On Travel: Jasper, Alberta, Canada

I needed a getaway, a short escape to clear my head and refocus, when just by happenstance, my friend Jacques called and told me he was just about to complete his 3-month stint working at the Fairmount Jasper Park Lodge (JPL) in Jasper, Alberta.

You don’t get what you don’t ask for, so I asked Jacques if he’d host me in his JPL staff accommodation for a few days. Jacques and I have stayed together before. If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you’ll remember that I lived on Big White Mountain in BC for a few months in 2020, shortly after COVID-19 hit Canada and derailed my year-long plan to travel throughout Southeast Asia. Who knew it would turn into a 24+ month pandemic?

You can read about my BC adventures in these blogs:

To read more about the time I explored an abandoned copper smelter, you can read this blog here …

To check out my search for the Ogopogo Monster, you can click here …

If you’re interested in driving from Big White (or Kelowna, BC) to Greenwood, BC, you can read about that drive here …

Flight Booked – Let’s Go

Being the great friend that he is, Jacques accepted my request, and I immediately hopped online to look for a flight. I wasn’t confident I’d find anything decent—we were fast approaching March Break in Ontario—but I struck gold: $135 return. Yes, you read that right. $135 return. BOOM. With today’s petrol prices, I couldn’t even drive up north to see my family for that.

A Return to the Rockies

I’ve been to the Rockies before—Banff, Lake Louise—and I’ve driven from Calgary, AB to Invermere, BC via the Trans-Canada Highway (AB-1 W) and Highway 93 (AB-93 S). The views are nothing short of spectacular. Even flying over the mountains in 2018, when I headed to BC to visit my daughter and her boyfriend, was breathtaking.

Highway 93, better known as the Icefields Parkway, is often called one of the most beautiful drives on the planet—and for good reason. Rated by Condé Nast Traveller as one of the world’s top road trips, the Icefields Parkway is a 232 km stretch of highway that follows the Continental Divide, winding through towering peaks, ancient icefields, and vast, sweeping valleys.

A Little Geography (Bear With Me)

Getting a bit technical for a moment—the Canadian Rockies include both the Alberta Rockies and the BC Rockies. They form the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains and are the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera, the collective name for the mountain ranges of Western Canada. That cordillera is part of the much larger American Cordillera, which stretches all the way from Alaska to the southern tip of South America.

Okay, enough geology… although I find it fascinating.

There are five national parks within the Canadian Rockies: Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho, and Mount Robson. In 1984, they were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jasper—my destination—is located smack dab in the middle of Jasper National Park, which spans over 11,000 square kilometres and is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies.

What Kind of Blog Is This?

I only have a few days in Jasper. When I travelled through Japan and Vietnam, my blogs were more journal-style. On other trips—like Vancouver or Churchill—I leaned more toward documenting what I did and what I thought about it. This trip definitely falls into the “things I did” category. You don’t need the depths of my soul-searching on this one—ha!

Getting There

I booked my flight through Flight Hub (I always seem to find the best deals there), and this trip was no exception at $135 return. I flew out of Pearson International Airport in Toronto and landed back in my hometown of Waterloo Region on the return—bonus.

I flew into Edmonton rather than Calgary. It was still winter, I wasn’t sure what condition the Icefields Parkway would be in, and the flight deal was better—so that decision was easy. I arrived at Edmonton International Airport at 12:55 AM and was absolutely ready to call it a night. With the two-hour time difference between Eastern and Mountain Time, I was running on fumes.

My shuttle to Jasper didn’t leave until 3:00 PM the following day, so I booked a cheap hotel nearby strictly for sleep. It just so happened to have a super cool retro vibe, which means it officially earned a spot on my Things I Did list.

And with that… here we go.

Crystal Star Inn Edmonton Airport

*Crystal Star Inn is located close to the Edmonton Airport*

The Crystal Star Inn is situated in Leduc. Lowest price near the airport by far. Since I paid $54.99 for the night, I had no expectations whatsoever. When I looked at the reviews, they were decent, so I went with it. It was just for 1 night to tide me over until my shuttle to Jasper the next day. The Crystal Star Inn has a 3.9/5 overall rating on Expedia.

The hotel is dated and clean. My room had a retro Austin Powers kind of feel to it with the red/orange plasticky leather chairs nestled up to a black tiled, outdated fireplace. The room was clean and functional.

*The room had an Austin Powers kind of feel*

Check-in was easy and quick. Available shuttle from/to the airport.

Due to COVID (still?), breakfast was brown-bagged and consisted of yogurt, a clementine, a muffin, and a juice box. Coffee was served in my room in the in-room coffee maker (my fault, I missed the breakfast pick-up time).

Wi-Fi is included, although that’s basic nowadays.

