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Edmonton - Alberta's gateway city
Things to See &
Do | Where to
Stay
Dining | Camping
Edmonton
Highlights
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- Alberta's Capital City
- West Edmonton Mall - One of the World's
Wonders!
- Home of Klondike Days, and top music
festivals
- Excellent historical musseums
- Muttart Conservatory botanical
gardens
- Buffalo at Elk Island National
Park
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Edmonton
lies in the central part of the province, 294 km (183
miles) north of Calgary and 590 km (366 miles) southeast
of Dawson Creek B.C. -- Mile "0" of the Alaska Highway.
Jasper National Park is almost due west of Edmonton, and
is easily accessed by taking the Yellowhead Highway (#
16) to the Jasper townsite 225 miles (362 km) from the
capital. Not as apt to benefit from warm winter chinook
winds as is Calgary, Edmonton is a northern city with
cold winters but a very pleasant summer climate.
The North Saskatchewan River flows through
the city, past the downtown city-center and through the
Edmonton suburbs. The drive northwest to the Alaska
Highway departs from downtown Edmonton, via Highway 16.
The turnoff onto Highway 43 which leads toward Grande
Prairie and Dawson Creek, is 27 km (17 miles) from
Edmonton.
Edmonton Tourism, the large visitor
information centre, is at 104 9797 Jasper Avenue North.
There are three other information centres on major
highway entrances to the city.
Things
to See & Do
One of Edmonton's claims to fame is that it
is the site of the world's most famous shopping mall --
and the world's largest until 1992. The West Edmonton
Mall contains about 800 stores including 11 major
department stores, 110 restaurants and cafes, a large
amusement park, a hotel with bizarre theme rooms and a
waterpark complete with submarine rides, a large wave
pool and hot tubs.
The city has an enviable succession of
festivals throughout the summer and fall months. The
long-running Klondike Days (July) is cause for
dancing, costume parties, raft races, gambling, and more,
as the city celebrates the 1898 Gold Rush (which took
place far from here in Dawson City, and barely affected
Edmonton). The city was a starting point for a few
adventurous and foolhardy souls, who left for the
Klondike by the tough (and deadly) overland route.
Early July brings the Jazz City
Festival and in early August, Edmonton is the site
for the large Folk Music Festival. The first
Saturday and Sunday in August are Heritage Days when the
city celebrates its ethnic diversity. A large number of
Ukrainian immigrants settled in this area and if there is
a place to eat perogys, this is it!
One of the more interesting sights in the
city is seen only on holidays, when the historic High
Level Bridge over the North Saskatchewan River
becomes the Great Divide Waterfall, installed in 1980 for
Alberta's 75th anniversary. The cascade is best seen from
downstream, on the south side of the river. The waterfall
operates on Sunday evenings and on the Saturday afternoon
during Klondike Days.
A stay in Edmonton could include
sightseeing and one of the most fascinating ways to spend
a few hours is by visiting Fort Edmonton Park. The
fort is a full-scale replica of the old fort, which was a
major fur trading post, constructed by the Hudson's Bay
Company in 1846. This is not one but three historical
villages, depicting Edmonton as the original fur trading
post, as the new capital city in 1905, and as a "modern"
prairie community in 1920. You can ride an old streetcar
and a steam train. The Fort is reached by driving to
Whitemud Drive and Fox Drive, at the south end of the
Quesnell Bridge. It's open for summer hours from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays and
holidays during the winter months.
The Muttart Conservatory, with
displays of arid, tropical, and temperate plants, is a
series of four glass pyramids at 9626 - 96A Street. Three
of the pyramids hold permanent displays. The fourth is
changed every few months. The conservatory is open daily
during the summer period from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and
during the winter Sunday-Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
and Thursday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The
Valley Zoo (134 Street & Buena Vista Road) is
a 20-acre zoo with relatively natural exhibit areas
featuring, among others, Siberian tigers. This is one of
the rare zoos where one can see peregrine falcons, an
extremely endangered species. The John Janzen Nature
Centre (next to Fort Edmonton) features nature exhibits
of flora and fauna, with nature walks on Sunday
afternoons.
The Royal Alberta Museum has four
large galleries which depict Alberta's history through
displays of artifacts, ranging from Native Indian history
and culture, the fur trading era, railroad history and
the settling of the Canadian West. Other galleries
explore ancient fossils, minerals and geology, and
biodiversity. It's open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.
Edmonton has an excellent theater center,
the Citadel Theatre, a complex of several theaters
which offers dramatic productions throughout the year.
