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Overview

Westlock, nestled on the Alberta plain, is a town with fertile black soil, long and cool summers and extremely cold winters. White settlers arrived in the area only in 1902. The town was founded in 1912 and incorporated on 1916 with a population of less than a hundred people. Up to now, Westland's outskirts are mainly agricultural areas. It is the center of trade in grain and the place where rural families conduct their business, educate their children, and access government services. As of 2008, Westlock had almost 5,000 residents.

Tourist Attractions

The Canadian Tractor Museum and Pioneer Museum in Westlock pay homage to the history, livelihood and lifestyle of the town’s residents. The Pioneer Museum has a vast collection of sound machines, Aladdin lamps and guns. It is also the home of the Mildred Hay Doll collection, a new exhibit added only in 2010. The unique Canadian Tractor Museum, on the other hand, houses an enormous exhibit of vintage tractors, plus the biggest weather vane in the world.

Things to Do

You will enjoy playing at the Westlock Golf course, which means mastering the challenges and enjoying the beautiful views created by the Wabash Creek that meanders through the full 18 holes. You can also go camping at the 21 sites located in Mountie Park Campground where you can also play baseball, go horseback riding and stage rodeo events. You can take swimming lessons and play tennis and baseball at the Westlock Recreation Center and Jubilee Area. If you want a bit of night life, you can go to the pub, Aces Games Room and Lounge, and try out their VLT machines, bar food and a good selection of drinks. For a really thrilling experience you can take skydiving classes any time of the year at the Edmonton Skydive and Training Center located at the Westlock Airport. For nature lovers, head to the Long Island Lake where you can camp with your family and try to catch a few of the northern pike and yellow perch that teem in the water.

Accommodation Tips

The two top hotels in Westlock are: the Ramada Westlock and the Best Western Westlock. The Ramada Westlock is a 2.5-star business-friendly property. It features a fitness center, indoor pool and spa tub, and guestrooms that have free Wi-Fi, and homelike amenities like refrigerators, coffee/tea maker and microwaves. It also provides complimentary breakfast and business amenities to guests. Best Western Westlock, on the other hand, features a fitness center, whirlpool, business facilities, and guestrooms including suites with hot tubs. The hotel also has an onsite restaurant that serves ribs and steaks, and it also offers free breakfast for overnight guests.

Best Dining Spots

Apollo Pizza offers fresh and delicious pizzas and pasta with free refills of soda and iced tea. Portions (even those for children) are large and service is fairly quick and kid-friendly. It is a busy restaurant but manages to exude a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Boston Pizza, another pizza parlor, also offers excellent pizza Boston-style as well as good service. For quiet and sumptuous snacks or meals, J D's Roadhouse Cafe, Westlock Hotel Cafe and Alberta Cafe offer good ole comfort foods for the entire family. There are also national fast food chains scattered all over town where you can order meals to-go such as KFC.