A first-timer’s guide to Edmonton, Alberta's capital city

13.05.2024 - 13:23 / lonelyplanet.com

Edmonton does things big: it’s home to Canada’s largest sports and entertainment district, the largest stretch of urban parkland in North America, the oldest and largest fringe theater festival in North America and one of the largest shopping malls on the planet. But underneath that big, bold surface is a vibrant capital city with an unpretentious population and a rich and diverse culture.

Canada’s fifth-largest city and northernmost major metropolis is filled with so many fascinating places to explore that planning a visit can be a bit overwhelming. Where should I go? How can I get there? How can I experience the real culture of this place? This guide tackles those questions and provides practical advice on how to make the most of your first visit to Edmonton.    

The summer months are the most popular time to visit – the city receives as much as 17 hours of daylight per day, and temperatures range between 20°C (68°F) to 30°C (86°F). It’s also the season when you can enjoy many of the most popular festivals, like K-Days in July or the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival in August. Accommodations will cost more during the peak summer months. Edmonton can get quite cold in winter, with typical temperatures ranging between -5°C (23°F) and -15°C (5°F) and snowfall happening as early as November and as late as March. You shouldn’t be afraid of winter, though – it’s a great time to visit if you like skating, skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking. 

One added bonus to a fall or winter visit is that you might get the chance to see the northern lights. The University of Alberta’s Aurora Watch website monitors aurora activity near Edmonton and can send you alerts. There are festivals year-round, too, so there’s really no bad time to visit. Flying Canoë Volant is a highlight of winter, and the International Children’s Festival in spring is great family fun. Accommodations also tend to cost less during the fall, winter and spring. 

As the gateway city to Jasper National Park and the Canadian Rockies, Edmonton is a fast-growing city with a young population compared to other Canadian cities. It’s also known as Canada’s festival city because it hosts more than 50 festivals annually. And you may have heard of its biggest attractions: the beautiful North Saskatchewan River Valley and West Edmonton Mall (the biggest in North America). Edmonton is a also sports-loving city, home to the Edmonton Oilers NHL hockey team and the Edmonton Elks CFL football team. The city used to have the moniker “City of Champions” in honor of its sports teams. 

A rental vehicle is the easiest and most convenient way to get around Edmonton, but you have plenty of other options. The city has a good public transit system with both buses and