The Gateway To Jasper National Park Is A Youthful Canadian City With Endless Entertainment

Most travelers know Alberta, the birthplace of Canada's national parks, for its rugged, peak-studded terrain, mountainous national parks with vibrant blue waters, and the natural beauty that draws millions of U.S. travelers over the northern border every year. However, even further north than the thick forests of Jasper National Park, the province's capital has stayed firmly under the tourist radar. A vibrant, diverse city with an action-packed events calendar, larger-than-life entertainment options, and easy access to outdoor adventures in the wild Albertan north, Edmonton is an excellent pick for travelers looking to experience Canadian city life without the crowds.

Despite its relative distance from the U.S. border, it's not at all tricky to reach Edmonton. Direct flights land into nearby Edmonton International Airport from more than 15 U.S. hubs, as well as from more than 20 Canadian airports. If you have a little more time to play with, incorporate the city into a wider provincial road trip route. You can cruise under four hours of crag-crested highway from Edmonton to reach Jasper National Park, the starting point of the Icefields Parkway. Joining one of the most beautiful highways in the country, you can road trip down the spectacular 144-mile route that leads down to southern Alberta's famed preserves.

Whether you're sticking to the city or exploring Alberta's natural wonders, you'll need to keep the weather in mind when you're planning your trip. Conditions in Edmonton can be extreme, and you'll want to pack your warmest gear if you're visiting during the 5-degree Fahrenheit winter dips.

There's rarely a quiet moment in Alberta's provincial capital. Sports fans scream for beloved local teams in Edmonton's world-class stadiums, organized festivities kick off all over town almost every week of the year, and crowds are constantly flitting in and out of North America's largest mall. If you're looking for entertainment, you might have too many choices in Edmonton.

Despite not receiving the same international acclaim as Toronto or Vancouver (the vibrant Canadian city that offers an idyllic, safe destination for your first solo trip), Edmonton squares up to both on the sports field. Its residents are fiercely proud of their hockey team, the Edmonton Oilers, five-time Stanley Cup champs and a team of legends like Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. Join their fans at Rogers Place or stray off the ice to catch the Edmonton Elks crashing on the football field of the Commonwealth Stadium or settle in at the RE/MAX baseball field to watch the Edmonton Riverhawks.

If your schedule isn't already too action-packed, make sure you keep an eye on the city's event calendar. More than 50 festivals are thrown in Edmonton over the course of each year, ranging from cultural celebrations and transformative theme park installations to sumptuous food scene extravaganzas and local artist performances. On the slim chance that your schedule doesn't line up with any events, rest assured that the massive West Edmonton Mall offers entertainment year-round. Within the walls of the mall, your options are essentially endless: ride a rollercoaster in the internal theme park, splash in the waterpark, explore the aquarium, or take part in any of the hundreds of other activities going on inside.

As the most northerly major city on the American continent, Edmonton is surrounded by wilderness on all sides. The verdant River Valley Parks, wrapped around the North Saskatchewan River, weave in and out of the city bounds. This urban park is the largest on the continent, some 22 times the size of Central Park, for scale. You can get a new perspective over Edmonton by setting out on the 111 miles of trail crisscrossing the woodlands that bleed into the city bounds or by renting a kayak or canoe to see the city skyscrapers swell over the river banks.

Straying slightly outside the urban center, Edmonton is close to sweeping preserves carefully conserved by First Nations caretakers. Given that the city has the second largest population of Indigenous inhabitants of any Canadian metropole, many of the best experiences available to travelers lean on the teachings of its native inhabitants. Take an Indigenous-led tour in pursuit of white bison in Métis Crossing, learn about geology in Elk National Park, or learn how the First Nations utilized their beautiful landscape before Edmonton was ever conceived at Fort Edmonton.

Though a little further afield, Edmonton is still the closest city to one of Canada's most beloved preserves, Jasper National Park. Venture west and watch the city hubbub sink into the backdrop along the forest-fringed roads or from the window-walled sightseeing compartments of the spectacular Rocky Mountaineer. After less than four hours of travel from the center of Edmonton, you'll be amid the thundering falls, glacial lakes, and wildlife-filled forests of Jasper National Park.