33 Hours in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
I’ve been to Edmonton a handful of times but never branched outside of my hotel quarters. My work decided to plant me in Edmonton the day after the LA Kings play the Edmonton Oilers so i was left to search for new fun alternatives.
Table of Contents
Where To Stay:
Sandman Signature
My company put us in the Sandman Signature Hotel Edmonton South. The hotel is far from downtown but the room is incredible. The concierge assistant gave us two room options: the king suite or the loft. Both rooms offer a full kitchenette, a living room area, a laundry space, and a bathroom. The only difference is that the loft offers a king size bed on the top floor and the king suite offers everything on one floor. As enticing as the loft room was, i opt in for the king suite for easy access to the washroom during the late night.
Getting Around:
Edmonton offers a great public transportation system if you wish to go to the downtown area. I like the freedom of a car so i rented a car at Enterprise located right around the corner of the hotel. I rented an intermediate car for $44CAD.
Where to Go:
Elk Island National Park
My first thought was to rent a car and drive down to Banff. After visiting their website, I’ve discovered that many of the attractions were closed for the transitional month. I’m in Canada so there has to be a National Park nearby. I came across the Elk Island National Park, which is only 45 minutes away from Edmonton! Entry fee is about $20CAD for a group. Payment can be paid at the Information Office or at the kiosk at the entrance.
We drove up to the National Park and came across 2 types of bisons: Plain and Wood bisons. We drove around the Bison Loop hoping to see some bisons up close but there were none in sight. We did see a few bisons as they roam across the street.
There are also a few beaver dams around the park. We saw how intricate each dam was. They were made with mud and different tree parts.
My only disappointment was that I didn’t see any elks or moose. They come out at night and the park closes at 4pm.
The plus side was that it was Monday so nobody was around. We had the park to ourselves!
Where to Eat:
Gondola’s Steak and Pizza
If you love to visit small towns and enjoy their local food, i recommend Gondola’s Steak and Pizza. The food is like any other diner but we were here for the experience. We were out of towners and they knew that. I ordered the poutine and mango wings. Both were delicious. Our server was new… i think because she had to check back with the cooks to see what was in each entree but she was very attentive and kind. 
Where to Drink:
The Canadian Brewhouse
We drove back to Edmonton in the late evening. We went to The Canadian Brewhouse, a relaxing place with great decor. The stairway rails were made with hockey sticks, art creations were made with different beer cans and bottle caps. There is even a photo of Donald Trump with his hidious hair! It was also happy hour so bud light and ribs were at a discounted rate! Definitely come here to unwind.
Overall, my 33 hour stay in Edmonton was great. I’ll be back in November and maybe I’ll post more about my adventures in Edmonton. Any recommendations on what to do next?