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Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta. Its metro area is home to 1.3 million people (2016), and is the northernmost city of at least one million people in North America, the fifth-largest city in Canada and the largest Canadian city farther than 200 km from the US border. Edmonton is famous for its beautiful river valley park system, the North Saskatchewan River Valley, which offers over 100 km of recreational trails, wildlife viewing, and city views. The river valley also contains many parks, including Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest historical park. If the great outdoors is not what you seek, the city also offers West Edmonton Mall, the largest shopping mall in North America. On top of that, Edmonton has a vibrant theatre community, a busy cycle of annual festivals, national sports teams active year-round, and wonderful winter recreational opportunities.

Districts
In addition, Metro Edmonton also features several large communities outside Edmonton's city limits:
 * St. Albert on the northwest, a community with deep French-Canadian roots and a popular city farmers market.
 * Sherwood Park on the southeast is a suburban area that despite having a population of over 70,000 (2016) it still retains its status as a hamlet, making it the largest such community in Canada.
 * Fort Saskatchewan on the northeast.
 * Leduc and Beaumont are bedroom communities a few kilometres south of Edmonton. Leduc, a city in its own right, is next to the Edmonton International Airport.
 * Spruce Grove and Stony Plain are bedroom communities just west of Edmonton, accessible via the Yellowhead Highway.
 * CFB Edmonton. Also known as the Superbase, this is one of Canada's largest military reservations; it is immediately north of Edmonton off Highway 28 (97 Street).

History
The area around Edmonton, which sits in the geographic centre of the province, was home to native populations for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers. In 1795, Edmonton House was constructed and work on Fort Edmonton began. The original site was near Fort Saskatchewan, but was relocated near the present day Legislature in 1830.

The town developed around the fur trade, and in the early days there was little to distinguish it from other such settlements in the area. The first hotel and hospital were built in the 1870s. The latter part of the century saw an influx of wealthy families, and in 1892 the Town of Edmonton was officially founded.

Early developments were centred around the Quarters area. In 1905, Edmonton was declared the capital of the province of Alberta, and a year later was designated a city. The 1907-1914 period saw the city experience an unprecedented boom, with the population rising from around 6,000 to 78,000. During this period, the University of Alberta was founded

In 1947 oil was discovered just outside of Edmonton in Leduc county, which spurred a second period of growth, leading to urban sprawl and the development of US-style malls. The Royal Alberta Museum opened in 1967.

The utilitarian office buildings and condos that dominate the downtown landscape today were mostly constructed in the 1970s.

Today, Edmonton is the hub for energy development and petrochemicals for Alberta. As well, it has become a centre of excellence in research through the University of Alberta and the high technology industries in the region like the National Institute for Nanotechnology.

Climate

If you want to spend time outdoors, the summer months offer the most opportunities for recreation and entertainment. In the summer, Edmonton offers great outdoor festivals, street entertainment, open-air concerts, and many other world-class entertainment opportunities. Winter is equally exciting, with snow sports for the outdoorsy, extensive indoors shopping in the many malls, and live sports, theatre, and music throughout the city.

Edmonton's climate is "northern continental", with a wide range of weather over all four distinct seasons. Edmonton receives 2,300 hours of sunshine per year, making it one of Canada's sunniest cities. Rainfall is low to moderate, and entire weeks can pass without clouds or precipitation through the late spring and summer.

Bright green foliage appears in May, signaling spring. Even as the city shakes off its winter chill, cold snaps and the occasional snowfall can still occur. The region's golf courses are generally open by this time.

Summer days generally bring temperatures up to 21 to 25 C in June, July, and August, though temperatures will often rise over 30 C for a few days. Thunderstorms sweep in from time to time during the summer months, usually in the evening. Humidity is relatively low, so warm days are more comfortable than they are in humid climates. At the height of summer, Edmonton enjoys more than 17 hours of daylight, with twilight extending past 11PM in June and July.

Fall starts in mid-September, bringing bright yellow and orange foliage to Edmonton's treed neighbourhoods and river valley parks. This season ushers in cooler temperatures ranging between 10 and 20 C during the day.

Winters are long, but not as harsh as those further east on the Canadian Prairies. Periods of mild temperatures with daytime highs over 10 C can occur. Such mild weather makes outdoor winter sports extremely popular with the locals. Stop by a local outdoor ice rink to catch the fever of children and adults alike taking part in community hockey. Colder days in Edmonton are kept reasonably comfortable by the low humidity index, but it's wise to have some lip balm and hand cream with you, as the skin and lips can get cracked and chapped quickly in this dry environment.

Winter walking and driving are not often affected. Cold snaps with temperatures down to and beyond -30 C can occur during the winter, although it's unusual for these frigid spells to last more than 1 or 2 days. Extremely cold temperatures are usually accompanied by the crisp blue skies and bright sunshine of a prairie high-pressure zone. Even regular winter temperatures can feel very cold if there is a noticeable wind: if you are visiting between December and March, be prepared.

Destinations
Most major Canadian airlines service Edmonton. Edmonton's main airport is western Canada's hub to the Northwest Territories.

Direct flights to Edmonton within Canada include from Calgary (1 hour), Charlottetown (4.75 hours), Halifax (5.25 hours), Kelowna (1.5 hours), Moncton (4.5-4.75 hours), Montreal (4.5 hours), Ottawa (4.25-4.5 hours), Prince George (1.5 hours), Regina (1.5 hours), Saskatoon (1.25 hours), St. John's (NL) (5.5 hours), Toronto (4-4.25 hours), Vancouver (1.5 hours), Victoria (1.5-175 hours), Whitehorse (2.5 hours), Winnipeg (2 hours), and Yellowknife (1.75 hours).

From the United States, scheduled flights to Edmonton include from Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas (3 hours), Los Angeles, Maui, Minneapolis, Nashville, Orlando, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Seattle (2 hours), and San Francisco (3 hours).

From Mexico and the Caribbean, seasonal charter flights serve Acapulco, Cancún, Cozumel, Holguin, Huatulco, La Romana, Liberia, Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Montego Bay, Puerto Plata, Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana, Santa Barbara de Samana, San Jose del Cabo, and Varadero.

From Europe, KLM fly a couple of times a week from Amsterdam, and there are summer services from Frankfurt with Condor.

Airlines
Canadian airlines operating to Edmonton:

Public transit
Edmonton Transit System's Route 747 connects the airport to Century Park LRT and bus station, every hour during the day (first bus at 4:10AM, last bus shortly after midnight) with half-hour service at peak times. Fares are $5 one-way, no change is given on the bus and tickets are not sold. Free WiFi is provided on the bus. Transfer to the rest of the Edmonton Transit System (see below) requires further payment.

Other ground transportation
Taxi service is available, but can be costly (around $55 to downtown or $48 from downtown as of 2020).

Uber can both take you to the airport and pick up at the airport from a designated spot outside Door 10 on the lower (arrivals) level.

Car rentals
Car rental companies are in the parkade directly across for the terminal for easy pick-up and returns.

The drive between Edmonton International airport and downtown takes about half an hour. Allow extra time during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

By car
Edmonton is the largest city on the Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway). Edmonton is 3.5 hours east of Jasper on Highway 16. Edmonton is 3 hours north of Calgary on the divided Highway 2 (Queen Elizabeth II Highway).

Travelers unfamiliar with Canadian winter driving should be aware that winter storms can arise suddenly, slowing traffic or closing even major roads for (usually) a few hours. Road conditions are regularly announced on radio if poor weather threatens travel, so check before you leave and every couple of hours on any long drive near Edmonton.

The two words to watch out for in a winter weather report are "fair" and "poor". Fair winter driving conditions suggest snow tires, lots of windshield washer fluid, full winter outdoor clothes in case you have to leave the car, and preferably winter driving experience. Poor conditions are the code for "stay home". Fortunately, poor conditions rarely last more than one day on major highways, where road clearing takes place continuously. Travelers familiar with winter driving will find the major highways connected to Edmonton generally safe, but should stick to the biggest highway possible as the smaller ones are not as frequently traveled nor as quickly cleared.

From Vancouver, Edmonton is best accessed using Highway 1 (the Trans-Canada) east to Hope, then Highway 5 (the Coquihalla) from Hope to the Highway 16 eastbound junction. The average travel time in reasonable weather is 12 to 14 hours, but can be significantly longer if poor winter weather strikes. This is particularly likely on the major inclines between Hope and Kamloops in British Columbia, where poor road conditions can add a few hours to the total trip. Further along the Yellowhead Highway toward Edmonton, communities near the highway are sparse, so judge the driving conditions (and your fuel status) carefully as you proceed.

The QE II highway from Calgary northward to Edmonton is a very busy thoroughfare in all seasons, and a generally reliable road in winter. It's occasionally closed if winter storms create dangerous road conditions. Fortunately there are many communities near or on the highway where one can shelter if necessary.

Unlike the vast majority of North American cities, Edmonton lacks a straightforward approach into its downtown from its most important intercity highway: Highway 2 (the QE II highway). Northbound traffic on Highway 2 coming in from Calgary or Edmonton International Airport must run a gauntlet of traffic lights on Gateway Boulevard, then make a hard right turn onto Saskatchewan Drive. Both routes from there to downtown—Queen Elizabeth Park Road and McDougall Hill Road—involve at least one hairpin turn to navigate the steep terrain of the North Saskatchewan River Valley. The southbound routes towards Calgary or the airport are even more awkward. The city government is well aware of this issue but has been unable to win popular support for any comprehensive solutions, such as the downtown freeway network proposed in 1969.

Travelers from Saskatoon will find Edmonton about 5 hours away using the Yellowhead Highway, which is divided for the entire route between the two cities. Winter driving awareness is important here, as communities are spaced further apart than on the QE II and you have fewer opportunities to pull over for shelter if road conditions deteriorate.

