Come December 28th, we Aussies -ie Ma & Pa(fit 50's),daughter,son-in-law(very fit 30's),toddler 3years and bubby 6mths- will be driving from Canmore to Edmonton to stay 5 nights before flying out. We're looking for suitable accommodation but are unsure what location to go for. Would prefer to hand back rental car after 2-3days, but with it being so cold and things closed for the New Year holidays, not sure where,what or how to do things? Is downtown OK or will it be too quiet at that time, we do want to see some New Year's Celebrations, and of course, spend a day (or 2) at THE MALL and maybe,a drive to the country surroundings. All suggestions welcome. NB Not looking at the high end of accommodation

check out http://www.albertaplace.com/
i have family that stays here often. it has a decent pool, suite rooms with decent kitchen and quite a bit of room in the suites. it is downtown. reasonably priced
in general, downtown edmonton is a little dead but this is a good location for venturing around. you might want to stay here over new years as they have a good family celebration downtown.

if you want to stay close to west edmonton mall, look at the hampton inn & suites at 183 street & 100 ave. the west edmonton water park is a little pricey but it's a fun place to go on a cold day - knowing it's freezing outside and you're nice a toasty warm enjoying the water.

I've never stayed at it and honestly don't know how pricey it is, but you may want to consider the Fantasy Land hotel that's attached to the mall. If you're planning on spending a couple of days at the mall and want to get rid of the rental car, that may work well for you. The hotel has all sorts of theme rooms and I have friends who enjoy them. I think they have regular rooms as well.

You may want to check out Candy Cane Lane: http://www.candycanelane.ca/ It's a street where the residents all decorate their houses elaborately with lights etc.

BTW, it's Edmontonians

The only reason to stay downtown is that you'd be right in the heart of First Night celebrations at new years. I think you're better off on the west end, especially if you're doing a couple days at the mall. I think I would skip Fantasyland Hotel...I've stayed in the theme rooms a few times but it's nothing spectacular, although it's right in the mall so you can't beat it's location. The Hilton Garden Inn West Edmonton is a nice place to stay and only a few minutes away (although not walking distance at that time of year!). Or the West Edmonton Mall Inn is right across the street. Another option (although you'd need to keep your rental car) is the new Marriott hotel at the River Cree resort, just outside of Edmonton (same end of the city as the mall). I've never been there, but I've heard very good things about the hotel and the casino. Another thing to do is the Christmas light display at Hawrelak Park...it was $10 per car last time we went.

Thank you for the suggestions. I find you can read and read about a place but some local knowledge and info is an enormous help. Didn't know about Candy Cane Lane and Hawrelak Park- sound just the type of things to do to enhance our 'White Christmas' experience. Just about to check out the new Marriott hotel at the River Cree resort.

Hi lulu16,

I live in Edmonton and as such have not stayed at any hotels. I do think that the West Edmonton Mall Inn, as suggested by loru100, is a good idea because of the location and relative ease to get to the Mall. You need to walk across the street and parkade to get to the mall.

For the fantasyland hotel, if you are interested, I think there is a free tour on Saturday for the themed rooms. Please check with the hotel to see if it is still available.

There are two experiences in downtown Edmonton I enjoy during that part of the year. One is to wander around the beautiful Alberta Legislature Grounds. The grounds are lit up beautifully with different colours of light and the historic Legislature is brightly lit up at night. If there is snow on the grounds, it can be quite magical! Tours of the building are available during the day on the hour I think during winter. The other one is to see the lights in Churchill Square. There are not a lot of decorations but the City Hall is beautifully lit up at night as well. I agree that downtown Edmonton can be very quiet otherwise.

The Royal Alberta Museum can be a good place to go if it gets too cold. There are animal displays for the nature heritage of Alberta and the Aboriginal Gallery is interesting. The other place is Muttart Conservatory. The surrounding area is very nice.

The weather can fluctuate quite a bit in Edmonton. Keep warm during first night celebration! It is fun. The first time I went it was very cold, something around -15 degrees Celsius…fortunately they gave out hot chocolate! For the first night celebration, I think there is free transit. Otherwise, it is a good idea to drive to places. Be aware of road condition during winter...

