Eyal

Hi there! <BR>Heading for a 10 day trip to the Rockies. <BR>Spending a week at Banff - Lake Louise and Jasper area. Have ~ 2 days (August 10, 11)before flying home from Calgary apt. <BR>Where would be a better place to spend time with kids (ages 11, 8, 2) - Edmonton or Calgary? <BR> <BR>Thank you <BR Eyal

Island Girl

Obviously you don't know the huge rivalry between these 2 cities - just seeing your heading made me think "oh there's a fight about to happen!". <BR> <BR>I think that both cities have a lot to offer in terms of entertainment for kids. In Calgary you could spend time at Heritage Park or the Calgary Zoo. In Edmonton you could easily spend a day at West Edmonton Mall either in the waterpark or the amusement rides (or both). I don't have kids, so those are just the obvious suggestions, I'm sure someone else can contribute more. Have fun!

traveller

Above suggestions are good ones. The zoo is very good and near Calgary (an hour or so) is Drumheller and the Royal Tyrell Museum which is wonderful. I haven't been to the West Edmonton Mall but I hear it is quite something and I am sure your kids would have a blast.

Brian Kilgore

Dig out a map, because that may affectyour plans. <BR> <BR>Because the Rocky Mountains go up on an angle, it is a long way from jasper to Edmonton; further than many people think before they get the map. <BR> <BR>The greatest thing for kids, if you can find it, is a small town rodeo, and these are more likely to be found near Calgary. <BR> <BR>And if they like dinosaurs, think about a day trip from Calgary to Drumheller, where there's a great dinosaur museum. <BR> <BR>I've lived in both cities, and while I prefered Edmonton for its intellectual life, Calgary's the winner for two days with kids. <BR> <BR>BAK <BR>Soyour route matters. If you are in Edmonton because it makes sense, the West Edmonton Mall has a great indoor playground (like, a beach, eh?) that the kids will love. <BR> <BR>There's an old fort, a decnet museum they'll like and an art gallery they may or may not like. <BR> <BR>Calgary is more likely on your route, and it has just as much for kids, including Heritage park,which is a reconstructed old west city, Canada-style. . <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Robyn

I went on a family Vancouver to Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Calgary and Edmonton when I was 13 and when my sister was 10. We did a circular route - from Vancouver (where we live), to Banff/Lake Louise for about 3 days, Calgary overnight (spending the first day in Drumheller - about an hour away), and spending the second day in Heritage Park (which I really enjoyed). We then drove from Calgary to Edmonton to visit relatives where we spent 2 days at the West Edmonton Mall (which is a big attraction when you're 13!). After Edmonton we spent 2 days in Jasper, one of them horseback riding. The following day we drove home. <BR> <BR>Calgary is obviously closer to Banff, and it's definitely worth going beyond Calgary to Drumheller, the "Dinosaur Capital of the World" so they claim. The Royal Tyrell Museum of Palaeontology is apparently ranked one of the best in the world for its type, and the badlands are amazing. This, as Brian also mentioned, is a lot closer to the Rockies than Edmonton. At the same time, within the West Ed Mall, there's an amusement park (with rollercoasters and rides), a submarine ride, mini golf, an ice arena, a huge wave pool for swimming, dolphin shows, a pirate ship, and I'm sure tons more. <BR> <BR>

Robyn

That was supposed to say, "I went on a family vacation - from Vancouver to Banff, etc"

anne

Assume you are flying into Calgary, heading through Banff, Lake Louise and will be in Jasper on the 9th? Why not get an early start, and stay overnight in Edmonton on the 10th, then Calgary on the 11th prior to your flight? That way you can see some of the highlights of each city. If that's too hectic, then I would opt for Calgary so you aren't rushed to get your flight.

Bob Brown

I don't want to get into the time issue on this one. But, I do want to weigh in on the side of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Drumheller. <BR>It is a lot more than just a dinosaur museum; it offers a great introduction to the development of life on this planet. Alberta is uniquely situated because it has ancient rocks in Waterton and the surrounding area that are so old that they bear no fossilized bones. When those formations were deposited, life with skeletons had not yet come into existence. In the eastern area of the province, the badlands of soft Cretaceous period formations erode rapidly and expose dinosaur bones by the thousands. And even more exquisite, is the Burgess Shale. Technically this formation is just over the line in BC, but the museum has a little on the unusual and rare creatures fossilized in the Burgess Shale. <BR> <BR>Although somewhat restricted in scope, the museum sells a great book entitled "The Land Before Us" with the double meaning intentional, I think. It describes the development of life in Alberta over geologic time. The description of geology in Alberta applies to much of the northern plains as well. There is also a CD that you can acquire that takes you on a virtual tour of the musuem. Fabulous stuff, particularly if you cannot get there. <BR>

xx

And here I thought we were talking about a hockey game! <BR> <BR>As for Brian's comment: <BR> <BR>'I've lived in both cities, and while I prefered Edmonton for its intellectual life...' <BR> <BR>Funny - I didn't know there was intellectual life in Edmonton.