If it’s too cold out or you just want some fun indoors, you’re in luck—Edmonton has many ways to keep the whole family entertained no matter the season.
1. Activate | 1949–98 St. | 587-480-7446 | activate.ca/edmonton-south
Maybe you want to pretend you’re a spy, want to try that light-up square game you saw on TikTok, or just love getting sweaty while playing video games—or maybe you’ll try anything new you see in this magazine. Regardless, there’s a new active gaming facility in south Edmonton to get both your heart and your mind pumping! One visit to Activate gives your group of 3–5 people 75 minutes to bounce between 9 kinds of interactive rooms, with your choice of 10 levels of difficulty. Playing cooperatively or competitively with your team, you can run, jump, crawl, and climb to dodge laser beams, navigate a maze, sink perfectly timed baskets, hide from glowing eyes, memorize patterns, and more. The possibilities may not be endless, but they’re close enough to keep you busy all winter long.
2. Arctic Journey at TELUS World of Science | 11211–142 St. | 780-451-3344 | telusworldofscienceedmonton.ca
The best place if you’re interested in learning more about the cold but want to be indoors? The biggest permanent gallery ever installed at the TELUS World of Science explores the Canadian Arctic through the eyes of both modern science and Traditional Knowledge, bringing together First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures. Quotes from Elders are included around the room, and one display features recorded personal stories you can listen to. More features include videos of Inuit drumming, dancing, and throat singing, as well as a simulated dog-sled experience. Of course, environmental science and global changes are also addressed, including how animals like the polar bear and Arctic fox survive and the impacts on not only them but also Inuit traditions.
3. World Waterpark | West Edmonton Mall: 8882–170 St. | wem.ca
An indoor beach vacation in the middle of a snowstorm might sound too good to be true if you weren’t in Edmonton. But you are! The World Waterpark has an average temperature of 31°C and features the world’s largest indoor wave pool, where you can even learn to surf. There’s a no-depth splash area for toddlers, hot tubs for relaxing, and epic waterslides for adventuring (including ones with trap doors!), which essentially makes it fun for the whole family. And for those who absolutely do not like water but still want some warm thrills, they can book separately to soar overhead using the world’s largest indoor zipline.
Find more Edmonton attractions here.
