Edmonton Attractions Make Canada's Festival City a Family Affair

  EDMONTON, ALBERTA, Mar 17 (MARKET WIRE) -- 
The unlimited range of Edmonton attractions and activities, from swimming
to strolling to sightseeing, makes Canada's Festival City a perfect
destination for a family outing.

    Pack bathing suits! Edmonton has plenty of opportunities for everyone to
get wet and wild. West Edmonton Mall's World Waterpark offers five
fabulous acres of family fun, including a children's area for the little
ones. Visit Kinsmen Park in Edmonton's scenic river valley and enjoy an
outdoor wading pool, playground, picnic sites, walking trails and a
sports centre with indoor swimming pools. Millwoods Recreation Centre has
a water park that features a wave pool, giant waterslide, diving tank, a
teach pool with waterfalls, sauna and large whirlpool.

    Edmonton attractions also include plenty of fun activities for the whole
family to do on land. Spend a day discovering Edmonton's past at Fort
Edmonton Park, Canada's largest living history museum. Fort Edmonton Park
is home to 158 acres that includes 75 original and reconstructed historic
buildings that show what Edmonton has looked like through the ages.

    Giant-sized thrills and spills are waiting for every family at West
Edmonton Mall. Galaxyland Amusement Park is the world's largest indoor
amusement park, featuring 24 exciting rides and attractions, including
the Mindbender rollercoaster. There's also Galaxy Kids Playpark with four
storeys of interactive space-themed fun, the five-acre World Waterpark
and the world's largest indoor wave pool. Toddlers and parents alike will
have a great time at the Little Caribbean, an interactive play area. And
everyone will love the wildlife at West Edmonton Mall's Marine Life, with
endangered species--including African Blackfoot Penguins and green sea
turtles--and the Sea Lion Encounter Program.

    Edmonton's Valley Zoo is home to a wonderful and diverse collection of
animals representing a wide range of climates and habitats. From tiny
rodents to elephants, birds of all kinds, snakes, tortoises, frogs and
more, you'll find a variety of animal presentations with plenty of
opportunities to learn, discover and experience.

    Edmonton's Muttart Conservatory is Edmonton's premier horticulture
attraction. Set in the lush Edmonton river valley, the Muttart
Conservatory brings the outdoors indoors. The whole family will enjoy
exploring four shimmering pyramids containing thousands of species of
domestic and exotic plants.

    John Janzen Nature Centre has much to offer kids and adults who are
interested in how nature works. In the heart of the river valley, the
nature centre has four kilometres of nature trails to explore. Indoors,
check out the new exhibit room and the small animals that live there. The
John Janzen Nature Centre also has a living, working beehive that you can
safely observe and learn all about the complex world of bees.

    Art lovers of all ages can discover more artworks among the many Edmonton
art galleries. Edmonton invites you to enjoy the Gallery Walk, the first
of its kind in Canada. Eight member art galleries feature the works of
artists of merit... with a focus on Canadian artists. And for even more
visual arts, visit the Alberta Art Gallery downtown and the Edmonton Art
Gallery in the Arts District.

    There's even more to see and do when you tour the Royal Albert Museum,
one of Canada's most popular museums. The Royal Albert Museum is home to
a wide range of exhibitions and activities for every age and interest.
Behind the scenes, 13 curatorial programs are responsible for building
and making accessible some of the finest cultural and natural history
collections in the country. And in the Edmonton river valley, you can
also visit the John Walter Museum. This museum displays the three
original homes of John Walter, one of Edmonton's first settlers and
industrialists, and also plays host to a range of special events and
programming.

    For fun that's a little more "out of this world," there's the TELUS World
of Science. This unique science and technology centre features
entertainment and learning for explorers of all ages. The TELUS World of
Science is home to an IMAX theatre, an observatory, and six themed
interactive exhibit galleries, including the Discoveryland Intergalactive
Gallery that's designed for children two to eight years old.

    And for a learning experience that combines wonderful scenery and
history, bring your family for a free guided tour of Alberta's foremost
historical building at Alberta's Legislature. Built between 1907 and
1912, this is Edmonton's premier architectural attraction that houses
decades of grandeur and parliamentary tradition.

    For parents and children looking for some magic and memorable
entertainment, there's always something to do and something to see on an
Edmonton vacation. From arts to animals, swimming pools to science
exhibits, Edmonton has activities and attraction for all ages and all
interests.

    For more information on Edmonton attractions, visit
www.edmonton.com/liveallyear.

Contacts:
Edmonton Economic Development Corporation
Jenifer Christenson
Managing Director, Marketing Services
(780) 917-7890
Email: jchristenson@edmonton.com
Website: www.edmonton.com

Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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