Camrose, Alberta
When was the last time you saw a bright sunny day and blew off the afternoon to go take it all in? We did just that last Friday when temperatures reached 27C/81F and the skies were clear. But what could we do that was new?
It was a beautiful day for a drive and we had repeatedly heard that Camrose was a pretty town and very much worth the one hour drive from our home in Sherwood Park. If we left quickly, we could get there in time for a late lunch.
The problem is that there are so many great and interesting places to choose for lunch! We dropped what we were doing, got into the car, and in less than an hour we were pulling up in front of the Borough Market Bistro, a fantastic recommendation from a trusted friend. This place is great. It is a large old home that has been renovated into a restaurant with three patio areas, a shady one in front, a side patio, and a lovely larger area out back with ample comfy seating and umbrellas if the sun is not your thing.
The owners are chefs (one with an Olympic Silver Medal from the Culinary World Cup) that were previously travelling the world cooking for the famous and formidable. One visit was enough to simply state that the food is fantastic, reasonably priced, generously portioned, and pretty to look at. (Veldene’s note: the Beet Root Salad was “to DIE for”)
The best time to take a walk of course is right after eating. In fact, studies show the benefits of walking after eating include smoother digestion, steadier blood sugar, increased circulation, and a lighter mood!
Luckily this beautiful town has a very attractive Historical District filled with cafes and shops of a wide variety. We walked it all. continuously marvelling at the underappreciated gem just off Highway 21. It is so nice that these old buildings have been maintained as they give all of Camrose a beautiful landmark identity.
We visited clothing stores with interesting finds, a large shoe store with a ton of quality footwear, and peeked in on coffee shops and bakeries with luring aromas. Too bad we were still stuffed from lunch, those baked goods at the Strada Coffee Co smelled heavenly!
We lost track of time so only allowed ourselves a few minutes to check out the park at Mirror Lake before we had to head back home. Highway 21 gets pretty full and we wanted to beat the rush hour, not sure if we accomplished that!
By the end of the afternoon, we had only experienced a small fraction of what Camrose has to offer but we left with a new pair of casual shoes (Warren) and in full agreement with those who had ventured before us to this pretty, prairie resort town. We didn't get to golf or experience more of the dozens of restaurants that would have made for an outstanding dinner. After returning we were also informed that there are 6 breweries and distilleries that would have been very interesting! We may have to revisit this gem of a town!
Let us know in the comments, what quaint town or city should we try next?
Want to see more? Watch our little video on our Camrose getaway! (Sound on!)
