18 Impressive Tourist Attractions to See and Things to Do in Edmonton

January 15, 2023 Mustafa Natalwala 3220 Views

Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta province of Canada. Some of the most fun things to do in Edmonton, Alberta include exploring history museums, art galleries, amusement parks, historical buildings, nature conservation areas, and winter activities.

The history of the goes back to 1754. However, the first establishment, Fort Edmonton, was set up in 1795 as a trading post for Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). A replica of these trading posts is among the best places to visit in Edmonton. This historical building sits in Fort Edmonton Park, which is the biggest living history museum in North America. Other historical things to see in Edmonton include St. Joseph Cathedral, Alberta Legislation Building, and Rutherford House.

For further insight into history, art, culture, and science you can explore the museums in Edmonton. The city has museums dedicated to contemporary art, classical art, future technology, the history of Alberta, aboriginal culture, botany, zoology, railway, and more.

The city is home to several superlatives in leisure and entertainment as well. Edmonton tourist attractions include the largest indoor wave pool, longest indoor roller coaster, and tallest indoor ride. Edmonton attractions also include the largest mall in North America and the largest indoor amusement park in the world. Alongside the superlatives, these places also have several cool things to do in Edmonton such as rides, slides, games, arcades, theatre, slides, themed venues, skating, ice skating, and more.

Aside from indoor attractions, the city also has several parks with a variety of outdoor activities to do in Edmonton including nature trails, cycling, picnic, boating, and sports facilities. You can also explore theme parks, the most popular among these Edmonton tourist spots is William Hawrelak Park. This park is famous for its huge ice castles. These crafted wonders are a major highlight of Edmonton sightseeing during winter.

The city takes a whole new life in the snow season. There are several fun places to go in Edmonton for winter activities like skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, snowboarding, and so on.

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Table of Contents

Top 18 Tourist Places to Visit in Edmonton in 6 Days (Trip Itinerary)

Day 1

1. William Hawrelak Park

This park is developed around a 5-hectare lake. The park itself is spread over 68 hectares and is one of the best places for outdoor activities to do in Edmonton, Alberta. You will find hiking trails, green spaces, paddle boats, cycling trails, skating, sports facilities, and more. The park is better known for fun things to do in Edmonton in winter. You can enjoy ice skating and snowshoeing at this park. You will need about 2 hours to explore this park.

2. Alberta Legislature Building

This building was built in 1913 and is known for its beaux-arts style. The building is one of the most beautiful things to see in Edmonton in terms of architecture. You can take a guided tour of this government building. The tour explains the history of the building, important events, architectural features, and artworks. You will need an hour to tour this building.

3. Muttart Conservatory

This conservatory was designed by Peter Hemingway and is built like a Pyramid with a glass and steel exterior. It is one of the most famous Edmonton tourist attractions. The conservatory has more than 800 species of plants. These are grown in a variety of curated climates. You will need 2 hours to explore this conservatory.

4. Art Gallery of Alberta

This gallery houses more than six thousand works of art including paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, art installations, and more. The gallery specifically focuses on Canadian abstract art from different periods. The exhibits keep changing periodically. It is one of the best Edmonton attractions for art admirers. You will need about an hour to tour this gallery.

5. Royal Alberta Museum

This museum focuses on both human and natural history. The collection is divided into galleries dedicated to Life Science, Earth Science, Human History, and Collections Services. It is one of the top things to do in downtown Edmonton, Alberta to learn about aboriginal culture as well. You will need about 2 to 3 hours to tour this museum.

Day 2

1. Alberta Aviation Museum

This museum pays tribute to the aviation history of North Alberta and Edmonton. It has the third-largest aviation collection in North America. It is also the only surviving British Commonwealth WW2 hanger. It is one of the most fascinating Edmonton tourist spots. You will see aircraft and fighter planes from different times. You will need about an hour to tour this museum when you visit Edmonton.

2. TELUS World of Science

This science museum has several exhibits dedicated to different streams of science. They are named Robo Thespian, Syncrude Environment Gallery, Body Fantastic, Gallery of the Gross, and so on. It is one of the most fun places to go in Edmonton, Alberta for families. The museum has interactive exhibits, activities, and unique experiences. You will need 2 to 3 hours from Edmonton travel to explore this museum.

3. West Edmonton Mall

This is the largest mall in North America and has more than 800 shops. It also has various facilities for fun things to do in Edmonton, Alberta. You can visit casino, cinema theatre, themed shopping areas, waterpark, restaurants, cafes, live theatre, and more. You will need 2 to 3 hours from Edmonton sightseeing to tour this mall.

