinks! Thousands of visitors take in this unique seasonal town. And everything is free of charge—even the skate rentals.

If you and your family are feeling adventurous, you can spend the night right on the ice of Lac Saint-Jean in a heated prospector’s tent. A 12×14 tent can be rented for $69/night during the week and $149/night on the weekend.  If, on the other hand, you’d prefer a heated pool over a heated tent, then jump back in your car and head to the family-friendly Hotel du Jardin in the town of St-Félicien.

Family tip: To break up the drive from Roberval to St-Félicien, plan a stop to the Musée du fromage cheddar in Saint-Prime. Located at an almost half-way point, this cheese museum offers tours and tastings for a family price of $23.95. Be sure to try the “squeaky” cheese!

Finish on a wild note

Unlike most other zoos that I’ve visited, the Zoo sauvage of St-Félicien prefers to keep their animal guests on the wild side. Living in wide open spaces, developed to mimic their natural habit as closely as possible, visitors meander about the zoo on pedestrian pathways. Even in the winter, you’ll be able to see 33 different animal species! In fact, our guide (who clearly loved—loved!—her job), explained that in the winter it is actually easier to spot the animals against the white backdrop of the snow.

“Zoo sauvage-winter” photo credit: Zoo sauvage de St-Felicien

Family tip: Don’t bother with a stroller in the snow! The zoo rents sleds for $2.

About the author

Thanks to Julie Harrison, Canadian travel writer extraordinaire for this winter travel post. If you love Julie’s writing, grab a mug of Joe and pop on over to Coffee with Julie.

It’s that time of year when it feels like winter but you see little hints of Spring. Like the freezing nights andwarm days that cause the sap to run in the Maple trees. Maple syrup production is centered around one thing — climate. You can’t make maple syrup if you can’t grow maple trees. Canada makes about 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup, with the majority (75% of the world production) centered in Quebec. Vermont (the US’s largest producer), Maine, New York, andNew England all produce syrup, while some outlying states with the right climate also produce small amounts.

Maple Syrup Festivals celebrate the first signs of Spring, even as the temperature can still be more reminiscent of winter. Expect all the hallmarks of a great festival: agriculture celebrations at their finest. Food, demonstrations, craft booths, farming education, entertainment and family fun. It requires approximately 40 gallons of raw sap to produce one gallon of syrup, and the process has changed over the years from buckets and hand carved taps to plastic lines and vacuum systems. Old school festivals celebrate the labor intensive days and the sweet, addictive product.

Photo credit: Yvon Thibodeau

Festival Beauceron de l’Erable
March 17-21, 2010
Quebec, Canada
Sugaring off, as the syrup season is known in Quebec, is one of the quintessential family vacations. One of the premiere winter playgrounds in the world, Quebec has family activities galore, and the Festival Beauceron de l’Erable is held near Saint-Georges, one of the most scenic areas of the entire province.

Visit a traditional sugar shack for the traditional “cabane à sucre” foods: pea soup, baked beans, maple-cured ham, “oreilles de crisse” (fried strips of salt pork), omelettes, and maple-sweetened desserts like sugar pie, crepes and “grands-pères” (dumplings poached in maple syrup). Then everyone goes outside for the traditional hot maple taffy, served on a bed of fresh snow and scooped up with wooden sticks. For adults, it’s fun to drink “caribou”. Not the animal, rather, it’s a mixture of wine and alcohol that has you feeling festive in no time.

The festival is a way for locals to celebrate their heritage, eat, drink, sing and dance to folk music with family and friends. The event showcases the traditions that were once a way of life for the rural communities, and the contribution that maple syrup plays in the economy. The program includes fine foods, local crafts and agricultural products, entertaining, maple product tastings and maple taffy on the snow. Most events are free but some have a minimal charge.

National Maple Syrup Festival
1st and 2nd Weekends in March
Medora, Indiana
Held at Burton’s Maplewood Farm, two miles north of Medora, Indiana, this is the first and only national maple syrup festival in the US. Enjoy hot pancakes with maple syrup all day, see the demonstrations and buy from the vendors as well as participate in activities and entertainment. Experience “Hoosier Hospitality” and sample syrup from every syrup-producing state in the US. Admission $6 (ages 5-15) and $10 for adults.

Indian Creek Nature Center
1st Weekend in March
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Experience the steamy boiling of maple sap at the sugarhouse at Indian Creek Nature Center. Demonstrations of Native American and pioneer syruping methods andtree tapping with pancake breakfast. The center also offers programs for groups that teach more in-depth information about the process and the trees themselves. $7. 319-362-0664

Vermont Maple Open House Weekend
1st Weekend of Spring (March 26-28, 2010)
Sugarhouses Throughout Vermont
Activities vary at each sugarhouse, but usually include the opportunity to see maple syrup being made and sample the syrup and other products. Check the list of sugarhouses and feel free to visit several as no two experiences are the same.

Make Your Own in Minnesota State Parks
Several Minnesota state parks have “make your own” programs. Fort Snelling, Sibley State Park,  Whitewater State Park, Lake Maria, and Wild River State Park all offer programs that are hands-on and you leave with syrup. A couple of the programs require multiple visits and you actually take home syrup that you had a hand in producing. The programs fill quickly and usually require advance registration.

Minnesota also has its share of festivals. Find information on the Minnesota Maple Syrup Festival web site about some of the events. Here’s a list of all the festivals:
Maple Syruping Day at Audubon Center of the North Woods near Sandstone
Pancake Brunch & Maple Syrup Tours at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen
Maple Syrup Festival at Saint John’s Arboretum in Collegeville
Maple Syrup Festival at Eastman Nature Center in Osseo

Ontario has many maple syrup festivals throughout the months of March and April. The Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association has a complete list of all the festivities and events. The association’s web site also has a comprehensive list of recipes featuring maple syrup. It’s not just for breakfast! The chicken and barbeque sauce recipes look especially appetizing. Note that many of the festivals combine winter fun with the activities, so dress warm!

Wisconsin has a plethora of maple syrup festivals. Find details about the industry and some festival information on the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Festival web site. Here’s a list of the festivals:
The Sweet, Sweet Spring Festival held at the Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center has many demonstrations, presentations by the Driftless Folk School and more.
Maple Sugar Festival in Big Hill Park in Beloit
Pancake Breakfast and Open House near Viroqua
Maple Syrup Magic Open House at Riveredge Nature Center near Newburg
Maple Syrup Saturday at Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton
Maple Syrup Breakfast at Fallen Timbers Environmental Center near Green Bay
Maple Syrup Fest at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Monona (near Madison)
Maple Syrup Sunday at Ledge View Nature Center near Chilton
Maple Syrup Festival at MacKenzie Environmental Education Center near Poynette

Leanne & Michael’s Sugarbush
Last Weekend in February and First Weekend in March
Salem, Indiana
Demonstrations of Indian maple syrup making, scavenger hunt for kids, children’s activity area, mule-drawn wagon rides, lots of food, pioneer maple syrup making display and lots, lots more. Plus, there’s no admission fee and parking is also free!

Shepard Maple Syrup Festival
April 23-25, 2010
Shepard, Michigan
The proceeds of the festival finance an ten-week summer recreation program for children in the local school district and maintain a community park. The event is truly a community affair. Volunteers do everything from haul sap buckets to make sausage, prep the festival and make candy. It’s a good old-fashioned small town party in the “Sweetest Little Town Anywhere Around”. The Michigan Maple Syrup Association’s web site has more information on local maple syrup production and events.

Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival
Last Full Weekend in April
Vermontville, Michigan
The original maple syrup festival in Michigan, new in 2010 are the fireworks to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the festival. There’s something for everyone. Mid-America rides, talent show, arts and crafts, flea market, two parades, petting zoo, princess pageant, various displays, games, free entertainment and arm wrestling. The syrup producers are located throughout the village selling syrup, candies, crème and the ever popular maple syrup cotton candy.