Have fun!

Thanks Bencito, just the type of info we need. Not sure if we really know how we will cope with the cold and am rather wary of the driving conditions, but will take it slow and easy. So looking forward to seeing our little grandson's eyes light up when he sees all the different Christmas lights & the Royal Alberta Museum will be an excellent point of call if the weather becomes too much, just hope it's open over New Year's, will check online.

Just adding my opinion, as another Edmontonian.......

Some years the Royal Alberta museum does a teddy display for the holidays - in years past, my Kenny CN engineer bear and Woodward's Huntley T. Bear have participated in those displays - the museum may be doing a teddy bear feature again this year, and it is such a cute thing to explore.

Both Candy Cane Lane and the Bright Nights in Hawrelak Park are worth exploring - the former on foot if possible, the latter in a vehicle. Both venues welcome food bank donations from attendees. The Legislature is gorgeous when it's all decorated. If you're up to a bit of a drive out of the city, consider the Reynolds Alberta museum (cars) near Wetaskiwin, or the Ukranian Cultural Village along Hwy. 16 East. There's also Fort Edmonton Park and the Valley Zoo in the river valley.

I currently live in the west end, and the new hotel across the street from WEM looks quite nice. There are lots of places to eat in the area, too, mostly chains, but some nice independant places too like Picco Lino (Italian), La Pagode (Vietnamese), Hoang Long (Vietnamese/Thai), Mor (Turkish), and the New Asian Village (East Indian).

Hi Lulu16,

I am glad that my input may be useful for your vacation. A few more points I thought of:

- if you decide to stay at the Marriott Hotel at River Cree Resort, I think they offer shuttle services to West Edmonton Mall every half hour. I can't find this information on their website anymore. If you are interested, please inquire with the hotel.

- Fort Edmonton and Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village are great suggestions for an insight into the history of the city/ Province. I think these facilities are closed during winter or have limited hours. Below are the websites for these two places.

Fort Edmonton:
http://www.fortedmontonpark.ca/pages...s/default.aspx

Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village:
http://culture.alberta.ca/museums/hi...nlocation.aspx

See if there are any special events for these places during your visit.

- Another place that is nice for strolling and food is Whyte Avenue/ Old Strathcona area. Chinatown is great for some Asian food, and close to Chinatown there is a beautiful Ukrainian Church - St Josephat.

Where to stay- If you're planning a couple days exploring the mall, somewhere close like the Fantasyland hotel or the Inn across the street is fine. In that area of town there isnt anything else in walking distance, but the mall alone could occupy you for 2 days.

The Whyte avenue area is full of funky shops, average restaurants, and local flavor (the Old Strathcona Farmers Market on Saturday mornings is great). At night however the streets empty of families and fill with obnoxious drunks. If the party scene is not your thing, you may not want to be around there after dark (moreso on weekends of course). Not dangerous, just rowdier.

Downtown is a bit quiet after dinner, but there are a lot of dining options within walking distance that can suit any price range. Maybe staying at the mall a night or 2, then moving downtown would work for you. Downtown had an underground pedway system to keep you out of the elements too, which is a godsend if the weather doesnt co-operate. The Alberta Legislature is within walking distance, and can be a nice place to stroll around.

FYI, overnight parking downtown will be an added cost (inquire with the hotels), but I would think that's not an issue outside of downtown. Edmonton is the very definition of urban sprawl, so having access to the car opens up a lot more options on your stay. I'd consider keeping it a little longer than you planned.

Are you planning on taking in an Oilers game while in town? If so, Rexall place is easily accessible from Downtown on public transit- light rail transit. Not so much from West end.

I like candy cane lane and Hawrelak park, but for a little different experience I would suggest getting in the car and making a trip to a house in north Edmonton at the corner of 97 st. and 144 ave. A local hardware store owner decorates his house to the extreme in tribute to his late mother, and while it's free of charge to come gawk (it truly is jaw dropping), donations of food or cash for the Edmonton food bank are gratefully accepted. Check it out at this link. http://www.maisieschristmashouse.com/

If you post where you decide on, I can give you suggestions for restaurants in that area.

haha, just noticed the year on the request.... a little late!