4. World Waterpark

This indoor waterpark is part of the West Edmonton Mall. The waterpark is best known for its largest indoor wave pool. Aside from this the place also has other cool things to do in Edmonton, Canada. It recreates a tropical theme with a lot of rides, slides, pools, games, zip-line, and more. You can easily spend a couple of hours at this waterpark.

Day 3

1. Edmonton Valley Zoo

This zoo has a variety of animals brought in from different parts of the world. You will see red pandas, elephants, wolves, tigers, snow leopards, camels, reindeers, and more. It is one of the best places to visit in Edmonton for family tourists. You will need about 2 hours to tour this zoo.

2. Fort Edmonton Park

Spread over 158 acres, this park is the largest living history museum in North America. It is divided into 4 sections. Each section represents a period of history and is themed accordingly. It is also an amusement park with a variety of fun things to do in Edmonton in summer and winter. The park has guided history tours, performances, interactive historical experiences, amusement rides, restaurant, cafe and more. The park is also home to Edmonton tourist attractions like a replica of Ford Edmonton and 1885 Street. You will need 2 to 3 hours to tour this park.

I suggest you should get your Admission Ticket to Fort Edmonton Park in advance.

3. University of Alberta Botanical Garden

This botanical garden covers 80 acres area and exhibits plant life from different parts of the world. These gardens specifically focus on flora that can thrive in Canadian weather. It is one of the best Edmonton attractions to learn about botany and experience leisurely strolls amidst greenery. This place has several themed gardens including Tropical Plants, Butterfly Greenhouse, Kurimoto Japanese Garden, Native People’s Garden, Aga Khan Garden, and more. You will need an hour to tour this place when you visit Edmonton.

Day 4

1. Galaxyland

This is the largest indoor amusement park in the world. It is also the world’s second-largest indoor carnival. The place has a lot of indoor activities to do in Edmonton including roller coasters, rides, carousels, carnival games, arcade games, 7D theatre, 3D theatre, and more. This amusement park is also home to the world’s largest and tallest indoor roller coaster. You can also enjoy the tallest indoor ride in the world in this park. You can easily spend 3 to 4 hours from Edmonton travel to explore this amusement park.

2. Ice Castle

These castles are among the biggest attractions of Edmonton sightseeing. They make you feel that you are part of a fantasy world or a fairy tale. These castles are built growing custom icicles and are massive. They are among the best places to visit in Edmonton, Alberta for exploration and to click some amazing pictures. These structures also have ice slides, ice maze, ice rooms, and more. You need about 2 hours to tour the ice castle.

3. Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village

This heritage village honors the Ukrainian people in Canada and celebrates their culture. The village has 40 buildings that recreate Ukrainian immigrant settlements. You will learn about the history, culture, traditions, and lifestyle of the people at this place. You can also see traditional music and dance performances. It is one of the most fascinating things to see in Edmonton. You will need about 2 hours to tour this place.

Day 5

1. Elk Island National Park

This national park is one of the best Edmonton tourist spots to explore nature and see wild animals. The park has Elks, Bisons, Deers, Coyotes, Wolves, Black Bears, Mules, Lynxs, and Moose. This national park is also one of the best places to go in Edmonton for bird watching. You can see pelicans, grebes, herons, hawks, bitterns, swans, and more. It is also known for the top things to do in Edmonton in winter like hiking, trekking, camping, snowshoeing, star gazing, ice skating, cross-country skiing, and more. You will need at least 3 to 4 hours to tour this national park.

Day 6

1. Alberta Railway Museum

This outdoor museum is the third largest railway park in North America. It sheds light on several aspects of the railway industry. The museum has a train terminal, water tanks, working locomotives, and maintenance shops. You will see 75 trains and exhibits concerning the history of the railway. The museum is also known for the prairie rail yard experience, it is one of the coolest things to do in Edmonton. You will need about 2 hours to tour this museum.

2. Rundle Park

This 319-acre park was built over a garbage dump. Now the park has green fields, grasslands, lakes, nature trails, and recreational activities. The park also has sports activities and outdoor activities to do in Edmonton such as football, soccer, volleyball, bike trail, golf courses, and more. You can also chill at the park’s public beach. People can easily spend a couple of hours at this park.

If you are looking for more places to visit in Edmonton, check out the sections below. We have compiled a list of all attractions and activities in and around the city.