The staff was meh, the night front desk staff was helpful. The morning staffer was less helpful and deflected when our shuttle wasn’t booked as it should have been. Also, he kept talking to the gentleman who was waiting with me, as if I wasn’t even part of the conversation. Other than that, it was decent for the price.

Overall: Decent and a good price for a night before a flight or shuttle elsewhere.

Getting from Edmonton to Jasper

The Edmonton to Jasper Bus via Sun Dog Tours offers daily service between Edmonton, Edson, Hinton, and Jasper, operating seven days a week from both West Edmonton Mall and Edmonton International Airport.

The cost from the airport to Jasper Park Lodge was $89.00 each way, and I pre-booked my seat online through their website. If you’re catching the bus from the airport, pickup is at Gate 10 in the arrivals area, which was easy to find and well-organized.

Stops from there are West Edmonton Mall, Edson, and Hinton. The bus was comfortable.

Overall: Recommend, especially if you’re not looking to make the drive and just want to enjoy the view.

Edmonton to Jasper (Yellowhead Highway / AB-16)

Commonly referred to as Highway 16, this major east–west route connects Edmonton and Jasper and forms part of the Yellowhead Highway, one of Canada’s most important interprovincial transportation corridors. The Yellowhead is a designated Trans-Canada Highway route, although it differs from the more southerly Highway 1 that runs through Banff and Lake Louise.

Highway 16 stretches approximately 634 km across Alberta, running from the British Columbia border in the west to the Saskatchewan border in the east. Historically, the Yellowhead route was used by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years and later became a key fur trade, rail, and settlement corridor. Today, it remains a major trucking, rail-adjacent, and passenger route, roughly paralleling the Canadian National Railway for much of its length.

In good conditions, the 365 km drive from Edmonton to Jasper takes just under four hours. For much of the journey, the landscape is classic central Alberta—wide-open stretches, forested areas, and long, straight sections of highway. It’s admittedly a bit dull until you reach Hinton, Alberta, located in Yellowhead County, about 81 km northeast of Jasper.

That’s when things start to change.

Past Hinton, the terrain begins to rise gradually, and the first real hints of the Rockies come into view. As you approach Jasper National Park, the highway climbs in elevation, and the scenery shifts dramatically—dense forests give way to rugged peaks, river valleys, and mountain backdrops that signal you’re officially entering the Rockies.

Wildlife sightings are common along this stretch, particularly elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and occasionally bears, especially during early morning or evening hours. Speed limits drop within park boundaries, and for good reason—animals frequently cross the road. Keep your eyes open, drive cautiously, and have your camera or phone ready (safely, of course). The final stretch into Jasper offers plenty to look at and serves as a slow, scenic build-up to the townsite itself.

*In good conditions, the drive from Edmonton to Jasper takes under 4 hours*

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (JPL) is a luxury mountain resort set on an extraordinary property, with enough amenities to keep guests occupied for days. With sweeping lakefront views of Lac Beauvert, multiple on-site restaurants, a spa, a health club, and a heated outdoor pool, the lodge manages to feel both expansive and intimate. All of this is located within Jasper National Park, making the setting as impressive as the resort itself.

Spanning 700 acres, this year-round resort wraps around the shores of the pristine, spring-fed Lac Beauvert and is home to Canada’s #1 Golf Resort Course. Designed as a series of cabins and lodge buildings rather than a single towering hotel, JPL blends seamlessly into its alpine surroundings—a defining feature that dates back to its origins.

The lodge first opened in 1922, developed by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway during the golden age of Canadian rail travel. Like Banff Springs and Château Lake Louise, Jasper Park Lodge was built to encourage tourism to the Canadian West, offering travellers a destination where luxury met wilderness. Its rustic, village-style layout was intentionally chosen to complement the landscape rather than dominate it, a design philosophy that still shapes the resort today.

Over the decades, JPL has welcomed royalty, world leaders, celebrities, and artists, while also serving as a quiet retreat for those seeking solitude, nature, and mountain air. Though it has been carefully modernized over the years, the lodge has retained its historic character and sense of place.

This is very much a resort worth splurging on—but in my case, I didn’t need to. I stayed with my friend Jacques in the staff quarters, which allowed me to fully enjoy the views, atmosphere, and many of the amenities of this iconic lodge without the luxury price tag.

Great Hall Gastropub & Emerald Lounge

They boast that you can “enjoy a classic lodge setting with modern Canadian gastropub fare at the heart of Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge”. However, one of the best things about this restaurant is the stunning views of Lac Beauvert and Whistlers Mountain.

