Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, stretches along both banks of the North Saskatchewan River in roughly the center of the province.
Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, stretches along both banks of the North Saskatchewan River in roughly the center of the province. Varying economic forces, including the early fur trade, the cross-Canada railway, the 1897/1898 Klondike Gold Rush, the Alaska Highway, and oil and gas extraction have had a swinging influence over the city. With that economic prosperity, Edmonton has invested in art and culture by building excellent theatres and museums.
The city's greatest claim to fame, however, is the West Edmonton Mall, which is one of the largest vacation and shopping centres in the world. Even during the long, cold winters, shoppers are still attract to linger.
To learn more about the very best things to do in this exciting city, here is the list of the top tourist attractions in Edmonton.
1. Royal Alberta Museum - Home to a fascinating mix of permanent cultural and natural history exhibits , visit to this ultra-modern facility is certainly time well spent.
Address: 9810 103a Ave NW, Edmonton, Alberta
2. Elk Island National Park & Beaver Hills - This national park is just a 30-minute drive from Edmonton and covers a wooded area with lakes and wetlands, and is home to all kinds of wildlife. The Beaver Hills includes a dark sky preserve, a bird sanctuary, and a wilderness center.
Address: 54401 Range Road 203, Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
3. West Edmonton Mall - Canada's West Edmonton Mall is not only the country's largest shopping center-and one of the largest in the world-it's also a major tourist attraction
Address: 8882 - 170 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta
4. Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village - This open-air museum preserves the cultural heritage of the many immigrants from Bukovina and Ukraine who settled in what is now Alberta in the 1890s. Known locally simply as "the Village," various historic buildings have been reconstructed on the site, and the pale onion dome of a Ukrainian church is visible from afar.
Address: Hwy 16 E, Tofield, Alberta
5. Fort Edmonton Park -open-air museum that should be included in your Edmonton travel itinerary, Fort Edmonton Park has old buildings faithfully reconstructed to reflect Edmonton's historical development.
Address: 7000 143 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta
6. Muttart Conservatory- On the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River, four pyramid-shaped hothouses are home to rare and far-travelled species of plants.
Address: 9626 96A Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta
7. Alberta Legislature Building-
Address: 10800 97 Ave NW, Edmonton, Alberta
8. Art Gallery of Alberta- A twisting modernist building on Sir Winston Churchill Square, the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton is dedicated to visual arts with an emphasis on Western Canada.
Address: 2 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton, Alberta
9.Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Wetaskiwin- The main attraction is the Reynolds-Alberta Museum, dedicated to everything to do with aircraft and vehicle construction.
Address: 6426 40 Avenue, Wetaskiwin, Alberta
10. K Days- The greatest event in Edmonton's calendar is the 10-day festival known as K Days (formerly called Capital Ex) held every year at the end of July
11. Edmonton Valley Zoo - Opened in 1959, the Edmonton Valley Zoo has traditionally focused on research into threatened animal species.
Address: 13315 Buena Vista Rd, Edmonton, Alberta
12. Alberta Aviation Museum-Situated in a modern white building, the TELUS World of Science (TWOS) in Edmonton is a fun, all-ages, educational science centre experience perfect for those travelling with kids.
Address: 11211 142 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta
14. University of Alberta Botanic Garden- Edmonton attraction for those who enjoy flowers and gardening is the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.
Address: 51227 AB-60, Spruce Grove, Alberta
15. Alberta Railway Museum - Located in the northern suburbs of the city and well worth the effort to visit, the Alberta Railway Museum (ARM) features a selection of still-operating and static locomotives and rolling stock.
Address: 24215 34 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta
16. Edmonton Convention Centre- Though the building is mostly underground, there are great views from the Edmonton Convention Centre-still sometimes known as "the Shaw," despite a name change-across the North Saskatchewan River
Address: 9797 Jasper Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta
