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, and you can watch them from your car on Bison Loop Road. Over 250 bird species documented. Astotin Lake has a beach, canoe rentals, and picnic areas.

Cost: Parks Canada daily pass $10.00 adult, free for youth 17 and under. Discovery Pass $83.50/adult (covers all national parks for a year). Note: Parks Canada is offering free admission June 19 to September 7, 2026 through its Canada Strong program, which is prime timing for this trip.

Best time: September and October for fall colours and bison rutting season. June for the longest daylight. July brings the heaviest mosquitoes on the trails.

Don't miss: The Living Waters boardwalk, wheelchair-accessible through prime birdwatching habitat.

University of Alberta Botanic Garden (30 Minutes SW)

Formerly marketed as the Devonian Botanic Garden, this 240-acre garden between Edmonton and Devon is operated by the University of Alberta. The Japanese Garden (designed by master gardener Kubo Shuichi) is the centrepiece, alongside a butterfly house, Indigenous garden, alpine garden, and 5 km of trails.

Cost: Adult $19.75, senior $13.50, youth (13-17) $10, child (3-12) $5.25. Under 3 free.

Season: Open May through mid-October. Daily June through early September; weekends only in shoulder months. Last entry one hour before close.

Best time: Late June through August for peak bloom. Butterfly house runs May through September.

St. Albert Farmers' Market (20 Minutes NW)

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

Combine with a walk on the Red Willow Trail (99.5 km along the Sturgeon River). If you're weighing a move to the area, our Edmonton neighbourhood guide covers communities across the metro, including St. Albert comparisons.

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 $18, senior $14, youth (7-17) $11, family $45. Under 6 free.

Season: Open mid-May through Labour Day, Wednesday through Sunday and civic holidays.

Location: Highway 16 East, 25 minutes past Sherwood Park. 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, and agricultural machinery fill multiple hangars. The scope of the collection catches most visitors off guard.

Cost: Adult $18, senior $14, youth (7-17) $11, family $45. Under 7 free.

Hours: Daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

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

Wabamun and Pigeon Lake (1–1.5 Hours West / SW)

Wabamun Lake Provincial Park (1 hour west) has a beach and is often overlooked in favour of destinations farther out. Worth it for a half-day. Pigeon Lake is the larger cottage-country option with public beaches, boat launches, and rental cabins. Both are warm enough for swimming from late June through August.

2–4 Hours from Edmonton

Jasper National Park (3.5 Hours West)

The Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) from Edmonton climbs through the foothills into the Rockies. The final hour is consistently spectacular.

2026 status: Jasper townsite is substantially recovered from the July 2024 wildfire. More than 25 hotels are open, over 70 restaurants are operating, and the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is fully operational. The major visitor attractions are open: Maligne Lake cruise (May 29 to October 11), Columbia Icefield Glacier Adventure (open from May 1), and Miette Hot Springs (open from May 15).

One key closure: Maligne Canyon remains closed for the 2026 season. Parks Canada is conducting geotechnical assessments before reopening. Check pc.gc.ca for current trail and facility status before you go.

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

Accommodation: Book early for July and August. Camping reservations through Parks Canada open in January and sell out within hours for summer dates.

Drumheller and the Royal Tyrrell Museum (3 Hours SE)

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

Cost (2026): Adult $19, senior $14, youth (7-17) $10, family $50. Under 6 free.

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

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

If you are travelling with kids, our Edmonton events guide has seasonal activity ideas to pair with the drive.

Rocky Mountain House (3 Hours SW)

David Thompson National Historic Site marks where fur traders crossed the Rockies. The area is the gateway to Abraham Lake (glacial turquoise lake, famous for frozen methane bubbles in winter) and the Bighorn Wildland Provincial Park. Best for travellers who want something beyond the standard tourist circuit. The drive through Nordegg is outstanding.

Banff and Lake Louise (4 Hours)

Banff is 4 hours from Edmonton via Highway 2 south to Calgary, then Highway 1 west. Lake Louise is 45 minutes farther. A long day trip, but doable with an early start.

Tips: A Parks Canada daily pass ($12.25 adult) is required on the Trans-Canada through the park. In winter, the highway requires winter tires. The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93, Jasper to Lake Louise) is one of the world's great mountain drives but needs a full day. Better done as part of an overnight.

Canmore (15 minutes east of Banff, outside the park boundary) gives you accommodation and restaurants without park entry fees.

For more outdoor inspiration around the city, see our campground and RV parks guide and our roundup of Edmonton museums and galleries for rainy-day alternatives.

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 the Jasper townsite has substantially recovered from the 2024 wildfire. Major attractions including Maligne Lake and the Columbia Icefield are open in 2026. Maligne Canyon remains closed while Parks Canada completes geotechnical work.

Can I do Drumheller as a day trip from Edmonton? Yes. Three hours each way, and 3–4 hours at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Leave by 8 a.m. and you are home by 7 p.m. Add Horseshoe Canyon on the way in for a free 30-minute stop in the badlands.

Are there good lakes within an hour of Edmonton? Wabamun Lake Provincial Park (1 hour west) has a beach and is easy to underestimate. Lac Ste. Anne (1 hour NW) is popular for fishing. Pigeon Lake (1.5 hours SW) is cottage country with public beaches and boat launches.

What about camping near Edmonton? Elk Island National Park has camping from basic sites to serviced hook-ups. For RV parks and campgrounds closer to the city, see our campground guide.

Is Jasper open after the 2024 wildfire? Yes. The townsite is substantially open, with 25+ hotels, 70+ restaurants, Maligne Lake cruises, the Columbia Icefield, and Miette Hot Springs all operating in 2026. Maligne Canyon is the main attraction still closed. Confirm specific trail and facility status at Parks Canada before your trip.

Drive times from central Edmonton. Add 15–20 minutes in winter. Admission prices and hours current as of June 2026; confirm with operators before visiting.