Long-time readers will know just how much I love exploring different areas of Alberta. There’s a LOT to see and do, in all corners of the province, well beyond the popular Canadian Rockies.
In the last couple of years I’ve been having a really great time working with Mighty Peace Tourism to explore the Mighty Peace Region in north west Alberta. (#MightyPeace_Partner)
The Mighty Peace Region is a part of the province that’s full of natural beauty, small town charm, and the most welcoming people (seriously, I always come away from Mighty Peace Region trips marvelling at how kind every encounter I had was).
Plus: no matter the season, there’s always something unique to experience!
The area is located just a five and a half-hour drive north west from Edmonton, or two hours north east of Grande Prairie, making it an easy but often underlooked Alberta vacation destination.
My Summer 2025 trip to the Peace River area was a special one. It was my first time exploring the area with the whole family. It was also my first time exploring the Mighty Peace Region by land, water, AND sky! Talk about memorable (more details on how you can do the same below). And it was our first time as a family golfing, which was the main driver (get it, golf driver… lol) of the itinerary!
The Mighty Peace Region makes for the ultimate golf getaway!
We golfed at four different courses in just three days—and that’s not even all the courses available! If you’re a golfer, travelling with one, or thinking of giving it a try, the Mighty Peace Region is a really wonderful golfing destination. We found the golf course experiences here much more relaxed and also more affordable than in your big city golf courses.
Here’s a look at my summer adventure in the Mighty Peace Region—with a breakdown of where we golfed plus where we stayed, a few spots to eat, and other unforgettable experiences to tack on to your trip up north!
And if you read through to the end of the blog, I’m also GIVING AWAY an 18 hole round of golf for 2 people with a golf cart and lunch at the Mighty Peace Golf Club!
More great incentive to visit (and get in some rounds of golf!)
I hope my suggestions help you plan your trip up to the Mighty Peace Region—and if you need even more ideas, be sure to check out:
- Mighty Peace Tourism’s comprehensive website!
- Golf, Accommodations and Food Deals from the Mighty Peace Tourism webpage
- All activities to explore in the Mighty Peace Region
- My Blog Post: Winter in the Mighty Peace Region, Northern Alberta – Travel Guide (Things to Do + Where to Eat) (2025)
- My Blog Post: Explore Northwest Alberta – Where to Eat, Stay, and Things to Do in the Mighty Peace Region (2024)
Mighty Peace Region Golfing Itinerary
(at a glance)
Note: our tourism-focused itineraries are always a bit more jampacked so feel free to pick and choose what makes sense for the number of days you’re planning to visit, and the pace you’d like your getaway to have!
DAY 1
- Arrive in the Mighty Peace Region
- Tee off at 5 Star Golf Course in Falher
- Drive to Peace River Cabins & Outdoors
- Cross the Peace River via Shaftesbury Ferry
- Canoe down the Peace River with Rentals from Peace River Adventures
- Enjoy an evening at Peace River Cabins & Outdoors
DAY 2
- Go on a Familiarization ultralight aeroplane flight with Aerosport Ltd.
- Stop at The Old Bistro in Fairview
- Tee off at Hines Creek Golf & Country Club
- Pop into the Hines Creek General Store
- Tee off at Mighty Peace Golf Club
- Check into Yurt Beautiful
- Enjoy an evening at Yurt Beautiful
DAY 3
- Grab treats from Northern Dough Bakery
- Tee off at Heart River Golf Club
- Lunch at the Nampa Sunrise Cafe
- Depart the Mighty Peace Region
So fun!! Thinking back to the visit as I write this Travel Guide really makes me want to head back!
Below I share a bit more details about each place we played (golf), stayed, and the tasty bites along the way, broken down into those categories.
Golf Tour (and more!) of the Mighty Peace Region in Northern Alberta – Where to Play, Stay, and Tasty Bites Along the Way
Where to Golf in the Mighty Peace Region
This specific Mighty Peace Region trip was centered around golf! The region really does make for an ultimate golf getaway. We golfed at four different courses in just three days and that’s not even all of the golf courses you could visit in the region! While you plan your golf stops, there’s a lot to see and do in and around your golf activities.