By bus

 * Operates the following routes to Edmonton:
 * Between Calgary and Edmonton including a stop in Red Deer. Travel time to Edmonton from Calgary is 4 hours and from Red Deer is 1.75 hours. Operates several days per week.
 * Between Cold Lake and Edmonton including stops in Bonnyville and St. Paul. Travel time to Edmonton from Cold Lake is 5 hours and from St. Paul is 3 hours. Operates several days per week.
 * Between Grande Prairie and Edmonton including stops in Valleyview and Whitecourt. Travel time to Edmonton from Grande Prairie is 5-5.25 hours, from Valleyview is 3.75-4.25 hours, and from Whitecourt is 1.75-2 hours. In Grand Prairie, there is service from Fort St. John via Dawson Creek (operating) and from Peace River (temporarily suspended).
 * Between Fort McMurray and Edmonton including a stop in Athabasca. Travel time to Edmonton from Fort McMurray is 5.25 hours and from Athabasca is 1.75 hours. Operates several days per week.
 * Between Fort McMurray and Edmonton including a stop in Redwater. Travel time to Edmonton from Fort McMurray is 5.5 hours, from Redwater is 1 hour. Operates several days per week.
 * Between Jasper and Edmonton including stops in Hinton and Edson. Travel time to Edmonton from Jasper is 4 hours. Route temporarily suspended.
 * Between Lloydminster and Edmonton including stops in Vermilion and Vegreville. Travel time to Edmonton from Lloydminster is 2.75 hours. Route temporarily suspended
 * Between Peace River and Edmonton including stops in High Prairie, Slave Lake, and Westlock. Travel time to Edmonton from Peace River is 5.75 hours and from Slave Lake is 2.75 hours. Operates several days per week.
 * Operates the following routes to Edmonton:
 * Between Fort McMurray and Edmonton including a stop in Gibbons. Travel time to Edmonton from Fort McMurray is 5.5 hours and from Gibbons is 1 hour. Operates one day per week.
 * Between Calgary and Edmonton including a stop in Red Deer. Travel time to Edmonton from Calgary is 4.75 hours and from Red Deer 2.25 is hours. Operates twice daily.
 * Between Grande Prairie and Edmonton including stops in Valleyview, Whitecourt, and Mayerthorpe. Travel time to Edmonton from Grande Prairie is 5.25 hours, from Valleyview is 4 hours, and from Whitecourt is 2.25 hours.
 * Operates the following routes to Edmonton:
 * Between Fort McMurray and Edmonton including a stop in Gibbons. Travel time to Edmonton from Fort McMurray is 5.25 hours and from Gibbons is 50 minutes. Operates multiple days per week.
 * Between Calgary and Edmonton including a stop in Red Deer. Travel time to Edmonton from Calgary is 3.25-4 hours and from Red Deer is 1.75 hours. Operates multiple times daily.
 * Operates the following routes to Edmonton:
 * Between Calgary and Edmonton with a stop in Red Deer. Travel time to Edmonton from Calgary is 4-4.5 hours and from Red Deer is 1.75-2.25 hours. Operates multiple days per week.
 * Between Regina and Edmonton with stops including in Vegreville, Vermilion, Lloydminster, North Battleford, Saskatoon, and Davidson. Travel time to Edmonton from from Lloydminster is 3.25 hours, from North Battleford is 5 hours, from Saskatoon is 6.5 hours, and from Regina is 9.5 hours. Operates multiple days per week.
 * Between Regina and Edmonton with stops including in Vegreville, Vermilion, Lloydminster, North Battleford, Saskatoon, and Davidson. Travel time to Edmonton from from Lloydminster is 3.25 hours, from North Battleford is 5 hours, from Saskatoon is 6.5 hours, and from Regina is 9.5 hours. Operates multiple days per week.

By train

VIA Rail prices are higher than train prices generally in Europe (or even short distances by Amtrak in the United States). Passengers experience leisurely travel through some of the most amazing scenery in the world. Though somewhat more expensive than bus travel, service on a VIA Rail train even in the lowest class is superior to any bus. You can get up and walk around the carriages, dine conveniently, and you will find plenty of legroom in the comfortable seats. However, long delays are common, with no guarantee of on-time arrival.

Get around
A large part of the city, built before and during the Second World War, is laid out in a grid pattern of straight streets, which makes for easy navigation by car or foot. There are a number of bridges, including the Walterdale Bridge and High Level Bridge, going in and out of the downtown core.

Edmonton's downtown is fairly eclectic, home to many Government of Alberta buildings and modern office towers, including the CN Tower near City Hall and the impressive, white marble-clad Bank of Montreal on 101 Street. Edmonton had some of the most architecturally significant buildings in the province, including the crimson-coloured Citadel Theatre and the church-like spires of Grant MacEwan University.

Edmonton streets are mostly numbered, although there are some named streets: usually major roadways and roads in the newer residential areas. Streets in Edmonton run north-south, while avenues run east-west. The downtown core of the city is centred near 101 St and Jasper Ave (which corresponds to 101 Ave), with streets increasing in number as you go west, and avenues increasing as you go north.

Addresses follow a regular system throughout Edmonton, with even-numbered address numbers are on the north side of avenues and west side of streets. The first two or three digits of a building or house number identify the street it lies just west of, or the avenue it lies north of. For example, 10219-101 Street would be on the east side of 101 Street, just north of 102 Avenue.

Some addresses end in "NE" or "SW", indicating a different quadrant. If there is none, it is safe to assume it is "NW"--almost all of the city's addresses are here. The NE quadrant of the city is mostly farmland, the SW is rapidly booming suburb and big-box stores, and there are no addresses in the SE quadrant. The grid starts are at Meridian Street (0 Street) on the east edge of the city and Quadrant Avenue (0 Avenue) near the south edge, but neither are major streets.

Some older neighbourhoods like Boyle Street have a diagonal grid pattern, with streets NW/SE and avenues SW/NE. During the 1950s and 1960s, roads became less grid-like, but they are still easily navigable (although less easy to follow than the earlier counterparts). Almost all new neighbourhood developments such as Windermere in the southside and the Village at Greisbach in the northwest are designed with more curves, cul-de-sacs and named streets.

Highways
Edmonton's main east-west highway south of the North Saskatchewan River is Whitemud Drive. It goes through the West and South areas of the city.

Anthony Henday Drive is a ring road in Metro Edmonton. Its final section was finished in 2016.

Edmonton's main highway north of the river is known as Yellowhead Trail (Alberta Highway 16). Travellers wishing to explore downtown Edmonton (and avoid the trendy, but tourist-clogged Old Strathcona on the southside) are strongly encouraged to take this route. Some of the city's most important sites, including the Edmonton Expo Centre and Commonwealth Stadium, are quickly accessible from the Yellowhead.

Other major roads include Groat Road, Mark Messier/St. Albert Trail, the Sherwood Park Freeway, Stony Plain Road and Wayne Gretzky Drive.

By public transit
Edmonton has a safe, efficient and inexpensive public transportation system: the Edmonton Transit Service (ETS). Hundreds of different bus routes cover the city, travelling nearly anywhere you need to go.

Service starts at 5AM, with Late Night Owl service on five major routes (including an LRT replacement bus) until 3AM. During peak hours, buses run as frequently as every 15 minutes. Outside of peak, the frequency drops to every 30 minutes and on some routes to industrial areas or far-flung suburbs as infrequent as one service per hour. There are a number of routes which stop running at 8PM-9PM or which only run only during peak hours (6AM-9AM and 3PM-6PM). Some bus routes do not run on Sundays. For more information or to plan your bus trip, you can call Transit Information at +1 780-442-5311 or check out the Trip Planner or Google Maps.

Edmonton's transit system is not unified with those of the nearby communities, but an Arc card can be used for seamless transfers to suburban buses.

Edmonton was the first North American city with a population of under 1 million to have developed a light rail system. (Metro Edmonton population is now over 1 million.) It is a part of the Edmonton Transit Service (ETS), which also runs the buses. The light rail system has three lines: the Capital Line the Metro Line, and the Valley Line. The Capital Line runs from Century Park Station (formerly known as Heritage) via Health Sciences/Jubilee and Churchill Stations to Clareview Station in the northeast section of the city. The Metro Line shares the tracks of the Capital Line from Health Sciences/Jubilee Station to Churchill Station where it branches off to terminate at NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) Station. Both lines serve the University of Alberta main campus. The Valley Line runs from downtown to Mill Woods in the Southeast (with an extension to the west, serving West Edmonton Mall) and uses low-floor vehicles, resembling a streetcar line to some aspects.

The LRT operates between 5AM and 1AM daily. Trains run on a 5-minute frequency during rush hour, ten-minute frequency midday and Saturdays, and on a 15-minute frequency in the evening and on Sundays. When the Metro Line is running at full capacity, train frequency will double between Health Sciences/Jubilee station and Churchill station.

Fares are $3.50 with children 12 and under riding free. Day passes can be bought for $9.75 regardless of age group. A pack of 10 tickets can be purchased for $27.75/adult or $19.75/concession and may be better than day passes if you plan only a few trips per day over multiple days. Single trip tickets are valid for 90 minutes and allow return and stopovers within that time limit. Day passes (also called family passes) allow one adult to accompany up to 4 children aged 12 or under at no charge for the children. Tickets can be purchased at the ETS online store, automated fare vending machines located at all LRT stations, or at the ETS Customer Information Centre located on the pedway level of Churchill Station.

By vintage streetcar
The High Level Bridge Streetcar is a seasonal tram service running from Victoria Day (second last Monday of May) through to Thanksgiving Day (second Monday of October) on a limited but regular schedule. From Victoria Day to Labour Day, the service runs daily. After Labour Day to Thanksgiving Day, the service runs only Saturdays, Sundays and Thanksgiving Day. Operated by the Edmonton Radial Radial Society, a railfan group, the vintage streetcar service has 5 stops between Jasper Plaza (Edmonton/Central) and Old Strathcona (Edmonton/South Central). It crosses the North Saskatchewan River via the High Level bridge offering magnificent views of the river valley and downtown. The line is a convenient way to travel between the area of the Alberta Legislative Building and Old Strathcona. Despite the absence of "rush-hour" service, non-tourists occasionally use the line because of its direct route. Warning: Tourist pamphlets for this service may contain an obsolete schedule; get the current schedule from the website. ETS tickets are not valid for this service. The one-way fare is $4 and round-trip fare is $7 (as of 2022) for those ages 6 and up with stopovers permitted. The five stops are:

By taxi
The most prominent cab companies are:

All Edmonton taxi companies offer 24/7 service.

By bicycle
Edmonton has excellent cycling routes which allow for all-year cycling, though winter cycling can be challenging for those unaccustomed to Edmonton weather. These marked routes, combined with a lack of freeways to traverse and relatively low traffic compared to other major cities, low snow or rainfall, and a fairly flat terrain, make Edmonton an easy city to travel by bicycle. The City of Edmonton provides free maps of the bike routes.

