5 Best Lakeside Towns in Alberta
Several towns in Alberta have developed around large lakes that serve as year-round recreation hubs. In these communities, the lake is central to daily activity, from summer swimming and boating to winter festivals held on the ice, including the Sylvan Lake Ice Dragon Boat Festival. Places like Sylvan Lake draw visitors with long public beaches and marinas, while others, such as Fort Chipewyan, maintain small museums and easy access to nearby parks. These five towns stand out for the way they combine lake access with local attractions, making them some of the best lakeside towns in Alberta.
Sylvan Lake
On the southern shore of Sylvan Lake is the Central Alberta town of Sylvan Lake. This community offers visitors year-round activities centered around the lake and hosts annual festivals. Sylvan Lake Park is a very relaxing spot to visit, featuring a small beach where people can enjoy the water and sunshine during summer, as well as a peaceful place for a walk during the day. On the western side of the lake is Rotary Lighthouse Park, which is home to the Rotary Lighthouse and situated next to a local marina, The Launch at Sylvan Lake. The marina sells watersports gear, is an excellent place to rent and store boats, and has a launch cafe that offers quick snacks and drinks for visitors.
Further inland is the Meadowlands Golf Club at Sylvan Lake, an 18-hole public golf course offering golfers a fun yet challenging course and stunning views of the landscape. People can partake in tournaments, enjoy home-cooked meals in the club's restaurant, and host corporate outings and reunions. The Prairie Moon Inn in Sylvan Lake is a calm, easygoing place to rest and recharge for the night or weekend, then wake up refreshed and ready to explore the lake or the other amenities in town. A local event to see every February in town is the Sylvan Lake Ice Dragon Boat Festival, where people create dragon boats and race with them on the ice of Sylvan Lake, along with skating, snow art, and a Polar Bear Dip, making for a unique and memorable experience.
Cold Lake
On the eastern end of the province, near the border with Saskatchewan, is the town of Cold Lake, which sits on the southern tip of its namesake lake. Kinosoo Beach is the spot to enjoy during the summer, as it's one of the best beaches in the country. Visitors to the beach can play volleyball on the sand, basketball on the courts, and people can enjoy a refreshing meal at Wilmie's On the Beach. The restaurant also hosts live music and comedy shows to keep the day or night entertaining. Further down the lake shoreline is the Waterfront Harbour Bed and Breakfast, where guests can enjoy the stunning views of the lake, wake up refreshed in comfortable rooms, and enjoy a homemade breakfast. The Waterfront Harbour is a three-minute walk from the Cold Lake Marina and is an even shorter walk from the Casual Canoe Bourbon & Craft Kitchen.
A fun place to enjoy near the lake is Boathouse Bowling. A calm local bowling alley where people can gather to earn some strikes and knock some pins down, join a league, and host an event like a birthday party, reunion, or corporate event. Add on the five-pin bowling setup and a retro atmosphere, and everyone can enjoy this spot. On the eastern outskirts of town is the Cold Lake Provincial Park, a park full of lush boreal forests and around nine kilometers of designated trails to explore on foot or by bike. The park spans over 60 square kilometers, with lagoons for people to take a dip in, campgrounds for people to unwind for the night under the natural stars, and places to go birdwatching and enjoy breathtaking views of the lake from the shoreline and beaches.
Jasper
The alpine town of Jasper, surrounded by the towering snow-capped Canadian Rocky Mountains, provides its residents and visitors with access to the Athabasca River, Beauvert Lake, Mildred Lake, Trefoil Lakes, Lake Annette, and Edith Lake. On the coast of Beauvert Lake is the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a 700-acre luxury resort welcoming guests with its glorious amenities and stunning views of the lake and the surrounding natural scenery. There's a spa, pool, and fitness center for guests to enjoy, and the Fairmont can host weddings, social events, and corporate events. People can also enjoy a round of golf on the resort's golf course while taking in the gorgeous views of Beauvert Lake and the adjacent mountains. Not too far from the Fairmont is the Grizz Jasper, a pizza and pints restaurant serving delicious pizza, drinks, and cocktails in a lodge-like setting.
In downtown Jasper is the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum, a local museum showcasing the town's local history to visitors from far and wide. The museum has numerous exhibits featuring historical artifacts, documents, and photographs, including the Jasper Showcase Exhibit, which features paintings and displays by local artisans in the 750-square-foot Showcase Gallery. However, the main draw here is Jasper National Park, an approximately 11,000 square kilometer park in the Rockies. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and offers endless opportunities, from walking along the scenic Maligne Lake to skiing at Marmot Basin to watching for one of over 50 mammal species here.
Alberta Beach
About 70 kilometers (44 miles) west of Edmonton is Alberta Beach, a village on the banks of Lac Ste. Anne, that's a popular spot for fishing and boating. The Main Beach and Boat Launch in town is a tranquil place to enjoy the stunning beauty of Lac Ste. Anne, beachgoers can relax on the sandy shore, while boaters can launch their boats and fish on the water. Across from Main Beach is the Alberta Beach Inn and Suites, a local hotel offering guests an easygoing stay with WiFi, free parking, and beach access.
In the heart of downtown is the Alberta Beach Heritage Village and Museum, established in 1976 and highlighting the people who lived in the region. The museum features well-preserved architecture, including the 1913 CN Railway Train Station, the Emergency First Aid Hut, and the town's original Jailhouse, among others.
Fort Chipewyan
On the northeastern end of the province is the hamlet of Fort Chipewyan, sitting on the western shoreline of Lake Athabasca. It was a historic fur-trading hub in its early years and is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery. Just near the lake is Willy's Bed and Breakfast, where guests can enjoy a rustic home away from home. The Bed and Breakfast has six bedrooms, four bathrooms, two full kitchens, and is within walking distance of the shoreline of the lake. A quick three-minute walk south of Willy's Bed and Breakfast is the Fort Chipewyan Bicentennial Museum, where people can see a full-sized reproduction of the Hudson Bay Company's 1870 store buildings and explore over 200 years of the region's cultural history through artifacts, documents, and photographs.
A calm place to enjoy freshly made meals is Chips Family Restaurant, which serves delicious burgers, fries, salads, and pizza in a modern setting. The town also serves as the gateway to the country's largest national park, Wood Buffalo National Park, spanning 44,802 square kilometers (17,298 square miles). Here, visitors can see free-roaming bison, over 200 species of wild birds in the skies, and breathtaking forests, rivers, and lakes throughout the park.
Lakeside Fun In Alberta
Each of these lakeside towns showcases its beauty through natural outdoor activities and museums that preserve local history, as seen in Fort Chipewyan and Alberta Beach, and places that take full advantage of their respective lakes in Sylvan Lake and Jasper. Though these towns are small, their relaxed way of life welcomes people looking for a break from larger cities to their lakeside coastlines, and locally pleasant hotels and restaurants.
