I met a Canadian once who laughed when I said that I'd visited Edmonton. "We call it Deadmonton" he said. To him, Edmonton was boring with minimal things to do. But I visited as a travel blogger slash YouTuber - the tourism board Explore Edmonton flew me and my now-ex over to visit. Our schedule was jam-packed (the only kind of jam I enjoy) and I came away with a list of many romantic and / or fun things to do in Edmonton. Especially in the winter! So, without further ado, here are 15 things to do in Edmonton. [Note: this post was last updated on the 27th of September, 2024.]
Edmonton Is A Cool Winter City!
Edmonton is Canada's fifth largest city and one of our favourite cities ever! It has a real entrepreneurial / youthful feeling to it with it's hip start-ups and cool cafes. The food there is world class, the people are friendly, there are lots of fancy hotels, and lots of culture and art. But it's so much more than a cool city - this is Canada and with a great city often comes incredible nature less than a stone's throw away! Elk Island, a beautiful national park with bison and elk, is less than an hour's drive away and Jasper itself can be reached in four hours, either by driving or by taking one of the convenient shuttles!
Fun Things To Do In Edmonton In Winter
Here are some of the wintry things we did in Edmonton (some sporty, some less so):
#1. Fat Biking Edmonton
Edmonton has an abundance of convenient and well connected cycle trails and bike-friendly roads: through the city, by the river, through the park, across the woods etc. But what about during the winter where snow lies thick on the ground? Enter fat bikes. Fat bikes are the same as normal bikes except they have really wide (or should I say fat) tires - around 5 inches wide.
Edmontonian fitness expert Chris Tse met us and the fat bikes at a cafe before putting us through our paces across and around the city. He showed us some fat-bike stunts, he took a bunch of photos for us, and he even encouraged us to fat cycle onto the frozen North Saskatchewan River:
(If you're anything like me - intense fear of falling through ice -, don't worry, it was safe, but whilst we're talking about dying, maybe now is the time to mention travel insurance... I recently wrote a piece about why SafetyWing is the best insurance for nomads, please even if you're not interested give it a click so it ranks better on google :P )
But back to fat bikes: Chris was even kind enough to wait patiently whilst I freaked out cause I dropped my camera in the snow (it survived, yey). All in all, I found fat biking to be an interesting, exhilarating experience and I think it's a great way to have a work out in winter. Our fat bikes were from Revolution Cycle and came pre-pumped and ready to go.
#2. Take a Fun Helicopter Tour of Edmonton!
Edmonton Regional Helicopters took us up for a bird's eye view of Edmonton. Everything was covered in snow and it looked like a literal dream, an actual winter wonderland. At the time I was especially excited to see peek into Edmonton's resident billionaire's house (he owns the hockey team) and I had a really fun time. At times I felt sick, at times I felt scared, but mostly I felt elated (literally) and I loved the views.
Update: Nowadays, I'm concerned about the air pollution of helicopters, but, I can't deny it was one of the most fun things that I did in Edmonton, and it's not fair for me to sit back and tell you not to do something I've already had the privilege of doing.. Plus I don't know of any other way to take photos like these:
I dunno, maybe you, like many others, believe that that planet has already reached the point of no return, might as well see it from the air before it goes!
#3. Do Yoga at Sattva School of Yoga Edmonton!
Almost all Edmontonians that I met were hip, zen entrepreneurs, so naturally yoga is big there. We went along to the Sattva School of Yoga one morning and tried out a class.
The room was spacious and full of natural light, well heated from the snow outside and there were yoga mats and blocks to borrow. Our teacher led a class that I found to be the perfect tempo - it pushed me just the right amount and I left feeling rejuvenated and inspired. And if you're in the mood for chillin' with some sisha after your yoga sesh, we highly recommend Shisha Nova for some of the best hookah in Canada!
#4. Go to Elk Island National Park!
Perhaps your idea of fun lies outside the quick city life, don't worry, Edmonton can cater to you too: less than an hour's drive away is a beautiful national park: Elk Island National Park. Here you can spot bison, or even try your hand (or rather foot) at snowshoeing.
#5. Visit the Edmontonian Ice Castles!
