Wegan Travels Alberta, Canada: A Guide To The Cities (Edmonton)

Our last stop of our Alberta adventure was the capital city of Alberta, Edmonton. It has such a unique local feel, even though it was a bustling city. We were very impressed with their eclectic cuisine, cute cafe's and overall artistic and trendy aesthetic.

This trip is in partnership with Travel Alberta, and we were lucky to have a wonderful guide / driver/ amazing guy called Daniel with us.

E D M O N T O N

What To Do:

Ice Castles

Our first stop on our Edmonton adventure was the Ice Castles and they were so 'cool,' pun intended! It was truly the ultimate wonderland experience and we both loved it. The sculptures are crafted by hand with only using icicles and water. It is a work of art and covers an acre and so enchanting every turn you took. Megan even went down the slide made of ice!

They even have an ice throne which we couldn't resist having a snap! We also saw a couple dressed up having an engagement shoot there.

Wondering how the ice castle is built? They are built using hand place icicles, and they grow about 10,000 icicles in their icicle gardens, daily! Each tower is 10-20 feet thick and they freeze the lights into the ice. So crazy right?!

Also wondering why the ice is blue? They appear blue, just like natural glaciers and the colour happens due to the high density of ice, along with the lack of air bubbles. Glacial ice acts like a filter, absorbing red and yellow light and in return reflecting blue light. Ta da!

Okuda San Miguel Mural:

If you love a good mural which in this case makes for an amazing photo opp, then we highly recommend the Okuda San Miguel Mural. This masterpiece was created by Spanish street artist, Okuda San Miguel, who created a six-storey mural on a building located on 83 Avenue, opposite the farmers market. You can't miss it!

Explore Old Strathcona Farmer's Market:

We love shopping local and what a better way to see what's on offer at any city is to hit up their Farmers market. Old Strathcona Farmer's Market is Edmonton's longest year long (and indoor) farmers market. They literally had everything from local honey to craft beer and even vegan cheese.

This craft beer looked seriously delicious as we both love enjoying a local brew.

Shopping in Old Strathcona/Whyte Avenue:

We were spoilt for choice with so many inviting local shops. The area was very unique with its bohemian spirit of Whyte Avenue and historical buildings creating character. You can see why Old Strathcona is one of Edmonton’s trendiest neighborhoods. You'll find lots of unique local boutiques, one-of-a-kind art galleries, music shops, trendy restaurants and cafés.

We loved this charming book store, called Wee Books. It was so inviting and there is nothing more special than actual books in such a digital world.

We loved the asecthtic of and wanted to buy all of Matt and Nat's vegan leather goods.

We were excited to find Swedish brand Hope in Gravity Pope!

Neon Sign Museum:

The only neon sign museum in Canada is Edmonton and it's such a fun sight to see! Definitely worth stopping by.

Where To Eat:

Cacao 70 Eatery:

For brunch we came across Cacao 70, with it's pink and palm leaves wallpaper and plethora of hot chocolates, what more could you want? The hot choc was delish and Megan opted for sweet with their waffles and yoghurt and granola, whereas Whitney had a savoury egg bagel. Spot the guys posing for our camera, haha!

Baiju:

South East Asian food is one of Whitney's all time favourite cuisines so we were over the moon when we discovered Baijiu. It has a seriously cool ambience with a hidden speakeasy behind a door. The focus is fine cocktails with Asian-inspired plates, including late night dumplings, bao and dim-sum inspired dishes.

I mean, don't those cocktails look so pretty, plus they tasted delicious.

Where To Stay:
We stayed at Metterra, a luxury boutique hotel. It is conveniently situated on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton’s coolest neighborhood. Our room was a massive suite, complete with a kitchen, a bath and a shower!