Things to do in Edmonton

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Edmonton

Art Gallery of Alberta
Fort Edmonton Park
Royal Alberta Museum
TELUS World of Science
Alberta Legislature Building
Alberta Aviation Museum
Neon Sign Museum
Alberta Railway Museum
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village
The Heritage Museum
John Walter Museum
Provincial Archives of Alberta
Historic McKay Avenue
Father Lacombe Chapel
University of Alberta Museum
Strathcona County Museum
Harcourt House Artist Run Center
St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica
Paleontology Museum

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Edmonton

Elk Island National Park
Mill Creek Ravine
Sherwood Park Natural Area
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park
Whitemud Park
Beaumaris Lake
Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary
Big Lake

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Edmonton

West Edmonton Mall
World Waterpark
Muttart Conservatory
Edmonton Valley Zoo
Galaxyland
River Cree Resort and Casino
Hawrelak Park
University of Alberta Botanic Garden
Snow Valley Ski Club
Rabbit Hill Snow Resort
Sunridge Ski Area
Edmonton Ski Club
Terwillegar Park
Rundle Park
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
Edmonton Corn Maze
Borden Park
Professor WEM’s Adventure Golf
Snow Valley Aerial Park
Emily Murphy Park
Louise McKinney Riverfront Park
Ice Palace
John Janzen Nature Centre
Broadmoor Lake Park
Pure Casino Yellowhead
Marine Life Aquarium
Hermitage Park
Millenium Place
Starlight Casino
Kinsmen Park
Century Mile Racetrack and Casino
Pure Casino
St. Albert Botanic Park
RAD Torque Raceway
Sea Life Caverns
Grand Villa Casino
Devon Voyageur Park
Century Casino
Barr Estate Winery
Talus Dome
Gold Bar Park
Victoria Park
Strathcona Science Provincial Park
Gallagher Park

Shopping in Edmonton

St. Albert Farmer’s Market
West Edmonton Mall
Old Strathcona Farmer’s Market
High Street
124 Street
Kingsway Garden Mall
102 Street
The Manulife Place
Super Flea Market
Edmonton City Centre
Bountiful Farmer’s Market
South Edmonton Common
Southgate Centre
Whyte Avenue
The Commerce Place

Beaches & Islands in Edmonton

Accidental Beach

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventures in Edmonton

Skiing
Hiking
River Boating
Trekking
Camping
Kayaking
Wildlife Safari

Sightseeing in Edmonton

82 Avenue Northwest
ICE District
High-Level Bridge
Sir Winston Churchill Square
100 Street Funicular
Walterdale Bridge
River Valley Road Northwest
109 Street Northwest
106 Street

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Edmonton

Padmanadi
Frida Urban Taqueria
Biera
MEAT
OEB Breakfast Co.
Tres Carnales
Yokozuna
Mediterranean Tapas
Braven
RGE RD
The Harvest Room
Sepp’s Pizza
Woodwork
Siam Thai Kitchen
Corso 32
The Marc
Dorinku Tokyo
Little Brick
La Ronde
Vaticano Cucina
YEG Burger
The Bedouins
Little Brick

Where to Stay in Edmonton?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range, and Budget Hotels in Edmonton. You can check the below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Edmonton.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Edmonton

How to Reach Edmonton?

By Air

The city is served by Edmonton International Airport. You can get direct flights to visit Edmonton from Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, San Francisco, Seattle, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Ottawa, Victoria, Amsterdam, Cancun, Halifax, Orlando, Regina, and several other cities in North America and Europe.

You can get cabs and buses to get to the city from the airport.

By Road

You can get direct trains to reach Edmonton from Prince Rupert, Vancouver, Jasper, Winnipeg, and Toronto. You can also get connecting trains from other VIARail routes.

You can get direct buses to reach Edmonton from several cities in Canada and northern cities of the USA. On the other hand, if you are planning to visit Edmonton by road, you should head for highway routes 16, 21, and 2.

By Water

There are no direct water routes for Edmonton travel.

Image Reference

William Hawrelak Park – Janusz Sliwinski / Flickr
Alberta Legislature Building – Person-with-No Name / Flickr
Muttart Conservatory – David K Lam / Flickr
Art Gallery of Alberta – IQRemix / Flickr
Royal Alberta Museum – Kurayba / Flickr
Alberta Aviation Museum – Alan Sim / Flickr
TELUS World of Science – Kurayba / Flickr
West Edmonton Mall – Janusz Sliwinski / Flickr
World Waterpark – Janusz Sliwinski / Flickr
Edmonton Valley Zoo – IQRemix / Flickr
Fort Edmonton Park – Richard Laperche / Flickr
University of Alberta Botanic Garden – Adrian / Flickr
Galaxyland – GoToVan / Flickr
Ice Castles – Jason Woodhead / Flickr
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village – Mpirie / Wikimedia Commons
Elk Island National Park – Richard Bukowski / Flickr
Alberta Railway Museum – SoftwareSimian / Wikimedia Commons
Rundle Park – Kurayba / Flickr