See

A young city, Edmonton's historic structures are still relatively new. The City of Edmonton's Municipal Historic Resources are buildings or structures that have been designated by bylaw as buildings or structures legally protected from demolition and from inappropriate changes and alterations. For further reading about Edmonton's architecture from 1940-1969, Capital Modern is a book available from the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Here are some of the most popular attractions:

 * Alberta Legislature Building - This beautiful example of Beaux-Arts architecture dates back to 1911, built following Edmonton's selection as the provincial capital. Free tours are available. There are wading pools to cool off in during the summer and skating rinks beside walkways light up with tons of Christmas lights during the Christmas season. See Central. Its grounds are a beautiful area to relax in any time of the year, and are patrolled at night for visitor security.
 * Art Gallery of Alberta (formerly the Edmonton Art Gallery) - This modern facility explores all forms of art. The gallery has a unique selection of Canadian and international pieces and regularly brings in traveling exhibitions. See Central.
 * Muttart Conservatory - These four glass pyramids rising out of the river valley are a unique Edmonton landmark. Inside, they house three distinct climate zones and a fourth seasonal display, packed with several hundred plant varieties. See South Central.
 * TELUS World of Science - Edmonton's largest science museum has a unique architectural design and houses many science exhibits, a planetarium, and an IMAX theatre. See West End.
 * Royal Alberta Museum presents Alberta's history through paintings, statues, and more. Exhibits include the Syncrude Gallery of Aboriginal Culture, Wild Alberta, and the Natural History Gallery. See Central.
 * West Edmonton Mall is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, with copious opportunities for shopping, a built-in hotel, restaurants and food courts, an amusement park, an artificial beach and indoor wave pool, casino, movie theatres, indoor lake and Santa Maria ship replica, and lots of visitors to share it with. See West End.
 * Fort Edmonton Park is living history at its best! Join the costumed historical interpreters at Fort Edmonton Park - Canada's largest living history museum - and try your hand at living life as an early pioneer. You'll experience life as it was at the 1846 fort and on the streets of 1885, 1905 and 1920. See South
 * Aurora borealis. The northern lights are harder to see in Edmonton than in Northern Canada and eastern cities of Canada. However if you travel outside the downtown area the lights can slightly be seen from December to late February.

North Saskatchewan River Valley
One of Edmonton’s greatest attractions, the North Saskatchewan River Valley park system provides a natural corridor for all-season recreation and relaxation. The river valley is the longest expanse of urban parkland in North America at 7,400 hectares – 22 times the size of New York’s Central Park – with golf courses, 22 major parks and over 160 kilometres of maintained multi-use trails for walking, cross-country skiing, cycling, and more. Several attractions are located along the river valley including Fort Edmonton Park, the Valley Zoo, and the Muttart Conservatory.

One of the most popular river valley parks is Hawrelak Park, located just west of Groat Road near the University of Alberta. It encircles a large pond, summer home to a variety of ducks and geese. It's the site of several Edmonton festivals, including Shakespeare in the Park and Symphony Under the Sky. In winter it is a popular venue for outdoor ice skating and cross-country skiing.

Do
Edmonton's summer brings many festivals, and with Canada's most impressive mountain parks 3.5-hr drive away, Edmonton is fun year-round. You can expect to find some kind of festival any weekend during the summer months and they are usually located in the central region either around Whyte Ave or downtown at the Legislature grounds or in front of City Hall.

Theatre and music

Edmonton has a vibrant performing arts community with notable accomplishments in live theatre and live music. The central area contains the Winspear or Francis Winspear Centre for Music, a new concert hall with stellar acoustics, and the Citadel Theatre, which has hosted major live theatre performances for over forty years.

South Central area is home to the theatre district with a number of venues, and the Jubilee Auditorium, a large concert hall. The west end has two dinner theatres, Jubilation's and Mayfield.

Recreation
Edmonton's river valley and Mill Creek area have an extensive network of trails, good for walking, biking, and cross-country skiing. At many points in the extensive ravines and forested areas in the river valley, you can't even tell you're in a city. Maps of walking and cross-country skiing trails are available at City Hall, Edmonton Tourism's Visitor Information Centres, and many bicycle and ski shops.

The Edmonton Bicycle Commuters' Society (EBC), a non-profit bicycle co-op, operates a staffed drop-in DIY workshop where rental bicycles are available. During the summer months, River Valley Adventure rents bicycles and operates Segway tours. Fun group rides occur during the summer, mostly organized by the Edmonton Bicycle and Touring Club (EBTC) and EBC. Most commercial bike shops organize training rides for those road cyclists who are interested in higher intensity workouts. Larger commercial bike shops include United Cycle, Western Cycle, and Revolution Cycle. Smaller ones include Velocity Cycle, Redbike, Hardcore Mountain Bikes, PedalHead Bikes, and Transition BMX.

Edmonton has small downhill ski hills in or near the city, including Edmonton Ski, Sunridge Ski Area, and Snow Valley. Natural and artificial snow cover their slopes from early winter to early spring, offering city skiers an easy way to learn, amuse families, and tone up for the big Rocky Mountain ski opportunities in Jasper and Banff.

Golf
There are over 70 golf courses located in the Edmonton region. Albertans are keen golfers, based on the province's sunny summers, large number of developed courses, and relatively low prices. Within city limits, the City of Edmonton operates three public courses, including Canada's oldest municipal golf course: Victoria (central), Riverside (South) both of which are located close to downtown, and the par-three Rundle Park on the east end of the city (Edmonton/North).

Spectator sports
Edmonton is home to a number of professional and amateur sport teams. The Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League are the most recognized team and have won five Stanley Cups. Since 2016, they have played at the 18,641-seat Rogers Place, located at the north edge of downtown. This arena replaced the Northlands Coliseum (known from 2003 to 2016 as Rexall Place), which had been home to the team since 1974. Tickets are available, but games are routinely sold out, and tickets must usually be bought from a broker at higher prices. Minor league hockey is also part of the Edmonton sports scene: the major junior Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League also moved to Rogers Place from Northlands Coliseum, while several junior 'A' and senior 'AAA' teams play in metro Edmonton. Tickets to these games are available at the door.

Edmonton is also home to the Edmonton Elks (formerly Edmonton Eskimos) of the Canadian Football League. The team has won 13 Grey Cups and plays at the 60,000 seat Commonwealth Stadium. Good seats can be bought in advance, but few games are sold out and tickets can be purchased at the door. There is no professional baseball in Edmonton, but the collegiate Edmonton Riverhawks play at RE/MAX Field in the summer.

The University of Alberta Golden Bears (men's teams) and Pandas (women's teams) participate in a number of sports including hockey, basketball, volleyball, soccer, football (men only), rugby, and track and field at venues on both the main and south campuses. Smaller universities and colleges in Edmonton also have teams and athletes that compete in a variety of sports.

Major events and festivals
Edmonton, hailed as "Canada's Festival City", is home to over 30 annual festivals and special events throughout the year.

Attracting over 500,000 visitors each year, the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is the largest in North America, second largest in the world, offering some 1,000 performances, primarily in venues in Old Strathcona. The Works Art & Design Festival features new works of painting, drawing, sculpture and other arts. The Whyte Ave Artwalk lets viewers stroll the avenue looking at local art. There is also the Canoe Fest which tells stories about morals and history. For music, Symphony Under the Sky is a nice way to listen to some fine music in the great outdoors. One of the world’s leading Folk festivals, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival is a four-day outdoor music extravaganza that attracts more than 80,000 music lovers. Situated in Gallagher Park in Edmonton's scenic river valley, the festival offers an eclectic mix of music for all tastes. The more popular festivals often sell out, particularly the Folk Festival and many Fringe performances, sometimes well in advance, so visitors should make arrangements for tickets as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

For culture, Edmonton rolls out the red carpet. Edmonton Pride Festival is a large LGBTQ festival celebrating LGBTQ culture; although it is centred in Old Strathcona and Whyte Ave, festivities take place throughout the city.

Ethnic festivals are numerous here, due to Canada's policy of supporting multiculturalism, notably the Ufest: Edmonton Ukrainian Festival (Borden Park, May), Deep Freeze Byzantine Winter Festival (Ukrainian, French, Indigenous, African; Alberta Avenue, January), Flying Canoë Volant (French and Indigenous, Mill Creek Ravine, February); Edmonton Cariwest (Caribbean, Churchill Square, June). To see all the cultures in one place, the biggest cultural festival of all is Heritage Festival (popularly called "Heritage Days") where each of more than 60 countries and cultures hosts its own pavilion filled with food, dance, and local goods.

In food, Edmonton has some festivals to keep you salivating. One of the most popular is A Taste of Edmonton. Purchase tickets and sample culinary delights from 40 of Edmonton’s leading restaurants at Sir Winston Churchill Square.

Casinos
The Edmonton area has seven large casinos: Pure Casino Yellowhead, Pure Casino Edmonton, Grand Villa Casino, Starlight Casino, Century Casino, Century Casino St. Albert, and River Cree Resort & Casino. Century Mile is a casino and horse racing track located at the Edmonton International Airport.

Learn
Major learning institutions in Edmonton are:

 * University of Alberta (U of A) (in South Central) is Edmonton's (and Alberta's) largest and most famous postsecondary institution, with over 300 undergraduate and 500 graduate programs in 18 faculties and a large network of teaching hospitals and research libraries. U of A's main campus covers over 50 city blocks in the Strathcona neighbourhood. U of A also has a campus at the south, downtown and at Camrose.
 * MacEwan University (in Central) is a liberal arts university offers undergraduate programs in liberal arts, fine arts, business, communications, engineering and medicine.
 * Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) (in North) provides polytechnic and apprentice education, with 200 programs leading to certificates, diplomas and bachelor's degrees.
 * Norquest College (in Central), offers year-round career programs leading to diplomas and certificates, continuing education and English as a second language (ESL) courses.
 * Concordia University (in the North) offers undergraduate degree programs in the arts, science and management, and graduate degrees in education, information technology and psychology.
 * King's University (in the South) is a Christian university offering undergraduate programs in the arts, humanities, music, social sciences, natural sciences and education.

Buy
Some of the best shopping opportunities are...

 * Whyte Avenue (in South Central) is the stretch of 82 Avenue west of 75 St. You'll tend to want to focus on the strip between Gateway Boulevard and 109 Street.  Whyte Avenue is Edmonton's main retail district on the urban side and certainly should not be missed.  It's edgy, funky, mainstream, indie, quirky, and nerdy.  Stroll through bookstores, clothing shops, and little gift shops while amidst the wonderful crowd of people.
 * 124th Street (in Central) is Edmonton's quieter urban shopping experience. Outside the downtown, this strip has  become a good place to stop.  The place is mainly home to boutiques and designer shops for stuff like fashion, furniture and home improvement. The area is also home to the Gallery Walk - the first of its kind in Canada. The member galleries are easily accessible within walking distance. There are two self-guided gallery walks organized each spring and fall.
 * West Edmonton Mall (in West End) ... few can miss the largest mall in the continent, at 8882 170 St (NW). Over 800 shops fill the suburban mega shopping and entertainment centre. Pretty much any style can be found here.  Browse the shops for art, books, gifts, lingerie, soaps, groceries, clothing, watches, jewelry and what ever else you can think of!
 * Kingsway (Garden) Mall (in North) is Edmonton's second largest mall.
 * Downtown (in Central) you will find Edmonton City Centre, which transforms three city blocks into a retail destination of more than 170 stores and services. Adjacent to Edmonton City Centre are Commerce Place and Manulife Place, where you’ll find a selection of high-end retailers such as Escada, 29 Armstrong and Holt Renfrew.

Eat
See the district articles for specific listings of different restaurants and fast food joints.

There are three major dining centres:

 * Downtown and Oliver - many restaurants both chains and independents, with a side range in pricing. 103 St., 102nd Avenue, 100 St. and Jasper Avenue have the highest concentration. Some of the most popular include: Lux Steakhouse, Sorrentino's, Famoso Neapolitan, Japanese Village, La Ronde, Sabor Divino, Corso 32 and La Tapa.
 * Whyte Ave. - a trendy area that has some good restaurants and many that are average, and the greatest concentration of bars and pubs in the city.
 * West Edmonton - whether in West Edmonton Mall or nearby, there are many restaurants, but few that will provide an above-average meal.

Edmonton is the birthplace of two major Canadian restaurant chains: Boston Pizza (Italian), and Earl's (Canadiana). These two have major locations across Canada. The city is also home to a lot of good quality fast food chains like Burger Baron and Fatburger.

Italian food is very high quality in Edmonton. Chianti's, Sicilian Kitchen, Sorrentino's, Fiore Cantina, and Tony's Pizza offer hearty and filling pasta. The best are Whyte Ave, Downtown, or in Little Italy.

Edmonton has some excellent ethnic restaurants. "Langano Skies" is a fabulous Ethiopian restaurant on Whyte Ave, "Syphay" offers spicy Thai cuisine on Calgary Trail and 62 Ave and "Padmanadi's" is a delicious Indonesian vegan restaurant in downtown.

Edmonton has its fair share of cheap Chinese food, most of which is concentrated in Chinatown. WokBox is another Edmonton-based chain, offering fair priced Chinese food in a fast food environment.

Alcohol
While the macrobrewery Labatt makes beer in Edmonton (look for a giant beer can at Gateway Blvd and Whitemud Dr), if you're looking for a more unique (and usually pricier) brew, Edmonton is home to a growing number of smaller breweries. Alley Kat and Yellowhead brews are commonly on tap in bars.

There are many pubs, clubs, lounges, and bars clustered on Jasper Avenue (downtown) and Whyte Avenue (Old Strathcona). Some of the most popular in Old Strathcona include Hudson's', Filthy McNasty's, Tavern on Whyte and O'Byrne's.

For those looking for a more indie experience should journey to Black Dog Pub and The Buckingham who provide visitors with a less mainstream outing.

Downtown you will find a range of places to serve your drinking desires. Contemporary resto-lounges, such as Sherlock Holmes, Red Star Pub, and The Pint.

A variety of dance clubs can be located in the downtown area and these include: Vinyl Retro Dance Lounge (Retro Classics/Top 40), Oil City Roadhouse (Country), Treasury Vodka Bar (Top 40/Electronic), and Warehouse (Top 40)

Edmonton also has a prominent LGBT community and offers several establishments that cater to this particular group, including The Grindstone and Evolution Wonderlounge.

Further afield Edmonton also offers nighttime spots in less centralized locations. Midway Music Hall is a live music nightclub located in South Edmonton at 6107 104 Street. West Edmonton Mall located in West Edmonton provides visitors with a number of bars including Empire Ballroom a large vegas-style club, Whisky Jack's Urban Saloon yet another country music club, and Hudson's, the west end location of the Edmonton pub chain.

Budget
Most of the budget hotels in the city are concentrated in and around the south (e.g. Derrick Hotel) end of the city or in the deep east central area. Staying near the airport can often be less expensive than in the city, see Leduc.

There are also hostels located downtown, by Jekyll & Hyde's Pub, and just off of Whyte Avenue.

Mid-range
Closer to the core, Holiday Inn Express Downtown and the Comfort Inn & Suites are good options. These two offer great views along with easy access to the benefits of downtown. In the north end, the Prospector's Gaming Room and North Inn and Suites are some great examples of some modern and simple good priced hotels at that part of the city. In the West End, with the closeness of West Edmonton Mall, there are a ton of hotels to choose from, most of which are on 100 Ave.

South of the river, in Old Strathcona-University the Campus Suites is a great option for nice service and its proximity to the University. Days Inn Edmonton South in Old Strathcona is just a few blocks off Whyte Avenue. Also on Gateway Boulevard there are a lot of hotels like Greenwood Inn & Suites, Ramada South, Ramada Edmonton, Mayfield Inn, Travelodge South, Econo Lodge, Sawridge Inn Edmonton South and Cedar Park Inn are the highest quality. In the east, there is a lovely Four Points hotel with easy access to the city.

Splurge
Edmonton has a good variety of high end hotels in different locations in the city. Some of the most popular locations are:

 * Downtown Edmonton – It has the most high end hotels in the city. One can choose from hotels with river valley views including Chateau Lacombe and the Courtyard Marriott and ones that have good views of the city such as the Sutton Place Hotel and the Westin Edmonton. There are also beautiful boutique hotels like Matrix Hotel and the Union Bank Inn.  Either way, all of these posh empires have good access to downtown, friendly service, nice architecture, and luxury suites.  For the extravagant traveller, the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald is a classic, chateau-like building built in 1912 and is the most expensive in the city, overlooking the river valley in elegant style.

 * West Edmonton – The area is full of higher-class hotels due to the proximity of West Edmonton Mall. One can choose from Fantasyland Hotel that's right in the mall or further out ones like Hampton Inn & Suites and the Hilton Garden Inn.

Connect

 * Area codes for phones in Edmonton are 780, 587, 825, and 368.
 * Most hotels offer wireless connection. For outdoor use, check out City Hall/Churchill Square or most parts of downtown, as they have good internet connection. There are a small number of internet cafés, most being downtown or in Old Strathcona-University.

Stay safe
Visiting Edmonton is no more risky than visiting any other large city. There are some areas where increased caution is advised, particularly after dark:

 * The "inner city" area to the east of downtown (these neighbourhoods include: Boyle, Central McDougall, Chinatown, Little Italy, and Alberta Avenue) – a square bounded by Jasper Avenue (corresponds to 101 Avenue) on the south, 118 Avenue on the north, 97 Street on the west, and around 85th Street on the east – has parts that are best avoided. 118 Avenue and 107 Avenue feature numerous signs asking visitors to report prostitution by calling a 1-800 number. There is a large homeless and transient population in this area which has been followed with a serious drug and alcohol issue and gang violence. As well as the inner city, Stony Plain Road on the west side, 107 Avenue north of downtown, and a few areas in the city's northeast, particularly around 66th Street and Fort Road, and Abbotsfield (around 118 Ave and 34 Street) have higher crime rates and gang problems.
 * There has been an increase in alcohol-fuelled disturbances on weekends near 82nd (Whyte) Avenue between 103 Street and 109 Street (the city's most concentrated party zone). Use caution and common sense here, be somewhat wary of the closing-time outflow after midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Try to be out of the bar and on your way home by 1AM, or, at the very least, don't linger on the street after closing time, also travel in groups if possible.
 * Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the amount of crime taking place on the city's light rail transit (LRT) system, with incidents of illicit drug use and violence occurring at train stations and on the trains themselves. These incidents are mostly concentrated at the underground stations downtown, and mostly tend to happen when the sun goes down. Regardless, travelers who take the LRT are advised to be wary of their surroundings at all times, especially if they are going downtown.

Panhandling has increased, particularly downtown and in the Old Strathcona area. Just decline politely and it shouldn't be an issue. Try to avoid parking lots that aren't gated shut, as there is a clear entrance for panhandlers to get in and be more aggressive.

Emergency - If you have an emergency, call 911.

Northern driving
Navigation in Edmonton is made easier by city's street grid and relative lack of traffic compared to most other major North American cities. Additional hazards are presented by winter driving in the city, especially during and after the first few snowfalls of the winter. Ice can be a problem, especially on bridges. Ice on roadways can be almost invisible, which is where the commonly used – and dreaded – term "black ice" comes from. Stay tuned to local radio stations, several of which have regular road reports, and be prepared to find alternate routes should weather conditions or accidents shut down some routes.

Newspapers

 * Edmonton Journal The city's newspaper of record, a broadsheet with a reasonable sprinkling of national and international news. Available in news stands and paper boxes throughout the city.
 * Edmonton Sun A tabloid newspaper focusing primarily on Edmonton and area. Same availability as the Journal.

Hospitals and major health centres
Dial 911 for a life-threatening emergency. Call Health Link Alberta at 811 for immediate advice if you are unsure whether or not to go to Emergency. If you are certain you have a non-emergency situation but would still like to go to Emergency, consider the wait times at the Alberta Health Services website which may be upwards of four hours for the least urgent. Parking at hospitals in Alberta is always for a fee.

Police stations
Edmonton is patrolled by the Edmonton Police Service. In addition to the Police Headquarters/Downtown Division located east of City Hall, the EPS is separated into five operational Divisions (the name in brackets denotes the neighbourhood in which the Division station is located):
 * Downtown Division (Boyle Street)
 * Northeast Division (Miller)
 * Northwest Division (Rural North West, just north of Anthony Henday Drive on 127 Street)
 * Southeast Division (Tawa)
 * Southwest Division (Windermere)
 * West Division (Glenwood)

Go next

 * Calgary – a bustling city, Alberta's largest metropolis, 300 km south of Edmonton
 * Jasper National Park – the less-developed, less-commercial national park, beautiful in all seasons
 * Banff National Park – attracts a globe-spanning population of tourists to its mountains, lakes, and shopping districts approximately 5 hours from Edmonton
 * Elk Island National Park – less than an hour's drive east of Edmonton along the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16). This is one of the last remaining large areas of natural aspen parkland undisturbed by agriculture and other human activities. It 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 live here, making it a good place for birdwatching. The Ukrainian Pioneer Home, located in the vicinity of Lake Astotin, is Canada's oldest Ukrainian museum. There is camping, cross country skiing, hiking and other outdoor activities.

title: Edmonton


text:
Edmonton/Central

Central Edmonton is most densely urbanized and oldest area of Edmonton. The heart of Central Edmonton is the "Downtown Core": which is what locals call the central business district plus the areas immediately adjacent like the Government Centre and the Warehouse District. Surrounding this are several distinct neighbourhoods with their own personalities.

The geography of Central Edmonton is defined by the river valley, which borders Downtown on the south and the east. Below the steep decent of the valley walls is a wide expanse of parkland crisscrossed by multi-use paths and bridges.

Understand
The following neighbourhoods are a part of Central Edmonton

Get in
For Central Edmonton, transit is divine.
 * The Edmonton LRT has 18 stations from Century Park in the south to Clareview in the north via the Capital Line with a branch north from Churchill to NAIT via the Metro Line. The trains rip through central Edmonton, making it easy to get to various neighbourhoods in a snap.

Get around
Central Edmonton is the most walkable area of the city. The neighbourhoods are more pedestrian-friendly than those in the outlying suburbs and are easy to navigate due to the proximity of amenities and mass transit options. There are a few LRT stations in the downtown core, but it will usually be just as quick to walk.

 * The High Level Bridge Streetcar offers a limited, seasonal service, and also a direct route, from the area of the Alberta Legislature to Old Strathcona. It offers a magnificent view of the North Saskatchewan River from the High Level Bridge, and is a tourist attraction more than a utilitarian transport.

Edmonton operates the pedway system to navigate the downtown core during the winter months, similar to Plus 15 in Calgary or the PATH system in Toronto. There is limited signage, but you can find a map online and at a few strategic points along the routes. Even during the summer months, using the pedway system ensures that you'll access the retail and facilities of the city. There isn't much retail that faces the city streets directly, and you'll always be met with the double door entryways.

The city has a funicular system to access the river valley. Although somewhat slower than just taking the steps by the side of it, you can take two elevators (one a funicular style) from next to the Fairmont hotel downtown to adjacent to the low-level bridge. it's free, a bit of a novelty, and likely you'll be the only one on board as the locals tire of waiting for the lift at take the stairs (while making a joke about $24 million "well-spent" by the city).

See
Central Edmonton has the most stuff to do, by far in Edmonton's area. From a thriving arts' district to architectural gems-it has it all!

Skyline views

''Some of these listings are in different districts. Their listings are in here because the views are of central and pertain to the article. At the end of the listings that are not in this district there are links to that district.''

Architecture
Edmonton's architecture is developed and diverse for its size. It has a significant amount of modern architecture and the old buildings stick out like a sore thumb - in a good way. One can stroll 101 Street from Jasper to 103A Avenue and see many of Edmonton's skyscrapers. The most iconic, Manulife Place, built in '83 is a stunning modern structure and is Edmonton's tallest. It uses elegant glass and minimalist details. Adjoining Manulife is the Commerce Place, which is another modern gem with neat shapes and nice glass. 104th Street in the downtown is home to some fabulous pre-WWII warehouses that make a nice walk. Whyte Avenue is home to an array of cool pieces of architecture, that give it that small prairie town vibe. The Coronation Park is also a cool spot. It previously had the Edmonton Planetarium which is now closed, but is an interesting Mid-century Modern building for sure. Then there is the Telus World of Science Edmonton, which has another planetarium of the Mid 1900s. The Peter Hemmingway Pool, with excellent curves and beautiful glass, was built before the advent of the modern computer. The Alberta Legislature is one of Edmonton's finest historical structures. Adjacent to it is the Leg Annex, the first curtain wall building in Canada, and important in architectural history. 100th Street in the downtown is pretty cool, with a few interesting historic buildings; further north, Churchill Square, is surrounded by interesting buildings. The Grant MacEwan Downtown Campus also offers some architectural merit; the 2007 expansion, Robbins Health Centre, uses fine glass. The University of Alberta Campus is also nice. It has a wide variety of architecture and buildings from smokestacks to hotels to hospitals to classrooms to residences. It has some old buildings like the Rutherford House and some new gems like Mazankowski Institute on 83rd Ave.

Do

 * Walk along 97th Street (between Jasper Avenue and 110 Avenue) and look at all kinds of different areas of the city, like between Jasper and 106th Avenue you can see the differences between downtown and Boyle. Definitely a neat walk.
 * Ride the bus around a central neighbourhood and see its uniqueness at a glance.

Spectator sports

 * Commonwealth Stadium Day.jpg
 * Commonwealth Stadium Day.jpg

Major festivals
Due to Northlands Park, Churchill Square and numerous spots downtown, Central Edmonton is the festival centre of the city!

Buy
There is plenty of good shopping in Central Edmonton:

 * 124th Street & Environs is a major up and coming shopping area in Oliver. It features neat cafés, boutiques, furniture and gift shops, hair salons, spas, restaurants, and galleries. 124 Street has a few sub areas that are worth mentioning:
 * 124th Street (between Jasper and 111 Avenue). This part is divided into:
 * Block to Shop(124 between Jasper and 102 Ave NW). This area is home to a nice concentration of woman's boutiques. Most of these cater to professional women and are quite stylish and lead in brands and price range (some with cheap prices). Some of the stores also carry menswear. There are also a few restaurants.
 * Gallery 124 (124 between 102 and 104 Ave). This area isn't just full of galleries of neat art, it also has some nice stores. Cute little furniture destinations and outdoor wear places line this section, as well as a lot of hair salons and a few boutiques.
 * 124th North (124 between 104 and 111 ave). This transitional area is growing very fast. In one part, it has high end, good stores that cater to a varied range of people. Then, there is still the stuff from before this place had interest in boutiques, interior designers, cafés, and restaurants. It hosts interior design places that are high end and some nice clothing shops for all kinds of people. It also has a lot of gift stores and small restaurants.
 * High Street (102nd Avenue NW between 124 and 127 St NW). This area is host to neat cafés and cute restaurants with top-notch quality. It also has small gift stores, most notably, Notables. There are also a few furniture places and little pastry stops that are worth stopping at.
 * 124 and Jasper (Jasper Avenue between 123 and 124 St NW). This area is home to the "Gallery Walk" which is totally different from shopping, unless, of course, you are interested in buying artwork. It also has a few neat little stores.

 * 104th Street (between Jasper Avenue and 103rd Avenue) is a nice, up-and-coming shopping district in the warehouse district downtown. Expect a pedestrian-friendly environment of wide sidewalks, beautiful trees, nice buildings, and slow cars. 104th Street is a smaller retail area, growing very rapidly. The area is home to a lot of really nice independent stores catering more to the younger crowd. Most notably, 29 Armstrong is an interior design store, and showcases the hottest styles in interior design in a beautiful old building. Another popular one is Ces't Sera Chemistry Clothing, which is a men and women's clothing store with items that are very stylish and somewhat formal, but also some casual wear. Along with all that, there are more furniture stores, stationery stores, groceries, and more.
 * 104th Street (between Jasper Avenue and 103rd Avenue) is a nice, up-and-coming shopping district in the warehouse district downtown. Expect a pedestrian-friendly environment of wide sidewalks, beautiful trees, nice buildings, and slow cars. 104th Street is a smaller retail area, growing very rapidly. The area is home to a lot of really nice independent stores catering more to the younger crowd. Most notably, 29 Armstrong is an interior design store, and showcases the hottest styles in interior design in a beautiful old building. Another popular one is Ces't Sera Chemistry Clothing, which is a men and women's clothing store with items that are very stylish and somewhat formal, but also some casual wear. Along with all that, there are more furniture stores, stationery stores, groceries, and more.

 * Chinatown is the largest Asian concentration in Edmonton. Expect authentic food stores and all kinds of other stores similar to Chinese cities and towns.
 * Commerce Place offers yet more designer shopping such as Sam Abouhassan, Plaza Escada, and Diamori in a modern mall setting, and also features a branch of Sunterra, an upscale Albertan supermarket.
 * West Jasper is the area of Jasper Avenue west of 109th Street, east of 123 Street. Full of small stores, but more scarce than in other areas. It is nice for a safe quiet walk or if you know a specific store. The most popular store is Who Cares? which is a woman's clothing with trendy styles catered to women over 30. It can be a quite busy area, due more to the nightlife than the shopping though.

Eat
The Central area has the broadest cuisine selection in Edmonton. Chinatown has authentic Chinese restaurants and grocers, as well as Vietnamese and other Asian vendors. A few blocks north in Little Italy are Italian restaurants, groceries, and the best bakery. The downtown core offers many options from classic Continental cuisine to Portuguese to Tex Mex to Italian to burger joints. Jasper West has a couple of nice Italian and North American restaurants. Expect the downtown core to be quiet on a weekday evening, and many eateries to be closed after business hours.

Coffee, smoothies, and snacks

 * Jasper Ave and 104th Street offers two quality offerings for cafes, Transcend Coffee and Credo Cafe. Transcend Coffee is a local coffee roaster and offers quality espresso and brewed Clover coffee options made to order. Transcend Jasper also has a live music venue and some beer and wine offerings. Credo carries Intelligentsia coffee from L.A. and Chicago and prepares it well. With either cafe you cannot go wrong.
 * Elm Cafe just outside of the downtown core at 117th St just north of Jasper Ave is worth the distance. Delicious unique breakfast/lunch sandwiches rotated daily and other offerings. Not to mention excellent espresso and brewed coffee. Elm cafe carries 49th Parallel Coffee from Vancouver.
 * Transcend Coffee Garneau is located in the Garneau Theatre building on 109th St and 87th Ave. Trendy decor, excellent coffee, close to the beautiful river-valley, University and Whyte Ave. This cafe is open seven days a week. Espresso, brewed Clover coffee and pastries are offered.
 * Leva Cafe is a cafe that serves a more traditional Italian espresso and is located by the University. This cafe also has great pizza and gelato. If you have an home espresso machine that needs repair, Cafe Tech in the back will be able to help you.
 * Elm Cafe just outside of the downtown core at 117th St just north of Jasper Ave is worth the distance. Delicious unique breakfast/lunch sandwiches rotated daily and other offerings. Not to mention excellent espresso and brewed coffee. Elm cafe carries 49th Parallel Coffee from Vancouver.
 * Transcend Coffee Garneau is located in the Garneau Theatre building on 109th St and 87th Ave. Trendy decor, excellent coffee, close to the beautiful river-valley, University and Whyte Ave. This cafe is open seven days a week. Espresso, brewed Clover coffee and pastries are offered.
 * Leva Cafe is a cafe that serves a more traditional Italian espresso and is located by the University. This cafe also has great pizza and gelato. If you have an home espresso machine that needs repair, Cafe Tech in the back will be able to help you.

