Don’t let the extreme cold weather in Edmonton dampen plans with friends, families, or date night plans!
Credit: Drive/WEM
There are plenty of indoor attractions in Edmonton to keep you busy all winter. Escape the cold with a variety of activities suited to a variety of budgets, including some free activities courtesy of the Edmonton Public Library. In general, good activities to keep in mind over the winter include the city attractions, local cafes, one of the biggest malls in the world, and games galore!
Arcades & Pool Halls
- The TopShots location in Millwoods (right beside the new LRT stop!) is perfect for meeting friends for a wide variety of games. The main game is billiards, but they also provide foosball tables, virtual golf, ping pong tables, dartboards, “water pong” (beer pong with water in the cups), or table games like cribbage and backgammon.
- For family-friendly arcade fun, choose between two Edmonton Rec Room locations: one in West Edmonton Mall, or the South Edmonton Common Location.
- Beercade in Old Strathcona is a great place for snacks, local brews, indoor arcade games, and for finding specials on food and drink.
Bookshops & Cozy Cafes
Spend an hour or two at a cozy cafe with a new book in hand! In Edmonton, book lovers can revel in a rich selection of local bookstores and nearby cozy cafes. The Wee Book Inn, a longtime favorite, offers used books and is close to The WoodRack Cafe. Daisy Chain Book Co. provides a mix of new and used books, complemented by Good Earth Coffeehouse. Audrey’s Books, near Ayco Café, and Mandolin Books & Coffee Company, offer unique selections and events. For rare finds, The Edmonton Book Store is ideal, with Block 1912 Cafe and Glass Bookshop near Lock Stock Coffee.
New Restaurants
Spend an evening at a new eatery! Edmonton’s culinary landscape has expanded with a variety of new restaurants in 2023, embracing international flavours from Japanese to Egyptian and Mediterranean cuisines. Highlights include Tiki Tiki’s Polynesian fusion, Thai Avenue’s authentic Thai dishes, Bella’s Italian-inspired menu, and Stingray’s Japanese seafood. El Jardin and Moonga Nori offer Latin and Japanese flavours, respectively, while Honi Honi Tiki Lounge and Rock N’ Tofu cater to unique dining experiences. For dessert lovers, PhatBar Bakery & Café offers inventive sweets, adding to the city’s vibrant and diverse dining scene.
West Edmonton Mall
Where: 8882 170 St NW
How much: small attractions $10-$60 per person; large attractions $30-$64 per person
Muttart Conservatory
Enjoy the warmth and humidity of the tropics during a below-30 day in Edmonton! A visit to the Muttart Conservatory may fill an entire afternoon as you explore the Tropical, Arid, and Temperate regions/pyramids. The Muttart will also host select Adult-only evenings this winter, and the Illuminature event on January 19th.
Where: 9626 96a St NW
How much: $7.95-$14.95 per person
Art Gallery of Alberta
Where: 2 Sir Winston Churchill Sq.
How much: $10-$14 per person
Royal Alberta Museum
Mark your calendar for February 23 this year for the RAM’s release of their big and new exhibition, Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia. Until then, a cold winter’s day can still be spend with kids in the Bug and Children’s Galleries, or on a walk through the Natural History and Human History Halls.
Where: 9810 103a Ave NW,
How much: $10-$21 per person
Edmonton Public Libraries
Use the EPL branches in a number of ways when it comes to escaping Edmonton’s cold. Browse the shelves and find a cozy corner for reading, catch up on work, or browse the Bluray and video game collection for a cozy day at home. Otherwise, EPL offer many scheduled events, workshops, classes, and kids’ activities! For example, they have Book Clubs, writing workshops, finance workshops, cooking classes, craft nights, and much more!
Where: all EPL branches
How much: free
Catch a Movie: New or Old
Whether this is a way to kill an afternoon, treat the kids, or have a date night, Edmonton has numerous options for where to catch a flick this winter.
- Old Strathcona’s Metro Cinema screens films old and new, with The Holdovers, Barbie, and Saltburn among those newer films currently playing. The theatre also hold special screening events like Home Grown Cinema, Music Docs, 35mm Film Nights, or Showing Pride.
- Landmark is one of the bigger theatres in Edmonton with a Tamarack, City Centre, and St. Albert location. Their screenings are of new movies, but the theatre offers super cozy seating options.
- Cineplex has many locations in Edmonton with the latest movies playing, and the option to choose your seats in advance.
Enjoy some Edmonton Theatre
These Edmonton theatres include a combination of local and global productions. And, there are shows coming up in Edmonton that are made for kids, or which include a meal and bar service with the tickets.
- Northern Jubilee Auditorium near the U of A have several upcoming shows and concerts including Mean Girls, Chelsea Handler, Star Wars: A New Hope, the Alberta Ballet, and many more.
- Get a taste for local theatre with Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre winter lineup. These live plays include Made in Italy, She Love You, and Rubaboo.
- Get dinner and a show at the Jubilations Dinner Theatre who will feature Crocodile Rock: The Legend of ELTON JOHN over the winter. Additionally, the theatre offers Jubilations Jr. with Guardians of the Majesty being the next feature show.
- Or head to the Mayfield Dinner Theatre for dinner and show! The theatre will show Canada Rocks! The Reboot is in January, and One with Night with the King is in February.
SPEEDERS
Have you visited the new(-ish) SPEEDERS indoor go-kart tracks yet in Edmonton? The new venue boasts a three-level racetrack, a separate track for kids, 35 arcade games, a full-service bar and restaurant, duckpin bowling, and axe-throwing. This is one of the most comprehensive indoor entertainment spaces in Edmonton, making it a perfect place to visit on the coldest days of the year. They also have spaces to book for birthday parties and events.
Where: 12808 170 St NW Unit 16
How much: adult karting $27 per single race; junior $21 per single race (as you add more races, the price per race goes down for adults and juniors)
City of Edmonton Rec Centres
Edmonton’s Recreation Centres offer a wide variety of activities for all ages. Their most notable feature are their indoor pools, which provide a perfect indoor escape from extreme cold. Each rec centre has something different to offer when it comes to these indoor pools. Plus, if you miss skating because it is too cold outside, many also offer public skating times at the indoor rinks.
- Some of Edmonton’s biggest indoor pools include Clareview, Meadows, and Terwillegar recreation centres. Each boast a wave pool, dive tanks and diving boards, and slides, while Terwillegar and Clareview also have lazy rivers.
- Looking for a place to get in some simple aquatic exercise and laps? Some of the smaller and quieter pools include Bonnie Doon Leisure Centre, Jasper Place Leisure Centre, or the O’Leary Leisure Centre.
- See all indoor pools in Edmonton here.