Food I Ate:

Chicken Wings | $17

These were good, they were full wings (i.e., wingette and the drumette)
I loved the Maple Whiskey BBQ flavouring
I could have eaten another serving of these
Recommend

Crispy Mushrooms | $13

Served with a chipotle aïoli
They were mediocre. Mediocre is being kind; they were horrible
They had no taste
The Chipotle aioli that came with them also had no taste; it was bland
- I had to ask for hot sauce, just add some flavour
  - They brought me a side of Frank’s Red Hot

JPL Burger | $26

Cheddar cheese, shaved red onion, tomato, butter leaf lettuce, 1000 Island dressing, bread & butter pickles, brioche bun
Served with your choice of side
- For $26, I’m expecting something yummy and juicy and big, that you can’t wait to bite into
  - The burger was dry
  - Caesar salad had no taste
  - Onion rings were hard
Disappointing

Spicy Pork Noodle Bowl | $25

Other than the wings, this was the only other good thing I enjoyed
Made with Roasted Pork Belly, Charred Scallions, Potato Glass Noodles, Pork Broth, Napa Cabbage, Miso Fermented Daikon
Would recommend

Cocktails I Enjoyed

Jasper Park Lodge Lager 18oz Draught | $11

Loved this, a light lager enjoyable any time of day or night

Maple Old Fashion | $18 (2 oz)

Loved this very much
Made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Maple Syrup, Angostura & Orange Bitters

Em to Go

I’m not a big breakfast eater, and when I do eat breakfast, I’m not one for a big sit-down meal. This day I wanted to head out on a hike around Lac Beauvert, so I opted for a bite to eat at Em to Go, which is conveniently situated in the Great Hall.

At the suggestion of my barista, I opted for the:

Mountain Morning Sandwich | $10.00

Turkey and Saskatoon Berry Sausage, Apple, Smoked Cheddar, Egg, Chipotle Aioli on a Brioche Bun.
Sounds delectable, doesn’t it?
- Well … it wasn’t. Unfortunately, the sandwich arrived cold, mushy, and surprisingly bland, with none of the flavours standing out. For a lodge as renowned as JPL, this was a disappointment.
- That said, Em to Go is still perfect for a quick coffee or light snack, but if you’re hoping for a memorable breakfast sandwich, I’d recommend sticking with simpler items or grabbing something from the deli instead.

Let’s Talk About the Food

I don’t know what it was about the food at JPL, but during my visit, it was surprisingly hit or miss—and that genuinely disappointed me. I’m a huge foodie. I love food. Good food matters to me, especially at a place with this level of reputation.

To be perfectly honest, the staff meals down at The Bean were better than some of what I experienced elsewhere on the property. I happily enjoyed butter chicken, aloo gobi, and tomato soup, and they were consistently satisfying. Sometimes it’s the simplest meals, made well, that leave the biggest impression.

Maybe it was timing, maybe staffing, or maybe just a run of off days—but for a luxury resort, the overall food vibe didn’t quite live up to expectations.

Heated Pool & Sauna

I arrived in Jasper midweek, just after the weekend rush and right before Devour! The Canadian Rockies Food Film Festival kicked off. Due to the timing, I was fortunate enough to have the heated outdoor pool entirely to myself for a full two hours—a rare and glorious experience.

Set against the backdrop of Canada’s Rocky Mountain paradise, the pool is heated to a blissful 90°F, making it perfect even in cooler weather. Floating there, surrounded by mountains, felt like a pinch-me moment.

The pool area also has a bar offering a small selection of alcoholic beverages. I opted for a Grizzly Paw Gin Squeeze—something we don’t get in Ontario—and it was delicious. Highly recommend.

This is a must-do experience, even if you’re not staying at Jasper Park Lodge. Day passes are available. And if you didn’t pack a bathing suit? No problem. The hotel sells “disposable” bathing suits for $20. I’m wearing one in the photo below, and they’re designed to be worn 8–9 times, which is actually pretty great. Without one, I would have missed out on this spectacular experience altogether.

Jasper: A Mountain Town With Soul

Jasper is a relaxed, unpretentious mountain town with good food, drink, and endless outdoor wilderness right at your doorstep. Unlike Banff, which can feel crowded and touristy, Jasper attracts a slower-paced, nature-focused traveller, and that vibe makes it feel authentic and welcoming.

The town is surrounded by Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, giving visitors instant access to pristine hiking trails, lakes, waterfalls, and abundant wildlife. Moose, elk, and bighorn sheep are frequently spotted right near town, especially at dawn and dusk. For stargazers, Jasper is nothing short of magical: it’s the world’s largest dark sky preserve, offering incredible opportunities to see the Milky Way, planets, and constellations in perfect clarity. The observatory at the JPL provides an easy way to enjoy guided stargazing without leaving the comfort of the resort.

