Edmonton, AB

Key Highlights

Hotels 66
Total Sleeping Rooms 9,800
Largest Exhibit Space 142,000 Sq. Ft.
Average Hotel Room Rate CAD $225
Average Daily Meal Cost CAD $95
Average Weekly Car Rental CAD $283

Edmonton, AB Meeting Planning Overview

The city of Edmonton is one of the top tourist destinations in Canada thanks to abundant shopping, a gorgeous green outdoor setting and a reputation for going all out in everything it does - including hosting meetings and events. A bustling center with excellent access from all over the world, Edmonton is located at the northern end of Alberta's central region. It is only a three-hour drive from Calgary, the province's largest city, and it sits along one of Canada's busiest north/south thoroughfares, as well as along a major east/west transportation route. Serviced by an international airport and Canada's VIA Rail, Edmonton boasts easy access and a central location for both local and international travelers.

The city of Edmonton offers numerous lodging options for travelers including more than 12,000 hotel rooms, 3,000 of which are located in the city's core. Accommodations range from luxury hotel rooms to bed and breakfasts to themed rooms at the world-famous Fantasy Land Hotel located in West Edmonton Mall, where guests can stay in Polynesian rooms, Igloos and more.

Though many hotels offer elegant and practical spaces for meetings and events, the Shaw Conference Centre is the city's leading facility for large-scale productions. With a total of 110,000 square feet of floor space, the centre can accommodate up to 6,000 delegates at one time. Hosting hundreds of events yearly, the Shaw Convention Centre features unique and exciting architecture, world class cuisine and all of the technology needed to make an event successful.

To get outside the boardroom, there are several unique Edmonton event venues. Indulge in the glitz and glamour of the Palace Casino. Home to not only extensive gaming options, the casino features restaurants such as Booker's Steak and Prime Rib for private events. The Valley Zoo, with its Picnic Site for 100 guests and its Saito Centre for 80 people, makes for a lively outdoor venue, while the Edmonton Queen Riverboat dinner cruises combine the outdoors with elegance, escalating any cocktail or dinner reception to a higher level of class. No visit to the city is complete without a taste of famous Alberta beef, served at a number of restaurants throughout Edmonton. The Harvest Room in the chic Fairmont Hotel serves top cuts of this regional specialty and offers an ideal setting for partaking in this Canadian tradition, regardless of the size of the party.

Edmonton is at the heart of Western Canada's economy. A number of large corporations such as TELUS, IBM, Intuit Canada, Epcor and General Electric have offices in the city.

About Edmonton, AB / Additional Info

As Alberta's capital city, Edmonton is known for its great shopping and vibrant arts and cultural scene. The rich heritage of the city began in the late 1700s when the Hudson's Bay Company and the North-West Fur Company founded Old Fort Edmonton at the mouth of the Sturgeon River. A decade later, the fort was all but destroyed, and later rebuilt as New Fort Edmonton. Today the city has more than one million permanent residents spread out over 264 square miles, and the vast quantity of urban parks gives the city one of the lowest population densities in North America.

Known throughout Canada as "Festival City," Edmonton hosts more than 30 annual festivals every year, including the Blueberry Bluegrass & Country Music Society Festival, Edmonton International Street Performers Festival and Global Visions Film Festival. Clearly a city that knows how to celebrate, Edmontonians also have a knack for doing things in a big way. The city is home to West Edmonton Mall, the world's largest shopping and entertainment venue; the North Saskatchewan River Valley, the largest urban park system in North America; and the Annual Fringe Festival, which began in 1981 and has since grown to become the continent's largest and oldest festival of its kind.

Along with the performing arts, Edmonton has a strong focus on visual arts, as seen in its over 70 museums and cultural centers, which showcase not only Alberta artists but those from around the world. Hop aboard a restored North Alberta Railways Passenger Train at the Alberta Railway Museum. Learn about aboriginal culture or see what it was like to hunt a buffalo 8,000 years ago at the Royal Alberta Museum. Take in over 5,000 works, from painting to sculpture to photography, at the ever expanding Art Gallery of Alberta. The opportunities to explore the arts and dive deeper into culture are endless.

Also known for its spacious and lush outdoor surroundings, Edmonton is set amongst gently rolling hills and deep river valleys, and is only a few hours away from the Canadian Rockies. Take advantage of a metropolitan city that's also a step away from the great outdoors with a visit to Borden or Victoria parks, both of which are great for a relaxing stroll or picnic. Bike or hike the 93 miles that makes up the North Saskatchewan River Valley, North America's largest stretch of urban parkland. Or venture onto the river itself on one of Edmonton Canoe's tours. From urban attractions to rural relaxation, Edmonton has it covered.

 
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