Here are the four golf courses we visited during this trip:
- 5 Star Golf Course in Falher, Alberta: This is a well-maintained nine-hole course that runs along the Little Smoky River, with a friendly clubhouse and great food — we stayed for a meal after our round and it really hit the spot. The soup of the day was beef stroganoff which was super comforting, and we learned that the clubhouses in the Peace Region all serve cactus cut chips (one of my favourite types of chips!) which was a delight. There are also camp sites and beautiful lots located on site. Manager Tammy, who we met at the clubhouse, said during the season she lives right on site at one of the lots—a very beautiful and convenient experience!
- Other activities to do in and around Falher, Alberta: While in Falher, Alberta, check out the World’s Largest Bee! The stunning sculpture was created in 1990 by local welder Richard Ethier and “flies” 20 feet in the air in downtown Falher, also know as the Honey Capital of Canada. You also want to visit Valley Bee Cafe instead. There’s honey-focused food and coffee menu, plus a virtual bee tour, an observation window where you can watch them extract honey, and more educational opportunities to learn about bees!
- See even more activities to do in the Falher area
- Hines Creek Golf and Country Club in Hines Creek, Alberta: This is a nice, quiet, treed course that is also the second oldest course in Northern Alberta, operating since 1965! Hines Creek runs through the family-friendly course, which includes eleven holes and a clubhouse restaurant. Find public camping and private lots here. If you’re coming up with some of your big toys, you can also access the Sand Lake Trail System (for OHV Off Highway Vehicles).
- Other activities to do in and around Hines Creek, Alberta: No trip to Hines Creek is complete without a stop into the Hines Creek General Store, a family-owned business serving the region for more than 20 years (since 2004). We pop in to pick up delicious hand cut pepperoni, sausages and jerky that is processed right at the store by owner / butcher Dale Stark! Not far from Hines Creek Golf and Country Club is the Town of Fairview, where you might want to stop at The Old Bistro, or Heilan Beer House. Also not far from the Hines Creek Golf and Country Club is Historic Dunvegan Provincial Park and Dunvegan Market Gardens, a really beautiful part of the region I loved visiting last summer.
- There’s also a Fairview Golf Club & Campground nearby too!
- See even more activities to do in the Hines Creek, Alberta area
- See even more activities to do in the Fairview, Alberta area
- Mighty Peace Golf Club & Campground near Grimshaw and Peace River, Alberta: The Mighty Peace Golf & Campground is a beautiful, 18-hole championship golf course with various tee decks designed to challenge golfers of all experience levels. This is the biggest golf course we visited during our Mighty Peace Region golf getaway, with the biggest pro shop and biggest clubhouse restaurant that often hosts events and live performances (tribute concerts) too! It was also the only course we stopped at that included paved paths for your golf cart. Fancy! The Mighty Peace Golf Club & Campground also hosts a number of theme nights and tournaments throughout the year so planning a visit around some of those events might be extra fun.
- Other activities to do in and around Grimshaw and Peace River, Alberta: No visit to the Grimshaw area is complete without a stop into Northern Dough Bakery, what I have personally named the best bakery in northern Alberta (certainly in the Mighty Peace Region!) If you pop into the Town of Peace River, you’ve got plenty of great restaurants to choose from— What the Chuck Burgerhouse, Board ‘n’ Barrel, or Kita North to name just a few suggestions.
