Take advantage of Edmonton's central location its close proximity to both the northern and the southern parts of the province to find out what makes Alberta's capital an exciting and enjoyable starting point for your
provincial travels. Be sure to check out the impressive sights and
attractions that have transformed the greater Edmonton area itself into one
of Canada's most unique tourism destinations.
Whether you're planning on adding several days to your itinerary to explore
the province or simply in search of a few hours of local sightseeing,
Edmonton tour and transportation companies have the expertise and enthusiasm
to ensure that all your requirements are met.
The many transportation and tour operators in the city offer personalized
group tours, soft adventures, tour planning and local sightseeing as well as
customized charters, spousal tours and convention servicing.
Grande Alberta Trail
Adventure and pure unspoiled open space are yours to discover.
What could be called the OGrande' daddy of Alberta road tours will transport
you from a modern urban environment to the pristine wilderness of the
northwestern part of the province.
As you leave Edmonton via the Yellowhead and head west along Highway 16
you'll soon reach Edson, where the Native Interpretive Trail provides
additional insight into how members of Canadašs First Nations lived.
Continuing west on Highway 16, you approach Hinton, where the Yellowhead's
scenic vistas transform into forested views. One of the key components in
Alberta's forestry industry, Hinton is home to the Alberta Forest Service
Museum.
From Hinton you'll head northwest on the Big Horn Highway (Highway 40) into
a land of rolling hills and boreal forest as you wind your way up to Grande
Cache, an area used by fur trappers in historic times to make a large
Ocache' of furs for spring trading. Grande Cache offers splendid
opportunities for lovers of the outdoors. Whitewater rafting, horseback
riding and fishing abound in this scenic and rough-hewn refuge, which skirts
the huge Willmore Wilderness Park.
From Grande Cache the adventure gets even grander as you head north into
Grande Prairie, a modern city that provides an excellent opportunity for
wildlife watching, fishing and hiking.
Muskoseepi Park offers biking trails, camping, canoeing, hiking, kayaking,
golf, concerts and festivals, in an area that encompasses 1,000 acres along
Red Creek Valley. Learn about the region's forest industry during a tour of
Weyerhaeuser Canadašs pulp mill, saw mill and forest lands.
As you start your return loop to Edmonton, you'll head southeast to
Valleyview on Highway 43, continuing to the town of Whitecourt. In
Whitecourt, the ES Huestis Demonstration Forest explains forest ecosystems
and reforestation in a 10 sq. kilometre (6.25 sq. miles) span that includes
16 interpretive sites.
Located just outside of Whitecourt lies Carson-Pegasus Provincial Park, an
excellent spot for camping, fishing or windsurfing.
For an interesting side trip, try Lac. Ste. Anne (on secondary-highway 765),
famous for its annual native pilgrimage July 21-26 where they believe the
waters are sacred and have healing qualities. From Lac Ste. Anne it's back
to Edmonton as you complete the Grande Alberta Trail, 1,100 paved kilometers
of pure adventure and discovery.
Mountain Majesty
Farming communities. cottage country, foothills and the splendor of Jasper National Park.
The Yellowhead Highway (Hwy. 16) is the scenic route from Edmonton to
Jasper. Travel west to Stony Plain, the Town with the Painted Past. Here,
history and heritage is depicted on 19 colourful outdoor murals.
Visit the Wabamun Lake area, Alberta's cottage country, where sailing,
canoeing and fishing are favored activities. Continue to Edson, home to the
Galloway Station Museum and the Edson Native Interpretive Trail. Pass
through the forested foothills of the Miette Range to Hinton where the
Alberta Forest Museum, sawmill and coal mine tours (summers only) and
Alberta's largest night-lit cross-country ski facility await.
Further west enter Jasper National Park, part of the Rocky Mountain Wold
Heritage Site. This 10,878 sq. km. (4,200 sq. mi) of preserved wilderness
offers a fabulous array of outdoor activities - hiking, mountain biking and
skating. The mountain scenery and opportunities for wildlife watching are
world renowned.
Before arriving in Jasper townsite drive Pocahontas Interpretive Trail to
scenic Punchbowl Falls and the Miette Hot Springs where you can soak from
late June to early September. Also take the scenic drive along Maligne Lake
Road. Walk the rim of Maligne Canyon (Alberta's deepest); during winter
icewalks are conducted on the canyon floor. Pass Odisappearing' Medicine
Lake en route to Maligne Lake and a 90-minute interpretive cruise to Spirit
Island, one of the most photographed sights in the Canadian Rockies.
