Canada thanks to its hundreds of speciality boutiques. Or suggest clients visit the
Downtown Arts District with more performance venues and the magnificent Art Gallery of Alberta, which houses nearly 6,000 permanent pieces of art and features world-class exhibits. Edmonton is also home to North America’s largest urban parkland. The Edmonton River Valley is 22 times larger than New York’s Central Park, with 150km of trails where visitors can walk or cycle and take picnics in summer, or go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter.
EATING OUT Having worked up an appetite, visitors are spoilt for choice when it comes to eating as the city has a huge variety of restaurants offering more than 50 types of ethnic cuisine. Many feature organic produce and regionally-inspired menus including Alberta’s world-famous beef.
WHO GOES THERE? Edmonton has something to suit most client types. Beyond the shopping and
the famous festivals, highlight cultural, historic and sporting attractions. For culture vultures, Edmonton has
over 30 annual festivals (see Festival Focus) plus 60 galleries and public exhibits. The city’s Gallery Walk alone features eight downtown galleries in a 12-block area around 124th Street. History buffs may also enjoy a little
time travelling with a visit to historical attractions such as Fort Edmonton Park, the Royal Alberta Museum, and the award-winning Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village. For sporty types, Edmonton regularly
hosts major international athletics competitions, curling, soccer, rugby and more – including the Canadian Finals Rodeo and the Edmonton Indy Car Race. There are also more than 70 golf courses in the area, including Canada's oldest municipal course. With daylight lasting 17 hours in midsummer, the city offers plenty of time for golf! Green-fingered clients will like The
Muttart Conservatory, with its spectacular botanical displays including one of North America’s largest collection of orchid species. And you
should recommend friends of the earth head just outside of Edmonton, to Kalyna Country, which is three times the size of Prince Edward Island and is Canada’s largest eco-museum. Edmonton is also home to the largest
dome theatre in North America - The TELUS World of Science – and has Canada’s first IMAX Theatre.
WHAT’S NEARBY? Edmonton is a bustling city but part of its appeal is that once they tire of city life, it is right on the edge of nature. Visitors can quickly be far from the madding crowd canoeing or cycling, taking nature walks or viewing wildlife. Elk Island is Edmonton’s nearest
National Park and is a beautiful oasis. It is home to over 250 species of birds and herds of free-roaming plains bison, wood bison, moose, deer, and elk. With the exception of the Serengeti Plains of Africa, Elk Island has the highest density of hoofed mammals per square km than any other wild area in the world. Edmonton is located on the Trans- Canada Yellowhead Highway, a route that offers the easiest and most scenic
DID YOU KNOW
Edmonton is one of the best cities in
the world for viewing the Aurora Borealis
WEATHER permitting, the lights can be viewed every second or third night in winter. The University of Alberta monitors the conditions and will email those interested in promising. conditions.
www.aurorawatch.ca
SELLING CANADA • SPRING 2011 23
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