- See even more activities to do in the Grimshaw, Alberta area
- See even more activities to do in the Peace River, Alberta area
- Heart River Golf Course and Campground in Nampa, Alberta: Our final golf stop on this whirlwind golf tour of the Mighty Peace Region was at the very lovely Heart River Golf Course and Campground. This was the perfect spot to end our northern Alberta summer adventure. I really loved the special design and touches seen throughout this beautiful and challenging nine-hole course. There are a lot of water features and a lot of hills and bridges, which I loved, and the course runs along the Heart River! There are lots of pops of flowers, little hearts (a nod to the course name and the river), and the clubhouse also includes a stunning patio overlooking the lush course. Definitely one of the best patios and views in the area! The Heart River Golf Course and Campground opened in 1974 and includes a public campground and private RV park. This was my favourite of the courses we visited from a visual perspective, it is really, really pretty!
A few reasons we enjoyed golfing at Mighty Peace Region courses:
- The more relaxed atmosphere! There felt like less pressure to perform well or fast, especially with a toddler in tow. These family-friendly courses were much less crowded (especially during the weekdays when we visited), with enough distance and time between groups so it never felt that we were going too slow or needed to speed up to accommodate other folks. Not to say that the courses aren’t for golf pros or experts (there were definitely a lot of challenging holes!), but it is nice these courses work for golfers of all ages and ability levels and the folks we did run into during our rounds were extremely chill.
- Because you’re up in the northern Alberta Mighty Peace Region, the environment also felt much quieter, much more peaceful if you will lol, because the rural locations by default simply are! It truly feels like you’ve gotten away from the big city because you have.
- The rates at these courses are generally more affordable. While there are a lot of golf courses in the big cities, planning to pop into courses up north means you can expect to pay half the typical city course green fee.
- As mentioned, all of the golf courses we visited also included some kind of campground or accommodation-options right on site! That makes for a pretty convenient golfing getaway.
Where to Eat in the Mighty Peace Region
As mentioned with the courses and locations written about above, you’ve got some great options for food and drink in the Mighty Peace Region. So if golfing maybe isn’t the *main* reason you plan to come to the area, it doesn’t have to be to enjoy the area and what it has to offer! There’s really something for everyone for your northern Alberta trip.
On this particular visit, we made sure to incorporate locally-owned restaurants, cafes and bakeries before or after our tee times. Here’s a few of the eateries I recommend in the region, with some carry-over suggestions from my previous Mighty Peace Region trips as well.
Remember the Mighty Peace Region is comprised of more than a dozen towns, counties, villages, hamlets and municipal districts, set in and around the stunning Peace River Valley, so your itinerary will include drives between several areas (and across endless yellow canola fields, stretches of forest, rolling prairies, and beautiful river valleys!)
Where to Eat In Fairview, Alberta:
Heilan Beer House, located at 9212 113 St, Fairview, AB T0H 1L0, is a popular craft brewery in Fairview, named after the popular Heilan (highland) Cow (you know those cute ones with the long hair like bangs). Along with their locally-crafted brews, the Beer House is also well-known for their pizza (flatbread), cooked in a wood fired oven. Notice details like their light fixtures shaped like hops and their wheat art dividers. Weekly live music nights are also a big draw here. And they’ve got a good selection of Beertails (beer cocktails) and regular cocktails too if you want a bit more drink variety!
The Old Bistro, located at 10906 102 Ave, Fairview, AB T0H 1L0, is a beautiful cafe “where friends and coffee make the perfect blend.” The exterior landscaping at The Old Bistro is stunning. Grab your drinks and pastries and enjoy on the benches out front surrounded by hundreds of flowers, or in the enclosed outdoor patio to the side of the building. All delicious pastries and about 90% of syrups used for drinks at The Old Bistro are made in-house. I am a big fan of the white chocolate raspberry scone here!! During this visit I also ordered a Summer Special drink menu—a Mango Passionfruit Refresher with mango tea, raspberry syrup and lemonade. It was SO good.
Pizza Haven, 11025 102 Ave, Fairview, AB T0H 1L0, a quintessential small town Alberta restaurant experience operating for more than 40 years in the community. You can’t come to Pizza Haven without ordering their specialty—pizza! And here they’ve got more than 30 options to choose from (including a gluten-free pizza!) in three sizes: Medium 10″ Large 12″ or Extra Large 16″. All the pizzas here are made with mozzarella cheese and an in-house tasty tomato sauce on housemade crust. Honestly, a really great pizza! Super comforting. Generous topping portions. Nice crust. Great sauce!
