The Peace Country Blog
Local guides, travel tips, event previews and northern know-how from the team at Holiday Inn Express Grande Prairie.
Rates and reservations are completed securely on IHG.com. Eligible stays may earn IHG One Rewards points.
Winter Driving Tips for Highway 43 to Grande Prairie
Practical winter driving tips for Highway 43 between Edmonton & Grande Prairie: checkpoints, fuel stops, road reports & when to just stay the night.
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A Perfect Weekend in Grande Prairie: 48-Hour Guide
Plan 48 hours in Grande Prairie: dinosaurs at the Currie Museum, Eastlink Centre, Muskoseepi trails, great food & northern lights — all near our hotel.
Read post →Visiting the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum: Full Guide
Everything to know before visiting the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum near Grande Prairie: the Pipestone Creek bonebed, what to see & where to stay.
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A Family Day at the Eastlink Centre
How to plan a family day at Grande Prairie's Eastlink Centre — pools, FlowRider, climbing wall & more — an easy drive from our Grande Prairie hotel.
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Muskoseepi Park Through the Four Seasons
Muskoseepi Park is Grande Prairie's Bear Creek jewel: summer trails, fall colours, winter skating & spring birding — 1 km from our hotel.
Read post →Why Grande Prairie Is Called Swan City
The story behind Grande Prairie's Swan City nickname: trumpeter swans, Saskatoon Island Provincial Park & the best spots to see them near our hotel.
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Northern Lights in Grande Prairie: An Aurora Guide
How to see the northern lights near Grande Prairie: best months, dark-sky spots minutes from the city & aurora forecast tools. Warm up at our hotel.
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Hockey Tournament Weekend in Grande Prairie: Team Guide
A team manager's guide to hockey tournament weekends in Grande Prairie: rinks, room blocks, meals & the post-game pool routine at our hotel.
Read post →Travelling With Pets to Grande Prairie: What to Know
Pet travel guide for Grande Prairie: our hotel's pet-friendly rooms ($25/night, 2 pets), Muskoseepi walks, off-leash parks & winter paw care tips.
Read post →The Oilfield Crew Hotel Checklist: What Actually Matters
What oil & gas crews should look for in a Grande Prairie hotel: early breakfast, truck parking, recovery amenities & billing that doesn't waste time.
Read post →A Forestry Worker's Guide to Basing in Grande Prairie
Why forestry crews & contractors base in Grande Prairie: highway access to mills & blocks, early breakfast, gear-friendly parking & real recovery.
Read post →Business Travel to Grande Prairie: A Practical Playbook
A practical guide to business trips in Grande Prairie: flights to YQU, where to stay, meeting-day logistics & making the most of a northern schedule.
Read post →Golfing Grande Prairie: Courses Worth the Drive North
Grande Prairie golf guide: The Dunes, Bear Creek & the Grande Prairie Golf & Country Club — long summer daylight makes 36 holes easy. Stay nearby.
Read post →What's On at Evergreen Park: A Visitor's Primer
Evergreen Park hosts Grande Prairie's biggest events — rodeo, trade shows, ag fairs & concerts. Here's how to plan your visit & where to stay.
Read post →Grande Prairie Stompede: First-Timer's Guide
First time at the Grande Prairie Stompede? What to expect from the rodeo & chuckwagons, what to bring & why to book your hotel room early.
Read post →Day Trip: Historic Dunvegan and the Mighty Peace
Drive from Grande Prairie to Historic Dunvegan: suspension bridge views, fur-trade history & Peace River valley scenery — an easy northern day trip.
Read post →Saskatoon Island Provincial Park: Swans & Saskatoons
Saskatoon Island Provincial Park near Grande Prairie: trumpeter swan viewing, berry picking, beach days & camping — 20 minutes from our hotel.
Read post →Kleskun Hill: Grande Prairie's Mini Badlands
Explore Kleskun Hill Natural Area near Grande Prairie — badlands formations, rare prairie ecosystems & pioneer history, 30 minutes from our hotel.
Read post →Edmonton to Grande Prairie: Best Stops on Highway 43
The best Highway 43 road-trip stops between Edmonton & Grande Prairie: Whitecourt, Fox Creek, Valleyview & tips for the 4.5-hour northern drive.
Read post →Day Trip to Mile Zero: Dawson Creek From Grande Prairie
Drive 90 minutes from Grande Prairie to Dawson Creek, BC — Mile Zero of the Alaska Highway. History, photo stops & road-trip tips from our hotel.
Read post →Packing for a Northern Alberta Winter Trip
What to pack for winter in Grande Prairie: layering that works at −30°C, vehicle emergency kits & what travellers from milder climates always forget.
Read post →Why a 5:30 AM Hot Breakfast Changes Your Whole Trip
Our free Express Start breakfast runs 5:30–9:30 AM daily — here's why an early hot breakfast is the most underrated hotel amenity in Grande Prairie.
Read post →The Hotel Waterslide: Small Feature, Big Trip Memory
Why our indoor pool with waterslide is the most-loved feature at Holiday Inn Express Grande Prairie — and how families & teams build stays around it.
Read post →Keeping Fit on the Road: A Northern Traveller's Routine
How to keep training while travelling for work in Grande Prairie: 24-hour hotel gym routines, recovery in the hot tub & trail runs on Bear Creek.
Read post →Extended Stays: How to Live Well in a Hotel for a Month
Practical tips for month-long hotel stays in Grande Prairie: routines, food strategy with in-room fridges, laundry, fitness & feeling at home.
Read post →The Grande Prairie Farmers' Market: A Saturday Ritual
Visit the Grande Prairie farmers' market for Peace Country produce, baking & crafts — a beloved Saturday ritual minutes from our hotel.
Read post →Winter Fun at Nitehawk Year-Round Adventure Park
Nitehawk Adventure Park near Grande Prairie: ski & snowboard runs, tubing & lessons in the Wapiti valley, 20 minutes from our hotel.
Read post →Cross-Country Skiing the Wapiti Nordic Trails
Wapiti Nordic Centre near Grande Prairie offers groomed classic & skate ski trails in the river valley — a winter must-do near our hotel.
Read post →Summer in Grande Prairie: Festivals, Markets & Long Days
How to spend summer in Grande Prairie: Stompede, street festivals, markets, lake days & 18-hour daylight — with our hotel as your base.
Read post →Why Grande Prairie Keeps Growing: A City on the Move
What's behind Grande Prairie's growth: Montney energy, forestry, agriculture, young demographics & big-city amenities in Alberta's northwest hub.
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