When someone visits Edmonton, it's an absolutely proper thing to be obsessed with the Edmonton ice castles: icicles upon icicles glitter in the sun, each perfectly crafted not just in a feat of engineering, but as a pure celebration of Canadian winter. No, I'm not talking about Narnia (though I definitely felt like I'd stumbled upon it) - I'm talking about the Ice Castles in Edmonton.
Nancy from Edmonton Tourism told me that Edmonton is trying to think of innovative ways to get people out of the house during winter, (her actual words were "force people to come out of the house and have fun") ice castles were one of the ideas: Every day, around 10,000 icicles are grown and placed throughout the ice castles - water is then sprayed on them (and subsequently freezes) which is how the ice castles are formed.
They're beautiful just to look at, but it doesn't stop there, you can sit on thrones and crown yourself King and Queen of monogamy the ice castle, you can slide down slides, or ride down slides on your fat bikes, you can sit inside them and pretend to be a snow ho gnome:
Update: now I'm wondering about the waste of water 😅 I really am the epitome of a Debby Downer.. points for being stunningly beauty and points for trying to help people's mental health by getting them out of the house though.
#6. Ice on Whyte Festival Edmonton
Edmonton has a tonne of ice in the winter, so what do they do? Make the most of it of course! In Edmonton, from ice festivals where world champions
compete to make the most beautiful sculptures; to entire castles made of ice where you can play and (priorities) take the most beautiful Insta-good photos.
This is another way that they are trying to get people out of the house: the Ice on Whyte Festival. Countries from all over the world (Russia, Latvia, Netherlands, Canada, US and - surprisingly considering it's so near to the equator - Malaysia) gather to find out who can make the best ice sculpture. The sculptures themselves were insane, I can't believe people know how to do things like this:
#7. Visit Jasper (Canada) - It Doesn't have to be expensive!
Last, but not least, if you're from the UK/ Germany / Netherlands etc and thinking 'damn, this looks so beautiful but it's so out of reach for me', I've got great news for you! A winter trip to Edmonton and Jasper is probably not as expensive as you think. With cheap flights to Edmonton and plenty of Snow Sure Deals, a winter skiing holiday to Canada is down-right reasonable. E.g. you can go skiing in Canada for 9 days, for £1159 p.p - this includes return flight with KLM, 7 nights in a hotel, 5/6 day lift pass and transfer!
Even the guy who called Edmonton 'Deadmonton' couldn't deny that Jasper is one of Canada's most beautiful gems. And as it's 'only' 200 miles away, in Canadian terms that's right next door. In fact, many (affluent) Edmontonians take regular weekend ski trips to Jasper. If you don't drive / want to be more environmental there's a bus that goes from Edmonton to Jasper and back again (and if you ask nicely they'll drop you off at your hotel). We took it and it was so deliciously warm and they stopped off half way for snacks. Yey.
Jasper is typically a summer destination, but there are so many fun things to do in Jasper in winter - skiing, ice walks and spotting wildlife were my favourites. [Read more: weekend guide to visiting Jasper Canada]
Things to Do in Edmonton at Night in Winter
Next, here are some of the things we did in Edmonton at night during the winter (remember, it gets cold and dark fairly quickly so... nights are long :)
Go out for dinner in Edmonton - Canadian food is delicious!
Edmonton is a stunning winter destination with lots of cool activities and sports to try out, but if you're anything like me, these wonders and fun times will feel tainted if they're not complimented with mouthwatering, delicious foods. Luckily, there's plenty of this, in fact the food in Edmonton is simply world-class.
And it's not all just traditionally Canadian food that they do well either, they also do absolutely incredible Mexican food. The tasty food is matched by the fun atmosphere in the restaurants and cafes and the excellent presentation of the food. And even vegans like us will find top places to eat in Edmonton :) These were our favourite places:
El Cortez
El Cortez serves some of the best guacamole and margaritas I think I've ever had. The secret to their cocktails lies in their tequila - a guy with a mohican hairstyle who introduced himself as the manager told us that they know everything there is to know about this spirit.
He taught us that the reason most have horrible tequila hangover headaches is because sugar is almost always added to tequila. Not at El Cortez though, they don't do that (and I can confirm I definitely did not have a headache the next day, despite drinking 4 margaritas).
The food was really delicious too. And they get extra brownie points for being so accommodating to vegans - they didn't have anything friendly on their dessert menu, so the chef was kind enough to make up a dish for us. The food and drinks was so great at El Cortez, it almost wouldn't have mattered what kind of dive we were dining in - but, again, El Cortez goes the extra mile with its location and decor. There have cool projectors projecting cool artworks and just a general quirky cool feel to the place - I loved it.
