Alberta's main appeal lies in its unique location between the vast Canadian prairie lands and the soaring Rocky Mountains. In the eastern portion of the province, Alberta closely resembles its neighbor Saskatchewan, with rugged, arid expanses of land that give way to unending wheat fields sprinkled with prosperous cattle ranches. The famed Bar U Ranch, which chronicles the recent history of the Canadian prairie lands, is located here in southeastern Alberta, as are the spectacular badlands, with their breathtaking rock formations.

The northern portion of the province offers a stark contrast to the arid south. Dense green forests, boundless wilderness areas, and a particularly harsh climate combine to create a sparsely-populated region where Canada's indigenous peoples live as hunters and gatherers, much like their ancestors did thousands of years ago. Northern Alberta is mostly inaccessible, especially in the east, although Wood Buffalo National Park, which straddles the Northwest Territories, does receive a significant share of visitors who come to view bison, moose, bears, caribou, and wolves roaming in their natural habitat.

In spite of Northern Alberta's splendid natural attractions, most visitors come to the province to visit the southwestern resort towns of Jasper and Banff, located right along the border with British Columbia. Nestled among forests, rivers, lakes, and snow-capped mountains, the two towns offer great outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, mountain climbing, skiing, and infinitely more.

Alberta is also home to two of Canada's largest cities, Calgary and Edmonton. Calgary is best-known for its summertime festival, the Calgary Stampede, although the city also has numerous cultural and natural attractions. Edmonton is home to the largest shopping mall in the world, the West Edmonton Mall, and to some of Canada's best art and culture museums.