Bars, clubs, and pubs

 * T'zin Wine & Tapas, 10115 - 104 Street. This cozy little place is off Jasper Ave. and offers absolutely amazing wine with small-portion food dishes. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Very much a hidden gem, tucked tight in a very small space. Be sure to look for it (it has a small patio).
 * T'zin Wine & Tapas, 10115 - 104 Street. This cozy little place is off Jasper Ave. and offers absolutely amazing wine with small-portion food dishes. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Very much a hidden gem, tucked tight in a very small space. Be sure to look for it (it has a small patio).
 * T'zin Wine & Tapas, 10115 - 104 Street. This cozy little place is off Jasper Ave. and offers absolutely amazing wine with small-portion food dishes. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Very much a hidden gem, tucked tight in a very small space. Be sure to look for it (it has a small patio).
 * T'zin Wine & Tapas, 10115 - 104 Street. This cozy little place is off Jasper Ave. and offers absolutely amazing wine with small-portion food dishes. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Very much a hidden gem, tucked tight in a very small space. Be sure to look for it (it has a small patio).
 * T'zin Wine & Tapas, 10115 - 104 Street. This cozy little place is off Jasper Ave. and offers absolutely amazing wine with small-portion food dishes. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Very much a hidden gem, tucked tight in a very small space. Be sure to look for it (it has a small patio).
 * T'zin Wine & Tapas, 10115 - 104 Street. This cozy little place is off Jasper Ave. and offers absolutely amazing wine with small-portion food dishes. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Very much a hidden gem, tucked tight in a very small space. Be sure to look for it (it has a small patio).
 * T'zin Wine & Tapas, 10115 - 104 Street. This cozy little place is off Jasper Ave. and offers absolutely amazing wine with small-portion food dishes. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. Very much a hidden gem, tucked tight in a very small space. Be sure to look for it (it has a small patio).

Splurge
Edmonton's fanciest and most expensive hotels fill up quickly due to a lack of 4 and 5-star hotels. Consider booking up to six weeks in advance to get the best choice.

Where to avoid

 * Chinatown (the area surrounding 97th Street between 105 and 107 Ave) is on the margin of Edmonton's "inner city" and may be somewhat intimidating to walk through after dark. The 107 Avenue area from 95 Street to 109 Street is less rough but still best avoided by casual pedestrians after dark.

Panhandling
At times, mostly downtown, especially during winter, on the weekdays after 6PM or in quiet areas, you may have people ask you for money. They are rarely aggressive. If you are under 19, you will rarely be asked. There are two approaches:

 * Ignore them - just pretend you didn't hear them and keep walking. Do not look at them.
 * Say no - do it politely with a "No, sorry" as they will usually just say "Alright. Thanks.  Have a good day."

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Edmonton/Central


text:
Edmonton/North

North Edmonton is a sprawling suburban area of the City of Edmonton, Alberta. It is generally composed of low density residential neighbourhoods consisting of primarily single family detached homes and a few "power centres" (shopping developments).

Understand
After oil was discovered near Edmonton in 1947, the city started expanding to the north and hasn't really stopped since.

Neighbourhoods here are generally middle or lower class, and range in age from "old" (relatively, before the Second World War) to still being built. This area includes a former armed forces base (Griesbach) and municipal airport (Blatchford), both of which are being redeveloped.

This district includes the city's Arab district and Filipino neighbourhood, and is a good place to look for cheap and cheerful restaurant meals.

By car
North Edmonton is crossed by a large main road. 97 Street (Highway 28) is probably the biggest of them all. It goes from the Central district all the way through the north-side and out into the countryside. It takes you through residential areas and major big box retail areas. 137th Avenue is another big one, going east and west and is full of shops. Other major roads include: Fort Road, Victoria Trail, 167 Avenue, 66 Street, 127 Street, and Saint Albert Trail/Mark Messier Way.

North Edmonton is served by three highways: Yellowhead Trail (Highway 16), Manning Drive (Highway 15), and Anthony Henday Drive (Highway 216). The Yellowhead is the main one and can get you in and out of the city quickly and goes west–east. Manning Drive is an extension of Fort Road and goes to Fort Saskatchewan, a suburb 14 km away. The Anthony Henday is a ring road around the city with multiple exits on the north side.

Transit
Transit is available in the area but light rail only exists in the far east of this part of the city, whereas the rest of the Northside relies on buses which have limited frequencies in the more far-flung residential areas. The four Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations: covered here are Clareview, Coliseum, Stadium, and Belvedere (near Fort Road).

Buy
Shopping in this part of town generally isn't anything particularly interesting, pretty similar to other Canadian suburban areas, if that's what you're looking for, this place is fine.

Eat
North Edmonton eating is pretty typical of Albertan suburbs.

 * Mandolin Books and Coffee Company on 112 Avenue is a fantastic find.
 * Mandolin Books and Coffee Company on 112 Avenue is a fantastic find.
 * Mandolin Books and Coffee Company on 112 Avenue is a fantastic find.
 * Mandolin Books and Coffee Company on 112 Avenue is a fantastic find.
 * Mandolin Books and Coffee Company on 112 Avenue is a fantastic find.
 * Mandolin Books and Coffee Company on 112 Avenue is a fantastic find.

Stay safe
Areas around the Fort Road district (between Yellowhead and 135 Avenue) are best avoided at night. There are a lot of homeless, poor people and the number of dirty and drinking establishments in the area doesn't help.

title: Edmonton/North


text:
Edmonton/South

South Edmonton is a district in Edmonton, Alberta.

Understand
Edmonton's south side began with Edmonton/South Central, but the district explained right now began essentially with the suburban revolution of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. For Edmonton suburbia started in 1947.

The south district developed an array of mature 1950s style neighbourhoods like Ottewell and Holyrood. They rebelled against the traditional grid, but these neighbourhoods still have (some) mature charm.

Much growth of the area occurred in the 1970s and 1980s with many new neighbourhoods being created south of the newly built Whitemud Drive expressway. In the 1980s, Southgate Mall, still ritzy today, was built.

By the 1990s, the economy of the city slowed, but the area known as Terwillegar began to take form. With the completion of the Anthony Henday Drive on the south side, many newer suburban communities have been beginning to pop up in the area known as Windermere.

The area is home to South Campus of the University of Alberta. About two times the area of the main North Campus, it's home to experimental farms and a large sporting complex. The LRT makes stops at South Campus, Southgate and Century Park.

Mill Woods
Mill Woods had its origins in the 1970s as a brand new residential area, covering much of Southeast Edmonton. Today, the area is very multicultural, with a notable Indian subcontinent flavour. The area is single-family homes around a couple of commercial centres, with continued growth along the east side, and the car is king. The LRT (Valley Line) was completed in 2023.

Mill Woods is usually taken to mean south of Whitemud Drive, north of Anthony Henday Drive, east of 91 Street NW and west of 34 Street NW. The area is broken up into about 20 sub-neighbourhoods.

Get in
Edmonton South is usually one of the first places a traveller hits upon coming to Edmonton. The Edmonton International Airport is 14 km south of the southern edges of the city. You'd enter via Gateway Boulevard (and leave if returning - going back to the south, be it the Airport, Leduc, Red Deer, Calgary, the US, etc. using Calgary Trail) into a land of big box superstores.

From South central, to go south to the South part of this city, take 109th St, Calgary Trail, or 99th St. From Edmonton/Central just get to south central and take the same routes

From the west, you can access the south via Whitemud Drive or Anthony Henday, or by going through other districts.

From the north, you can take Wayne Gretzky Drive directly to the Southeastern parts of the city, or enter via other districts.

Get around
The automobile stands supreme in the endless sprawl. Transit options exist but may be somewhat less than crystal clear to the visitor--using an app may be the simplest.

Cycling may be possible for the bold; the six-lane Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard are best avoided. Up-to-date cycling maps showing routes are available at the city's website.

Fort Edmonton Park
Canada's largest living historic park, and one of Edmonton's premier tourist attractions. Located in the middle of Edmonton, this reconstructed fort lies five kilometres upstream from its original location, representing it as it stood in 1846. The park represents four distinct time periods, exhibiting phases in Edmonton's development from an isolated fur trade post in the vast Northwest to a booming metropolitan centre after the First World War. A new "Indigenous Peoples Experience" opened in 2021.

The park features over 75 structures, many of which are the originals. Costumed interpreters operate the site and live the way of the past. Visitors enjoy exploring each building and each room, and talking to the role-playing interpreters.

The price of admission includes free steam engine train and streetcar rides, and period rides such as wagon, stagecoach, pony and buggy are also available with a small charge.

Enjoy special events at this venue on occasion like Canada Day (July 1, Canada's independence celebrations) that compare to none across Canada.

The 2007 film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was partly filmed there.

 * 1885 Street represents the settlement era from 1871 to 1891, with historic buildings and reconstructions of that period. These buildings are from around the greater Edmonton area. The North West Mounted Police outpost building is just that, an outpost, for the main post at that time was downstream at Fort Saskatchewan. A gun shed and jail have also been reconstructed.
 * 1905 Street receives its name from the year that Alberta became a province of the Dominion of Canada. Edmonton had became a city the year prior. The buildings are from that period, and include the reconstruction of the Masonic Hall, with the open museum on the second floor.
 * 1920 Street is the newest area, both in construction and time period, including the Hotel Selkirk, Blatchford Field Air Hangar, and the 1920s Midway.

Eat

 * Transcend in Argyll is a very classy coffee shop that not only makes coffee, will sell you the beans (if you want to take home).

title: Edmonton/South


text:
Edmonton/South Central

South Central Edmonton is the urban and central area south of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton. The area is artsy, trendy and edgy. In South Central Edmonton you will find some interesting architecture and great festivals. It includes the communities of Strathcona, the Garneau, Queen Alexandra, Windsor Heights, Mill Creek (east Strathcona), Bonnie Doon, Belgravia, Strathearn and Ritchie.

Understand
Much of what South Central today was once encompassed by the separate town of Strathcona (originally called South Edmonton), which was founded in 1899 after significant growth due to the Calgary and Edmonton Railway Company's decision to place a terminus station south of the North Saskatchewan River. The first train arrived in South Edmonton in 1891.

Strathcona was named for Lord Strathcona. The community grew very quickly between 1900–1910 and was a typical prairie town, which is reflected in some of the architecture in Old Strathcona today.

In 1908, the University of Alberta was founded under Premier Rutherford in "the Garneau" (always with the definite article). The Garneau was named after Laurent Garneau, a Métis who fought alongside Louis Riel in the 1869 Red River Rebellion, and who later settled in South Edmonton.

Eventually, in 1912, the whole of Strathcona became part of Edmonton when the City of Strathcona voted in favour of amalgamation.

In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, the University grew significantly and the area held up well in hard times. By the 1950s, the University continued to expand and began introducing the new "brutalist" architectural style.

In the 1970s, there was a plan to build a freeway in what is now Old Strathcona. The community protested to preserve the neighbourhood's character. Some buildings were demolished in preparation for construction, but the freeway was never built. By the 1980s plans were made to revitalize the area and by the 1990s Whyte Avenue and Old Strathcona had become the city's premiere bar and urban retail district.