Jasper is also a town that balances outdoor adventure with culture. Quaint cafes, artisan shops, and small galleries complement the wilderness experiences, creating a sense of community that’s rare in more tourist-heavy mountain towns. For me, Jasper feels like the far-less-touristy cousin of Banff—it has fewer commercial amenities, but the charm, quiet beauty, and approachable outdoor lifestyle make it far more my vibe.

Olive Bistro & Lounge

On the recommendation of the JPL concierge, we enjoyed dinner at Olive Bistro & Lounge, a Mediterranean-inspired eatery in Jasper that blends France, Greece, Spain, and Italy with a Canadian twist. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with soft lighting, rustic-modern décor, and a lively, yet relaxed vibe that feels perfect for a night out after a day of mountain adventures.

The bistro is known for the “Best Happy Hour in Town” from 4–5 PM on weekends, featuring $6 cocktails, craft beers, and wine, plus $4 domestic bottles. Even though our reservation was at 6 PM, I could see why it’s popular—the energy is friendly and approachable, with locals and visitors mingling over drinks and small plates.

To start, we shared the Kefalotiri Saganaki (oregano, brandy, lemon), served with naan bread and flambéed tableside. If you haven’t tried saganaki before, it’s cast-iron fried cheese, salty, gooey, and absolutely addictive—especially when paired with naan instead of the traditional pita.

For the main course, I had the Crispy Chicken & Brie Burger (crispy fried chicken, brie, tomato, pickles, and honey dill aioli on a brioche bun) with shoestring fries. The burger perfectly captured the Canadian twist on Mediterranean flavours, and the honey dill aioli was a standout. The fries were a bit overcooked, but honestly, the burger made up for it entirely.

What makes Olive Bistro truly memorable, beyond the food, is the experience of being in Jasper—the combination of cozy mountain-town charm, approachable luxury, and friendly staff. Whether you’re a foodie or just hungry after a day of hiking, it’s a spot that feels special without being pretentious.

Overall: Highly recommended. Olive Bistro & Lounge is a must-visit when in Jasper for both its flavours and atmosphere.

Patricia Street Deli

While exploring Jasper, Jacques recommended a little hidden gem: Patricia Street Deli. Nestled on a quiet street just off the main town strip, this charming deli has a cozy, welcoming vibe that instantly makes you feel at home.

I tried one of their wraps, and I have to say—I was thrilled. It was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced, made with freshly baked bread and wholesome ingredients. The variety of wraps and sandwiches is impressive, with plenty of options for both meat-lovers and vegetarians. The owner and staff were friendly, helpful, and genuinely charming, which makes grabbing a bite here feel like visiting a friend’s kitchen rather than a commercial eatery.

The sandwich was healthy and satisfying, though a bit on the pricey side at $13.75 each for the size. Still, the quality and taste justify the price. For anyone in Jasper looking for a quick, fresh, and delicious meal, Patricia Street Deli is absolutely worth a stop.

Overall: Recommended. Excellent sandwiches, friendly staff, and a genuine local feel make this a must-visit for anyone exploring the town.

Pro Tip: Grab your wrap to go and enjoy it on a bench by the Athabasca River—the combination of great food and mountain scenery is unbeatable.

Maligne Canyon

One of Jasper’s most popular and impressive winter adventures is exploring Maligne Canyon, and I booked my experience through Sundog Tours (the same company that operates the Jasper–Edmonton Shuttle).

Our guide led us to the bottom of the canyon, the deepest accessible canyon in Jasper National Park, where we explored frozen waterfalls, ice caves, and incredible ice formations. The Icewalk itself covers approximately 3.5 km and is mostly downhill, starting at the Fifth Bridge, which offers easy access to the canyon.

In winter, the normally thundering waterfalls transform into massive ice sculptures. Hiking along the canyon’s upper rim, you cross several bridges that open up to spectacular viewpoints. Steep walls lined with frozen cascades make the scenery almost otherworldly. The waterfall that normally flows from May to December mostly drains away or freezes over during the winter, creating these terrific natural ice sculptures.

The water in Maligne Canyon isn’t just beautiful—it has a secret journey. Our guide explained that much of the water comes from Medicine Lake, 14 km away, travelling through an underground cave system before surfacing in the canyon. Scientists have tracked the flow using red dye, discovering it takes 12–24 hours in summer and 5–9 days in winter. It’s incredible to think that every frozen cascade and ice formation above us has such a hidden story.

And just like that, my three days in Jasper came to an end.

I absolutely loved Jasper and the JPL—the town, the mountains, the quiet charm—but I can’t say the same for all the food. Maybe it was an off week in the kitchen, or maybe my experience would be different next time. Who knows? Either way, I’m already planning my return, this time in summer, when there’s more hiking to do and warm-weather experiences to enjoy.

Have you ever been to Jasper?