Edmonton can keep you busy!

Hey everyone,

Hope you are all enjoying your summer. The weather has finally been great. I have tried to get out and soak up the sun. I have spent a few days just basking in the sun and heat on our back patio in the garden. Lovely! Plus, I have a few more things to add to my list of the Top 20 list of Things to Do in Edmonton. Just to recap with some descriptions added:

1. Valley Zoo: the zoo is a moderate size but has a wide variety of animals considering it's location in Edmonton! A great way to spend a day, but it is definately better to go on an overcast day... all the animals come out!
2. Picnic in Hawrelak Park: a great open park in the River Valley of Edmonton and a great location for a picnic, playing games in the field with family and friends, enjoying the marvelous weather in Edmonton. Also, throughout the year there are events held in the park.
3. Rutherford House and walk around University of Alberta campus: the Rutherford House is located on campus and was refurbished in 1920's style and is a great blast into the past. They have guided tours which give a lot of history of a very influential family in Edmonton's history. Then walking through the University campus to see the diverse architecture is a great option. I love the campus as it is so open and green and chill!
4. Alberta Art Gallery: I visited the gallery in its temporary location as the new gallery is built (a truly modern and unique design). The gallery is small but has some great exhibits. The giant 8ft baby is impressive!
5. Downtown walk to see City Hall, Sir Winston Churchill Square, Citadel Theatre, Winspear Theatre, Court House, Stanley A. Milner Public Library, Jasper Avenue, Canada Place, Shaw Conference Centre, Fairmont Hotel MacDonald and a lot more old and diverse buildings: you can venture into most of the buildings but it is also great just to look at all the exteriors. What I love about downtown is that no buildings are the same! Jasper Avenue is the main drag through Downtown and is becoming a popular street to party, eat and shop on.
6. Provincial Legislature Tour and park with fountains: the Ledge offers free guided tours which show the major highlights of this magnificent beautiful building. Then resting on the grass and enjoying the wading pools outside the ledge is a great restful way to spend an afternnon.
7. Chinatown: it seems like every city has a Chinatown but it is still nice to visit - see the arch, visit the Pagoda and all the restaurants.
8. Bike ride or walk through the River Valley: Edmonton boasts the longest stretch of connected urban parkland (25km length of the River Valley Park) so it makes it easy to explore the city and embrace nature along the way.
9. Festival City: throughout the summer there are lots of festivals. I have been to the Street Performers Festival and plan on going to Taste of Edmonton (done... let me just say that all the different booths of food was tempting, and oh so tasty!), Shakespeare in the Park (in the open air Amphitheatre in Hawrelak Park, there are two Shakespeare plays per season. I saw Comedy of Errors... excellent!), Capital Ex (well, maybe not as it can be pretty expensive but if that is your thing...), and then Heritage Days (I can't wait!). Lots to do... and eat!

To add to the list,

10. Walk through Old Strathcona neighbourhood: an older neighbourhood in the city, it is also one of the most popular places to shop, visit with friends in the bars and party. The most famous street in the area is Whyte Avenue, an insane and eccentric street with everything you could want and is frequented by everybody!
11. Streetcar ride: this is so cool. The old streetcar runs from Old Strathcona along the old Canadian Pacific Railway line on top of the High Level Bridge (it is the highest streetcar route in the world!) to Jasper Avenue in Downtown Edmonton. It is thrilling, exciting and a cheap ride! And then while you are at it, you might as well check out the Alberta Railway Museum.
12. Telus World of Science: this is an excellent facility for exploration. There is a space exhibit, body room, area where you gather evidence to solve a crime, nature room, and you can't forget the temporary exhibits and the IMAX. Great for kids but even adults can enjoy it!
13. Royal Alberta Museum: the major museum in the city, it has some great exhibits including an animal area with stuffed animals in natural habitats, an Aboriginal exhibit,, historical information and plenty of other areas. Classy!
14. Fort Edmonton: this was one of my favourite places as a child and it still is a great place to go. It is a reconstruction of what Edmonton looked like at different periods in history. It has a complete fort, 1885 Street, 1905 Street, an airplane hangar, a train and streetcar to get you around and so much more. There are activities to do and employees who dress in period clothes (my sister volunteered for a few years as an period actor). Everytime I go, I learn something new and find something interesting. This year, I went when there was a Highland celebration, Scottish and Irish celebrations throughout the entire complex. Very cool!
15. Muttart Conservatory: newly renovated, the Muttart Conservatory consists of 4 pyramids that represent different climates and the plants that are represented. My Uncle and Aunt were married there so that was cool, but it is such a nice way to spend an afternoon, especially if the weather outside isn't cooperating.
16. John Janzen Nature Centre: well, the title is kind of self-explanatory but is a great place to learn about nature and in particular, to the climate in which Edmonton is located.
17. John Walter Museum: similar to Rutherford House, this is another snapshot into a old house from Edmonton's early days and another influential family.
18. Catching a game: Edmonton has a number of professional sports teams to support or at least catch a game. Hockey (NHL): Edmonton Oilers, Football (CFL): Edmonton Eskimos, Lacrosse (NLL): Edmonton Rush, Baseball (GBL): Edmonton Capitals. Then there are always the amateur and school teams or local leagues to catch a game.
19. Fun in the snow: most of the activities I have listed are geared towards the summer as that is what it is as I write this. But don't get me wrong, there is planty to do in the winter. Edmonton has a few ski hills within the city for skiing and snowboarding, there is cross-country skiing, tobagganing, making snow angels and snowmen, having snow ball fights and anyhting else you can think of.
20. Culture city: there are plenty of cultural activities to enjoy, from major concerts coming to town, to theatre productions on big and small stages, to local acts performing on any stage they can find. Edmonton has a lot of talent and lots to partcipate in at all times of the year.

Okay, so I did it! I gave you my list of the Top 20 Things to do in Edmonton. But I guess I should include another...

21. West Edmonton Mall: this is the most famous attraction in Edmonton but I did not want to include it. Yet, I cannot resist it's attraction for locals and foreigners alike. For years it was the world's largest shopping mall but that has now been eclipsed. But it is still huge! There is a bit of everything there: you could meet someone, go on some dates, get married, have a honeymoon and get everything you would need to set up home without ever leaving the mall premises. There is a hotel, amusement park, waterpark, two movie theatres, lots of restaurants, ice rink, live theatre, casino, salons, a gym, mini golf, and lots of shopping! At times it can be overwhelming but it can be handy place to find what you need.

There you have it, I have found that Edmonton has as much to offer as any other travel destination. It's been fun to explore my hometown and relive my childhood (my parents always tried to expose us to all the interesting things in Edmonton) while seeing Edmonton through tourist eyes. I won't lie, there are some things that need improvement, but Edmonton is just like any other growing metropolis. It's been fun and hopefully I gave Edmontonians some ideas of things to do and foreigners the idea to visit. Just be sure that I am home, alright?