Edmonton First Impressions: More to Alberta's Capital City than Oilers, Eskimos and Folk Festivals

By Stephen A Nelson

The Brandon Sun

June 19, 2010

You never a get a second chance to make a first impression.

And, to be honest, our first impression of Edmonton was, um ... unimpressive.

“Grey sky, grey city, grey people,” said my friend Andrea — a traveller from

Switzerland who was visiting the city for the first time.

Still, Edmonton does have some great offerings for visitors.

Upcoming Story: Going to the ZooSiberian Tiger Burns Bright

Tyger, Tyger

Siberian Tiger Baikal at the Calgary Zoo. The 430 lbs. cat is a relatively new arrival at the zoo and is there to be part of the Species Survival Plan breeding programme.

Old Strathcona District: Maybe Not Exactly the Champs-Elysée but best part of Edmonton

photo copyright Travel Alberta

Old Strathcona District

“I thought it would be like the Champs-Elysée , but it's not.”

That was Andrea's first reaction when we arrived in Edmonton's Old Strathcona District.

The travel magazines promising theatres and cinemas, boutiques and bookstores, restaurants and sidewalk cafés had clearly captured Andrea's imagination – and she was most keen to go to what I had called “the best part of Edmonton.”

Clearly Andrea had failed to factor in two things: Edmonton is not Paris, and Old Strathcona's famous Whyte Avenue lacks the more temperate nature of those foreign climes. In fact, Whyte Avenue might have more in common with Toronto's Queen Street than it does with Paris' tree-lined avenue. But that's not all bad.

Royal Alberta Museum: Not So Many Dinosaurs but Lots of Fossils in This Corner of Edmonton

Royal Alberta Museum

First things first: There aren't many dinosaurs at the Royal Alberta Museum. For dinosaurs, you have to go to the RAM's sister museum – the Royal Tyrell Museum – in Drumheller. Or at least across the lane to Alberta's Government House, where the provincial cabinet meets.

What you will find at the RAM are galleries and exhibitions that are classic and contemporary, eternal and engaging at the same time.

The RAM's contrast with the Art Gallery of Alberta couldn't be more obvious:

The revamped AGA is cool and ultra-modern in an urban renewal setting. The museum, on the other hand, seems like an historic manor house that is part of the landscape. When you enter into the main hall, you half-expect a huge fireplace and a warm fire.