6 rookie tourist mistakes people make when visiting Edmonton
People come from all over the place to visit Edmonton for our festivals, conferences, or any number of other reasons. But they aren’t always prepared.
Plenty of visitors never get the full experience of what the city has to offer.
To help, we compiled a list of rookie tourist mistakes to avoid so you can make the most of your trip — and maybe even blend in with the locals.
Sleeping on the food scene
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Edmonton’s food scene is wildly underrated, and if you’re only sticking to the usual chains as a visitor, you miss out on the fantastic variety of local restaurants this city offers. From beautiful, sunny patios to imaginative restaurant concepts, check out Dished Edmonton for our top recommendations.
Ignoring the River Valley
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Edmonton’s river valley is vast, and boy, are we ever lucky to have the largest urban park in North America. With more than 160 kilometres of maintained pathways and 20 major parks, the river valley is a gem and a natural wonder for all. If there’s one thing any visitor needs to do while in Edmonton, it’s explore this gorgeous stretch of land.
Only sticking to the freeways
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If you only stick to major roadways, it can be easy to mistake Edmonton for an endless concrete jungle full of warehouses, strip malls, and industrial space. But if you venture off the main path a bit, you’ll find an endless supply of hidden gems in the city’s vibrant, colourful, and artistic neighbourhoods waiting to be discovered.
Never leaving West Edmonton Mall
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Don’t get us wrong, West Edmonton Mall is a massive tourist destination for good reason, but if you never leave the confines of one of North America’s largest malls, you risk missing out on everything else that Edmonton has to offer.
Getting lost while trying to cross the river
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While having so much nature through the centre of town is a blessing (we wouldn’t have it any other way!), the network of twists, turns, bridges, and off-ramps makes getting across the river without losing your sense of direction not easy. While GPS systems thankfully exist, you still want to keep your wits about you; otherwise, you’ll miss a turn.
Assuming there’s nothing to do
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Edmontonians know their city is a festival hotspot, but many outsiders don’t. Year-round, there’s something happening almost every weekend—from Fringe and Folk Fest in the summer to Silver Skate and Flying Canoe Volant in the winter. It’s a pretty great place to be if you love vibrant events!