Today South Central has a great nightlife scene -- Saturday nights are filled with bar goers and club lovers from around the city. The area is also considered a fun place to shop and dine. The area is highly educated due to the presence of the University of Alberta.

By public transit
Like most parts of the town, South Central has good public transit. The central area is served by two LRT stations, University and Health Sciences/Jubilee, both of which are located on the University of Alberta campus. There are two LRT stops further south: McKernan/Belgravia and South Campus. The frequency of LRT service is 5-10 minutes during the day and 10-15 minutes at night. Four buses serve popular Whyte Avenue: #4, #7, #57, and #94. It's easy to connect to these buses from the University LRT station. Use the Edmonton Transit System (ETS) Trip Planner to find the best route for your journey.

By vintage streetcar
The High Level Bridge Streetcar offers a limited, seasonal service, and also a direct route, from the area of the Alberta Legislature to Old Strathcona. It offers a magnificent view of the North Saskatchewan River from the High Level Bridge.

By car
South Central has good connections via four arteries: 109th Street, (Whyte) 82nd Avenue, Calgary Trail, and Gateway Boulevard. Aside from these, it is very navigable even on residential streets as the area mostly follows a grid.

See

Do
Because Old Strathcona being within this district, there is endless choices for movies, sports, festivals, and events.

Buy

Eat
Edmonton's Old Strathcona-University area is home to great dining. It has all kinds of options to satisfy your cravings. The best selection is in Old Strathcona -- you can choose from delicious pasta, tea and coffee, Indian food, Tex Mex, etc. The area around the University has mostly chains such as Earl's, but there are still some gem dining spots to be found.

Drink
The Whyte Avenue area is the city's most concentrated "party zone" and no doubt has a wide range!

Stay safe
If you decide to park in the area, make sure vehicle doors are locked and valuables are out of sight, as you would in central areas of any large city, to minimize the chance of break-ins. If you are worried, there are several businesses and hotels that offer private parking (however it can be costly).

At night, particularly on the weekends, Whyte Avenue gets very busy with people looking to party. Drunken rowdiness can sometimes lead to violence, especially in the early morning hours after last call (2AM). If you aren't looking for a fight, you should be safe from this sort of shenanigans. The police maintain a strong presence on weekends to keep the peace.

Old Strathcona sees a moderate level of panhandling in the warmer months.

title: Edmonton/South Central


text:
Edmonton/West End

West End is a part of Edmonton. It is probably most known for West Edmonton Mall, which is the largest mall in North America. It is a largely suburban area built mostly in the 1970s, with the exclusion of the west central, inner suburbs like Crestwood and Glenora.

Get in
The West End can be easily accessed by both of Edmonton's major east-west expressways, Yellowhead Trail (Hwy 16) and Whitemud Drive, as well as Anthony Henday Drive (Hwy 216), Edmonton's ring road. Stony Plain Road and 107 Avenue are the major connections to downtown. 170 Street is the major north-south thoroughfare through the west end, with most commercial and retail development being focused between Stony Plain Road and Whitemud Drive.

More recent development like Lewis Estates and La Perle are much harder to navigate, like most suburban areas in North America. They use windy roads and you may feel like you are in a maze. A roadmap would be suggested.

By bus
Using bus in the area is relatively simple. Only recent developments do not have bus connections. Bus waits are usually between 7 (peak)-45 (night)minutes. Check ETS for times and routes. Information on the bus system, including wait times, is available at 780-496-1600 or online. The West Edmonton Mall Transit Centre serves most West End routes, and offers express service to downtown. An extension of the Valley Line is under construction, serving the mall and continuing to Lewis Farms.

See

 * Valley Zoo Entrance.jpg

Stay safe
Edmonton's West End is relatively safe, but normal precautions should be followed. If out at after dark, it is advisable to have company. Jasper Place area can be an area of concern, yet West Edmonton Mall (WEM) is the biggest area to be wary of. After closing hours, leave quickly to avoid mugging or assault. If parking at WEM, be wary to keep valuables out of sight and preferably with you as theft from cars is higher than average here than in many other places in Edmonton.

title: Edmonton/West End


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Edmonton Capital Region

Edmonton Capital Region is the metropolitan area of Edmonton, Alberta. The population of this area is 1.3 million (2016), making it sixth largest metro area in Canada. Edmonton's suburbs are small cities that usually rely on Edmonton for jobs, health care, higher education, and more "upscale" entertainment. However, the region is also where city-dwellers head on the weekends and holidays for outdoor life. In fact, the eastern edge of the Capital Region was recognized as the Beaverhills UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2016 for its natural landscapes.

For complete information on Edmonton, see its article.

Understand
Edmonton has been allowed to expand and annex most of the farmland and small towns around it throughout its history, so the majority of the population of the region lives within the boundaries of the City of Edmonton. However, Edmonton has expanded rapidly since the 1940s, and now abuts towns that used to be several kilometers away. All of remaining the towns began to grow quickly during 2000s as land prices in Edmonton rose. They have added many new facilities, and most towns now have a museum, multi-rink arena, indoor public swimming pool, and one or more performing arts venues. They are all former railway towns that were established as grain-collection points for nearby farms, and are built primarily on a grid pattern, so are easy to navigate, and all feature a small shopping district in the centre (usually called "downtown") and many large big-box stores along the main highways.

 * Get in

By plane

 * Fly into Edmonton International Airport

By car

 * Drive via Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) (east-west) or via Highway 2 (Queen Elizabeth II Highway) ("QE2", north-south)

By bus
Numerous intercity buses operate into Edmonton. See Edmonton.

See
Edmonton, as the provincial capital, has several cultural and historic sites, including the Art Gallery of Alberta, a science museum, a planetarium, the Royal Alberta Museum, and Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest living history museum.

The University of Alberta Botanical Gardens, north of Devon, has native and Japanese themes, large indoor showhouses, and a Mughal-style garden.

The Canadian Energy Museum, south of Devon, and the Canadian Petroleum Discovery Centre in Leduc showcase Canada's oil industry.

The Spruce Grove Grain Elevator Museum is an operating museum in the last remaining wooden grain elevator on the CN Rail line west of Edmonton.

Do
Edmonton calls itself "Canada's Festival City", with over 30 annual festivals and special events throughout the year.

The Blueberry Bluegrass and Country Music Festival, in Stony Plain in early August, is the largest bluegrass event in western Canada.

Go wildlife watching at Elk Island National Park, which has the second highest density of hoofed mammals per square area of any region on earth (excepting the Serengeti plains of East Africa): 40 species of free-roaming mammals including plains bison, wood bison, elk (wapiti), moose, deer, beaver, and muskrat.

More than 220 species of birds have been sighted within Lois Hole Provincial Park, near St. Albert, along with deer, moose, and coyotes.

There's skiing at Sunridge Ski Area in Strathcona with 11 slopes and night skiing.

Go camping or rent a cottage in one of Lac Ste. Anne's summer villages. There are over 70 golf courses located in the Edmonton region. Wabamun alone has 5 courses and a population of only 700 people, which must be one of the highest rates of golf courses per person in the country.

Go shopping at the West Edmonton Mall, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, with an amusement park, an artificial beach and indoor wave pool, indoor lake and Santa Maria ship replica.

Professional sports fans can take in games of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers (5 Stanley Cups) or the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos (13 Grey Cups, name subject to change).

title: Edmonton Capital Region


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Edmore

Edmore is a town in the Lakes and Gardens region of North Dakota, at 1,513 feet elevation. It had a population of about 180 people in 2019.

Understand
Edmore is on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad line.

Get in

 * By car: From Grand Forks, US highway 2 west about 60 miles to Lakota, then north on state highway 1 for about 27 miles to SH17, then west for three miles to Edmore.

Go next
From here, Devils Lake is about a one-hour ride to the south and west (45 miles).

title: Edmore


text:
Edmundston

Edmundston is a city in northern New Brunswick with about 16,000 residents.

Understand
The city of Edmundston is roughly 95% francophone, the highest proportion in New Brunswick. Unlike the rest of the Maritimes, the majority of Francophones in Edmundston aren't descended from the Acadians but rather from French-Canadians that came up from Lower Canada (modern day Quebec), and are commonly known as Brayons. Some of the Brayons think of themselves as neither Acadian nor Québécois and their accent (l'accent brayon) is fairly distinct from the Québécois and Acadian accents. However others embrace Acadian roots, and it is not uncommon to see the Acadian flag flown.

Edmundston's economy is focused on the Saint John River paper industry. The river has provided water power for the mills and was the route of log drives bringing pulpwood from upstream forests. Forestry is one of the city's major industries, with several sawmills and paper plants in the vicinity, the largest being the Twin Rivers pulp mill. The town's economy is highly dependent upon cross-border trade. Edmundston and the smaller American city of Madawaska are considered by residents to be one community. An illuminated sign and plastics manufacture owned by Pattison Sign is also important to the city's economy. IPL, a company that manufactures plastic eating utensils, has a facility in Edmundston. The city is the site of the regional hospital for the area. There is a campus of the French-language University of Moncton in Edmundston. The New Brunswick Community college system has a campus in Edmundston.

By plane

 * Edmundston Airport (ICAO:CYES) is north west of the city, and its runway straddles the border with Quebec. It does not appear to have any regular flights. The closest major airport is Northern Maine Regional Airport at Presque Isle, Maine, 103 km from Edmundston. The nearest major airport in Canada is Mont-Joli Airport . This airport has domestic flights and is about 138 km from Edmundston.

By car

 * Edmundston is on the highway Route 2 between Fredericton and the border with Quebec, where the highway is re-named Autoroute 85. It is across the river from and has an international border crossing with Madawaska, Maine. Route 2 is part of the Trans-Canada Highway between New Brunswick's border with Quebec and New Brunswick's border with Nova Scotia.

By bus

 * Operates a bus route from Moncton including stops in Grand Falls, Perth-Andover, Florenceville, Woodstock, Fredericton, and Fredericton Airport. Travel time to Edmundston from Moncton is 5.5 hours and from Fredericton is 3.5 hours.
 * Travel to Edmundston from the following destinations involving same day transfers is as follows:
 * From Saint John (4 hours) with a transfer in Fredericton
 * From Bathurst (10.75 hours), Campbellton (12 hours), Halifax (9.5 hours), Miramichi (9.75 hours) with a transfer in Moncton
 * From Charlottetown (8.5 hours) with transfers in Amherst and Moncton
 * From Antigonish (10.25 hours), North Sydney (13 hours), Sydney (13.75 hours) with transfers in Truro and Moncton

Buy
There are the usual big box stores in this town.

title: Edmundston


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Edremit

 * For the town with the same name on Lake Van in Eastern Anatolia, see Van.

