Edmonton, Alberta's capital, is located in the province's middle, along both sides of the North Saskatchewan River. Various economic factors have influenced the city, including the early fur trade, the cross-Canada railway, the 1897/1898 Klondike Gold Rush, the Alaska Highway, and oil and gas production. Edmonton has invested in art and culture by constructing great theatres and museums as a result of its economic success.
The West Edmonton Mall, one of the world's biggest leisure and retail complexes, is the city's most famous claim to fame. Shoppers are attracted to stay even during the long, harsh winters when temperatures average -15 degrees Celsius. Read our list of the top tourist attractions in Edmonton to discover more about the finest things to do in this fascinating city.
Due to recent worldwide health and safety concerns, certain companies may be temporarily shuttered.
1. The Royal Alberta Museum
In 2018, the Royal Alberta Museum relocated to its current site, making it Western Canada's biggest museum. A visit to this ultra-modern institution, which has a fascinating combination of permanent cultural and natural history exhibitions as well as constantly changing temporary pieces, is definitely time well spent.
The many dinosaur and ice period fossils, as well as huge aquaria of local fish and living insects, including some unusual and gigantic species, are particularly remarkable.
A large main gallery with visiting exhibitions from throughout Canada and across the globe, a massive new kids' gallery, and a larger bug room with real invertebrates and a visible nursery are among the new features. With relics from the Blackfoot, Cree, and other First Nations, the museum's cultural history departments study aboriginal cultures. On-site amenities include a well-stocked gift store and a café.
Edmonton, Alberta, 9810 103a Avenue NW
2. Beaver Hills & Elk Island National Park
This national park is just 30 minutes from Edmonton and includes a forested region with lakes and marshes. It is home to moose, elk, deer, and beaver, among other animals. Elk Island National Park's primary attraction, however, is a huge herd of buffalo (bison) that graze in a dedicated enclosure.
Anyone driving slowly through the park will undoubtedly come upon one of these huge shaggy animals. Hiking and bicycling, kayaking and canoeing, as well as camping, are all popular summer activities while snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular winter activities.
The Beaver Hills region, which contains a dark sky preserve, a bird sanctuary, and a wilderness center, has been classified as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Originally the Sarcee Indians' home, the Cree were the ones who hunted beaver and buffalo for their pelts, which were subsequently sold with the big fur-trading corporations.
The buffalo were almost extinct due to hunting and colonization, but some Beaver Hills buffalo are believed to have been caught in 1909 and put in their own reserve. These are the ancestors of the creatures found in Elk Island National Park today.
54401 Range Road 203, Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada
3. West Edmonton Mall
The West Edmonton Mall in Canada is not only the country's biggest retail mall—and one of the world's largest—but it's also a popular tourist destination. The complex includes a hotel, movie theatres, an ice rink, an aquarium, and much more, in addition to hundreds of shops and restaurants.
Themed parts of the mall, intended to resemble the atmosphere of famous tourist locations throughout the globe, add to the attraction. Many of the stores on Europa Boulevard, for example, have European-style fronts and display the names of renowned fashion brands, while Bourbon Street, a replica of New Orleans' famed Bourbon Street, is a hotspot for Creole cuisine and live music.
Galaxyland, located in the mall, is one of the world's biggest covered indoor amusement parks, with a range of family-friendly attractions, including a triple-loop roller coaster. The newly rebuilt World Waterpark, North America's biggest such facility, is very entertaining. The world's largest indoor wave pool and two 83-foot-tall (and extremely steep) water slides are among the attractions. In reality, the park offers a wide range of slides, from beginner to severe.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 8882 - 170 Street NW
4. Village of Ukrainian Cultural Heritage
The cultural legacy of the numerous immigrants from Bukovina and Ukraine who arrived in what is now Alberta in the 1890s is preserved at this open-air museum, which was established in the 1970s along the Yellowhead Highway. Known simply as "the Village" by locals, the site has been rebuilt with different old houses, and the pale onion dome of a Ukrainian church can be seen from afar.
A blacksmith, a market, and an old-fashioned general store are just a few of the living historical items to discover. Interacting with the costumed guides, who are here to explain what life was like for these early settlers, is part of the pleasure. If at all feasible, schedule your visit to coincide with one of the numerous events or workshops held throughout the year, which range from culinary demonstrations to harvest festivals and commemoration of Ukraine's national day.
Highway 16 East, Tofield, Alberta
5. Park at Fort Edmonton
Fort Edmonton Park is another open-air museum that should be on your Edmonton vacation itinerary. Old structures have been carefully recreated to represent Edmonton's historical evolution. A classic Hudson's Bay Company fort from 1846, a street from a pioneer town in 1885, the up-and-coming provincial capital in 1905, as well as buildings from the 1920s, are among the structures on display.
Visitors may ride a horse-drawn wagon or a steam train among the many modes of ancient transportation available. Exhibits on local geology and ecology may be seen nearby at the John Janzen Nature Centre.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 7000 143 Street NW
6. Muttart Conservatory
Four pyramid-shaped hothouses on the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River contain uncommon and far-traveled plant species. From the tropical climates of Burma and Fiji to the temperate pavilion with its American redwoods and Australian eucalyptus, each pyramid offers a unique habitat reflecting various biomes throughout the globe. The conservatory is Edmonton's finest horticultural institution, with hundreds of plant varieties on exhibit.
A magnificent view of the Muttart Conservatory's sparkling pyramids against the cityscape of Edmonton city center may be seen from the high ground above the river. (Please note that this popular Edmonton attraction will be closed until the beginning of 2021 for repairs.)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 9626 96A Street NW
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