As the days get longer and temperatures start to rise, it’s easy to yearn for the open road and new adventures in western Canada and Alaska. The mountains! The coastline! The endless expanses of protected lands! The wildlife! There’s a new experience waiting around every turn.

Whether you’re an avid birder, an outdoors enthusiast with a passion for skiing, biking, or hiking, or an oenophile ready to visit wineries in the shoulder season, there’s a variety of experiences right for you. The hardest decision will be choosing between driving the Inside Passage, Gold Rush, or Rockies routes through Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Alaska.

Don’t wait to start planning your spring road trip and make the most of popular activities and events that you’ll want to plan your trip around.

Alberta

Along the Rockies Route, Alberta has many opportunities to elevate your driving adventure. From the foodie to the ski fanatic, Alberta offers a diverse range of attractions. Save time for spring hiking too!

• Indulge in the ultimate farm-to-table dining experience by visiting a local farm during your journey. Head just north of Edmonton to Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm and immerse yourself in a cooking class using the freshest ingredients to create a traditional meal. Or head just south to Leduc to visit the Old Red Barn.
• Calgary International Beerfest (early May) brings over 200 breweries, distilleries, cideries, and meaderies together with more than 30 local pubs, restaurants, and eateries to throw one delicious event. Plan your trip accordingly to get a real taste of Calgary.
• Alberta is known to have a remarkably long ski season, with ski lifts running until late May depending on the snowfall each year. Head to resorts near Lake Louise or Banff for some action on the slopes. Sunshine Village’s Slush Cup is the ultimate end-of-season bash.

Learn about additional springtime activities and events in Alberta here.

British Columbia

Whether you travel along the Inside Passage, Gold Rush or Rockies routes, don’t rush your drive through British Columbia. While many are already aware of the spring skiing to be found here, British Columbia offers all travelers unique experiences and an opportunity to make unforgettable memories.

• For wine lovers, spring is the ideal shoulder season in this region’s wine country. It’s typically quieter and less crowded and you can get to know the nuances of each region, not to mention the winemakers.
• Home to hundreds of bird species including bald eagles, western sandpipers, and great blue herons, British Columbia offers many opportunities for birdwatching during the spring season. Use the BC Bird Trail as your guide to exploring and watching the skies in any part of the province.
• Experience the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (late March - late April) honoring the city’s beautiful cherry blossoms. The event includes everything from the “Big Picnic” with local performers to guided walks to view the trees and a community bike ride. In coastal British Columbia, spring flowers bloom early, allowing you to find lush greenery and colorful blooms all through March, April, May, and June.

Find even more experiences for your spring visit to British Columbia here.

Yukon Territory

In the spring, see the Yukon Territory come alive as migratory birds return, wildlife comes out of hibernation, and locals get out to enjoy the warmer weather. A variety of activities are at your fingertips, like hiking, arts, or bird watching.

• Celebrate the arrival of spring at the Swan Haven Interpretive Centre during the Celebration of Swans in April. Witness the migration of thousands of swans, ducks, and geese.  
• Although some of the snow from winter may have cleared by spring, it is still an ideal time to go fat biking. Fat-tire bikes, specialized bikes equipped with oversized tires, are designed to assist with exploring beautiful landscapes, such as the Fish Lake and Bonneville Lakes areas near Whitehorse.
• For the artist in your group, be sure to ride past the Southern Lakes communities where every stop includes originally crafted artwork designed to captivate and inspire. Let your creative juices flow as you take a drawing workshop in Mount Lorne or explore a carving studio in Carcross.  

Check out this page for more about spring travel in the Yukon.

Alaska

Spring in Alaska is a reawakening — and you won’t want to miss this season in the Great Land. The wildlife may steal the show for many visitors, but you can also find spring skiing, fishing, hiking, and a multitude of community events.

• If the northern lights are on your bucket list, spring is one of the best times to visit Alaska for aurora viewing. While traveling along the Gold Rush Route, stop in Fairbanks where tour operators and hotels specialize in aurora viewing tours.
• Whether you’re traveling the coast of the Inside Passage or ending your trip on the Kenai Peninsula, you’re guaranteed to have an opportunity to do some whale watching. There are numerous whale watching cruises in cities like Juneau, where you can get out on the water to look for some of the thousands of whales migrating north for the summer, including humpback whales and gray whales.
• If you’re a birdwatcher, don’t miss the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival (early May) hosted in Homer. The largest wildlife viewing festival in Alaska, this four-day event brings out birders from all over to celebrate and watch as over 100,00 shorebirds migrate to the area.

Read more about Alaska’s spring activities and experiences here.