- And although I haven’t tried it yet, I’m told pizza lovers will also enjoy Fairview Pizza & Donair!
Where to Eat In Hines Creek, Alberta:
The Hines Creek General Store, located at 10906 102 Ave, Fairview, AB T0H 1L0, is a family-owned business serving the region for more than 20 years (since 2004). The delicious hand cut pepperoni, sausages and jerky that is processed at this store was part of a 2010 expansion by owner / butcher Dale Stark! Today you can find Hines Creek General Store meat in 173 stores across Alberta (mainly in the region), and mostly at gas stations, but to make a specific stop into the original meat shop is special! When we stopped in during this trip, there were also kids in the neighbourhood running a little yard sale next to the store. I got a yellow skateboard for Benjimin I can’t wait to gift him when he’s just a little bit older.
Where to Eat In Grimshaw, Alberta:
Northern Dough Bakery, located at 4411 51 St, Grimshaw, AB T0H 0B8, is an absolute gem of a bakery located in the Town of Grimshaw in the Mighty Peace Region. As mentioned above, I have lovingly named Northern Dough as the Best Bakery in Northern Alberta and I absolutely advise planning your visit up to the region to coincide with their opening hours / special treat days. You NEED to stop at this small batch, artisan, all-butter bakery specializing in doughnuts, breads, cupcakes and other delicious, made fresh in-house confections. It is always one of my favourite stops during my Mighty Peace Tourism trips, this one was no exception. Loved our ham and cheese croissant, breakfast sandwich, and cinnamon bun among the many treats we tried. Special to this visit is that owner Allie’s mom had just finished making batches of Doukhobor Russian Borscht that the bakery had jarred up to sell! We took a jar home and so enjoyed eating it post-trip. The bakery has been so so busy, really becoming a destination for locals and visitors alike. Allie is hoping to get a machine for iced drinks soon too, which I eagerly welcome lol. I really loved seeing Allie greeting customers by name as they came through during our visit. Just reinforced the friendliness of the people in the Mighty Peace Region.
- And although I haven’t tried it yet, I’m told craft beer lovers will enjoy a visit to Krooked House!
Where to Eat In Nampa, Alberta:
Nampa Sunrise Cafe, located at 9902 102 Ave, Nampa, AB T0H 0E1, is seriously the cutest cafe in Nampa! Okay, well it’s also the only cafe in the north west Alberta village of Nampa lol, but even if there were more, this would be the cutest! The Village of Nampa is located about 20 minutes from the Town of Peace River in the Mighty Peace Region and is one of my favourite eateries in the whole region. The cheery cafe feels like home! It’s cozy and colourful, with pops of sunflower yellow and green accenting all the shiny wood throughout the space. Warmth radiates. This cafe serves all-day breakfast and some lunch items, and you’ll find a popular pastries and dessert window here. We tried three delicious slices of cake during our visit, their best selling Carrot Cake (which is so coveted they make two cakes a day to keep up with demand), along with Black Forest and my personal favourite Strawberry Angel Cake. All beautiful and so tasty! We also enjoyed our Sunrise breakfast sandwich, perogies and pancakes, and on a previous visit, I’ve enjoyed their vegetable skillet, eggs benny and fruit smoothies. Expect big, hearty portion sizes with quick and lovely service at the Nampa Sunrise Cafe. It was a pleasure meeting owner Sandy during our stop in too! Like some of the other Mighty Peace eateries, here you’ll also notice owners greeting everyone who comes in personally by name. True small town/village charm here!
