Canadian Tourism: Edmonton, Alberta:
Edmonton is a sixty-two hour road trip from Willimantic, CT so consider flying. Bradley International Airport (BDL), in Windsor Locks, CT, has daily flights to and from Edmonton International Airport (YEG) provided by Northwest Airlines and Air Canada (Bradley, 2003). T.F. Green International Airport (PVD), in Providence, RI, also has daily flights to and from YEG provided by Northwest Airlines and Air Ontario (T.F. Green, 2003).
When packing your bags keep in mind that Edmonton tends to be a cold place. In the springtime, during April, the normal high is 52�°F, the normal low is 27�°F, and the average temperature is 40�°F. In the summertime, during July, the normal high is 73�°F, the normal low is 49�°, and the average temperature is 66�°F. In the fall, during October, the normal high is 54�°F, the normal low is 28�°F, and the average temperature is 44�°F. In the wintertime, during January, the normal high is 16�°F, the normal low is 3�°F, and the average temperature is 2�°F (Edmonton Fast Facts, 2003).
With more than 2,000 restaurants in Edmonton, you will never have to worry about eating at the same place twice. The range of dining includes regional specialties like Alberta beef and bison, classic French, Italian and Asian specialties, and twenty-six other types of cuisine. The average meal costs less in Edmonton than other major cities in Canada. There are a variety of different types of caf�©s and eating establishments for casual, semi-formal, and formal dining (Restaurants, 2003).
The largest shopping and entertainment centre in the world is located in the western section of Edmonton. West Edmonton Mall (WEM) is located at the junction of 87th Avenue and 170th Street and spans forty-eight city blocks. The Guinness Book of World Records says that the mall has both the “world’s largest parking lot” and is the “largest shopping centre in the world”. More than 800 stores, restaurants, attractions and services, as well as 110 eating establishments, and seven world-class attractions call West Edmonton Mall home. Many of the mall’s special restaurants are located in Bourbon Street, located on the mall’s lower level in phase three next to Cineplex 8, featuring food such as Cajun, Sushi, and Italian. West Edmonton Mall is Alberta’s number one tourist attraction and cost $1.2 billion Canadian money to build (WEM, 2003).
Galaxyland Amusement Park has twenty-five rides and attractions and is located on the mall’s upper level in phase two near the Ice Palace. It is the world’s largest indoor amusement park at 400,000 square feet (WEM, 2003). The “Mind Bender”, one of its most popular rides, is a fourteen-story triple-loop roller coaster and reaches speeds up to sixty miles per hour, the number one rated roller coaster for G-force (Info on Edmonton, 2003). The “Space Shot” is a ride that launches guests 120 feet in less than two seconds and then subjects them to a powerful negative G-force when they go back down (WEM, 2003).
Children can enjoy “Cosmo’s Party Launch Pad”, a three-tiered birthday party complex, and the four-story space-themed play-park “Galaxy Kids”. The park also features a thirteen-story freefall experience and a motion simulator theater (Edmonton, AB, 2002).
The World Waterpark, located on the lower level of the mall in phase three near Submarine Lake, is a water park with 2.7 million gallons of water with a tropical air temperature of 86Ã?°F. The park has twenty-three slides and attractions including the world’s only indoor bungee jump. The park features the new Sun Runner Family Tube Slide, a Raging Rapids inner-tube ride, and three whirlpools at 102Ã?°F. There are three children’s play areas and Palm Cove, a private meeting area. Only nine water parks in America are able to say they attract more visitors annually (WEM, 2003).
Speaking of water, the Ice Palace, a National Hockey League sized rink, is in phase two on both the lower level and the upper level in the south central end of the mall. This is an exciting place to catch the Edmonton Oilers hockey team practice, the Ice Palace Figure Skating Club practice, and watch figure skating events. The mall has public skating programs that include great music and sparking lights (WEM, 2003).
If you are looking for excitement, pay a visit to Playdium Edmonton. It is located on the lower and upper levels in phase four of the mall near Fantasyland Hotel. It is a 37,000 square foot entertainment complex with more than two hundred state-of-the-art attractions. More than just entertainment, this complex also offers dining, a licensed lounge, a souvenir shop, and for group events, full catering services (Info on Edmonton, 2003).
Professor Wem’s Adventure Golf, located on the mall’s lower level in phase three near London Drugs, is an 18-hole miniature golf course that kids of all ages will enjoy. Deep Sea Adventure, located on the lower level in phase three next to World Waterpark, gives guests the ability to explore the underground world in one of four real submarines equipped with sonar equipment and underwater cameras. Dolphin Lagoon, located on the lower level of phase three next to World Waterpark, is a place where visitors can see presentations about dolphins, watch caretakers interact with dolphins, and ask caretakers questions about dolphins (WEM, 2003).
