Road map Greater Edmonton surrounding area (Alberta, Canada)

Greater Edmonton      

Before the biggest mall in the world came to Edmonton, people  came to the city's outskirts to play in a lake-splashed landscape of  rolling prairie and parkland. Luckily, Greater Edmonton has lost none of  its traditional rustic charm: lively rodeos and country fairs remain  summer favorites, and whimsical delights such as the world's biggest  pysanka (decorated Easter egg) in Vegreville, the world's biggest pyrogy  (potato dumpling) in Glendon, and the world's first UFO landing pad in  St. Paul are some of the more unique diversions to be found here.      

Devon [C2] The Canadian Petroleum Interpretive Centre tells the  story of Leduc #1 Oil Well south of town, which in 1847 ushered in the  oil age with a surge of the black stuff. University of Alberta's  Devonian Gardens has an astonishing collection of over 26,000 plant  species. Nearby Leduc has two aquatic centers and a world-class curling  facility.      

Elk Island National Park [B4-B5] Among the rolling Beaver  Hills, stands of aspen, marshes, and lakes, this park originally  protected several dozen elk that roamed the many islands of Island (now  Astotin) Lake. A drive past the park on Hwy 16 is now more likely to  offer a sighting of bison-over 1,000 plains and wood bison roam the  park. A hike along one of the park's 11 trails may turn up coyote,  beaver, moose, and many birds, including trumpeter swans on Astotin Lake  if you're lucky.      

St. Albert [B2] An historic log cabin built in 1861 and ran by  Roman Catholic Father Albert Lacombe (1827-1916) is the province's  oldest building, now a provincial historic site. In a stone wall near  the museum are three bells that were cast in France and given to the  first bishop of St. Albert.      

St. Paul [A8] Situated in the heart of the Lakeland region, St.  Paul is a natural playground for anglers, bird-watchers, campers, and  hikers. Settled by missionaries in 1886, cultural activities here  reflect the native, French, and Ukrainian diversity of residents. The  world's first UFO landing pad, built in 1967 as a Canada Centennial  Project, is still waiting for alien visitors, but earthlings can stop by  the attached visitor center or call in sightings on the hot line.      

Tofield [C5] Beaverhill Lake is an international recognized  waterfowl staging area with thousands of migrating birds stopping by.  More than 270 species have been identified at this shallow 16 km by 10  km lake, 2 m at its deepest. EcoDiscoveries Nature Tours leave from the  Nature Centre in Tofield to see and hear waterfowl, songbirds, and  shorebirds during their spring and fall migrations.      

Vegreville [B7]      

Alberta's Ukrainian culture and spirit is captured in  Vegreville's famous 7 m by 5.5 m pysanka. Learn more about Canada's  largest Ukrainian settlement at the Vegreville Regional Museum or at the  Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, 50 km west of town. The latter is a  34-building historic village with costumed role-playing guides.      

Wetaskiwin [E3] Wi-to-ski-winik means place of peace in Cree  and refers to the nearby Peace Hills. Home to a strong agricultural and  oil and gas industry, Wetaskiwin boasts the Reynolds Alberta Museum, a  world-class facility that has one of the biggest collections of vintage  vehicles in North America. Cruise in a chauffeur-driven 1937 Packard or  1927 Ford Model T; fly in an open cockpit biplane; or holler on a 1930  Lindy Loop midway ride. Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame is within the  Aviation Hangar at the museum, and features flight memorabilia,  biographical panels, and 60 restored aircraft in Canada's second largest  vintage aircraft collection.      

ATTRACTIONS      

DEVON      

Canadian Petroleum Interpretive Centre Devonian Gardens (University of Alberta)      

LEDUC      

Ledue Curling Club Leduc Woods House Museum      

ST. ALBERT      

Father Laeombe      

Museum Grandin House Heritage Museum      

ST. PAUL      

UFO Landing Pad      

VEGREVILLE      

Vegreville Regional      

Museum Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village Heritage Park Our Lady of the Highway Shrine      

WETASKIWIN      

Reynolds Alberta Museum and Aviation Hall of Fame Alberta Central Railway Museum Wetaskiwin and District Museum