Best Day Trips from Edmonton: Weekend Drives Worth Taking

Under 1 Hour from Edmonton

Elk Island National Park (45 Minutes East)

The closest national park to any major Canadian city. Two bison herds (plains bison and wood bison) roam freely. You can see them from your car on the Bison Loop Road. Over 250 bird species documented. Astotin Lake has a beach, canoe rentals, and picnic areas.

Cost: Parks Canada day pass $8.50 adult, $7.25 senior, free for under 18. Annual discovery pass $72.25 (all national parks).

Best time: September and October for fall colours and bison rutting season. June for the longest daylight. Avoid mosquito-heavy July if you are hiking.

Don't miss: The boardwalk at Living Waters is wheelchair-accessible and runs through prime birdwatching habitat.

Devonian Botanic Garden (30 Minutes SW)

The University of Alberta operates this 240-acre botanical garden between Edmonton and Devon. The Japanese Garden (designed by master gardener Kubo Shuichi) is the centrepiece. Also features a butterfly house, Indigenous garden, alpine garden, and 5 km of nature trails.

Cost: Adult $15, senior $12, child $8. Season pass $45.

Best time: Late June through August for peak bloom. The butterfly house operates May through September.

St. Albert Farmers' Market (20 Minutes NW)

Western Canada's largest outdoor farmers' market. Saturdays, May through October, on Perron Street in downtown St. Albert. Over 250 vendors selling local produce, baked goods, crafts, and prepared food. Arrive before 10am for the best selection.

Combine with a walk on the Red Willow Trail (99.5 km system along the Sturgeon River). See our St. Albert guide for more.

1-2 Hours from Edmonton

Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village (1 Hour East)

An open-air living history museum operated by the Province of Alberta. Costumed interpreters portray Ukrainian-Canadian settlement life from 1892 to 1930 across 35 restored buildings. One of the most immersive historical experiences in Western Canada.

Cost: Adult $15, senior $13, youth (7-17) $10, family $40. Under 6 free.

Season: Open Victoria Day weekend through Labour Day. Pre-booked school programs only in winter.

Location: Highway 16 East, 25 minutes past Sherwood Park. No specific street address; well-signed from the highway.

Reynolds-Alberta Museum (1 Hour South, Wetaskiwin)

Canada's premier transportation and industry museum. Aircraft (including a working de Havilland Mosquito), vintage automobiles, motorcycles, agricultural machinery, and industrial equipment. The collection fills multiple hangars.

Cost: Adult $15, senior $11, youth (7-17) $9, family $40. Under 7 free.

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10am-5pm. Closed Mondays.

Worth combining with: The Wetaskiwin and District Heritage Museum (downtown Wetaskiwin, free) and lunch on the main street.

Pigeon Lake / Wizard Lake (1-1.5 Hours SW)

Alberta's lake cottage country. Pigeon Lake is the larger and more developed option with public beaches, boat launches, and rental cabins. Wizard Lake is smaller, quieter, and popular with families. Both are swimming and fishing lakes with warm summer water temperatures.

What to know: Cottage prices on Pigeon Lake range from $200K (fixer-upper) to $800K+ (waterfront). Weekend traffic on Highway 2A can be heavy in summer.

2-4 Hours from Edmonton

Jasper National Park (3.5 Hours West)

The Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) from Edmonton to Jasper is one of Canada's most scenic drives, climbing through the foothills into the Rocky Mountains. The last hour is consistently spectacular.

Must-see: Maligne Lake (boat tour to Spirit Island, one of the most photographed spots in the Rockies), Athabasca Falls (short walk, massive waterfall), Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure ($90 adult, seasonal May-October).

Fuel stops: Edson (2 hours from Edmonton) and Hinton (2.5 hours) are the last full-service towns before Jasper.

Accommodation: Jasper townsite has hotels, hostels, and Airbnb. Book early for July-August. Camping reservations (Parks Canada) open in January and sell out within hours for summer dates.

Drumheller and the Royal Tyrrell Museum (3 Hours SE)

World-class dinosaur museum in the Alberta Badlands. The Royal Tyrrell has over 160,000 fossils and one of the largest collections of complete dinosaur skeletons in the world. Plan 3-4 hours for the museum alone.

Cost: Adult $21, senior $14, youth (7-17) $10. Under 7 free.

The drive: Highway 2 south to Three Hills, then east through the badlands. The landscape changes dramatically from prairies to eroded canyons and hoodoos. Stop at Horseshoe Canyon (free, 20 minutes west of Drumheller) for a short hike into the badlands.

Don't miss: The World's Largest Dinosaur statue in downtown Drumheller. You can climb inside ($4, 106 steps) for a view from the mouth.

Rocky Mountain House (3 Hours SW)

David Thompson National Historic Site marks the spot where fur traders crossed the Rocky Mountains. The area is the gateway to Abraham Lake (turquoise glacial lake famous for frozen methane bubbles in winter) and the Bighorn Wildland Provincial Park.

Best for: Adventurous day-trippers who want something beyond the tourist circuit. The drive through Nordegg is stunning.

The Drive to Banff and Lake Louise

Banff is 4 hours from Edmonton via Highway 2 south to Calgary, then Highway 1 west. It is a long day trip but doable if you leave early. Lake Louise adds 45 minutes past Banff.

Tips: A Parks Canada pass is required on the Trans-Canada Highway within the park ($11/day or $72.25/year). In winter, the highway requires winter tires or chains. The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93, Jasper to Lake Louise) is one of the world's great mountain drives but requires a full day.

For a weekend trip, Canmore (15 minutes east of Banff, outside the park boundary) offers accommodation and restaurants without park entry fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the closest mountain experience to Edmonton? Jasper National Park at 3.5 hours. It is closer than Banff (4 hours) and less crowded.

Can I do Drumheller as a day trip? Yes. 3 hours each way, 3-4 hours at the museum. Leave by 8am, home by 7pm.

Are there good lakes closer than Pigeon Lake? Wabamun Lake (1 hour west) has a provincial park with a beach. Lac Ste. Anne (1 hour NW) is popular for fishing.

What about camping near Edmonton? Elk Island has camping (basic sites from $16/night, serviced from $28). For RV parks closer to the city, see our campground guide.

Drive times from central Edmonton. Add 15-20 minutes in winter. Parks Canada prices current as of 2026.