The dolphins may sleep but parts of West Edmonton Mall never do. There is plenty of fun for singles and couples. Over 63,000 square feet of entertainment awaits visitors at the Palace Casino, which is located on the mall’s lower level, phase two, next to the Galaxyland Amusement Park. The casino features 650 slot machines and 35 table games including Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, and Caribbean Stud/Draw Poker. The casino’s 24-hour Private Poker Room features games like Seven Card Stud, Texas Hold’em, and Omaha. Guests can dine at two restaurants and hear live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. For more gambling fun, visit Caesar’s Bingo, located on the mall’s lower level in phase three next to The Brick (WEM, 2003).
Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Kabaret, located on the mall’s lower level in phase three next to Cineplex 8, features the best of dining and comedy. Red’s Everybody’s Rec Room has ten pin bowling, billiards, interactive video games, and live entertainment. If you would like to catch the latest movie, check out one of the twenty-six screens of movies at Famous Players Silver City, located on the mall’s lower level in phase four next to Submarine Lake, and Cineplex Odeon, located on the mall’s lower level in phase three next to Cineplex 8 (WEM, 2003).
After a long day at West Edmonton Mall, do not worry about driving to a nearby hotel, stay at the mall’s hotel. Fantasyland Hotel is a four-star property inside the mall with three hundred fifty five guest rooms, one hundred eighteen of them being Theme rooms (WEM, 2003). There are over ten styles of Theme rooms including African, Arabian, Canadian Rail, Hollywood, Igloo, Polynesian, Roman, Truck, Victorian Coach, World Waterpark, and Western. There are also classically decorated Superior and Executive rooms in the hotel (Fantasyland Hotel, 2003).
After a good night’s sleep, learn about the history of Alberta and its parliamentary traditions by taking a free tour of the Alberta Legislature Building. Its lawn provides visitors with a beautiful place to have a picnic before or after learning about the uniqueness of Alberta. “The Citizen’s Guide to the Alberta Legislature”, a free brochure given out during the tour, is an interesting brochure that explains the differences between the governments of the United States and Canada and explains how a bill becomes a law in Canada (Info on Edmonton, 2003). Stop by the legislature gift shop to get a souvenir to bring back home with you.
History buffs will love Fort Edmonton Park as they will see first-hand into the settlement of Edmonton. Costumed historical interpreters will help you experience life at four critical times in history (Info on Edmonton, 2003). The first being the fur trading post in 1846, the second being a bustling frontier town in 1885, the third being Alberta’s new capital in 1905, and the fourth being the transformation of Edmonton into a modern city in 1920. Fort Edmonton Park is the largest historical park and a great place to relax, learn, and explore (Itineraries, 2001).
The largest stadium in Canada, Commonwealth Stadium, is in Edmonton at 11000 Stadium Road. It has a professional football field and a Mondo 400-metre track. The stadium is home to the Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos, Canada’s National Soccer Team, and the 2002 Grey Cup. The facility has state-of-the-art weight equipment, gymnasium, racquetball, and tennis courts. It is only two-and-a-half miles from downtown and it will feature the opening ceremonies of the World Master Games in 2005 (Discover Edmonton.com).
Alberta Railway Museum, located at 24215 34th Street, has a small railway terminal with a yard, station and locomotive, along with a car shop (Info on Edmonton, 2003). The main emphasis at the museum is on cars and locomotives from the Canadian National Railways (CNR) and Northern Alberta Railways (NAR). Passenger service is provided on diesels 9000 and 7944 (Alberta Railway Museum, 2003). Displays include operating steam and diesel locomotives, passenger, work, and freight cars, and various machinery and buildings. Guided and self-guided tours are available (Info on Edmonton, 2003).
Historical and contemporary paintings, sculptures, installation works, and photographs by international artists can be seen at the Edmonton Art Gallery located at 2 Sir Winston Churchill Square. Featuring 5,000 pieces of art, the gallery offers special programs for families and adults, drop-in art classes, and gallery tours. Collection exhibitions change every five to six months (Edmonton Art Gallery, 2003).
The Odyssium, formerly called Edmonton’s Space and Science Center, is located at 11211 142nd Street. The museum has six science and space exhibit galleries. It also features a star theatre, an amateur ham radio station, an observatory, an IMAX theatre, and a science lab. The museum offers astronomy courses for adults, astronomy courses for brownie, guide, cub, and scout troops, science camps, and computer camps. The permanent exhibits at the museum allow children to learn about the environment, human body, crime scene forensics, and space exploration (Odyssium, 2003).
If your idea of fun is learning about history, politics, science, space, astronomy, art, or trains, Edmonton is the place to go. If your interests are different entirely and you like to dance, dine at fine restaurants, go to a comedy club, or shop, Edmonton can satisfy those expectations as well. This summer, if you want to beat the heat, head to Edmonton where summertime temperatures rarely exceed 73�°F. Edmonton, Alberta truly is a place for everyone.
