Edmonton walking tour & city guide

Downtown and the Legislature

Downtown Edmonton sits on the north bank of the river. Its heart is Churchill Square, surrounded by City Hall, the Art Gallery of Alberta with its swirling steel roof, and the Winspear Centre concert hall. The ICE District around Rogers Place, home of the Edmonton Oilers hockey team, is full of bars and restaurants.

A short walk away, the domed Alberta Legislature Building overlooks the river from beautiful grounds with fountains and pools.

The River Valley and Old Strathcona

The North Saskatchewan River Valley has more than 160 kilometers of trails, linked by bridges and a funicular that climbs from the riverbank to downtown. Across the river, Old Strathcona and Whyte Avenue are the city's liveliest area, with historic brick buildings, independent shops, theaters and a big Saturday farmers' market.

A classic walk from downtown to Whyte Avenue

Start at Churchill Square and walk south along the edge of downtown to the Alberta Legislature. Follow its grounds down to the river, then take the High Level Bridge across, with wide views of the valley and the skyline. You can also ride the historic streetcar across the top of the bridge in summer.

On the south side, walk through the University of Alberta area or straight into Old Strathcona, finishing on Whyte Avenue. The walk is about 5 kilometers.

Visiting tips

Summer brings long days and festivals almost every weekend, including the Edmonton Fringe, one of the largest theater festivals in the world. Winters are very cold. West Edmonton Mall, with a water park and indoor amusement park, is west of downtown, and Jasper National Park is about four hours away.