Where to Eat in Peace River, Alberta:
So this trip actually didn’t see us eat in the Town of Peace River proper, but I couldn’t share a Mighty Peace Region Travel Guide without mentioning restaurants in the town specifically. These are just a few I’ve dined at during previous trips to the Mighty Peace Region:
- Board ‘n’ Barrel, located at 9610 94 St, Peace River, AB T8S 1J1, is the nicest restaurant in Peace River, located along the picturesque Peace River! This big restaurant with ample indoor and outdoor patio seating offers a modern twist on traditional food and is well-known for their charcuterie boards! They also make about 90% of everything you find on the menu in-house.
- J’s Java Domain, located at 10107 100 St, Peace River, AB T8S 1T2, is a great spot for really fresh, made-to-order sandwiches, salads and drinks and homemade desserts in the Town of Peace River, a cafe staple in the community since 1997.
- Kita North, located at 9809 100 St, Peace River, AB T8S 1S2 on the Main Street of Peace River, the region’s only Japanese restaurant (it actually offers Japanese, Chinese and Western cuisine, but we focused on the varied and delicious Japanese menu when we went). Kita North also offers more “street food” options (fun to see them experimenting with that in northern Alberta!) along with Japanese Bento Boxes, lunch specials and sushi combos, buffets on special days, and of course the aforementioned Chinese/Western cuisine depending on our craving.
- Peace River Brewing, located at 10028 101 St, Peace River, AB T8S 2A5, an amazing craft brewery open to all ages, with a great accompanying food menu, that regularly hosts events including live music and other community events.
- What the Chuck Burgerhouse, located at 9822 95 Ave, Peace River, AB T8S 1H7, your area go-to for a high quality, sizeable, made-to-order, handcrafted, 100% Canadian beef burger. Don’t forget the housemade milkshakes and a variety of fries to try!
Where to Stay in the Mighty Peace Region
During this Summer 2025 visit we had the pleasure of trying two special accommodations in the Mighty Peace Region: Peace River Cabins & Outdoors, as well as Yurt Beautiful, both located near Grimshaw, Alberta. We absolutely loved our stay at both and for different reasons outlined below!
Peace River Cabins & Outdoors
Peace River Cabins & Outdoors is located on the banks of the Peace River, in the Mighty Peace Region near Grimshaw, Alberta.
The riverbank cabins on this beautiful property are so lovely! Paddle, hike, boat, fish or just chill, is how owners Anne and Henry describe your stay at Peace River Cabins & Outdoors.
Here you’re literally steps away from the river and hiking trails. Our very sturdily built cabin looks right out onto the river. There’s also a fire pit out on the lawn, and a front deck where you can sit to enjoy the scenic river view. They also have some RV parking spots available on site too.
Your stay includes access to the river (more about river rentals with Peace River Adventures below—or plan to bring your own water equipment to recreate on the river!) as well as hiking trails along the riverbank.
During our stay, the many Saskatoon berries on the property were ripe for picking! We casually picked and ate Saskatoon berries on our walks in the area (so lovely!) and Henry even surprised us with Saskatoon berries and ice cream during our stay too!
You’re meant to bring groceries for your stay at these cabins as they have full kitchens and BBQs, but you can actually book a kitchen stocking for your first night plus breakfast for ease as well. We didn’t with all of the other activities we had planned, so they were very sweet to offer us some food on our first evening in.
Peace River Cabins & Outdoors is set in a really wonderful location to unplug and enjoy nature, but the cabins do have Wi-Fi if you don’t want to fully disconnect like me lol.
We stayed in the full service Jackson cabin, which is named after Peace River Cabins & Outdoors co-owner Henry’s grandmother Dr. Mary Evangeline (Percy) Jackson, a pioneering doctor in the Mighty Peace Region, and one of the first provincial physicians, who despite extremes in temperature and isolation up in the north, successfully travelled on horseback and virtually unmarked trails, fording rivers and streams to help patients. It was really cool to learn more about Dr. Jackson, which you can read more about in this article or in this article!
At Peace River Cabins & Outdoors, you can also arrange to see the Mighty Peace Region from the sky! Co-owner Henry is also a long-time, experienced pilot and pilot instructor, and offers Familiarization Trips as an optional add-on to your stay. I write more about exploring Peace River by sky and river later on in this Travel Guide.
