Happy Wednesday, everyone – and happy first day of May! Thanks to all of you who’ve been following along with my recent Calgary trip (if you missed the posts, click here to check them out.) Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be taking you a little further north to the great city of Edmonton. Following stints in Vancouver and Calgary, Edmonton was my last stop on the Home Show circuit (which I was attending for work.) It was my first time there and I had so much fun exploring, so I wanted to share my favourite finds with you all!
From renowned art galleries to unique cultural monuments, historic architecture to beautiful botanical gardens, Alberta’s capital city has something for everyone to enjoy, and I hope this guide will be helpful to anyone planning their own trip there. So without further ado, here are my best recommendations for Edmonton!
Where We Stayed In Edmonton
Our hotel in Edmonton was the JW Marriott ICE District. The hotel is located in (spoiler alert) the ICE District, a 25-acre mixed-use sports and entertainment development. It’s centered around Rogers Place (home of the Oilers!) and includes a public plaza, skating rink, park, casino and several eateries. I stayed in the JW Marriott’s deluxe king room, which had some great views of the city. The amenities are impressive: there’s two restaurants (including a fabulous steakhouse), two bars, and a luxurious spa. If you’re one of those folks who keeps up with your workouts when travelling (I, admittedly, am not) their gym is next level! It’s a high-performance facility with state-of-the-art equipment, personal trainers, group classes and a beautiful pool.
Things To See & Do In Edmonton
Escape to a garden oasis at the Muttart Conservatory. Depending on when you visit, Edmonton’s weather can be a bit on the, shall we say, brisk side. I was there at the tail end of March, and it was snowy and -10°! Luckily, I was able to escape to this tropical oasis to warm up and enjoy some nature time. The Muttart Conservatory is a gorgeous botanical garden consisting of four visually striking glass pyramids, designed by architect Peter Hemingway. Three of the pyramids are climate-controlled to reflect different biomes: arid, temperate and tropical. The fourth pyramid houses a feature garden that they rotate seasonally. Currently, it’s hosting a fragrant display of spring flowers – tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and plenty more – accented by whimsical props, from a Dutch windmill to a flower-filled sailboat. Admission is just $14.95, which I thought was great value – I could have spent hours in here! Don’t forget to check out the gift shop – full of goodies for the dedicated plant parent in your life – and treat yourself to lunch at their on-site eatery, Café Bloom.
Take in the incredible views from Louise McKinney Park. This 15-hectare waterfront park provides some amazing views of the North Saskatchewan River! After my visit to the Muttart Conservatory, I walked across the river via the Tawatinâ Bridge, a pedestrian bridge that provides some pretty great views of its own. (Don’t forget to look up: the roof of the bridge features over 500 paintings of the River Valley’s flora and fauna, and depicts the First Nations, Métis, and settler histories of the area.) Once you reach Louise McKinney Park, climb the Grierson Hill stairs for the best views, and be sure to check out the Edmonton Chinese Garden. It contains a traditional entrance gate, stone bridge, rock ponds, and a hexagonal Chinese pavilion designed in the style of the Tang Dynasty. The land the Chinese Garden sits on was gifted to Edmonton’s Chinese community by former Edmonton mayor Bill Smith, in celebration of the city’s thriving Chinese culture.
Admire the art and architecture of Government House. Built in 1913, Government House is the former home of Alberta’s first six Lieutenant Governors. The beautiful Jacobean Revival-style mansion is a National Historic Site, and today it’s mainly used for hosting government, vice-regal and state functions. Normally the mansion is open to the public for tours on Sundays and holiday Mondays, but tours are currently postponed due to ongoing venue repairs. (Click here for updates on when public tours will resume.) Whether you’re able to see the inside or not, Government House is still worth a visit, as the exterior and grounds are stunning on their own! Particularly striking is the vibrant Jeongja (Korean Pavilion) located just south of the house. The Jeongja was a present from Korea’s Gangwon Province to Alberta in 2005, in celebration of its centennial. Be sure to check out the incredible views of the city from Government Hill (just south of the pavilion) and the quaint old Tudor-style carriage house to the west.
Be dazzled by the Neon Sign Museum. Don’t be fooled by the name: this isn’t really a museum (at least not in the traditional sense) but an outdoor collection of vintage neon signs from Edmonton’s past. Though it may not be mighty, it’s definitely worth a visit for anyone who loves historic artifacts! The collection is located at the intersection of 104 Avenue NW and 104 Street NW (yes, navigating Edmonton can be confusing!) and consists of 20 signs from historic stores, theatres and railroads. I was only able to see it during the day, but of course, I’d recommend visiting at night for maximum brilliance!