The Jasper Park Lodge Golf Course is rated one of Canada's best and the
thrilling guided tour of Jasper Tramway, open April - Oct., rises to 2,300
metres (7,500 ft.) and views of six mountain ranges. During winter ski or
snowboard the high alpine bowls, glades and groomed runs at Marmot Basin.
If you have time, continue south of Jasper on the Icefields Parkway (Hwy.
93) past campgrounds, lakes, glaciers and towering peaks. Visit Athabasca
and Sunwapta falls, and the magnificent Columbia Icefield where Osnowcoach'
tours atop 350 m (1,000 ft.) thick glacial ice are offered late May to early
Oct. Return to Edmonton via the scenic David Thompson Highway (Highway 11).
Uniquely Alberta
Traverse the rolling plains of east-central Alberta to see a UFO landing
pad, an oversized Easter egg and a living museum of Ukrainian history.
This excursion meanders past quaint towns and rolling farmland just east of
Edmonton for a tour that is distinctly Albertan.
Highway 16 East provides a direct route to the sprawling wildlife sanctuary
of Elk Island National Park. Established in 1906 to preserve endangered
animal populations, the park is home to flourishing populations of plains
and wood bison, elk, moose, deer, coyote and beaver. Its many lakes,
forests, meadows and wetlands part of the Beaver Hills aspen parkland
ecosystem have become a popular place to view over 250 species of birds,
including loons and trumpeter swans.
If you're in search of something more, something you'll only find in
Alberta, head east on Highway 36 to the historic town of St. Paul, where
you'll discover the world's only UFO landing pad, constructed in 1967 as a
Centennial project. The landing pad site also houses a time capsule that
will be opened in 2067.
For something a little more down to earth, take Highway 41 to Vermilion.
Just before you reach the town you'll cross a region chock full of sport
fishing spots and recreational lakes. From Vermilion, head west on Highway
16 to see something that is definitely out of this world. Vegreville is home
to a 7.8 metre (25 foot) pysanka, or Ukrainian Easter egg. The
2,270-kilogram egg represents prosperity, life, food, fortune and eternity.
The structure was constructed from more than 3,500 pieces of aluminum to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the RCMP and attracts thousands of
visitors annually.
On the way back to Edmonton (Highway 16 West) visit the Basilian Fathers
Museum in Mundare (21 kilometers west of Vegreville), which tells the story
of Ukrainian settlement in the area, or sample the world-famous smoked
sausage available at several retail outlets in the town. At the Ukrainian
Cultural Heritage Village (30 kilometers west of Mundare), more than 30
restored buildings and costumed role players bring history to life. Ride in
a horse-drawn wagon, nibble on Ukrainian delicacies or explore the historic
buildings at this unique open-air museum as the lifestyles of the late 1800s and the early 1900s come alive before your eyes.
Explore the Capital City
Take a drive through Edmonton's scenic downtown and Chinatown, check out
prominent residential areas and the awe-inspiring beauty of the North
Saskatchewan River valley park system.
Edmonton's cosmopolitan downtown is the location of the Citadel Theatre,
Edmonton Art Gallery, Chinatown Gate, Shaw Conference Centre, the new city
hall and extensive shopping and business areas. A 1,900-seat concert hall,
the Francis Winspear Centre for Music, opened in September, 1997.
Discover Edmonton's convenient indoor pedway system which allows you to move
throughout downtown in total comfort. The city centre is a shopper's haven
with Eaton Centre (120 stores), Edmonton Centre (100 stores), ManuLife Place
(specialty stores and services) and Commerce Place.
The Edmonton Art Gallery exhibits some of the best contemporary and
historical art form Canada and around the world. The Citadel Theatre
includes a tropical indoor garden/ amphitheatre.
A local landmark, the Alberta Legislature Building overlooks Edmonton's
North Saskatchewan River valley. The river valley is the longest stretch of
urban parkland in Canada. Several of the more than 70 golf courses within an
hour's drive of Edmonton are in the valley.
Encompassing an area of 10 blocks, the 124 Street district includes eight
art galleries, quaint shops, fine dining and a day spa.
Step back in time at the Provincial Museum of Alberta with its wealth of
displays depicting natural and human history.
Discover Edmonton's past at Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest historic
park. Here you'll experience daily life in the frontier era through the
First World War.
Are you a nature lover? Then visit the John Janzen Nature Centre, which
serves as a focus for natural history events and programs in the river
valley. Also set in the river valley is the Muttart Conservatory, four
spectacular glass pyramids filled with more than 700 species of plants.
Steeped in history, the Old Strathcona area features hundreds of quaint
shops, a farmer's market and the Telephone Historical Centre.
Š 2001 Copyright Tanner Young Marketing Ltd. This article can not be reproduced in whole or in part without the expressed written permission.