Don’t forget to take home a piece of the Mighty Peace Region via locally-made artwork from co-owner Anne! The Art Shop in the main building of this accommodation features a beautiful collection of Anne’s original acrylic paintings, giclée prints, and art cards—paintings available both framed and unframed, capturing the natural wonder, serenity, and spirit of the region.
What we really loved about Peace River Cabins & Outdoors:
- The scenic river view and quick + easy access to river adventures
- The Saskatoon berries you’re allowed to pick and enjoy right on the property
- The optional aeroplane add-on you could do to see Peace River from the sky
Learn more and come up with your own itinerary for the Mighty Peace Region!
Yurt Beautiful (Grimshaw, Alberta)
Yurt Beautiful is located in the County of Northern Lights within the Mighty Peace Region, near the Town of Grimshaw, Alberta.
This charming and unique bed and breakfast is lovingly operated by husband and wife duo Brian and Sharon and is a top spot for glamping in the north country. You are surrounded by trees at this stay.
The spacious 20 foot diameter round yurt was hand-crafted by a Mongolian family on the principle of fair trade through Canadian yurt supplier Groovy Yurts. Lights are solar powered inside and out on the platform the yurt is set on, surrounded by trees. The cute and clean bathroom and outdoor shower is just steps away. The yurt is insulated with sheep wool, and camel hide is cut and used to attach the pieces of the yurt’s lattice together. Horse hair is used for the ropes that hold the shape of the yurt. It’s extremely authentic, very cute, and unlike accommodations you’ve likely stayed before.
Yurt Beautiful offers delicious, home-cooked and beautifully presented meals. There’s a fire pit inside a repurposed grain silo, meditation rock garden, fairy house, and fluffy visitors like the very sweet Misha the cat and friendly dogs Benelli and Miley, who help keep wildlife away. It’s also really nice
This glamping site is also very close to Lac Cardinal Point Uplands Conservation Area, Grimshaw, and the Town of Peace River, as well access to many more activities to do in the Mighty Peace Region as outlined in this Travel Guide.
We found Brian and Sharon to be just the loveliest humans! You can tell that Yurt Beautiful is their labour of love and that love is felt through every nook and cranny of the yurt and the beautifully constructed deck it sits on, as well as in the food and drink the family prepares for your stay. This is easily one of the cutest places I’ve ever stayed and while my Peace River area adventures are generally jampacked, I could see myself enjoying just the best, slow, quiet, peaceful, relaxing time at this “sanctuary in the round” as they describe it.
Be sure to check availability and book your Yurt Beautiful experience! I know you’ll really love it.
The season runs May through the end of September.
What we really loved about Yurt Beautiful:
- The unique round yurt itself—and its beautiful, handmade decor.
- Showering with the open sky above
- The lovingly prepared, delicious meals
- The furry animal friends on site
Learn more and come up with your own itinerary for the Mighty Peace Region!
Air Adventures in the Mighty Peace Region
This visit was my first time experiencing Peace River by AIR—from 1,000 ft. above ground to be exact, and you can too!
Although not on the official itinerary, I eagerly said yes! when offered the opportunity to see the beautiful Mighty Peace Region from an ultralight aeroplane, with Aerosport Ltd. pilot and instructor Henry Vos, who also co-owns with wife Anne, the very beautiful Peace River Cabins and Outdoors, where we stayed as mentioned above.
Henry’s flight training school has brought students from around the world into the Peace River, Alberta area. Students conveniently stay at the cabins on the same property where they flight train.
Guests to Peace River Cabins and Outdoors have the option to book a short Familiarization Trip while at the property as well (or heck, book the whole flight training program! 😉)
It was my first time in an ultralight plane, and my first time seeing the north country from this breathtaking vantage point, on this unforgettable familiarization flight.
