Toronto 
If you haven’t made your summer plans yet, no problem! There are many ways to spend a fun summer day near Edmonton.
Westerner Days Fair & Exposition
And this is true for various summer plans and interests. You can plan a day trip around the water, swimming, or boating, or by staying closer to the cities and towns. Plus, festival season is on in Alberta, with summer festivals that can take you away for the day.
Festival Day Trips from Edmonton
- Westerner Days Fair & Exposition (July 19-23, 2023; Red Deer) can be your break from years of attending K-Days. Although, you can definitely fit both fairs into your July!
- The Blue Suede Music Festival (July 28-30, 2023; Westlock) celebrates the king of rock and roll with a variety of Elvis tribute acts. Don’t forget a Food Bank donation!
- At the end of July, Red Deer hosts their Centrefest Street Performers’ Festival (July 29-30, 2023; Red Deer) with performances taking place across downtown Red Deer.
Smaller, Quieter Beaches near Edmonton
Try out one of central Alberta’s smaller beaches for a quiet and sometimes secluded escape from Edmonton. Beyond swimming, these beaches also offer picnic areas, washrooms, parking, piers or boat launches, and access to trails.
- Thunder Lake Provincial Park, northwest of Edmonton, is great for exploring on boat or foot, with a beach surrounded by trees and trails.
- Garner Lake Provincial Park, northeast of Edmonton, has great hiking and biking trails, a smaller beach with a playground, and places to launch kayaks or canoes.
- Crimson Lake Provincial Park will require you to leave a bit earlier. The lake and beach are about 10 minutes west of Sylvan Lake, and are in a scenic forested area.
Berry U-Pick Season
July is berry picking season in Alberta! And luckily for us, there many local farms around the Edmonton and central Alberta area who allow us access to their orchards. These u-pick orchards and farms in Alberta open in early to mid-July.
- Rosy Farms (57114 RR 264, Alcomdale) is a Haskap berry farm with u-pick only available until about mid-July (while berry supplies last!).
- Creekside Berry Farm (53418 RR 231, Sherwood Park) are all about Saskatoons!
- Big Rock Berry Farm (3-51310 RR 261, Spruce Grove) grow strawberries, saskatoons, and raspberries, as well as rhubarb.
- The Grove Berry Patch (52430 RR 265, Spruce Grove) grow a large selection of local berries including Saskatoons, raspberries, chokecherries, black currants, and high bush cranberries.
Alberta Prairie Railway
Explore Alberta’s rich history in rail transportation and explore in the most immersive ways possible! with the railroad. These train tour operators are both close enough to Edmonton for a day trip to their stations. Alberta Prairie Railway (4611 47 Ave., Stettler) have July trips scheduled every weekend from Thursday to Sunday. These excursions include meals and entertainment.
Celebrate History with Historic Places Days
The National Trust for Canada presents Historic Places Days from July 8-23 as a way to highlight the preserved history around Canada. And for Alberta, there are many places near Edmonton where you get deep into the province’s and country’s history.
- The Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site, west of Red Deer in Rocky Mountain House, will celebrate on July 15. They’ll host live presentations from an archeologist, and several Indigenous games and activities for all ages.
- The Camrose Heritage Railway Station has your day trip plans covered for the end of July with Family Train Day on the 29th.
- The Reynolds-Alberta Museum (Wetaskiwin) is a provincial historic site that offers a big reason to visit on July 8th: The Ultimate Car Show!
Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site.
Family Fun Day Trips
Keep the kids in mind for your next day trip. These family friendly attractions are all within a day trip’s distance from Edmonton, and can cater to a variety of kids’ interests. Plus, each of these areas will have something for the adults, too.
- The Canyon Coaster in Red Deer offers thrills via rides around the Red Deer River Valley. Take a ride on the tubing hill, or the Canyon Coaster.
- Take a drive to see some of Alberta’s big roadside attractions. You’ll find several if you drive east or north of Edmonton.
- The Sylvan Lake Aquasplash is now open for summer! The giant inflatable obstacle course is set up near the beach with fun for all ages.
Explore a New Town
Take a drive somewhere new in Alberta. These towns have events and festivals to explore, local dining to try, and the natural areas around the towns for hiking or biking.
- Lamont is on the north side of Elk Island Park and Highway AB-15. Over July, Lamon has its town Rodeo, a farmers’ market, and the town Summer Festival. With the town only about an hour away from Edmonton, it is convenient to take your time with the scenic route through Elk Island, whether you stop or not.
- The town of Gibbons will celebrate their Pioneer Days this July while the town is also home to a perfect family day trip destination. Gibbons is where you and your family can find the Jurassic Forest where you can spend half an afternoon.
- The community events calendar for Devon is filled for the summer with family fun. You can catch music in the local Centennial Park each Thursday evening, or the downtown Market Series on Saturdays. Devon is on the south banks of the North Saskatchewan River Valley where there is access to easy trails.
Jurassic Forest
Kayaking, SUPing, and Canoeing Day Trips
Bring out (or rent) the boats for your next day trip. These areas around Edmonton provide the launch or hand launch, picnic areas, parking, and washrooms.
- Big Knife Provincial Park has a boat launch on the Battle River near the overflow campground. The Battle River can be accessed here for a paddle, or you can use the park as your end point. Use Paddle the Battle as your guide!
- The Coal Lake North day use area is where you can begin a long paddle down the narrow lake.
- The Buck Lake PRA is in a scenic spot west of Edmonton with a boat launch at the day se area.
Celebrate Parks Day with Nearby Provincial Park Events
Alberta Parks is celebrating their 93rd anniversary this July 15th. And to add to the celebration, there will be events taking place at Provincial Parks and Recreation Areas all across the province. Below are those close enough to Edmonton for a day trip this July 15th.
- Aspen Beach Provincial Park will have events like relay races, a campfire singalong, and Art in the Park.
- Cooking Lake Blackfoot PRA are hosting a barbecue, historical tours, scavenger hunts, and kids’ games.
- Crimson Lake PP will have music in the forest, canoe rides on the lake, a bike parade, and more!
- Miquelon Lake PP are celebrating with a scavenger hunt, guided hikes, face painting, and games with prizes.
- Pigeon Lake PP will host crafts and games, a nature workshop, and a ranger workshop for kids.
Summer Hiking at Elk Island
Elk Island Provincial Park is nice for a summer hike thanks to the densely wooded areas through which most of the trails travel. Many of the trails provide some much needed shade for July hiking. Those trees may also provide shelter from the rain. And with it being a National Park, there are several helpful amenities on site like washrooms and picnic shelters.
- If you head to the larger parking area at Astotin Lake, you can pick between two easy trails: the Lakeview Trail (3.7km loop) heading north, or the Shoreline Trail (6km out-and-back) heading south.
- The Moss Lake Trail can be a moderate hike at 4.8km, or extended to a more challenging hike at 12.2km. The scenery includes rolling hills of grasslands that surround smaller ponds and wetlands.
- The Wood Bison Trail is one of the park’s more challenging route, with some picturesque rewards to motivate your hike. This is one of the better wild-life viewing routes at Elk Island, and will require a full morning, afternoon, or evening at 15.5km (loop).
