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Hi, I am Jacob. I am neurodivergent and I love to travel. My latest trip was to Edmonton. It was kind, beautiful with an incredible variety of experiences. It is the capital of the province of Alberta, the fifth largest city in Canada and the northernmost city in North America with a population over one million people. Known as the Gateway to the North, located at the 53 parallel (I love studying geographical locations) Edmonton is cosmopolitan, inviting and inclusive. It is also one of Canada’s sunniest cities with roughly 2,299 hours of sunshine per year, meaning in the summer, you can enjoy up to 17 hours of daylight.
Ways that Edmonton Welcomes
Inclusivity reigns from the moment you arrive. Here are a few examples:
- The Edmonton International Airport: the sunflower lanyard is recognized by everyone and a very well-equipped quiet room with soothing visuals, bean bag beds, warm lighting, toys to play with and weighted blankets (a personal favourite of mine) all induce calm. Air Canada and WestJet plane seats decorate the room which helps younger travellers acclimatize to them before boarding. Clever.
- Kulture City kulturecity.org is a non-profit organization that provides a sensory inclusive designation for sites that help people prevent overstimulation with kits that include earphones and other calming tools. Two Edmonton locations with the designation grabbed my eye: The Edmonton Valley Zoo and the Muttart Conservatory.
- Muttart Conservatory: Packed in four architecturally beautiful pyramids, each dedicated to an Earth climate lies Canada’s largest indoor plant collection — 700 different kinds of plant species and botanical gardens surrounded in beautiful art and sculptures in each pyramid. It is educational and frankly, one soothing site. Not that you would need them, Kulture City earphones are there if you need them.
- Edmonton Valley Zoo: I have been to many zoos. While they can be overstimulating, for me they are the opposite because animals calm me down and the Edmonton Valley Zoo greatly moved me. With more than 350 animals, there is much to learn. And they offer a home to unlikely animals. Take Hula, a harbour seal rescued in British Columbia. While they tried to rehabilitate her, they noticed she had seizures. As someone with epilepsy and with people who care for me, I realized that zoos need to be around to protect animals that would not be able to survive on their own in the wild. That is a special job.
Fairmont Hotels have embraced therapy dogs for guests and staff nerves. Hendrix, the therapy dog at the Fairmont Macdonald, welcomes guests from 9-5 during the week. He is loving and a powerful addition to the staff. As for the hotel, I found the whole place soothing. The Mac is a local legend (it just celebrated its 110th birthday in July) is chock full of history (there is even a book written about her) and is fully accessible. The rooms are extremely luxurious and offer fantastic views of the area. One of the amazing features is its 40-foot saltwater pool. I could have spent the whole trip to Edmonton never wandering out of the Mac, given its beauty and history but there is also much to see in the Edmonton area.
Edmonton is a quirky and eclectic city with a vibrant cultural life. It is known as the City of Festivals after all. There are over 50 of them. The continent’s first, biggest and wildest Fringe Theatre Festival was established in Edmonton. Here are a few other highlights that I particularly enjoyed.
The 100 Street Funicular, close to the Mac, is a 48-second beautiful (wheelchair-accessible) funicular ride. It takes you down to the North Saskatchewan River Valley. Close to the funicular is a lookout point with a beautiful view of the river valley.
The Saskatchewan River runs through the city and Edmonton’s River Valley is 22 times the size of Central Park, with 150 km of trails with trees, flowers, and urban art along the way. (Fun fact, for all the runners out there, if you have ever been to a Running Room shop, it started in Edmonton by John Stanton, one of the nicest guys. The Running Room is North America’s largest chain of specialty running stores.)
The outdoor Neon Sign Museum is super interesting. It is a display of vintage Edmonton business signs and since I love history and art, it was a great combination.
Old Strathcona Area: I loved this neighbourhood. It was established as a town in 1899, across the bridge from today’s Edmonton but back then it was far away. Today it is a hip spot with fab restaurants, great nightlife, and lots of old buildings. Strathcona retains its original feel with old buildings and historical plaques.
Cook County Country, an urban country bar where cowboy boots and 10-gallon hats are high fashion is a cool place where you can take two-step lessons and dance the night away on a massive dance floor with a giant screen that plays country videos. It felt like I was in a completely different world in the Wild West but it was a bit of a sensory overload. I could not stay long but I loved seeing it.
Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market is a great Saturday or Sunday morning outing. Food, crafts, events, and kids’ activities. It is Edmonton’s original, indoor farmers’ market, a place of great beginnings. It was the original home of Kinnikinnick Foods, which went on to become one of the pioneers of gluten-free baked goods in the world.
Edmonton Oilers
For hockey fans, no trip to Edmonton is complete without paying homage to the Oilers at Rogers Place. The whole area surrounding Rogers Place is called the Ice District. Edmonton takes hockey very seriously. One of my favourite goalies of all time, Curtis Johnson, played here.
