Top 5 Things To Do in Edmonton
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Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta, Canada, is the hometown of my hubby Kev, but ever since I moved to Calgary in Southern Alberta, we rarely visited there. “There’s nothing much to see besides Whyte Avenue [where many restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops concentrate] and West Edmonton Mall [North America’s largest mall],” Kev responded when I curiously questioned what the city is like. Maybe because he had lived in Edmonton for most of his life, he saw nothing particularly special about this place. I, on the other hand, believe that there is always something new to discover and thus was determined to uncover the coolest things see and do in the city. Here are 5 great ideas to have a little fun in Edmonton!
1| Enjoying Afternoon Tea at Duchess Bake Shop
Who would have thought that one of the world’s best bakeries is hidden in Edmonton? At Duchess, you can satisfy your sweet tooth with classic French pastries. From macarons, croissants, éclairs, to butter tarts, everything is made daily in-house from scratch, without mixes, preservatives or shortcuts. Oh, look at all the desserts on display – nothing less than amazing and so beautifully presented! You will have a hard time choosing which one to devour first, but trust me, you can’t go wrong.
[irp posts=”11261″ name=”10 Unexpectedly Fun Date Ideas In Edmonton: The Foodies Edition”]
2| Touring the Pyramids at Muttart Conservatory
One of Edmonton’s most iconic structures, the Muttart Conservatory defines the city skyline with four giant, shimmering glass pyramids. From afar, some might mistake it for The Louvre Museum in Paris. It is true that they bear a resemblance in appearance, but rather than housing art, these pyramids is home to over 800 species of plants from around the world!
Inside the pyramids, three biomes are in the Conservatory’s yearly displays, featuring plants that grow in arid, temperate, and tropical climate. The fourth pyramid changes up to eight times a year to house uniquely themed, seasonal displays.
Pro tip: Walk up to the roof for some majestic photo opportunities. The architecture of the pyramids, with downtown Edmonton in the background, form a beautiful backdrop.
3| Exploring the River Valley
Stretching right through downtown Edmonton, the North Saskatchewan River Valley boasts the longest stretch of connected urban parkland in North America. Covering 7400 hectares of land, 30 km of trails and over 20 major parks and attractions (that’s 22 times the size of New York City’s Central Park!), there’s lots to explore each season.
In the summer, venture on a Segway tour and explore the outdoor in a relaxing way. Or stroll, jog, bike, or paddle your way through the river valley while taking in the magnificent cityscape! Winter is just as fun as summer. You can cross-country ski or snowshoe along the trails, or hit the skating rinks in the river valley!
4| Sampling Delicious Eats at Taste of Edmonton
Taste of Edmonton is the city’s summer tradition celebrating all the culinary delights in the Edmonton area. It is also the largest food festival in Canada by offering an opportunity to discover sumptuous dishes from more than 60 locally owned restaurants and food trucks. During the 10-day period, you can sample countless small plates of nibbles, take a foodie field trip to find local gastronomic treasures, or even participate in interactive chef-run workshops! It is the perfect way to savour the local food scene!
If you can’t make it to Taste of Edmonton, you can still sample the excellent food that can be found throughout Edmonton. Spend an afternoon cafe hopping – check out the best cafes that also serve great food here.
5| Watching Sunset at Alberta Legislature Building
Stop by the iconic Alberta Legislature Building (aka “the Leg”) and watch the sky change colours at sunset! The beautifully landscaped grounds are enhanced with gardens, wading pools and fountains, making it the ideal place for a romantic date!
Pro tip: Don’t forget to check out the splash pad, which lights up in rainbow colours at dusk!
There are so many reasons to visit Edmonton. So why wait? Stop over in Edmonton the next time you visit Western Canada. You’ll be fascinated with how much fun this city offers!
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Great photo of the splash pad! It’s funny how we often take for granted all the great things about the places we grew up. Glad you guys went back to your husband’s hometown and explored as tourists. 🙂
Right? This totally motivates me to explore my city more so when people ask me what to see, I can give good recommendations 🙂
Love the picture of the splash pad! Beautiful! It’s funny how we often take for granted the great things to do in the places we grew up. Glad you guys were able to go back and visit your husband’s hometown as tourists.
I’ve always wanted to visit Edmonton. Heard many good things about the food scene!
Yes, you totally should! Thank you for dropping by, Jen!
I have never been to Edmonton but it looks like a lovely place to visit! As you say, I think we should never dismiss a place until we’ve seen it for ourselves- locals might not notice anymore things that are actually quite special if seen with new eyes
Edmonton is a city of festivals! You should really check it out in the summer 🙂 I’m ready to explore more in my own city (Calgary) and home country (Taiwan) so that I can tell people what’s fun and why they should visit!
You had me at Duchess Bake Shop! Looks like a beautiful city! Would love to visit!
It is a fantastic place if you’re into pastries! Come and visit, I’m sure you’d love it 🙂
I’ve never been to Alberta but I have family out there so I definitely need to go one day. Thanks for this list, I’ll definitely keep it in mind. Duchess Bake Shop looks amazing!
You should come visit! There are so many beautiful and fun places to check out. Banff is beautiful all year round too!
My 4 year old loves macarons, she seems to find them everywhere we go! As someone who likes to eat, I’d love to go to the food festival. Looks like a great weekend getaway!