Henry is a super knowledgeable and friendly instructor. His passion for flight started as a child with his dad often flying back and forth. At one point Henry wanted to become a commercial pilot but for a period of time, pilots needed 20/20 vision / weren’t allowed to wear glasses, which precluded Henry from that life path (I was a bit devastated when I heard this story) but of course, life works the way it works and Henry and Anne ended up with a successful farming business for more than 30 years, a beautiful family, and now they’re living out a dream of operating scenic accommodations along the river in the area they grew up in.
Our familiarization flight was super smooth and I even got a chance to make the plane veer to the left, right, and up—but not down, your tummy feels going down instantly so I opted not to try for down and let Henry demonstrate that instead. We were able to see the confluence of where the Peace and Smoky Rivers merge, all of the forests and valleys, and of course the Town of Peace River from above (someone commented when I posted an aerial photo and said they could see their house, ha!)
This was an extremely special experience. My son Benjimin watched me take off in the plane and ever since this trip, when he sees a plane he says “mommy flying” lol. It’s very cute. I’m grateful for the opportunity and definitely encourage you to reach out to Henry via Aerosport or Peace River Cabins and Outdoors if you’d like to well, A) learn how to fly an ultralight plane or B) check out the plane and add a familiarization flight experience to your stay at Peace River Cabins & Outdoors!
Water Adventures in the Mighty Peace Region
Since our cabin at Peace River Cabins & Outdoors was literally steps from the river itself, it made a lot of sense to add some kind of water adventure to the itinerary.
I had previously done some amazing scenic jet boat tours with local business Peace River Adventures, but they also offer other river adventure rental equipment and activities that might be a great fit for your Peace River trip including canoe and kayak, paddle board or whitewater raft rentals, lifejackets, dry bags, as well as shuttle service, guided paddle tours, or snacks and meals for your water adventure! They even offer camping equipment rentals if that’s the northern Alberta experience you’re looking for!
We opted for a canoe rental (with lifejackets and shuttle service), and the entire rental process as well as paddling on the river was super smooth. Co-owner Felix brought the canoe right down to the boat launch area at Peace River Cabins & Outdoors (steps from our cabin), we put our lifejackets on, hopped in, and paddled with the natural flow of the river. Because we were on a shortened itinerary/tighter timeline, we only paddled for about 30 minutes or so up to the Shaftesbury Ferry launch area (more on that below) before getting out, where Felix met us and shuttled us back to the cabins.
The weather during our scenic paddle was perfect. Personally canoes always make me feel a bit wobbly and unstable, lol but Mike had been on many canoes before so I felt quite confident with him. I have canoed with just a friend before and I would say if you’ve never canoed before, floating down the river with a paddleboard rental might be an easier/smoother experience. Because we have had experience on various water equipment and on different lakes and rivers before we didn’t need much onboarding, but if this is a newer experience for you that you would like to try, absolutely chat with co-owner Alana and Felix in advance to feel out what might work best for you, your experience level, your group or how long you want to spend on the water.
Mighty Peace Tourism has actually put together (alongside various partners in the region) a really comprehensive River Boat Guide to the area (you can even get a printed guide with map!)
Using the guide is is a really unique way to explore the serene beauty and hidden gems nestled along the meandering path of the Peace River in northern Alberta, including lots of points of interest and details to help you create an itinerary that fits what you’re looking for, whether that’s a lot of nature, history, or simply seeking a peaceful escape. We didn’t spend that long on the Peace River but you could certainly plan a full day (or several days) of adventure on the water whether with your own equipment or if you need rentals or guides, I love how easy Peace River Adventures is helping make river recreation in the region. Also, always remember to be safe and wear your life jacket!
Cross Peace River on the Shaftesbury Ferry
Paddling down the Peace River isn’t your only unique way to experience water in the region, you should also plan to take the Shaftesbury Ferry.
It’s FREE to ride this steel barge, tug-driven, working ferry, which has been government-operated since 1977, but first built in 1962—an integral part of the transportation system in the region (considered an extension of Alberta highway 740 between Highway 49 and the town of Peace River), as well as a fun tourist experience!