It's located at 9828 - 101 A Avenue with information
& reservations obtained by calling (403) 426-4811.
There are 30 golf courses in Edmonton, most
of them open for public play. Major city courses are
Riverside at Rowland Road & 86th Street, Rundle Park
(2902-118th Avenue), and Victoria, at River Road and
120th Street. For family thrills, jet boat rides are
available on the North Saskatchewan River. For
reservations, phone 486-0896.
To catch a view of what this part of Canada
looked like before European settlers arrived in the
mid-1800s, drive a few miles east of Edmonton to Elk
Island National Park. The park is home to 1600 elk,
500 plains bison (buffalo), and 400 wood bison, as well
as deer and moose. There are 100 km (60 miles) of hiking
and walking trails throughout the park and a boardwalk
over part of a lake. There's an interpretive center with
displays and films. There is golfing available and
several picnic areas. Located within the park at the
Astotin Recreation Area is a Ukrainian pioneer
home with museum displays inside. The Sandy Beach
Campground has 80 sites. For information on the park,
phone 922-5790. It's reached by driving east along
Highway 16 (the Yellowhead) from downtown Edmonton, or by
taking Highway 15 from the north end of town.
Where to Stay
Camping
Klondike Valley Tent & Trailer
Park
1660 Calgary Trail, Edmonton Alberta T6W 1A1
(403) 988 5067
South of Edmonton, this campground has 155
sites, full hookups, laundry, and store with
hiking trails nearby. Near Highway 2 South. Take
Ellerslie Road west to Service Road south 1 km
(.6 mile), parallel to Highway 2 South.
Shaker's Acres
21530 103rd Avenue, Winterburn Alberta T5G
3A1
(403) 447-3564
This large campground is at the western city
limits, off Highway 16 (Yellowhead Hwy.) at the
Winterburn Road exit. Facilities include RV and
tent sites, snack bar, dump station, store, and
playground. Open year -round.
Half Moon Lake Resort
21524 Township Road 520, Sherwood Park Alberta
T8E 1E5
(403) 922 3045
This is a campground & RV park with hookups,
tent sites, a sandy beach, wading pool, ball
diamonds, store, laundry, riding stables, and
paddle boat rentals. Located 3.2 km (2 miles)
east of Sherwood Park, 6.4 km (4 miles) south on
Highway 21, and 10.4 km (6.5 miles) east on
Township Road 520.
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Where
to Eat
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The large Canadian cities,
particularly those in the west, are
blessed with many great Vietnamese
cafes. Lemongrass Cafe, at 10417
51st Avenue on the city's South Side,
is one of the best. Noodle dishes,
seafood entrees, and wonderful hot
(both ways) soups make a stop in this
small but pleasant restaurant a special
treat. (413-0088)
Another fine little Vietnamese cafe
is Saigon Terrace, at 11607
Jasper Avenue.(488-8383)
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Moroccan Gardens, 6427
112th Avenue, is one of the finest
ethnic restaurants in Edmonton. It is
linked to another restaurant, La
Boheme, but the two operations are
very different. Moroccan Gardens has
the required North African ambience,
and what you eat is a six-course
Moroccan feast. This is a
leisurely-paced restaurant, and you can
expect to spend an entire evening here.
For info & reservations, call
474-1204
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Kobe, a fine sushi
restaurant, is located in a strip mall
in Edmonton's west end, at 516-6655
178th Street. You have your choice of
separate sushi plates or combinations.
(444-7878)
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For fine dining, you couldn't
do better than to spend at least three
hours in L'Anjou, at 10643 123rd
Street. This is definitely a restaurant
for those special (especially romantic)
occasions. Like Moroccan Gardens, this
restaurant has a prix fixe menu, with a
five course meal that makes a full
evening here go by as if it's only a
few minutes. The price is surprisingly
reasonable, for one of the best meals
you'll ever eat. For information and
reservations, call 482-7178
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La Piazza, 5641
Riverbend Road, is an excellent Italian
cafe, located in the Riverbend
district. This is a relaxed but quite
sophisticated place, with a varied menu
including pasta and meat dishes. For
information and reervations, call
435-1049.
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Cafe Select, 10018
106th Street, has been a local
institution for years. It's the type of
restaurant where you can spend
considerable time dining on great
seafood and other entrees, or is the
type of drop-in place where you can
have dessert after a show. Either way,
you'll be served by experienced,
skillful staff. The menu is extensive
with daily specials. Reservations:
423-0419.
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