Wow, your daughter has great taste at such a young age! You should take her here and check out Duchess’ macarons!!
I’ve never ever been to CANADA but I REALLY need to make a point to do so!!
Yes, you should totally come visit! Stay tuned for my future posts, I will make you fall in love with Canada 🙂
Edmonton does not get enough credit beyond having the mall. I wish I had known about these places when I visited. Next time I go, I will definitely explore the River Valley and the Conservatory.
I know right? When people come to Canada, they usually go to big cities like Toronto or Vancouver. Alberta has tons of fun too!
Love this! My friends are from Edmonton and they also make it seem like there isn’t much to do there! Sometimes you just need an outside perspective! Great little guide ?
Somehow we tend to overlook how beautiful and fun our own city is. Come visit next time and I will take you around!
I agree — Edmonton looks great! I especially love the conservatory… and baked goods!
The conservatory is so beautiful, isn’t it! And a great spot to take in the city view 🙂
It’s been many many years, but I was at the Pyramids at Muttart. Loved them.
Can’t wait to check out the Dutchess bakery. My husband is also from Edmonton & said he’d like to take me on a home town tour next year.
That sounds exciting! I heard that there are so many great restaurants now – you should definitely look into that! Can’t wait to hear about your trip 🙂
I didn’t really know much about Edmonton so this post is hugely informative showing off that there is plenty to do! Will pin this for future reference!
Thank you, Angie! I’ve never heard of Edmonton either before moving to Alberta. But I learned to appreciate its unique culture and beauty over time. Hopefully you get to visit soon!
Sure looks like a beautiful town to explore! But when you grow up somewhere you don’t realize how much of a good thing it is until you really explore the things you overlook every day! #WeekendWanderlust
That is so true Lolo! We should all take time to appreciate things that are closest to us. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I definitely want to visit even if just for the food festival! Looks amazing. I have some friends in Alberta but not sure if I know anyone from Edmonton. It’s definitely going to be a stop on my Canada trip when I eventually get round to making it.
So I’ve heard of Edmonton and knew it was in Canada, and that’s about it, until now. Thanks for sharing your experience and showing us the city! the food festival looks great, and I love tropical flowers and plants, so Id definitely visit the pyramids! Canada is definitely on our wish list, and one day me and Phil will do a grand tour of Canada!
This place looks beautiful!! The food looks so good too, especially the macarons! They’re my favorite desserts!
Definitely going to visit when we come up to visit the National Parks. The conservatory looks pretty cool and I love trying local food wherever I visit, looks delicious. Always neat things to see right in our own backyards…looks like plenty of places to check out!
The food festival sounds amazing and Edmonton looks lovely. I’ll have to add it to my list. Thanks for sharing!
I’m very interested and would love to visit this place. Haven’t had chance to make a trip to Canada yet but bake shops and cakes are always a big selling point to me as I’ve got a sweet tooth. Saved it to my Pinterest for later.
For a small city, It looks like there is plenty to have a nice day (or two). I am pretty sure the food is a reason to stay around.
I am sure that I said the same thing about my hometown. After being away for several years, though, I was anxious to see all the “cool places” that I had told friends about. It’s good to take a step away and see things like a visitor. Love the picture through the splash pad, too! -Rob
The splash pad and rainbow lights look amazing! I´ll definitely make a stop at Edmonton when in Canada! Thanks for sharing #TheWeeklyPostcard
Afternoon tea looks delightful at the Duchess Bake Shop! Count me in!
The first two items remind me of Paris. I always lumped Edmonton with Calgary which made me think of riding horses into town. I know I am probably wrong about both images but those are just the sort of stereotypes travelling dispels. Short of traveling, there is reading travel blogs. Thank you for the little visit.
Well it looks like there is plenty to do here! Food festivals are a great way to explore regional delights and I think there is usually something for everyone in every corner of the world. I would certainly visit!
It’s funny. So many people overlook their own hometowns as a tourist destination. Like you said, there’s always something to do and it looks like you proved that!
So much things to do in Edmonton! I’d love to try the afternoon tea at Duchess Bake Shop those pastries and desserts look so good!
I love that I’m learning so much about Canada from you!! 🙂 I know what you mean about finding “nothing special” about your hometown, but we forget that it can be interesting – you just need to see it through fresh eyes. If I get to Edmonton, I’ll definitely check out the pyramids at Muttart Conservatory – you’re right, they really do look straight out of Paris!
I could easily spend a couple of days in Edmonton. The Duchess Bake shop would be the first stop if my daughter were with me — looks like the perfect place to indulge her sweet tooth :-). The glass pyramids of the conservatory are my kind of place to stop — I love that they’ve created these biomes that are so different from the local environment.
It’s great that you can show your husband that his hometown has a lot to offer! Those pyramids are such cool structures, and even more beautiful with the gorgeous plants inside. I’m also really interested in the idea of afternoon tea. This isn’t something I grew up with, but looks like a fun experience!
Ohhh the water fountain looks so cool all lit up at night and the pyramid/greenhouse things are super unique as well! I’ve never been to Edmonton but I’d love to.
I’ve only ever been to the east coast of Canada, been wanting to make my way over to the other side for a while now. I love that there’s still a French influence, and the colors in that fountain are beautiful!
I have been to Canada but did not get chance to visit Edmonton but it looks like a lovely place to visit. Next time, definitely I will plan to visit this beautiful place.