Beaches in Alberta

[Jets4Life]

I wanted to head down to a beach today. I am wondering what the best beach within a 2 hour drive from Calgary is? I was thinking of checking out Sylvan Lake area, but I am unsure where to go in the area. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Daradon]

Sadly the only one I know is Sylvan. And as far as a beach goes... :/ It's fun to be on the lake, and the waterpark can be great with kids, (shoot if I had kids right now, I'd take them just so I could go!) but the beach itself... :/

[Jets4Life]

How about Gull Lake?

[sclitheroe]

Beaches in Alberta...hahahaha

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Beaches in Alberta...hahahaha

Well, yeah. That's kinda the point.

[Daradon]

It's already getting later in the day, I'd just try to scam one of your friends or relations into getting into one of the private city lakes.

[Jets4Life]

I miss summers in Manitoba

[RT14]

Sylvan is nice but the there is basically no beach, just a grassy area built out right to the water. There are small patches of beach but even if you set up on the grass, the water is quite clean and the sand under the water is nice and soft.

Gull lake has more beach but not nearly as nice and the water isn't as clean.

Haven't found a really good beach in Central Alberta yet. Grew up in Slave Lake which had a HUGE gorgeous beach and you could walk out a mile into the water, but didn't realize how good we had it until I left there, lol. Apparently they now have let nature overgrow the majority of the beach up there but it's still the best beach in Alberta (sadly, as there really should be better options down south).

I've been told by people from Ontario that our beaches and lakes are pathetic. Seems like something our wealthy government could invest in a bit more. Sylvan could have amazing beaches if they tore the grass back a few meters and replaced it with soft sand.

[Alberta_Beef]

I haven't been in a long time, so I can't speak for the condition and I don't exactly remember how far from Calgary but as a kid I absolutely loved Mameo Beach @ Pigeon Lake, if memory serves there was a decent beach by the playground, but not so much by the camp sites.

[GreatWhiteEbola]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

I wanted to head down to a beach today. I am wondering what the best beach within a 2 hour drive from Calgary is? I was thinking of checking out Sylvan Lake area, but I am unsure where to go in the area. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by Daradon

Sadly the only one I know is Sylvan. And as far as a beach goes... :/ It's fun to be on the lake, and the waterpark can be great with kids, (shoot if I had kids right now, I'd take them just so I could go!) but the beach itself... :/

No more beach front in Sylvan, apparently they used to dredge the sand up to make a beach. Due to environmental concerns and natural habitat they no longer do this. I was informed of this by a resident of Sylvan, no idea if it's the case. They have built a new grassed area which is nice, but no beach.

Aspen Beach on Gull Lake is nice, the beach at Gull Lake is nice too. Buffalo Lake has some nice beaches. Pigeon Lake has some good beaches too.

[Sr. Mints]

Apparently like 100 million years ago, I'd be sitting on prime beach front real estate.

Timing the market has never worked out for me.

[saskflames69]

Alberta has like one lake, and most of it's in Saskatchewan.. and too far north.

Oh and Lake Louise. And that reservoir you guys have in Calgary.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteEbola

No more beach front in Sylvan, apparently they used to dredge the sand up to make a beach. Due to environmental concerns and natural habitat they no longer do this. I was informed of this by a resident of Sylvan, no idea if it's the case. They have built a new grassed area which is nice, but no beach.

Aspen Beach on Gull Lake is nice, the beach at Gull Lake is nice too. Buffalo Lake has some nice beaches. Pigeon Lake has some good beaches too.

Did not know that, but yeah I guess it's been many years since I've been there.

Is Wild Rapids still awesome?

[Notorious Honey Badger]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

I miss summers in Manitoba

same. the beaches, forests, the outdoors in general are way better.

[SeeBass]

^ that is my one big gripe about calgary it could be 12C or 30C and there is no change in what you do for a day

I sooo miss going to the lake

[CalgaryFan1988]

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2012/06/2...lak-park-beach

Calgary should do something like this, if they can.

[Jets4Life]

Well I ended up hitting the beach at Sylvan Lake. Wow was it ever packed! All I can say is that there was a lot of fine scenery

[T@T]

Real beaches are created by tides, tides are created in the oceans(and the very large lakes) by the moons gravity, Alberta doesn't have oceans or big enough lakes therefore they don't have real beaches. If your ok with fake beaches there are lots but they suck, if you want the closest real one go to vancouver but beware...the water is brutal cold.

Anyway...this is the only thing I hate about Alberta.

[bradster57]

Originally Posted by Notorious Honey Badger

same. the beaches, forests, the outdoors in general are way better.

Beaches? Definitely.
Forests? No, I'd take Kananaskis over anything in Manitoba.

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by bradster57

Beaches? Definitely.
Forests? No, I'd take Kananaskis over anything in Manitoba.

You have obviously never been to the Whiteshell...