You can ride your car, truck, even motorhome right up onto the ferry to be tugged 325 metres across the river. It’s a short ride, just a few minutes. It’s the fastest way to get to the other side of the Peace River, which also means farm equipment, semi-trailers, and other working vehicles often catch a ride on the Shaftesbury Ferry.
The load capacity is 38,000 kg. We were told about 7 or 8 vehicles can fit. During our ride there were three other vehicles including someone with a trailer on the ferry.
The ferry operates during daylight hours (7 a.m. to 11 p.m.) once the river is free of ice. You can watch the Facebook Group to see if river or weather conditions have temporarily closed access. In the winter this area turns into what’s known as an ‘ice bridge’ where you can drive across.
The Shaftesbury Ferry is one of only seven free-floating ferries in Alberta. Pretty cool!
If you choose not to cross the river by ferry, but are still trying to get up to that north west side of the Mighty Peace Region, you can drive the Shaftesbury Trail, considered one of the most scenic and interesting drives in the north, with historical sights and other points of interest.
* MIGHTY PEACE REGION GOLF GIVEAWAY! *
Thanks for reading through my Mighty Peace Region Travel Guide!
I’m excited to give away an 18 hole round of golf for 2 people with a golf cart AND lunch at the Mighty Peace Golf Club! More great incentive to visit (and get in some rounds of golf!)
(Alcohol not included)
To enter for a chance to win this Mighty Peace Golf Club Prize Pack:
- Mandatory entry: Leave a comment below on this blog post telling me (in addition to Mighty Peace Region Golf Club featured on this blog), which food, adventure or accommodation Mighty Peace Region experience I mentioned, would you most like to try? Note: This is a mandatory entry. You must leave a blog post comment to qualify for the prize!
- Bonus entries: You can also get additional entries on social media!
- Bonus entry on Instagram (check my Instagram for details)
- Bonus entry on Facebook (check my Facebook for details)
- Note: I will double check that the mandatory blog comment entry has been completed before selecting the winner!
Blog comments are moderated, so if you don’t see your comment appear right away—that’s okay! I will select a winner from all entries received by August 18, 2025. The winner will be contacted via the email included with your blog post comment/entry.
Please be wary of potential scammers. I will never ask for your credit card information or ask you to fill out any forms with personal information!
I will email connect you with Mighty Peace Tourism to coordinate your prize!
So that’s your fairly comprehensive Travel Guide to exploring the Mighty Peace Region in northern Alberta! Whether you want to go full golf getaway, or a bit of golf in between other adventures and local dining, there’ s definitely lots to work with as you plan your itinerary.
As mentioned, I’ve also written a few other travel guides about the area. Feel free to mix and match ideas from all my guides to create a trip that suits your style, whether you’re looking for outdoor adventure, local eats, hidden gems, a golf getaway, just a relaxing stay in the north, or winter fun!
You can also check out Mighty Peace Tourism’s website for even more suggestions for things to do in the area, I feel like they’ve done a fantastic job making it super easy (and attractive!) to explore.
- Golf, Accommodations and Food Deals from the Mighty Peace Tourism webpage
- All activities to explore in the Mighty Peace Region
- My Blog Post: Winter in the Mighty Peace Region, Northern Alberta – Travel Guide (Things to Do + Where to Eat) (2025)
- My Blog Post: Explore Northwest Alberta – Where to Eat, Stay, and Things to Do in the Mighty Peace Region (2024)
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3 Comments
Wow! You managed to capture all the amazing things in the Peace Region! So much to do, explore and eat!!!
So much to see and do! The Mighty Peace Region is a beautiful part of the province. A must-see. I’ve never explored Fairview before. Would love to visit The Old Bistro. Looks so yummmmmy!
Thanks for bringing such positive awareness to the area! We would love to explore more in Fairview and Hines Creek, or take in one of the airplane adventures!