Central Alberta - Just around the Corner

Central Alberta is known for its great scenery, pristine lakes with sandy beaches, and friendly people. In Central Alberta you will find great fishing - be it angling along one of many rivers, or in a boat on a calm lake. But most people do not know that Central Alberta holds many great and charming surprises that are just waiting to be discovered - all within a short drive from Calgary or Red Deer.

Calgarians often think about Banff or Kananaskis Country for a weekend camping excursion. This is understandable because our mountain parks are truly beautiful. However, Alberta does have much more to offer visitors and locals alike. My family recently had a great time discovering places and things that were just around the corner.

We camped near Dickson and found this to be a good base for our stay. There are several decent campgrounds in the area, including the awesome Red Lodge Provincial campground, Dickson Leisure Grounds, which is a nice privately owned campground, and River Ridge which seems to be better for RVs than for tents, though it does have a good view of the Little Red Deer River. If you are not into camping, there is a pleasant looking motel in Spruce View, which is just minutes away from Dickson. There are also a number of Bed & Breakfast facilities in the area.

Besides fishing and other water sports - boating, water skiing, etc., there are a number of things to see and do in the Dickson area. I suggest starting with the Dickson Dam, which has a visitor's centre in which you can learn everything you could ever want to know about the hows and whys of the dam. Perhaps the best part of the dam is actually the dam's by-product, or its reservoir, which is Gleniffer Lake. This lake, which is now home to many resorts and campgrounds, also happens to be a very attractive lake. One would never guess at first glance that it is essentially man-made.

Moving on to the town of Dickson, you will find the Dickson Store Museum. As the name implies, it is an old general store that has been restored and converted into a museum. Looking at the products and displays certainly takes you back in time. You have the option of roaming the store on your own, or with a guide. Guided tours are free of charge, but donations are appreciated.

The second level of the store housed the Danish settlers that were the original owners. By exploring their home, you get a true feeling of what it was like at the time. You will also be thankful for the spaciousness of our homes compared to theirs.

A short distance away from Dickson is the town of Caroline, which is well-known as the home of figure skating champion, Kurt Browning. One of Caroline's most popular attractions is the Kurt Browning Arena, which houses "Kurt's Korner" - a collection of Browning memorabilia.

Near the arena you will find the Wheels of Time Museum, which is housed in the old Caroline schoolhouse. The museum features a mish-mash of turn-of-the-century and depression-era articles. As befitting any attraction in Caroline, you will also find a collection of photos featuring Kurt Browning through the years.

We finished our day with a visit to the Tivoli Garden Cafe in Spruce View. The food was delicious, the prices reasonable, and the service was great. It is billed as "A European taste in the heart of the country," and that is a great description of the restaurant. With pleasantly full tummies, we went back to our tent to sit around the fire and gaze at the abundant stars before going to sleep.

The next morning, we made our way to Markerville, which is a very charming, artsy village. Its most famous landmark is the Markerville Creamery. No longer in operation, the creamery has been turned into a museum. You can take a very interesting and informative guided tour of the facility. The creamery coffee shop is a treat in itself featuring great coffee and Icelandic goodies.

Besides the creamery, the village of Markerville houses numerous arts and crafts studios, a Boy Scout Museum, a beautiful old church, and an old blacksmith's shop. All are worth a visit. The people are friendly and, if you are there early, you'll find most of them at the coffee shop.

Outside of Markerville is the Stephansson House Museum. Stephan G. Stephansson was an Alberta pioneer from Iceland. He was a homesteader who wrote Icelandic poetry. In fact, he is widely regarded as Iceland's greatest poet. His home has been restored to its 1904 appearance and is now a museum. Tour guides in period costumes take you through the main floor of the house. You can even sample Icelandic cookies that were baked in the Stephansson's actual wood-burning stove. As are all of the above-mentioned museums, The Stephansson House operates on a donation or pay-what-you-can basis.

A good way to close out the weekend is perhaps to do some angling or just take a walk along the shore of Gleniffer Lake. The Red Lodge day use area also has a nice trail for a walk along the river. Either option offers a last opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and scenery before returning to the city grind. One thing is sure - you will return refreshed from your country excursion - one that was just around the corner.