Alberta, Canada

Capital City: Edmonton
Closest Airport: Calgary International
Population: 3,455,062
Resort Area: Banff - Jasper National Park
Snow Season: November - April
Main Language: English
Currency: Canadian Dollar

Alberta and BC might only be on opposite sides of the Rockies, but the two provinces are worlds apart. Take a wrong turn out of Calgary airport you're likely to think you've ended up on the set of a John Wayne movie. Except the cowboys here are real. Alberta is Texas ... without Americans.

Of course, head due west with a snowboard on your roof and no-one will bat an eyelid. Banff and Jasper may not be Whistler, but with their dramatic scenery of cobalt-blue lakes and frozen waterfalls, they're far more beautiful. And they still get plenty of great snow. The resorts are a little less developed than in BC, but that just makes skiing or snowboarding in Alberta a little easier on your wallet.