Hartman Reserve Nature Center
First Weekend in March
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Hearty pancake breakfast, featuring the flipping talents of Chris Cakes (recently featured on Food Network). If you’ve never had a Chris Cake, here’s the recipe for their famous flapjacks. The proceeds go towards environmental education. The event involves the entire community, and previous years have fed over 1,700 breakfasts.

Byron Forest Preserve District
March 20, 2010
Byron, Illinois (near Rockford)
Byron Forest Preserve District hosts a pancake breakfast, maple tree tapping, hay rides, kid’s crafts and more. Free admission with small fee for breakfast. Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa has a special Maple Syrup Festival package that includes Friday and Saturday lodging, Sunday pancake breakfast, family maple syrup surrey ride, one bottle of maple syrup and spa discounts.

Hebron Maple Festival
2nd Weekend in March
Hebron, Connecticut
Witness maple cotton candy being made and enjoy the crafts, food, activities and entertainment. There’s also a self tour of operating sugar houses both days (no admission charge), historical quilt exhibition and sale, sugar on snow, silent auction, letter boxing and scavenger hunt.

Massachusetts Maple Month
March
Most Local Sugarhouses
Celebrate the agricultural awakening of the state witha month-long celebration of all things maple. Many local sugarhouses will be open for tours and pancake breakfasts. Staying in a bed & breakfast makes for a fantastic weekend getaway.

Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival
April 16 & 17, 2010
Wakarusa, Indiana
Most of the festivities are free, including a parade, craft booths, popcorn, garden tractor pull, sugar camp tour, historical museum tours and live entertainment. There’s also a car show, the Tour De-WakyBike Ride and Road Run, library book sale, and rides on everything from a camel to an Amish buggy and helicopter. Other Indiana festivals include the Parke County Maple Syrup Fair.

Pennsylvania Maple Festival
March 20-28, 2010
Meyersdale, Pennsylvania
Started around a pot-bellied stove in a local store, the Pennsylvania Maple Festival has grown to draw over 10,000 visitors annually and has been central in growing the local community. Now the festival includes a Annual 5K Maple Walk and Run, historical pageant, auto show, pancake breakfast, dance, horse and tractor pulling contests, quilt show and parade. The Maple Festival Park features a historic homestead, antique doctor’s office, cobbler’s shop, country store and sugar camp. The Maple Queen contest draws entries from local high schools. The Endless Mountains Maple Festival in Troy, Pennsylvania continues to grow and is a fun local alternative to the larger production in Meyersdale.

Highland Maple Festival
2nd & 3rd Weekends in March
Monterey, Virginia
One of the largest festivals of any type in the Southeast, the Highland Maple Festival draws over 35,000 people over two weekends. Attend one of the region’s largest craft shows and shake your sugar tree at the Festival Fling Dance, Festival Sugar Shakeup Dance or the Maple Queen Ball. Visit sugar campes throughout the county on the Maple Sugar Tour (pick up a map at any of the participating sugar houses). Even stay on a working farm to get the experience of a working farm.

Maple Sugaring Festival
1st & 2nd Weekends in March
Lucas, Ohio
Ohio State Parks staff lead demonstrations at Malabar Farm and offer free samples of maple syrup. Admission is free and features sugaring demonstrations, historic tours, horse-drawn rides and sweet maple treats. The summer bell house, behind the nearby Pugh Log Cabin, is set up as a pioneer cabin, where families can take part in daily pioneer chores like washing clothes, making candles, cooking and tending to the fire. Live entertainment and snacks are also available. Other Ohio Maple Sugar festivals include Maple Fest, at Snavely’s Sugar Shack, in Republic, Maple Sugaring Weekend, at Lake Metroparks Farmpark, March Maple Madness Driving Tour in Burton, Maple Syrup Open House at Mapleberry Farms in Waverly and the Geauga County Maple Festival at the Historic Chardon Square in Chardon.