One Day Side Trip To The Largest Mall

The West Edmonton Mall. Hanging around the Old Strathcona District. Free Wi-Fi Internet Access.

Quick Tips:

NOT worth a side trip from Calgary.

Best Way To Get Around:

I drove my car so we had no problem getting around. Parking in the area is like any other Metropolitan area. If you don't mind parallel parking, you'll have no problems. The hotel did have free parking for guests. I’m pretty sure there are meters for some parking spaces in the Old Strathcona district. The roads are of Western quality.

Purchased the hotel for US$35/night on priceline. It is a three-star hotel, but an old one. Best part is they have FREE, UNLIMITED WI-FI access in every room.

Excellent weekday specials. On Tuesdays, they have lobster and prime rib for $19.95CDN. Located in the Old Strathcona District. Expensive, bang for your buck dining. Nice servers.

It takes three hours to drive from Calgary to Edmonton. The best part of Edmonton was the dinner we had at this steak-and-fish place called Vons in the Old Strathcona district.

The West Edmonton Mall (apparently the largest in the world) is totally not worth the visit. Sure, it’s got an indoor water park and a roller coaster, but other than that, it’s a typical mall. I can see it being a quality destination for young families, but for the seasoned traveler, expectations should be set low.

Edmonton is like Calgary because it’s in the middle of nowhere. It’s the capital of Alberta, but all the buildings, houses, and hotels look like they were built in the ‘70s without any attempt to update them. It actually comes across as really ugly, but if you are a fan of ‘70s architecture (sarcasm), you might want to check it out.

If you aren't a mallrat or part of a young family, stay away from West Edmonton Mall (it's just like your mall at home).