Take a self-guided architectural walking tour. Just like Calgary, Edmonton has so many unique and notable buildings. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but a few favourites that I spotted during my sightseeing adventures include…
- Edmonton City Hall – Designed by Dub Architects in 1992, it’s notable for its eye-catching glass pyramid and 200-foot-tall Friendship Tower.
- The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald – One of the city’s finest luxury hotels, this castle-like building has been an Edmonton landmark since 1915.
- Gibson Block – From New York to Toronto to Vancouver, it seems every city has their own version of the Flatiron Building. Edmonton’s was built by William Gibson in 1913, and is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
- Mercer Warehouse – This century-old former warehouse is now a commercial office space occupied by various start-ups, tech companies and design firms. Find it right across the street from the Neon Sign Museum.
- Energy Square – With its shiny gold facade, this showstopping skyscraper on Jasper Avenue is hard to miss!
See the famed Alberta Legislature Building. Speaking of impressive architecture… this imposing government building – nicknamed “The Ledge” – is where it all happens in Alberta (politically speaking, at least!) The building is the official meeting place of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, i.e., the province’s governing body. Free public tours of the building are offered at set times every Wednesday-Saturday (Wednesday-Sunday from May-September) – simply click here to register. The grand Beaux Arts-style building was constructed between 1907-1913 by Provincial Architects Allan Merrick Jeffers and Richard P. Blakey. It’s 187 feet tall and its grounds span 57 acres. When I visited, there was a ton of construction going on in front of the building, so unfortunately I wasn’t able to get great views of it, but good news: the work is expected to be completed by this summer!
Indulge in some retail therapy at Manchester Square. Located at the northwest corner of 120 Street and 107 Avenue, this charming retail development brings a little taste of Europe to Edmonton. With architecture inspired by Old Town Amsterdam, the quaint buildings are not only eye-catching, but fun to explore! Businesses that call Manchester Square home include a craft brewery, a charming café-slash-cocktail bar, a German pretzel house, and several cute boutiques and gift shops. Be sure to check out The Tin Box, Lyall’s Marketplace, and my favourite, The Market At Manchester, which features rotating pop-up shops from local makers.
Get your culture fix at the Art Gallery of Alberta. This renowned art museum – first established in 1924 – has a collection of over 6000 artworks, with a focus on works by Albertan and Western Canadian artists. The striking 86,000-square-foot building is made from patinated zinc and stainless steel, and features a 620-foot steel ribbon meant to represent the North Saskatchewan River. Since I only had a limited amount of time in Edmonton, unfortunately there just wasn’t time for me to explore the exhibits. But I did drop by enroute to another destination, just to see the iconic building and take a quick peek at its stunning interior architecture. This is one of those museums where the building itself is a work of art all on its own! If you get a chance to pay a proper visit to the museum, let me know how you liked it – apparently its collections are supposed to be fabulous. They have a great gift shop too!
Check out Edmonton’s beautiful public art. Speaking of art, Edmonton is one of those cities where you can view an impressive collection of artwork without ever stepping foot in a museum. Some of my favourite pieces of public art include…
- The vibrant flower mural by local artist Alixandra Jade, painted on the west side of Manchester Square.
- Another stunning mural by Alixandra Jade, this one featuring a giant butterfly, at Columbia Plaza (11817 105 Ave NW).
- The series of nature-inspired murals on the south side of Numchok Wilai Restaurant (10623 124 St NW); artist unknown. (If you happen to know who painted this, please email me so I can credit them!)
- The inukshuk at 9797 Jasper Avenue, overlooking Louise McKinney Park and the North Saskatchewan River. This inukshuk was built in tribute to David Kootook, a 14-year-old boy who helped save the life of pilot Marten Hartwell after a plane crash in the Canadian Arctic.
- Common Threads by Ukrainian-Canadian artist Sofia Lukie, a tribute to Ukrainian culture, community and multiculturalism. Located at the Shumka Dance Centre, 10515 111 St NW.
- City Slickers by Ian Mulder, located at 10247 97 St NW: a tribute to Edmonton’s unofficial bird, the magpie (Edmonton has the highest urban magpie population in all of North America!)
- The colourful snake-like sculptures located in Sir Winston Churchill Square (artist unknown.)
As you can see, there’s no shortage of fun things to see and do in YEG! If you’re planning your own trip to Edmonton, I hope this guide was helpful. If you have any questions about anything I mentioned, feel free to contact me – I’d love to provide advice wherever I can! Next week, I’ll be back sharing my favourite restaurants, cafés and dessert spots in Edmonton. Until then, thanks for reading and I hope you have a great rest of your week!
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