Just outside of Edmonton
Just outside of town is a farm-to-table and farm-to-flask establishment. Rig Hand Distillery is a darling of the Canadian distillery world. (Their whiskey was chosen as Speaker Anthony Rota’s whiskey by MPs in the House of Commons in Ottawa.) Their innovative libations include Garlic Vodka Caesar, Irish Cream which is spectacular and they even make mead. Rig Hands attracts 60,000 visitors a year for its farm-to-table food and drink experience. The owner, Geoff Stewart, is a collaborator and shares his equipment with other distillers and beer makers. He is a shrewd entrepreneur but a real gentleman in that world.
Geoff also wanted to honour Indigenous traditions. Edmonton has the second largest Indigenous population in Canada. He collaborated with Monique Collins of Dragonfly Spirit CreeAtions and next to his restaurant, is her 30 foot-high tipi, one of the largest in Western Canada, where Monique teaches Indigenous spirituality and culture. She is a knowledge keeper, educator, healer, entrepreneur who shares her wisdom and her gifts as a storyteller.
Getting smudged and cleansed opens your heart to Indigenous spirituality but also is a very soothing experience. She teaches about Indigenous medicines (sweet grass, sage, tobacco, and cedar) and healthy harvesting. She also taught me about the symbolism of animals. Raven=honesty, eagle = love, buffalo=respect, beaver=wisdom.
West Edmonton Mall
With 5.3 million square feet, 800 stores and services, 100 places to eat, 2 hotels, and 12 attractions, it was the largest mall in the world when it opened (the largest is now in Dubai) and is a sight to behold. Great shopping, an amusement park with a roller coaster to boot, a massive waterpark with slides, a zipline and a simulated beach and a full-sized ice rink where you can watch kids playing hockey, figure skating, pirate ship, sea mammal shows, this monstrous site receives an average number of 30.8 million visitors every year. Truthfully, you must see it to believe it but build in sensory overload time.
Get Outdoors! Visit Elk Island National Park
The opposite of the mall is Elk Island National Park. I love national parks and there is one just 40 minutes from downtown Edmonton. Founded in 1906 as an elk preserve to protect one of the last big elk herds in the region, Elk Island National Park was the first wildlife refuge in Canada. Look for herds of bison, elk or one of more than 250 bird species that call this special place home. It is also a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve. I was fascinated to learn about the Ukrainian Pioneer Home in the park, a museum to commemorate the presence of Ukrainians in Canada. It turns 75 next year.
Glamping at Elk Island Retreat
As much as I love nature, I have never been much of a camper. Thanks to the Elk Island Retreat, I discovered glamping in geodomes. They combine the fun of camping, like eating al fresco (and outhouses — which are fun!) while being surrounded by nature. However, the accommodations are far more comfortable, with a cozy bed and fireplace. Geodomes resemble round jungle gyms with window panels so you can see the nature around you. There are trails on the property that offer the chance to breathe. I am not much of a sauna guy, but my mom loved the on-site Nordic spa.
Splurge and order a charcuterie plate from Bits and Bites. It is owned by a couple from Quebec who moved to the Edmonton area and are fabulous. It has artisanal cured meats, vegetables, a cheese medley, fruit, olives, dried fruits, chocolate and assorted nuts. It is like a gourmet picnic. They include wine (for my mom) and non-alcoholic for me but there will be lots of leftovers so make sure to bring Tupperware.
Fuel Up
Speaking of food, as someone who not only loves to cook, I love to eat and I view eating as an experience. Here are suggestions:
- The Fairmont Macdonald Hotel has a fab brunch (the best Eggs Benedict) and a view to boot.
- At Lady Bea’s Tea House, tea lovers sip on Prosecco or double cream Earl Grey (a fav of the late Queen Elizabeth) and munch on in-house made scones and clotted cream, sandwiches and other desserts. (My mom really liked this one too.) The ambience is very classy and some people even dress up in fascinators (hats) and fancy clothes.
- Bernadette’s, Indigenous cuisine inspired by the chef’s grandmother deserves the kudos it is getting. Chef Scott Iserhoff (Cree) and his wife Svitlana Kravchuk (Ukrainian) merge local farms and Indigenous cuisine. Elk tartare was one of my favourite dishes. Bernadette’s made the list as one of the best restaurants in Canada.
- Café Bloom at the Muttart Conservatory is a delicious experience. The food is creative. If you can, book the dome for an unusual outdoor experience. There is a lot of love that goes into the menu at Café Bloom.
- Pip in Old Strathcona is an immensely popular brunch spot so try and get there right when they open. Great eggs benedict, avocado toast, French toast bake— it is known for the sweet delicacy.
- In a hurry? Freson Bros have multiple grab-and-go gourmet options. They have been feeding Edmonton for 70 years with a prepared food section, general groceries and an incredible restaurant with take out food — including the best brisket sandwich. Try their cinnamon buns. They are legendary for a reason.
- Food Fun Facts about Edmonton? Boston Pizza, Booster Juice, and Earls Restaurants all started in Edmonton.
For some people, Edmonton is just a stopover on the way to Jasper. While it’s true that it is only four hours away from the national park, Edmonton is like a soft-spoken cousin with a great story, lots to offer but is too humble to brag about it. But Edmonton should because it is a fabulous place, and me and my mom will be going back and I can’t wait.