Edremit is a city in the Northern Aegean Region of Turkey. It’s a few km inland from the tip of the Gulf of Edremit, a large inlet of the Aegean Sea. Small resorts straggle along the coast, the main ones being Altınoluk, Akçay and Burhaniye, with Güre inland on the slopes of Kazdağı, the ancient Mount Ida. These resorts are also described on this page. The combined district had a population of 161,145 in 2020.

Understand
Edremit is named for Adramytteion, which lies somewhere beneath its modern streets. That ancient city had disappeared before the Turkish tribes assailed the area, and it was an early Ottoman conquest, by Orhan in 1336. However like other coastal towns it continued to have a majority Greek population: Dr Panos Dukakis, the father of Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts, emigrated from Edremit in 1912. Murderous ethnic conflict broke out here in 1914, continuing through the First World War into the follow-on Greek-Turkish War. The 1923 Treaty of Lausanne deported the Greeks, who were replaced by Turks displaced from the Balkans plus immigrants from Anatolia.

The lowlands around town grow olives and other produce, while the slopes just north are forested, so Edremit's industries are agricultural.

Turizm Danışma the tourist office is on Ismail Kızıklı Cd near Ören beach west of Burhaniye, +90 266 416 3500. It's open M-F 08:30-12:30, 13:30-17:30, Sa Su 10:30-16:00. Other "tourist offices" across the district are travel agencies and commercial outlets marketing their own tours or accommodation.

Get in
Edremit is on the Istanbul - Izmir bus route, so it has direct services every hour or so round the clock. From Istanbul these take 7 hours via Bursa and Balıkesir, fare 500 TL, and from Izmir 3 hours for 140 TL. Direct buses also run from Ankara (8 hr 30 min, 500 TL) via Eskişehir, Balıkesir and Bursa, and from Çanakkale (2 hours, 130 TL) on their way to Izmir. Operators are Metro Turizm, Pamukkale and Flixbus.

the bus station is central in Edremit town.

is also a stop for inter-city buses towards Izmir. The station is 1 km north of town centre.

is also a stop for inter-city buses towards Çanakkale. The station is mid-town on D-550.

Get around
Dolmuşes radiate from Edremit to all the other townships. Don't use the inter-city buses for the short hop between the Edremit Gulf towns; they probably wouldn't sell you a ticket.

See

 * Burhaniye town centre is modern, but Hacı Ahmet mosque south along Atatürk Cd is from 1798. It's built in the style of a Greek basilica but was always a mosque, not a converted church. There are pleasant cobbled streets south of it. In the centre, look out Koca and Çarşı mosques.
 * Burhaniye town centre is modern, but Hacı Ahmet mosque south along Atatürk Cd is from 1798. It's built in the style of a Greek basilica but was always a mosque, not a converted church. There are pleasant cobbled streets south of it. In the centre, look out Koca and Çarşı mosques.
 * was a coastal city founded in the 6th century BC. It lay at the edge of several empires, so it was warred over by Persia, the Grecian states, Rome, the Norman Crusaders, Genoa and others. The original site is now in the midst of Ören beach strip and is still under excavation, but you can peek through the fence at the work in progress. A Pegasus statue was dug up - a modern replica has been set up north side of the site. At some point Adramyttium relocated to what is now Edremit, but nothing of this Mark II city remains. It's not known when or why it moved, but 6th to 12th century AD through harbour silting is the best guess.
 * (Bizim Köy Müze Hareketli Etnoğrafya Galerisi) is on the main highway towards Ayvalık and Izmir. It's kinda kitsch and retail-oriented, which is why it's open daily 08:00-00:00.
 * is a beach resort on the cape west of Burhaniye. Its antiquities have moved to museums elsewhere.
 * east of Pelitköy, 7 km from the highway, is the site of a "painted mosque". Don't be disillusioned by the mosque's very plain, boxy appearance from the outside; its interior is richly decorated with atypical floral and landscape paintings.
 * is a small resort further south. Ancient Kisthene (Κισθήνη) lay somewhere south near Gömeç, but until they find it, you can't go and see it.
 * See Ayvalık for sights further west and south towards Izmir.
 * is a large beach resort at the head of the gulf, with the widest choice of accommodation and eating places.
 * is a small geothermal resort inland north of the gulf. Ida-Madra Geopark on Edremit Cd south side of town introduces the area's natural curiosities.
 * is a small museum at the foot of the road up to Güre. It's open daily 10:00-18:00, adult 8 TL, child 5 TL. 200 m up that road you can see the foundations of the ancient city of Astyra.
 * (Ἄντανδρος) was a Hellenistic city on Devren hill. Excavations and discoveries continue, but you can look at the work in progress here and at the necropolis 500 m further west.
 * is a small museum at the foot of the road up to Güre. It's open daily 10:00-18:00, adult 8 TL, child 5 TL. 200 m up that road you can see the foundations of the ancient city of Astyra.
 * (Ἄντανδρος) was a Hellenistic city on Devren hill. Excavations and discoveries continue, but you can look at the work in progress here and at the necropolis 500 m further west.
 * is a scenic mountain valley: from the coast highway east of Akçay, follow the lane north for 5 km through Zeytinli. There are waterfalls and ponds you can plunge in, where the steady temperature of 7°C will get your attention. There's a picnic area, camping and eating places. The name means "Hasan drowned" and there's a mawkish folk tale of unrequited love. Hasan the lowlander twice failed the test to marry the sturdy highlander Emine: by failing to tote a sack of salt that she wouldn't blink at, and then by drowning himself in a pool that hundreds of visitors actually find refreshing. So Emine hanged herself, but the upside is that she carried the salt home first, and there isn't a tree called "Emineasıldı".
 * is a mountain of 1774 m. In legend it was Mount Ida, where the gods reclined and watched the progress of the Trojan Wars. Its south slopes towards the gulf are a national park, Kazdağı Millî Parkı, and the main access is by the lane winding up from Pınarbaşı. It can also be approached from the north via Bayramiç; this side is not within the park.
 * Altınoluk is the westernmost resort along the coast of Edremit district, see "Go" marker. Lots of accommodation and eating places. Some of these use "Güre" as their postal address, but see above for that hillside village.
 * See Assos for the next small resort west, Küçukkuyu. Here you branch off on the coast road to Behramkale, for the ancient citadel of Assos.
 * is a small town with a museum and a memorial to local hero Corporal Seyit. In 1915 he was a gunner at Kilitbahir repulsing the Allied fleet, but his crane for loading the massive shells was knocked out. He hefted and loaded three shells with his own brute strength, and the third of them disabled and sank a French cruiser.

Do

 * Derman is a geothermal spring (kaplıca) 4 km southeast of Edremit. It's a busy highway junction and the best way to experience it is at one of the spa hotels - Entur Termal is the pick of these, see Sleep.
 * Akçay Lunapark is a chain funfair near Akçay marina, open daily 10:00-02:00.

Buy
All the towns have small supermarkets, and Edremit town has a couple of dozen. The chain stores are Migros, Dia and A101, usually open daily 08:00-22:00.

Eat

 * Edremit has a cluster in the old centre near the museum. Pick any of Gram Plus, Mercan, Deli Burger, Cumhuriyet Mustafanın Yeri, Tarihi Ömür Lokantası, İnci, Özdemir, Öz Hamur or Cumhuriyet Lokantası.
 * Akçay has Ciğerci Malik Usta on the highway, with liver and other kebabs as its specialties, 24 hours daily, 100-175 TL.
 * Burhaniye eating places are mostly on the south beach strip near the marina.
 * Pelitköy has a couple on the north-facing beach, but more beyond the cape on the west-facing beach.

Drink

 * Edremit has Gece Bistro by the otogar, and Park Izgara and Tütüncü Baba in the centre.
 * Ören Beach has Martin Pub, Köşem, Sizz Cafe, Nostra (formerly Kuytu), Antica F, Pasha and Kafemm.
 * Akçay has Köprü Beach, Esinti, Asparagus Beach, Akçay Kıyı Cafe, Çınar, Garage Art Shot Bar, Rock Cafe, Dostlar, Luca's, Ah-Pub and Sosyete.
 * Altınoluk has Defne, Rıhtım, Hoppa, Shot Bar, Nisan Türkü Evi, Sant Pub, Sahil'de Bistro, Kırmızı Bar, Günlerin Getirdiği Rock Bar and Mamba Beach.

Sleep

 * Burhaniye town has a couple of hotels, but most accommodation is on Ören beach strip 3 km west. Going north along the strip are Idahan, Karakaş, Çiçek Aile Pansiyonu, New Fiord and more. Going south from the creek are Tezmadra, Köprü, Blue Port and Marina Hotel.
 * Pelitköy: Grand Rimedya is the main hotel.
 * Akçay has dozens of hotels and pansiyons. Campsites along the coast include Güre Camping Plaj, Askar and Ulus 99.
 * Altınoluk has lots. Around the marina not far from the bus station are Mare & Monte, Bacahan, Ucem, Asmalı and Vesta. Campsites are Barbaros, Caravan Çadır, Onuncu Köy, Deniz and Endemik.
 * Güre: the hotels here (such as Ramada Resort) get rotten reviews.
 * Mountain campsites around the National Park include Weeping Falls, İnek Obası, Troltunga, Pine Garden, Değirmen, Kazdaği Kamp, Arden, Akaleos, Kuzgun and Xibalba.
 * Altınoluk has lots. Around the marina not far from the bus station are Mare & Monte, Bacahan, Ucem, Asmalı and Vesta. Campsites are Barbaros, Caravan Çadır, Onuncu Köy, Deniz and Endemik.
 * Güre: the hotels here (such as Ramada Resort) get rotten reviews.
 * Mountain campsites around the National Park include Weeping Falls, İnek Obası, Troltunga, Pine Garden, Değirmen, Kazdaği Kamp, Arden, Akaleos, Kuzgun and Xibalba.

Connect
Edremit town, the gulf shore resorts and the highway from Balıkesir have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of July 2022, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Assos is an acropolis with a temple to Athena, by the village of Behramkale.
 * Troy is on the highway north. The ruins are scrappy but there's a fine museum.
 * Balıkesir east is the regional capital. It's mostly modern but its mosques were rebuilt after the earthquake of 1898.
 * Ayvalık heading south is a large resort with causeways to nearby islands.
 * Bergama, the ancient city of Pergamon, can be reached via Ayvalık or by winding over the hills.
 * Istanbul to Izmir is an itinerary through this region, with one branch swinging through Edremit.

title: Edremit