The picturesque Alberta Legislature is a local landmark. Governor General Earl Grey laid the first cornerstone in 1909 and the majestic sandstone building was finished four years later. |
Welcome to Edmonton, a city that offers visitors abundant choices for exciting indoor and outdoor activities for all seasons. We invite you to discover new sights along with such favourites as shopping, sports, arts, dining, recreation and attractions.
Symphony, dance, visual arts, theatre, and opera - Edmonton boasts one of the richest and most dynamic arts communities of any city in the country.
Sports fans will be thrilled with the variety and calibre of Edmonton’s teams. From the Edmonton Trappers (PCL baseball), to the Edmonton Eskimos (CFL football) and the Edmonton Oilers (NHL hockey), the action never stops.
Whether your dining taste is fine cuisine or comfort food, Edmonton has a tremendous selection of restaurants to serve you in all areas of the city: cafés and bistros, family diners, steak houses (serving famous Alberta beef), as well as a wide range of international eateries and theme restaurants.
The Edmonton region offers great shopping, including unique local shops and well-known retailers. Most international visitors benefit from favourable exchange rates and the fact that Alberta has no provincial sales tax. The Canadian government will reimburse international travelers for the federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) on accommodation and non-consumable goods (restriction apply). For more information, call 1-800-668-4748.
You will also appreciate how easy it is to access and get around Edmonton.
You’ll enjoy the cityscape and the beautiful natural areas around the river valley and on the outskirts of the city. Edmonton’s charm lies in its balance of sophisticated and exciting events, engaging attractions and friendly ease. Enjoy!
MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS
The Provincial Museum of Alberta is one of Canada’s five most popular museums, and attracts more than 300,000 visitors annually. Home to the internationally acclaimed Syncrude Gallery of Aboriginal Culture, one of North America’s most expansive exhibitions on aboriginal peoples, the museum brings 11,000 years of native history to life.
Fort Edmonton Park, Canada’s largest historical park, offers a glimpse of life in the early fur trading days, frontier life in 1885, a peak into the brand new city in 1905 and its progress into the 20th century.
Travel in space and time, explore cultures, technology, transportation and the natural wonders of the earth and sky at Edmonton’s many museums and attractions.
Odyssium (formerly the Edmonton Space & Science Centre) keeps visitors on the leading edge of science and technology and keeps IMAX® film fans on the edge of their seats. A $14 million expansion with four new galleries in 2001 increased the exhibition space to 100,000 square feet.
Other popular family attractions in Edmonton include the Valley Zoo, home to over 400 animals, the Muttart Conservatory, which blooms with exotic plants from around the world all year long, and the world-famous West Edmonton Mall
The Francis Winspear Centre for Music is a World-class concert hall, and home to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. |
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Edmonton’s renowned and varied arts and culture community is represented by 78 vibrant organizations: popular, alternative and student theatre companies including Walterdale Theatre (the longest running community theatre in Western Canada); ballet, folk and modern dance troupes and symphony, baroque, choral and opera ensembles. The city also boasts over 70 art galleries and dealers. The unique Gallery Walk district - a group of seven galleries in the 124 Street neighbourhood - collaborates several times a year to put on seasonal exhibits.
Another point of pride is the downtown Arts District, featuring the 77-year-old Edmonton Art Gallery, the Citadel Theatre and the magnificent $45-million Winspear Centre, with its 1,928 seat performance chamber designed for spectacular natural acoustics.
Chuckwagon racing at Northlands Park, during Edmonton's Klondike Days Exposition. |
SPORTS
Sports fans around the world know that Edmonton’s teams are always worth watching. Skyreach Centre is home to the National Hockey League’s Edmonton Oilers, who won five Stanley Cups during the 1980s. The Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos, winners of 11 Grey Cup championships in their 51-year history, entertain at Commonwealth Stadium, which will also host the 2002 CFL championship Grey Cup game on November 24. The Edmonton Trappers, who won back-to-back Pacific Coast league baseball titles in 1996 and 1997, play at Telus Field.
A day at the races is a special treat in Edmonton with The Spectrum at Northlands Park, a $21 million horse racing and entertainment centre which features live thoroughbred racing in the summer and live harness racing in the fall, in addition to global simulcast racing throughout the year.
RECREATION
Edmonton offers a tremendous variety of indoor and outdoor facilities for the recreation enthusiast. The city’s vast network of trails are the perfect venue for cycling and hiking in summer and cross-country skiing in winter. Millennium Place, located in Strathcona County, is one of the region’s newest multipurpose recreation facility, offering a variety of activities for all ages.
As a golf destination, choose from more than 70 courses including The Ranch, Cougar Creek, Goose Hummock, and the new Northern Bear.
The annual Edmonton Labatt Blues Festival, at Hawrelak Park. |
FESTIVAL CITY
Known as “Canada’s Festival City,” Edmonton hosts about 20 major festivals each year. The festival season kicks off with the Comedy Arts Festival in January and continues throughout the year with a host of arts and cultural festivals, including Canada’s largest Fringe Theatre Festival.
SHOPPING
From the international range of shops at West Edmonton Mall to the creative, locally owned stores in the Old Strathcona district, Edmonton is a veritable shoppers’ haven. Pricing is competitive in this shopping capital and visitors enjoy extra savings because Alberta is the only province in Canada without a provincial sales tax.
DINING
Edmonton’s multicultural population and culinary expertise shines through in its 1,800 plus restaurants (comprising 15% of all Edmonton businesses). The city is also home to the award-winning Culinary Team Canada, which won gold in seven major international events between 1996 and 2001.
AURORA BOREALIS
On clear nights you might catch a glimpse of the spectacle known as the Northern Lights (aurora borealis), a colourful dancing curtain of lights caused by rays of electrically charged particles shot from the sun and diverted toward the earth’s magnetic poles. This phenomenon complements the surprises, spirit and natural wonders that await you in Alberta’s North.
BEYOND THE HORIZON
Edmonton is the gateway to Alberta’s many historical and recreational attractions. Located just 366 km from Jasper National Park, visitors can enjoy skiing in the Rocky Mountains, fly fishing in northern Alberta’s lakes, bird watching at Elk Island National Park or taking in the scenic beauty our province has to offer.
