Our Unexpected Parkland County Adventure
To be totally honest, we weren’t sure what to expect when we decided to take a day trip out to Parkland County. We’ve driven through before on our way to Jasper, and my husband has played golf at a couple of the courses, but we’ve never really checked the county out beyond that.
It turns out that there’s a lot to do here! We wanted a close camping trip to test out our new trailer so we booked a site at Wabamun Lake Provincial Park since we knew the kids would love the beach, plus with a small grocery store nearby we knew we’d be good if we forgot anything major.
In all honesty, it feels like we didn’t take enough time to see everything. We stopped at the Botanic Gardens on our way out to the campground (a bit of a detour but worth it!) but some of our campsite neighbours were telling us about some of the camping at Pembina River and that sounds amazing too.
STROLL IN THE GARDEN
I kept hearing about the U of A Botanical Gardens from a friend whose sister got married there, so I semi-forced my husband to detour south on our way camping. The kids loved wandering and seeing all the different flowers, and the easy pathways around the gardens meant they weren’t moaning to be carried the whole time. Plus, we had no idea there was a cafe, so it was nice to grab a snack for the road on our way out!
“The beach was quiet and serene. Our morning walk was really special for the whole family.”
Wabamun Beach For the Day
Getting to the campground at Wabamun Lake was super easy. The kids and I took off to the beach while Jake set up the trailer, then we roasted hotdogs just before the sun set. The next morning we made coffee and went for a walk. The beach was quiet and serene. It really was special for the whole family. We saw ducks landing on the lake at sunrise. It really was a morning I won’t forget.
The whole family can’t wait to explore Parkland County more. The kids are really looking forward to camping at Pembina River some time soon, and we’re planning some day hikes next month as well.
The Mason Family