Things to Do Around Edmonton, AB, During Winter

Places to Go in the Cold for Those Who Don't Like Malls

Jan 8, 2009

Edmonton Alberta is rarely thought of as a hot spot to travel to during winter. However, a range of winter activities and indoor sites ensure an enjoyable time for all.

When people think of Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta, a province in the western half of Canada, two things usually come to mind, apart from the extensive winter: the Edmonton Oilers and West Edmonton Mall. While it's exciting that the hockey team is legendary and the mall is a massive attraction of shops, restaurants, a hotel, a rink and a wave pool, there are other attractions in this cozy city. Edmonton is home to festivals in summer but still continues throughout the winter to offer an array of fun options.

Outdoor Fun in Winter

Winter is the primary season in Edmonton and indeed, throughout much of Alberta and the Prairies, so it's good to make the best of it! Unless it's too cold, walking along the many river valley trails past the North Saskatchewan river is always enjoyable. In summertime, the paddlewheeler, The Edmonton Queen trolls a section of this fast moving current, past hills full of wildflowers and tall grasses, below the cries of swallows and gulls.

In winter, the boat is mired in ice, but the trails are still walkable. Some people even continue to bike them. Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing them is also fun. When the ice is really thick, it's possible to skate on it. Dogs are welcome on leash. If you don't have a dog or bicycle, just twenty minutes outside of Edmonton, the Strathcona Wilderness Centre offers 550 miles of parkland around Bennett Lake. Visitors can snowshoe or ski down the wide variety of trails. Lodge rentals are also available where guests can have hot chocolate in front of the fire.

The Valley Zoo is also open year-round, featuring animals from an Addax to a Zebu.

Indoor Fun in Winter

While the tourist or inhabitant can visit these places year-round, in summer camping, hiking or swimming are more often the favored activities. Take advantage of the dipping temperatures to see Edmonton's museum, nature centre, and art gallery.

The Royal Alberta museum is a well-organized and jam packed series of displays dedicated to preserving Alberta's culture. In the Wild Alberta gallery, dioramas tell the tale of the area's species, including their habitats, diets and likelihood of survival. In the Syncrude Gallery of Aboriginal Culture, the entire history of the region's many tribes is recounted, along with multiple artifacts from pre-colonization to the present.

The museum also features changing exhibits, a cafe, and a series dedicated to preserving films from Hollywood's Golden Age. In town, the John Janzen Nature Centre is the place to go to learn about migrations, animal habits, and environmental practices. Located in Fort Edmonton Park, also a great site for winter sports, this centre provides events and exhibits to increase the visitor's knowledge of and respect for Alberta's species. Additionally, in 2009, the Muttart Botanical Gardens will be reopening.

Another renowned spot to see in Edmonton while the blizzards rage is the art gallery. The Art Gallery of Alberta, located right downtown off Enterprise Square, presents rotating exhibits. Spotlighting everything from the Art of Hockey to the fusion between science and the imagination, the gallery is an enlightening space in which to wander, warm, during Edmonton's winter.

The copyright of the article Things to Do Around Edmonton, AB, During Winter in Alberta Travel is owned by Catherine Owen. Permission to republish Things to Do Around Edmonton, AB, During Winter in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.