Situated in Canada’s Alberta province, Fort McMurray is a prosperous little town with beautiful natural sights and plenty of outdoor activities on its doorstep.
The town has everything that visitors could need to enjoy their stay. There are great restaurants serving food from Japan, Italy and Mexico, as well as plenty of traditional Canadian meat dishes, and it is all walkable and safe as well.
The major attraction in Fort McMurray itself is the Oil Sands Discovery Centre. There you can learn about how the region around the town is producing massive amounts of energy, and there are interactive exhibits showing how the process works.
Families will adore Fort McMurray as well. The town hosts a wonderful Children’s Festival in June, with balloon artistry and bouncy castles, and there are a number of music festivals throughout the summer as well.
However, the area’s great appeal lies outside town. At some times of year, the most stunning attraction is found in the sky – when the spectacular light show of the aurora borealis can be seen. Alberta is one of the finest places on earth to catch this extraordinarily beautiful natural sight.
There are many opportunities to get outside and enjoy the Alberta landscape as well. From the golf courses at Wood Buffalo to pike and perch fishing in the state’s many rich streams, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Head out canoeing or jet boating in the summer (June through to September), or try fishing through the ice or snow-mobile riding in the winter months (November to March).
There are also great hiking opportunities, particularly in the ecologically protected Athabasca Dunes area, as well as the chance to relax at lakeside camp grounds. With nature and culture to experience, Fort McMurray is a great destination.
The coverage of the bus network in Fort McMurray is excellent, but services are not all that frequent. Because of this, renting a car is recommended. This will also make reaching the streams of northern Alberta and the Athabasca Dunes much easier as well – it’s a big country!