Tours

If you've got a car, you'll quickly discover that it's fast and easy to get from one place to another in Edmonton. But really getting to know the city takes more than watching it whiz by on the other side of a pane of glass. Here are some ideas for getting to know the places and the prairie culture that are Edmonton.

On Foot

You really have no choice but to walk in Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest historical park, where you will step back in time to the days of fur-trading, and with the help of costumed interpreters, gain some insight into the beginnings of the city.

The beautiful grounds of the Legislature Building are definitely worth a stroll. In the summer, you can cool your feet in the fountains; in the winter, you can skate on the small outdoor rink that's tucked into the riverbank just below.

Whyte Avenue is a great place to walk, window shop (or really shop), and do some people watching. If you need a break, stop for a latte at one of the many coffeehouses. An abandoned railway line runs parallel to Whyte Avenue, and from May through September, you can hop on board the Old Strathcona Street Car, which will take you for a scenic ride across the river and back. Head west on Whyte, and you will hit the University of Alberta, where you can stroll through the pretty campus, visit the Edwardian-style Rutherford House, home of Alberta's first premier, and check out Hub Mall, a unique student residence and shopping complex.

Parallel to Whyte Avenue and the railway line, along the top river valley, is Saskatchewan Drive, where you can stroll, take photos from the many lookout points, and enjoy a peaceful moment resting on a bench and taking in the downtown skyline. There are several paths that lead down from here to the river valley trails.

On a Bike

More than 100 kilometers (62 miles) of paved trails wind through the river valley, and although any non-motorized form of locomotion is allowed, the trails really are a cyclist's dream. In addition, there are about 100 kilometers of signed, on-street cycle routes, and over 75 kilometers of roadside (wide sidewalk) multi-use trails. The City of Edmonton publishes a comprehensive cycle map that includes the laws pertaining to cyclists, tips for riding in traffic, and a wealth of other useful information.

If you're going to be in Edmonton for any length of time, you might want to consider bringing your bike, or you can rent some wheels from one of the bike rental companies in the city. Some even offer free drop-off and pick-up service.

Seeing Edmonton on a bike is fun, efficient, and safe. You can do a nice river valley circuit that takes you through both historic and new neighborhoods, and which really gives you a feel for the amazing park system that snakes along the river. Starting on the trails in the centre of the city, head east to Rundle Park, on the outskirts of the city. Stay on either the north or south side of the river on the way there; the other side on the way back. Depending on your speed, it could take you a couple of hours to half a day, but make a full day of it if you can. Pack a picnic lunch and take the time to stop and enjoy the sights (and nature) along the way.

Guided Tours

There are a few tour bus operators in the city, and some of them will custom design city tours for you, your family, or your company. You can take a half-day or full-day tour to historic and cultural sites in the city and surrounding area. You can go on a pub/club crawl. You can take a guided canoe trip down the river. Or, you can go on a naturalist-guided hiking tour through the river valley.

Out of Town Must-See Sights

Most first-time visitors to Edmonton are surprised by the vastness and flatness of the prairie that surrounds it. It is said that people who live in the prairie, though, are never happy anywhere else. They always long for those wide open spaces, which are probably never as pretty as they are in July when the golden yellow, fully-blooming canola fields dot the landscape.

Several excellent attractions are only short distances from the city. To the east, is Elk Island National Park, where you can see free-roaming herds of wood bison. Nearby is the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, which depicts the lifestyle of Ukrainian settlers during the early 1900s. Just southwest of Edmonton, near the city of Devon, is the Devonian Botanic Garden, which is a plant and flower lover's paradise.

A bit further afield are the spectacular "badlands," near the town of Drumheller, where dinosaurs used to roam millions of years ago. This area is one of the richest sources of fossil deposits in the world.

Then there are the Rockies, Alberta's majestic mountains. You can drive from Edmonton or take a full-day or multi-day tour to the Jasper and Banff National Parks, where you will likely catch glimpses of mountain goats, elk, bear, and bighorn sheep, and where geographical formations like the Columbia Icefields' glacier will leave you with unforgettable memories.