If your audacious holiday plan this summer is to drive the road trip to Yellowknife from Edmonton via highway 2, make sure to make some extra time for these awesome but not well advertised attractions in Peace Region of northern Alberta. They are worth taking a few extra days to see.
1) Lake Culture: Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta second largest lake is known for great beach life, fishing and boating. Check out Shaw's Point which has a sandy beach, small restaurant and is a busy site for events such as the Annual Golden Walleye Classic.
2) Extreme Birding: Migratory birds and birding are a big deal in the the north. At Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation hosts the Songbird Festival in the first weekend in June. Other great stops are the Kimiwan Bird Centre near McLennan which has a birdwalk seconds off the highway, and Lac Cardinal near Grimshaw.
3) History Hits: There are tons of great museums en route. Here is an exhaustive list in the Peace Region. Standouts for me: Kinusayo in Kinuso with a large wildlife exhibit, Lac Cardinal Pioneer Museum with a great pioneer village, Battle River Pioneer Museum, with a large collection of vehicles and farm equipment, and the MacKenzie Crossroads Museum at High Level.
4) Sensational Scenery: Make the 45 km side trip from Peace River to Grimshaw via the Shaftesbury Trail. Sweeping river vistas of the mighty Peace River for photography buffs, historical stops, a u-pick market garden and take a free ferry ride across the river! Once you have passed the Peace Region on your northern sojourn, another must do scenery venue on the way to Yellowknife is the spectacular Alexandra and Louise Falls 72 km north of the Alberta/NWT border.
5) Events: From Indigenous pow-wows, summer festivals, Canada Day Celebrations, rodeos, fairs, etc. etc, find out local events at Mighty Peace Tourism Association Calendar
6) Onward Past the Peace: There is still lots of road to travel as you head north past the Peace Region. More information about driving this northern route can be found at Yellowknife Online.