The food was really delicious too. And they get extra brownie points for being so accommodating to vegans - they didn't have anything friendly on their dessert menu, so the chef was kind enough to make up a dish for us. The food and drinks was so great at El Cortez, it almost wouldn't have mattered what kind of dive we were dining in - but, again, El Cortez goes the extra mile with its location and decor. There have cool projectors projecting cool artworks and just a general quirky cool feel to the place - I loved it.
Rostizado
Rostizado is a modern place with a classy vibe that serves Mexican food. We both had a roasted pineapple salad with a side of 'vegetales rostizados'. It was all yummy, but the salsa on the pineapple in particularly so - I couldn't get enough of it.
At the time I also loved that you could watch the cooks making your food, past Laura says "this is always entertaining (and you know nothing's been dropped on the floor!)" I'm not sure why she said that.. we've both worked in a kitchen and know how stressful it can be. Adding an audience must make it worst. Still, they didn't seem stressed, and actually now I'm really thinking about it, the more work that's done out in the open, the more we can see if people are being exploited or not. From what I saw, they didn't seem to be at Rostizados. Excellent.
The Common
This is another place we'd definitely recommend to vegans visiting Edmonton!
At The Common we had Sweet Potato Hummus & Grill Bread - served with warm Mona mushrooms and beetroot and a Green & Grains salad - Quinoa, kale, leeks & spinach. And it was all incredible! We had it with a Canadian beer for Tanbay and a virgin Margarita for me (I was driving).
Visit Situation Brewing
Situation Brewing is a pub with a very unique set up - on one side is a hip pub with delicious beers and burgers, but just through a door is the brewery. Hello zero food miles.
The guys showed us around and it was clear how much they care about their craft. I tried their vegan burger and it was delectable. I don't know about you but a bit of education followed by hours of beers and burgers is my idea of a fun (or even romantic) thing to do.
Catch an Ice Hockey game in Edmonton!
Edmonton is home to the Edmonton Oilers who weren't playing when we went to Edmonton (which was fine because I'd never heard of them). Instead we saw the Oil Kings play at Rogers - Edmonton Oilers' home stadium. Rogers itself is massive (and strict about not letting you take your cameras in in case you use them as a weapon 😂).
Watching ice hockey here for about five minutes was interesting, but after that I was more entertained by the players slamming into the walls, the 15 year old girls sat in front deciding which hockey players they'd fck, and, best of all, when one of the players winked at one of the girls and they went hysterical. All that aside, and despite the stadium being half empty, the atmosphere was electric. I recommend seeing a hockey game as one of the best things to do in Edmonton at night, because you know, Canada & culture. It's ice hockey!
Romantic Things To Do In Edmonton in Winter
As a couple, we strive to keep our relationship going well with date days - here are some romantic thing you can do in Edmonton with your parter or partners:
COOL CAFES IN EDMONTON
Edmonton has a great hipster/entrepreneurial feel to it - there are loads of cool cafes with innovative ideas and creative menus. Edmonton is also super vegan-friendly! As someone whose a great believer in 'the best way to the heart is through the stomach' I think that if you're on a date and looking for a romantic thing to do in Edmonton, it doesn't get much cuter than this. Here are some of my favourite places:
Mosaics
This place had wonderful vegan food as well... soooo much food, just look at the photo:
At Cafe Mosaics I had the Scramble: tofu crumble, hash browns, sausage, pepper and Tanbay had the Pancake experiment: massive pancakes with both sweet and savoury toppings. My God, it was all so delicious and the portions were gigantic - we actually ended up taking most of ours home and enjoying the rest later.
Farrow
Farrow is like central perk meets hipster: super cool, super tasty and the staff are super friendly! We had two vegans sandwiches and coffee from here and wow!
At the time I said that they may just well be the best sandwiches I'd ever had. (I tend to say that about all sandwiches though)... Still, the truth is that these were really good - perhaps it's because they source all their food locally, perhaps it's because of the vegan mayo - who knows.
District Cafe
We had breakfast at District Cafe before our fat biking adventure and I'm glad we did - District Cafe fuelled us up with a delectable three-course vegan meal.
