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Major city · Canada

Cold Lake

Give Cold Lake one full day plus a beach afternoon: the lake and marina carry the trip, the museums fill a rainy morning. Two nights is enough.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jul–Aug for the beach and marina; late May–early Sep for the museums and park
avoid Nov–Mar (deep cold, snow); May–Jun if you need a hotel room during Exercise Maple Flag
Airport
YEG
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

Cold Lake is a small Alberta city on a large lake, 3 h 30 min northeast of Edmonton by car on Highway 28. It grew around Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, and the base still shapes the town: an air force museum, an airshow, and a summer training exercise that can make regional hotel rooms scarce. The lake itself, a marina, a sandy town beach and a provincial park are the reasons to come.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Cold Lake, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee and a baked goodC$6–12 (≈ US$5–9)
  • Street or quick mealBurger or sandwich mainC$13–24 (≈ US$10–18)
  • BeerDraught beer in a barC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum admissionBy donation (check)
  • Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per roomC$150 (≈ US$110)
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per roomC$150 (≈ US$110)
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per roomC$240 (≈ US$180)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$100 (≈ US$75) · Mid C$180 (≈ US$140) · High C$300 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Kinosoo BeachCold Lake MarinaCold Lake Air Force MuseumCFB Cold Lake and the airshowCold Lake Provincial Park
Airports
YEG Edmonton International (About 3 h 30 min by car to Cold Lake on Highway 28; no scheduled flights to Cold Lake itself)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Cold Lake: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−10°C

−20°C

17 rd

Feb

−6°C

−17°C

13 rd

Mar

1°C

−11°C

18 rd

Apr

9°C

−2°C

34 rd

May

17°C

4°C

40 rd

Jun

21°C

9°C

86 rd

Jul

24°C

12°C

79 rd

Aug

23°C

10°C

52 rd

Sep

17°C

5°C

39 rd

Oct

8°C

−1°C

24 rd

Nov

−2°C

−10°C

19 rd

Dec

−9°C

−17°C

16 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car. The city is a merger of three former towns spread along the lake, and the sights are not walkable between districts. Cold Lake Transit runs two bus routes with no service on Sundays or holidays. Walking works only within one district.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Bonnyville

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive west on Highway 28, about 45 min

Closest larger town for supplies and a change of scene.

Elk Point

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive west on Highway 28 and 646, about 1 h

Small heritage town; pair it with Bonnyville rather than a dedicated run.

St. Paul

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Drive west on Highway 28, about 1 h 15 min

Cathedral and Ukrainian heritage sites; a half-day.

Lac La Biche

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 45 min

Drive west on Highway 55, about 1 h 45 min

Lakeside town; long for a return trip, better as a stop en route.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Cold Lake North (Lakeshore Drive and marina)

Walk to the marina, boardwalk and Kinosoo Beach; the pick for a short summer stay.

Cold Lake South / Grand Centre

The old main street, mall, most restaurants and the highway; cheaper and more practical off-season.

Cold Lake Provincial Park

Camping from about Victoria Day to Labour Day; book weekends ahead.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$90–140 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
C$150–230 (≈ US$110–170) excl. bed
High
C$250 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 2 nights × C$150C$300
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × C$180C$720
Cold Shot bus, Edmonton to Cold Lake, one way2 × C$90 · checkC$180
Cold Lake Transit day of rides2 × C$5 · checkC$10
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$25C$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$126
Trip total≈ C$347 per person per day, bed includedC$1,386≈ US$1,100

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee and a baked goodC$6–12 (≈ US$5–9)
Burger or sandwich mainC$13–24 (≈ US$10–18)
Draught beer in a barC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7)
Museum admissionBy donation (check)
Provincial park camping, per nightC$25–40 (≈ US$19–30) (check)
Boat rental or fishing charter at the marinaC$100 (≈ US$75)+ (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Cold Lake is a small, quiet city and street crime is low. The real risks are the drive (long, dark, wildlife on Highway 28), winter cold and ice, and open water on a lake that stays cold even in August.
  • Exercise Maple Flag runs about 4–6 weeks from May: regional accommodation can be scarce, so check availability and book far ahead or shift your dates.
  • Winter is serious: January highs near −10 °C and lows near −20 °C, with heavy snow. Rent a car with winter tyres if you drive then.
  • The marina and Clark's General Store operate seasonally, roughly May to September; check before you build a day around them.
  • Distances are long and cell coverage thins outside town: fill the tank in Bonnyville or Cold Lake before heading to the park.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Health advice (Health Link Alberta, 24 h)
811

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

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Cold LakeCold Lake

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Health Link Alberta (24 h)811

Embassy

No embassy or consulate in Cold Lake. The US consulate general is in Calgary; most other countries have embassies in Ottawa and consulates in Calgary or Edmonton.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Cold Shot bus, Edmonton → Cold Lake: about 5 h, fare check
  • Taxi across town: C$15–25 (≈ US$11–19) (check)
  • Car, Edmonton → Cold Lake on Highway 28: about 3 h 30 min, roughly 300 km

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Excuse me — Excuse me
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?
  • Is the marina open? — Is the marina open?

English is the working language here; French is official in Canada but rarely needed in this part of Alberta.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Cold Lake. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jul–Aug for the beach and marina; late May–early Sep for the museums and park · avoid Nov–Mar (deep cold, snow); May–Jun if you need a hotel room during Exercise Maple Flag · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for YEG: last Cold Shot departure from Edmonton field-checked, car-rental fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: marina and Kinosoo Beach, Grand Centre main street, the museums and Tri-City Mall, the provincial park.
  3. Place pages with verified seasonal cutoffs (marina, Clark's General Store, museum, provincial park camping) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Maple Flag and winter-storm fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources