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North America : Canada : Prairies : Alberta : Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta and home to much of that province's industry. It's also, however, well known as a cultural center in Alberta, and is home to many festivals throughout the year. Edmonton is the northernmost city anywhere in North America with a metropolitan population of over 1 million.

Understand

Edmonton is one of the few major cities in North America to have a street system that is mostly numbered rather than named, although it does have named streets, usually major roadways and in the newer residential areas especially in SW Edmonton. Streets in Edmonton run north-south, while avenues run east-west. The downtown core of the city is centered near 100 St and 100 Ave, with streets increasing in number as you go west, and avenues increasing as you head north.

The recent growth of the city has meant that the city had to adopt a quadrant street system. There's an official move toward quadrant addresses (e.g., 23 Ave and 50 St NW), especially by Canada Post and emergency services. But because the vast majority of the city lies in the NW Quadrant with the centrepoint near the southeast corner of the city proper, it's a common practice to omit the "NW" from street addresses in the NW Quadrant.

Major roadways include the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16 - also known as the Yellowhead Trail within the city) and Whitemud Drive in the southside and west end. The largest north-south roadway is Calgary Trail/Gateway Boulevard, both of which serve as the southern gateway into Edmonton. Even though these are all major divided roadways with at least 2-3 lanes in each direction, there are no large stretches of true freeways in Edmonton, although there are plans to eventually turn them into such. A major ring road known as Anthony Henday Drive is currently under construction and a small portion in southwest Edmonton has already opened.

Edmonton's downtown core is fairly dense, with many office towers and condo towers. Inner-city neighbourhoods with low to medium density residential areas surround the downtown core for up to a few kilometres in all directions. Beyond that, it's mostly suburban residential with urban sprawl and shopping malls typical of most large North American cities which have experienced high growth during the postwar period.

Get in

By plane

By far, the fastest and most comfortable way to get to Edmonton from outside Alberta is by flying. Most major airlines service Edmonton. General travel times to Edmonton are 45 minutes from Calgary, 1 1/2 hours from Vancouver, and 4 hours from Toronto.

Edmonton International Airport is located outside of Edmonton in Leduc County to the south, so transportation to and from the airport will need to be arranged as there is no public transportation available to the airport. Fortunately, there is an airport shuttle available at reasonable cost. Taxi service is also available, but will cost you in the $40-45 range for the university area or downtown. The drive between the airport and downtown is about half an hour in normal traffic - allow yourself extra time during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

By car

Edmonton is 3 hours north of Calgary on the Queen Elizabeth II highway (formerly Highway 2), and 4 hours east of Jasper on highway 16. From Vancouver, take the Trans-Canada (Highway 1) east to Hope, then the #5 (Coquihalla Highway) from Hope to the Yellowhead (Highway 16) eastbound junction just north of Blue River. The average travel time in summer is 12-13 hours - assuming you don't plan on staying overnight along the way, which is not uncommon for quite a few travelers there to do so.

It is not recommended to take this route during the winter months of October to March. Although the major trucking route is well-maintained, severe winter storms can arise suddenly, particularly on the severe inclines between Hope and Kamloops. Even regular bad weather can produce impassable roads, and communities are few and far in between north of Kamloops. If you do want to make this trip during winter, stick to days without snowfall and try to travel during daylight (roughly 8 AM to 5 PM).

By bus

Greyhound services Edmonton from all major Canadian cities. There is also a premium service between Edmonton and Calgary, Red Deer, and Fort McMurray with Red Arrow Motorcoach, which feature more spacious seating (only three seats to a row) and "workstation" seats with electrical connections for business travelers and their computers.

By train

Get around

Edmonton hosts an efficient and inexpensive public transportation system. With hundreds of different bus routes, you can get nearly anywhere you need to go with minimal bus transfers. There is also a light-rail transit system that stretches from the University of Alberta well up to the north-east residential area of the city. Very useful if by chance your destination is on its route, otherwise stick to the buses.

If you have an autombile, getting around Edmonton is quite easy. The city is laid out to get you from one end to the other in a relatively short time. But it's wise to make sure you know where you're going if you're driving in areas built within the last 30 years, as local streets become more chaotically arranged, many with cul-de-sacs and loops there. The only challenge is learning all the bridges that will carry you across the North Saskatchewan River, which meanders through the center of the city from southwest to northeast. Streets and avenues are laid out in a sensible, numbered grid (interrupted by occasional City Council follies naming routes after defunct politicians and sports figures), so locating an address is pretty straightforward.

See

Alberta Railway Museum, 24215 34 St.
Devonian Botanic Garden.
Fort Edmonton Park.
Muttart Conservatories, 9626 96A St.
TELUS World of Science, 11211 142st. Edmonton's Space and Science Centre, with lots of exhibits and an Imax theatre. http://www.odyssium.com/
Alberta Legislative Building.
Royal Alberta Museum, 12845 102 Ave.
River Valley Parks.
Valley Zoo, 13315 Buena Vista Rd.
West Edmonton Mall, 170 Street. World's Largest shopping center. There are more than 800 stores/services, as well as the Galaxyland amusement park, the World Waterpark, the Fantasyland hotel, the Europa shopping district, Chinatown, an exotic flamingo wading pool, sea lion shows, a realistic replica of the Santa Maria ship, casino, nightclubs, two movie theatres and an IMAX theatre, a dinner theatre, two mini golf centres, a skating rink, many restaurants, and much, much more!

Do

Edmonton is a surprisingly lively city for an area covered in snow 6 months of the year. The summer brings many festivals into the city, and with Canada's most impressive mountain parks a half-day's drive away, Edmonton is fun the year round.

Places to go

The best place to go for general day and night life in Edmonton is Whyte (82nd) Avenue. Bounded on one end by the University of Alberta, the section of Whyte Avenue from 99th Street to 112th Street is home to many shops, restaurants, and bars, and is the most concentrated core of the city's social scene.

The Yardbird Suite, 11 Tommy Banks Way (Corner of 102 Street & 86 Avenue). Edmonton non-profit jazz club with acts every weekend. The Tuesday jam is $2, and has some good talent. Closed during the summer. http://www.yardbirdsuite.com/

Recreation

Edmonton's river valley has an extensive network of trails, good for walking, biking and cross-country skiing. As you travel through the extensive stretches of linked ravines and forested areas in the river valley, at many points you can't even tell you're in a city.

There are a variety of bike shops, including a bicycle co-op (http://edmontonbicyclecommuters.ca/non-profit). You can drop in on their workshop hours and wrench your own bike for cheap. Mechanics are on hand to help and answer your questions.

Bike maps are freely available at many places, such as City Hall and the University, in addition to most bike shops, eg. Revolution Cycle (http://www.revolutioncycle.com/),United Cycle (http://www.unitedcycle.com/), Hardcore Mountain Bike Store (http://www.hardcore.ca/) and others.

Downhill skiing

Edmonton is fairly flat, so the city's ski hills are mostly to keep the locals amused until they can get away to the Rockies. However, if you can't wait that long, Rabbit Hill is the best of the local hills.

Golf

Alberta has a keen fascination with golf, based to a great degree on the province's sunny summers, vast number of developed courses and connecting roadways, and low prices. Edmonton benefits by containing or being within a quick drive of dozens of excellent courses. Most are public, and the few private courses are not spectacular enough that you will feel you're missing much by sticking to the public courses. You can visit http://www.golfedmonton.com/ for a list of courses in Edmonton and the surrounding area.

In the city

Kinsmen Pitch'n'Putt
Lewis Estates Golf Club (8700 207 St NW) (Public:
Riverside (8630 Rowland Rd, in the river valley) (Public: 6306 yards, par 71) This delightful club is the most attractive of the three city-owned courses. It is heavily treed, cooler on hot summer days than most courses within an hour's drive. It takes good advantage of its placement in an elbow of the river by setting raised tee boxes and raised greens up on the high banks for several fairways.
Rundle Park Par Three (2909 118th Ave) (Public: 3018 yards, par 54) Another city-owned course, this executive par-three gives a surprisingly good workout. Holes range from around 100 to over 200 yards, greens are fairly small, and your shot-making ability is fairly tested. By the nature of the course, it is busy (although you can walk on almost any time): there will be waiting time on weekends, and the course is not kept to the same level of repair the other city courses are. Nevertheless, it's a great way to warm up in the spring, and a good introduction to golf if you're entertaining non-golfers.
Victoria (12130 River Rd, in the river valley) (Public: 6027 yards, par 71)This is another city-owned public course. It's situated in the river valley a couple of minutes from downtown, and has a large driving range on site. The setting is very attractive, although the course is less treed than Riverside with a more-open feel, particularly on the back nine.

Festivals

Edmonton is home to many festivals during the spring and summer months. Highlights include:

Fringe Festival. August. North America's largest theater festival showcases some of the most innovative stagework to be seen anywhere in Canada. In addition to staged events, dozens of street performers mob the festival site to entertain you between shows. Great for kids and adults alike. http://www.fringetheatreadventures.ca/eiftf/index.html
River City Shakespeare Festival, Hawrelak Park. Another summer theatre festival, this event is put on by the Free Will Players in Hawrelak Park in mid-summer. They usually put on two different plays over the course of 3 weeks. Tickets are usually around $12. http://www.freewillplayers.ca/season.html
Blues Festival. August. Western Canada's Premier Blues Event, every August in Edmonton's scenic River Valley in Hawrelak Park at The Heritage Amphitheatre. Park ?n? Ride service is available from the Stadium Parkade at the University of Alberta as parking is limited. Beer Garden, food vendors and the "Blues Store" are all on site. 3 days of ?Blues and Nothin? but the Blues?.
Jazz City. June/July. International jazz festival. Many clubs open their doors to jazz musicians and fans, as well as a variety of larger concerts in the city's main halls. http://www.jazzcity.ca/
Heritage Days. August. Hundreds of community groups converge on Hawrelak Park to celebrate Canada's diversity with cultural exhibits, dance, and food pavilions. Definitely go on an empty stomach. http://www.heritage-festival.com/
Taste of Edmonton, Churchill Square. Several of Edmonton's finest eateries show off their wares. Coincides with Edmonton Klondike Days.
Folk Music Festival. This immensely popular festival sells out long before it opens, even though your ticket buys you nothing but the option to sit on a grassy hillside. World-class acts attend every year, with an emphasis on folk and roots performers but with sufficient variety to satisfy anyone - even the whole family. Hope for good weather, though: all seating is outdoors. http://www.efmf.ab.ca/
Street Performers Festival, Churchill Square. Canada's best street performers converge on Edmonton to show off their skill. Great for kids.
Cariwest Parade. August. Parade route ends in Churchill Square. Caribbean food, and item vendors. Parade has many wonderful costumes. This tradition comes from Trinidad and Tobago, in the Caribbean.
Symphony Under the Sky, a series of concerts put on by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. The performances take place in Hawrelak park, and consist of both classical and popular music. http://www.edmontonsymphony.com/content.asp?catid=145&rootid=4

Learn

Edmonton is home to the University of Alberta, which has consistently ranked in the top ten universities in Canada. Annual attendance exceeds 30,000 students, and the campus sprawls over a number of blocks on the south bank of the North Saskatchewan river, a few minutes drive from downtown.

There are a number of major colleges as well:

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
Grant MacEwan College
Concordia University College
King's University College

Work

Buy

If it's just shopping you crave, you can head to the premiere temple of consumerism, West Edmonton Mall, the world's largest shopping centre. There, you can find anything your wallet desires, then take a ride on the indoor roller coaster.
Don't forget the Strathcona Farmer's Market, open Saturdays 8am-3pm, year round. You can find it a block north of Whyte Avenue and 104 St.
Downtown city centre offers a quieter, upscale shopping experience, usually catered to the business crowd. City Centre mall east and west offer the standard food courts, popular clothing chains (e.g. Gap, Club Monaco, Aldo, etc.), and the Hudson Bay Company department store. Connected to the City Centre west building is the swankier Manulife Place with the posh Holt Renfrew department store, Henry Singer, Alligator Pie (designer labels for children), and gourmet chocolatier Bernard Callebaut. A pedway from Manulife leads to Commerce Place, which offers yet more designer shopping such as Sam Abouhassan, Plaza Escada, and Diamori, not to mention many delicious dining options from quick, healthy lunches at Sunterra market to high-end dining at Lux Steakhouse.

Eat

Quality

These are restaurants, bars, and other spots that have a quality not completely defined by their food type or location. They are each outstanding in their own ways, which we try to capture in their descriptions.

Sidetrack Cafe The Sidetrack is one of Edmonton's premier live music venues, but it also serves food and drink from 4:00 PM onwards. Food is sensibly "Canadian", not too simple, not too extreme, and comes in good quantity. In summer, the shaded patio adds an enjoyable spot to enjoy your beer and newspaper. The dining room has a stage right in the middle, and the live acts it hosts are uniformly interesting, high-quality, and danceable.

Value

These places may not serve the best food or drink of their type, but they suit the economy-minded. If you're traveling on a tight budget, you won't be disappointed.

Commercial Hotel - Blues on Whyte Rock-bottom prices on beer, with a crowd to match. The bar serves all the low-brow beers, and has a surprisingly good selection at the opposite end of the spectrum - at the best prices in town. You can get Guinness on tap at Edmonton's best price, as well as Strongbow cider and several of the Calgary Big Rock micro-brews. Exotic micro-brews in the bottle include Quebec's power-packed Maudite (8% alcohol) and the redoubtable Fin du monde (at an incredible 9% alcohol!). Live blues music on stage weekday evenings, with a locally-famous open stage on Saturday afternoons (arrive early if you want your own seat).
Szechuan Palace The number of one-ton and larger trucks parked in front of this west-end restaurant at lunch indicates its target market: big people with big appetities. Both lunch and supper feature an all-you-can-eat buffet of fairly good Szechuan and Chinese food (cheaper at lunch, but still cheap at dinner time). Particularly at lunch, when it's busiest, the food is freshly brought from the kitchen every few minutes, and you can get a meal almost as good as one ordered � la carte -

Asian

Chinese

Spicy Garden Restaurant, 9700 105 Avenue NW. Great Chinese food at great prices.

Japanese

Furusato, 10012 82 Ave. The interior of this attractive Japanese restaurant is lined with wooden panels and roofed with thatch. Wooden floors and tasteful Japanese wall decorations round out the decor, which complements the family-run kitchen's fine food. Sample the special Volcano Rolls (a spicy, oven-hot sushi roll), or the Ika Kara-Age (breaded fried squid with a tangy ginger sauce), the best in town. All dishes are delivered quickly by friendly and competent staff. The restaurant doesn't take reservations, so try to avoid the frequent line-ups by visiting outside of the main dinner hours (5:30 - 7:30 PM). Visitors I've known from Vancouver claim it's better than most Lower Mainland Japanese restaurants, high praise from people who have a broad choice of Japanese restaurants at home.
Japanese Village, 10126 100 St. The Japanese Village is an unusual three-story building in the heart of downtown. The main floor houses the sushi bar, tables, and a number of tatami rooms. Upstairs, a series of teppan-style cooking tables provide entertaining and tasty full dinners.
Mikado, 10350 109 St. The original Mikado was the first Japanese restaurant in Alberta. Their new location is a high-ceilinged modern room, both noisy and energizing. Food is excellent, but quantities are a little smaller and prices a little higher than they used to be in Mikado's previous off-downtown location.
Nagano
Shogun, 10125 121 St. Shogun is a comfortable restaurant, low-ceilinged and pleasantly lined with dark panelling. The sushi and teppan-style cooking are as good as anywhere in the city, but Shogun is generally less busy than the restaurants right downtown and can almost always accommodate you without reservations.

Korean

Bul-Go-Gi House, 8813 92 St. This Korean restaurant was Edmonton's first, and has deservedly outlived several competitors with its consistent good quality and reasonable prices. The dining room's style is no better than functional, but you don't visit for the decor. Try bul-go-gi, be-bim-bap, and the home-made kim-chi at a minimum, and feel comfortable that you'll enjoy pretty near anything on the menu - even if you've never heard of it.
Korean Beauty, 6516 118 Ave.
Korean Village, (7729 85 St.

Thai, Malaysian, and Indonesian

Ban Thai, 15726 100 Ave.
Bua Thai, 10049 113 St. Located across the street from St. Joseph's Cathedral, Bua Thai serves up high-quality Thai food at competitive prices. Particularly good is their Beef with Basil, but nothing disappoints.
Krua Wilai 9940 106 Street NW, Edmonton, AB. Edmonton's most authentic Thai food. Incredible service at a reasonable price.
Padmanadi, 10626 97 St.
The King and I, 8208 107 St. Good Thai food, but it's always been a bit pricey, and the portions are somewhat small. You won't be disappointed in the flavours, though, and it still serves the best coconut rice in the city.
Tropika, 6004 104 St. Malaysian food done right, with good portions and intense flavours, though some people find some of the dishes a little oily (but that's authentic...). Located in a strip mall with plenty of parking on Calgary Trail South. Fridays and Saturdays can be busy, especially around holidays, so phone ahead those times. Otherwise, there always seem to be one or two empty tables...

Vietnamese

Doan's, 10130 107 St or 7909 104 St. Doan's runs two establishments in town. The downtown one occupies a fancy space (for a Vietnamese restaurant) and is popular with businesspeople at lunch. The south-side restaurant, a couple blocks off Whyte (82nd) Avenue, is more conventional in its interior and layout. Both restaurants serve good quality Vietnamese food at good prices, and both are popular. They don't stand ahead of the other restaurants in this section, but they are reliably good.
Golden Bird, 10544-97 St. Operated to high standards by a single family, this restaurant serves some of the best crispy spring rolls in town. Mom runs the kitchen, Dad and son will serve you in this colorful room. The menu has dishes not found at other Vietnamese restaurants in town; notable items include peppered squid and those served with sugar cane.
Lemongrass Cafe, 10417 51 Ave. This restaurant is newer than most of the others, with a clean, crisp interior design. It's still friendly, though, and the food is prepared with care and attention to details.
Pagolac, 10566-97 St. or 9642-54 Ave. Situated in the heart of Chinatown, this restaurant serves a wide variety of hearty Vietnamese dishes. The fare is a little cruder than Thanh Thanh's, but the prices are a little lower as well. A bowl of duck soup with noodles, gently spiced and swimming in a rich brown broth, will fill you for the rest of the day. Come early for lunch or be prepared to share a table.
Thanh Thanh Oriental Noodle House, 10718 101 St. This cheerful restaurant serves some of the best Vietnamese food in the city (a Vietnamese friend of mine claims it's the "most authentic" in Edmonton). Prices have gone up in recent years, but quantities are still large and two can dine well for $20. The spicy satay beef noodle soup is a terrific cure for winter, and the extensive menu ranges from spice-free to mild to lively curries and satay dishes. There's a crush most lunch hours, so head over early.

Breakfast and brunch

High Level Diner (10912-88 Ave.) This is a wonderful restaurant, a nice cosy atmosphere with a fine selection of food that comes well presented. In summer there is a small patio area which gives a nice view of the surrounding area, good for people watching. The best long island iced tea in the city (made from scratch).
Riverside Bistro (#1 Thornton Court)
Silk Hat (10251 Jasper Ave.) This restaurant, one of Edmonton's oldest, is a proud promoter of the almost-vanished "greasy spoon" style of dining: booths down one side, a long bar with stools down the other, and good cheap food served everywhere.
Barb & Ernie's (9906 72 Ave NW) This German restaurant is family-owned and operated by husband and wife duo, Barb & Ernie, and serves hearty portions of delicious breakfasts. Be sure to order the Eggs Benedict, the best in the city!

Burgers

Garage Bar and Grill

Coffee shops

Remedy

Block 1912 (10361 82 Ave) Located in the heart of Whyte (82nd) Avenue, this coffee shop is a favourite for late night dates, chatting with old friends, and family gatherings, and offers a variety of home-made desserts, gourmet coffees, and healthy lunch and dinner items. There's even a built-in gelateria for those who crave a delicious taste of Italy. If you've got a sweet tooth, you will find some of the best desserts in the city including chocolate cheesecakes. The excellent chai latt�s are made from scratch. You'll love the eclectic d�cor; you can't miss the enormous desert painting in the back corner.

European (Eastern)

Bistro Praha, 10168 100A Street, 424-4218. M-F 11AM - 2AM, Sa noon - 2AM, Su 4PM - midnight. The Bistro is one of the longest-established restaurants in Edmonton. Its menu and ambience have remained as they were when it opened in the mid-1970's: really - why change? Business people in the lunch hour, and the arts crowd from local theatres and concert spots in the evening, fill this wood-paneled room enjoying crisp wiener schnitzel, roast goose, terrific steak tartare, and other eastern-European treats. The liquor markup is reasonable, beer selection features hard-to-find European brews, service is professional, and food is consistently excellent. $6-$10 (lunch), $12-$20(dinner).

Milan's Restaurant Bar (8223 104 St.) Located a half-block north of Whyte (82nd) Avenue, this bistro has a warm, wood-paneled main room with a small bar for those awaiting company or a table. There's also a cheerful west-facing (sunny!) four-table patio in the summer. The menu features wiener schnitzel, other eastern-European meat dishes, and hearty salads at good prices. European beers on tap and the busy street scene make this the perfect Fringe Festival patio break.

East Indian

Jewel of Kashmir (7219-104 St.)
Khazana (10177-107 St.) At one time a few years back (late 90s), Khazana was *the* East Indian tandoori restaurant in the city, but its high-style, high-quality presentation and delivery has been its undoing. Still competent in many respects, its amazing lunchtime buffet has been replaced by a much more lacklustre offering (sweet-and-sour chicken? are you kidding me?), and there is no menu service at lunchtime. Still, the decor is outstanding and the evening meal, with careful selection, can be quite good.
New Asian Village (10143 Saskatchewan Dr.) One of the "old men" of East Indian cuisine in Edmonton. The food is excellent, the lunchtime buffet, while limited in selection, is adequate, but the � la carte portions are rather meagre for the price.

European (Western)

Creperie

Greek and Eastern Mediterranean

Koutouki (10704 124th St.)
Symposium (2nd Floor, 10439 82nd Ave.)
Yiannis Taverna (10444 82nd Ave.)

Italian

Chianti's Chianti's is housed in an attractive space (the recycled shell of the former Post Office), and offers cheap and cheerful Italian pasta and meat dishes. Service and ambience are professional enough to impress your boss, but prices low enough to allow treating your friends to dinner. The patio is very pleasant on warm summer evenings.
Il Portico Situated downtown, a block south of Jasper Avenue at 107th Street, this restaurant has first-class food, service, and setting. The wine cellar is extensive, as is the menu, and you may be able to celebrity-spot in this popular room.
Packrat Louie (10335 - 83 Ave - right off Whyte Avenue)
Sorrentino's These local restaurants are an Edmonton tradition. Each of them offers a slightly different variation on comfortable Italian fare. Some are more formal settings than others, but all of the restaurants offer competent cuisine at pretty good prices. Check the phone book for addresses.
Piccolino Bistro Piccolinos is at 9112 142 Street. The personable staff, headed by the owner/operator Lino, complete the personable atmosphere of this restaurant. The food is awesome, featuring daily specials including risotto. And the homemade tiramisu is the best to be found anywhere. Reservations on Friday and Saturday are recommended.
Sicilian Pasta Kitchen (2 locations - 805 Saddleback Road and 11239 Jasper Avenue). Great atmosphere, generous portions, scrumptious appetizers, and to-die-for desserts. For seafood lovers, try the Linguini Granchio or the Penne Alla Diavola. Make reservations well in advance, especially on the weekend.

Mexican, Central and South American

Acajutla (11302-107 Ave.) Acajutla is a Salvadorean/Central American eatery with functional decor, good food and low prices. If you're expecting a variation on Mexican, you may not recognize the menu -- sausages, for example, play a prominent role, and we're not talking chorizo! Nevertheless, the food is good and the prices are suitable for the starving-student crowd.
Julio's Barrio Julio's serves good Mexican food and lots of it. The menu is extensive, the servings are generous, and the food is the best Mexican fare in town. The restaurant's interior is colorful, although the tables and chairs - leather-covered stick furniture in most cases -- are somewhat eccentric. Fresh home-made salsas, in every temperature from mild to "salsa of mass destruction", accompany free bowls of corn chips before dinner. The bar stocks several Mexican beers as well as the usual domestic brands, and has noticeable automation in place to speed the creation of margueritas. With friendly but professional service, Julio's is one of Whyte Avenue's busiest eateries, and justifiably so. There's also a Julio's in West Edmonton Mall's Bourbon Street.

Vegetarian

Caf� Mosaics (10844-82 Ave.)
Oriental Veggie House (10586-100 St.)
Max?s Light Cuisine (7809-109 St.)

Fancy Food

Gini's (10706 142 St.)

Hardware Grill (9698 Jasper Ave.)

Jack's Grill (5842 - 111 St.)

La Boheme (6427 112th Ave.)

Madison's Grill (10052 Jasper Ave, in the Union Bank Inn)

Normand's (11639A Jasper Ave.)

Red Ox Inn (9420 - 91 St.)

Unheardof (9602?82 Ave.) Probably one of Edmonton's finest food establashments, although be wary of the high price attached. The meal will cost you a flat $60 per person, but if you are looking for excellent eating, and the price does not phase you, look no no further than Unheardof.

Drink

Pubs

Black Dog (10524-82 Ave) Frequently rated Edmonton's best neighborhood pub by SEE Magazine polls, this friendly drinking spot caters to the young and body-modified (pierced and tattoed) crowd as well as any place on Whyte Avenue. It serves a wide selection of imported and micro-brewed beer at middle-of-the-road prices, features live music on Saturday afternoons, and has one of the city's favorite pub "patios" on their roof - a terrific place to waste a summer afternoon.
O?Byrnes (10616-82 Ave.) An excellent Irish pub, rather roomy in size with two levels, and an outdoor patio in summer. Generally O'Byrnes is regarded as 'the' place to be on St. Particks day in Edmonton, although you will want to get there plenty early for that day as there is usually a long line form 4pm onwards. O'Byrnes also plays excellent Celtic music on Tuesdays.
The Druid (11606 Jasper Ave) This Irish pub comes with a rustic Irish pub-style interior and a wide selection of different beers on tap. The Druid hosts live music on Tuesdays and Thursdays and dance music with DJs on weekends. It can be crowded with partygoers on Fridays and Saturdays, so it's a good idea to come early should you decide to go there on these days.

Clubs

Purple Onion (8032 104 St.) No one knows exactly where the hordes of people that press the flesh at the "P.O." every weekend come from, but come they do, as they have for close to 15 years now. And for anyone who wasn't already that way courtesy of Happy Hour, the DJ helps out with current dance hits and classic rock. Various drink and shooter specials are available, seemingly all the time. And unlike most of the licensed establishments in the area, you probably stand a better chance of getting your beverage faster from one of the numerous waitresses than you will from going to the bar.
The Roost (10345 104 St.) It helps to have an open mind if you happen to walk through the doors of this two-storey alternative-lifestyles hangout. Often lauded as the best gay club west of Toronto, to the uninitiated, it's an eye-opening experience. Depending on your musical inclination, you can check out the main floor, where DJs allow patrons to sweat to the oldies or open the stage for its regular drag shows and karaoke nights. Upstairs, revelers let it all hang out on the checkered dance floor, grooving to the rhythms of everything from Madonna to Dusk to Dawn.
The One on Whyte ( 10544 82 Ave.) Located in the space occupied by the old Roxy club on the second floor of what used to be Old Strathcona�s favourite bowling alley, the One on Whyte sports an attitude that tones down the nightclub aspect a bit and emphasizes an expanded food menu and more live music. Yes, there are still plenty of opportunities to shake it until closing time, just like the old Roxy, but there is no shaking the feel that the owners are shooting for an entirely new image.
Union Hall (9920 62 Ave.) Most nightclubs have a feel of snobbery to them. Depending on the clientele to which they cater, there is a feeling that the patron needs to be "in" to feel comfortable in the club environment. But the owners of the Standard, the successful Calgary Trail operation, decided that a spot was needed that would cater to those who wanted to simply go and have a good time without worrying about trends or fashions. Aimed at the classic-rock loving thirtysomething set, the Union Hall boasts that it is a spot about having an attitude-free good time. The Union Hall advertises itself as a place "where the only labels you'll find are on the bottles."

Wine stores

Cristall?s Wine Market (5854-111 St.)
Grapes and Grains (9500-170 St.)
Wine Cellar (12421-102 Ave.)

Sleep

The Fairmont Hotel MacDonald Known as Edmonton's most elegant hotel, construction for this Chateau-like building began in 1911 and was completed in 1915. Located in the heart of downtown, the breathtaking view of the river valley, fine dining from the Harvest Room, and beautiful suites, makes it the inn-of-choice for the rich and famous. It is also an ideal venue for meetings and banquets.

Stay safe

Edmonton, like most Canadian cities, can be considered safe throughout. Nevertheless, there are some areas where increased caution is advised, particularly after dark:

The "inner city" area to the east of downtown, a square bounded by Jasper Avenue (approximates 101 Avenue) on the south, 118 Avenue on the north, 99th Street on the west, and around 85th Street on the east - parts of this area are well-traveled and safe, but other areas are pretty rough, at least by Edmonton's standards.
118 Avenue between about 75th street and 99th Street.
Some will disagree that there's a real safety issue, but in recent years there has been an increase in alcohol-fueled disturbances on weekends near 82nd (Whyte) Avenue between 103 Street and 109 Street (which forms the city's most concentrated party zone). Whyte Avenue's actually a very safe area in all other respects, but be somewhat wary of the closing-time outflow after midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. In recent years, Edmonton's finest have vastly increased foot patrols in the area, which has calmed things down a bit.

Driving in Edmonton is generally made easier by Edmonton's gridded street system (mostly in areas built before World War II) and relative lack of traffic compared to most other major North American cities. But exercise caution during the winter, especially during and after the first few snowfalls of the winter and during bad winter weather. Ice can be a problem, as it can be almost invisible, which is where the commonly used - and dreaded - term "black ice" comes from. Although ice will lose some of its slipperiness below -10�C, it is still wise to be careful.

Get out

From Edmonton, you can travel relatively quickly to Calgary, Drumheller, the Rocky Mountains and Jasper.

Nearby Banff and Jasper are both well-known national parks. They include world-class ski areas, hiking, boating, hostels, and many other outdoor attractions. Jasper is roughly 4 hours from Edmonton by the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16). Banff is only slightly further away.

Elk Island National Park Elk Island National Park is less than an hour's drive east of Edmonton along the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16). This national park is one of the last remaining large areas of natural aspen parkland undisturbed by man, as much of the aspen parkland in Alberta is now largely gone due to agriculture and other human activities. Elk Island National Park is home to a variety of wildlife indigenous to the region such as moose, wood bison, deer, elk, beaver, muskrat and various waterfowl. Over 250 species of birds make their home in Elk Island National Park, making it a good place for birdwatching. The Ukrainian Pioneer Home, located in the vicinity of Lake Astotin in Elk Island National Park, is Canada's oldest Ukrainian museum.

Camping, cross country skiing, hiking and other outdoor activites that can be done in Elk Island National Park. As in most Canadian national parks, a fee is required for entry into Elk Island National Park.

External links

City of Edmonton (http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt)
Edmonton.com - Your portal to Greater Edmonton (http://www.edmonton.com/portal.asp?page=1)

Travel in Edmonton

Informations on Edmonton: history, politics, economy, culture, Did you mean: EdmontonFor an other version of this travel guide, please visit Ooaj.com: Travel in Edmonton + Hotels