We started off with forest fruits, followed by mouthwatering homemade bread and apple sauce and ended off with rice pudding made with coconut milk. I'm obsessed with their coconut rice pudding - I've tried to recreate it since but to no avail. :(
Da Capo
Da Capo is perfectly located for catching a bite and a coffee after a morning of yoga. Da Capo is located in a building where all the businesses are cool (in my opinion): a yoga studio, an organic grocery store, an organic restaurant. We went on a Sunday morning and it was very busy - but this gave it a lovely, friendly atmosphere as opposed to a chaotic one - mainly because the staff are so chill and lovely.
The Art Gallery of Alberta
The Art Gallery of Alberta is located in Edmonton and is teeming with art exhibitions, programs and events. As for the building itself, it was built in 1968 but renovated in 2010 giving you the best of both retro and contemporary worlds. If you and / or your other half is into art and culture, this is the perfect romantic thing to do in Edmonton.
Muttart Conservatory
The Muttart Conservatory is a botanical garden right in the centre of Edmonton. Come here to connect to nature and see some awe-inspiring specimens.
Fancy hotels in Edmonton
What says romantic more than staying in a fancy hotel (you know what I mean wink wink) even if you rent or own in Edmonton, it can really spice it up to um, oh fck it I don't care: FCK in another bed.
If you want to be in downtown, I recommend the Matrix hotel - they're in a great location, they serve a delicious buffet breakfast and the rooms are massive. If you're staying in uptown, I recommend Metterra Hotel on Whyte they also serve a delicious buffet breakfast and have massive rooms - the staff also go out of their way to help you and they have a great, complimentary, valet service.
Things to Know About Edmonton
And last but not least, here are some pieces of information you might find useful when visiting Edmonton:
Transport in Edmonton
Despite being a large city, Edmonton is easy to travel around. I'd never enjoyed driving in a city until I came to Edmonton. Edmonton is so easy to drive around! It's partly because the streets are just so damn clear (set out in clear blocks which are numbered clearly), but mostly because Edmontonians are so damn nice - not once was I beeped at for driving slowly - and in an average country I'll get beeped at least a million times per day. Thank you, Edmonton! And it doesn't just stop with easy driving, we also tried out the public transportation system in Edmonton and it was great. The bus tells you where you are so there's basically no chance of getting lost.
Shopping in Edmonton
For those that love to shop, Edmonton is the city: they've got it all, from organic produce and locally made gifts at Old Strathcona Farmer's Market; to unique boutiques on 4th Street Promenade; to funky, bohemian steals at Whyte Street. Oh, yea, and they have one of the biggest malls in North America: West Edmonton Mall. Complete with rollercoasters, an ice skating rink and an actual water park (not to mention hundreds of shops), this place is like Dubai crazy! Although we don't agree with the fact that you can also see sea lions at their sea life exhibit, this mall is humongous. If you're on a budget though, there is still a bunch of free stuff in Canada that you can take on the road!
Edmontonians
What's a city without its people? Not a city. And your city can have absolutely everything: good food, easy transport, cool sights, hot clubs.. but if it doesn't have nice people, then it's not going to be great. This is where Edmonton really shines: with its lovely people. Everyone in Edmonton seems to have some kind of hip, entrepreneurial business: from breweries to kids' books. But it's not just their business prowess that makes us want to become Edmontonians - they are so nice!
Wrap Up: 15 Things To Do in Edmonton in Winter
So there you have it - 15 things to do in Edmonton. Edmonton surprised us with its delicious food, kind people and with so many things to do there, you could never get bored! It's hands down one of the most beautiful, fun places we've ever been to and has so much to offer - truly something for everyone: romantic couples, families, adrenaline junkies, solo travellers, anyone and everyone will find something to love here. [Read more: Cruising the Icefields Parkway, Canada]
Have you been to Edmonton? Let us know in the comments below! P.S.: If you're interested in a way of travelling and getting accommodation cheaply, you might wanna check out house sitting. Trustedhousesitters.com was kind enough to provide us and our readers with a 10% discount, feel free to click on the link to use it :)
ABOUTME
We overland. We eat plants and fungi. We live outside as much as possible. We are all connected. A female travel blogger overlanding and writing about ecotourism, ethical and sustainable travel, socially conscious travel and housesitting. An online travel magazine since 2015.
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