Edmonton 
Find a little warmth with these winter date ideas in Edmonton.
There is something to do for all interests during Edmonton’s coldest months. You’ll find various ways to treat your date to Edmonton’s best cafes, restaurants, or bakeries. Plus, you could combine the dining with a visit to one of Edmonton’s winter festivals.
But if you would rather get a little peace and quiet with your date, there are other ways to have fun. You can explore all the natural areas in and around the city and different ways to traverse the snow.
And if the cold is something you’d rather avoid altogether, check out Edmonton’s indoor attractions!
I. Dining Date Ideas
Murder Mysteries
Put on your glad rags and head on down to the Sawmill for a spectacular night to delight your senses. Enjoy a three course dinner while experiencing an immersive murder mystery experience or a live cabaret burlesque show.
- Under Wraps – A Clown Cartel Murder Mystery
- The Sawmill Supper Club – A Valentine’s Day Burlesque Cabaret
- Death by Chocolate ~ A Valentine’s Day Murder Mystery Dinner!
Where: Sawmill Prime Rib & Steakhouse, 4810 Calgary Trail, Edmonton
Winefest Edmonton
Savour a romantic evening at Winefest, sampling an array of global wines paired with exquisite hors d’oeuvres. Learn about wine, enjoy sweet and savory bites, and indulge in a memorable date experience. Perfect for wine enthusiasts and epicureans.
When: February 14 to 15, 2025
Where: Edmonton Convention Centre, 9797 Jasper Ave, Edmonton
How much: $105 to $115
Sip Edmonton’s Best Hot Chocolate
Edmonton’s cafes each have their take on the classic winter drink. Some may offer hot chocolate as just that: a classic cup of melted chocolate and milk. But even the seemingly simple cups of hot chocolate create a rich and creamy treat. Plus, some of these cafes take hot chocolate and go above and beyond with flavour options or topping options.
Dinner & West Edmonton Mall Attraction
Your dining experience can be casual yet tasty from a number of the food court locations. But a good sit-down dinner at the mall is most easily found on Bourbon Street. And once you’ve filled up on good eats, choose between the mall’s attractions, big or small.
- Play games at the Rec Room
- Brave the slides at the World Waterpark (probably best to do before eating)
- Watch a movie at the Scotiabank Theatre
- Challenge each other to a race at DRIVE
Eat out at New Restaurants
2024 saw a great variety of restaurants opening in Edmonton. With these different styles comes a huge array of different cuisines to try around the city in 2025. Edmonton has new places for Japanese, Egyptian, Mediterranean, Italian, Chinese, and many other international food styles! Why not try new foods and discover a new favourite date spot?
Edmonton’s restaurant scene offers us many different types of dining experiences. Romance means different things to different people, and below are restaurants which cover all kinds ... »
II. Recreational Winter Date Ideas
Skating
Skating as a date in Edmonton is one of your most cost-effective options. This can save room for dinner, a hot chocolate, or drinks after time on the ice. Plus, Edmonton has outdoor skating areas in every corner of the city. These areas are all lit up for night skating.
- Rundle Park in Edmonton’s northeast provides a lengthy iceway to explore.
- Jackie Parker Park’s skating area is in a quiet wooded area between the Mill Creek Ravine and the park’s pond. Please note that the pond is unsafe for skating and stick to the manmade rink area.
- The Meadows Rec Centre has south Edmonton’s newest skating area. There is an iceway on the south side of the building.
- Victoria Park and City Hall are both downtown skating areas, which give you great views of downtown and access to dining.
- The Castle Downs Rec Centre also has a large outdoor skating area beside the building.
- The ICE District has downtown Edmonton’s newest skating area.
Ice Bikes at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park has ice bikes this year. Explore the skating surface on a bicycle built for two!
Address: 13221 Buena Vista Road, Edmonton
Credit: Winter City Edmonton
Downhill Skiing or Tubing
Take a loved one or new date on an exciting winter date filled with recreation, great Edmonton views, and onsite dining. Edmonton’s local ski hills all offer these date features and are much more cost-effective than mountain skiing. The hills are smaller and make for a more relaxed environment.
- Rabbit Hill (also offer tubing): 20715 57 AVE SW
- Snow Valley: 13204 Rainbow Valley Road, NW
- Edmonton Ski Club (Also offer tubing): 9613 96 Avenue NW
- Sunridge Ski Area (also offer tubing): 10980 17 Street NW
Visit Elk Island National Park
You can explore Elk Island a few ways in the winter for your next date. Elk Island comprises a series of small lakes and wetlands and is home to a massive bison population. The protected animals roam the park, and your first adventure can start with the drive into the park from the south. This brings you through a slow-going stretch of road, often with several animals at a time. All the different sections of Elk Island are connected by an extensive trail system.
- Pack a picnic and build yourselves a fire. There are fire areas scattered throughout the park, and a handful around Astotin Lake.
- Explore the trails on snowshoes. You can rent a pair for the day from Totem Outdoor Outfitters in Edmonton for the next day drop-offs or rent a pair for the entire weekend.
- Head out for the evening and night. Elk Island is under the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve and provides amazing stargazing opportunities. The park is also prime aurora-viewing.
- Ice skating is permitted on Astotin Lake in the park. You can rent skates from Totem Outdoor, too.
- If you leave Edmonton via Trans Canada between 7am and 7 pm, stop at the Country Roads Restaurant for a warm drink and meal. It’s a quick stop off the highway close to Elk Island.
Cross Country Skiing at Cooking Lake-Blackfoot PRA
The natural areas around Cooking Lake-Blackfoot PRA are great for cross-country skiing. But you may also have fun on an afternoon date with a hike or snowshoe. Cross-country skiing is great exercise and might be something you learn together as a couple. The double-tracked (groomed) trails are kept to the south part of the large park. You can take hours to explore these trails, which extend from Waskahagen Staging in the west to Central Staging in the East.
When: dusk to dawn
Where: Waskahagen – Range Rd 210; via Township Rd. 515A
How much: free
Snowshoe around the River Valley
Rentals are available from the River Valley Adventure Co., a spot which also makes a great starting point for your snowy excursion. If you begin from the rental shop, you can trek through Louise McKinney Riverfront Park beside the Adventure Company also accept patio bookings for Fridays in winter (firepit included!).
When: Thursday to Monday
Where: 9735 Grierson Hill NW
How much: $9/hr or $30/day
III. Edmonton’s Winter Festivals
Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival
Art and winter can combine to create a perfect date night in Edmonton. The Deep Freeze festival on 118th Avenue brings together a huge slate of local performers to create the ultimate indoor/outdoor winter arts festival. The festival has nine venues scattered around the neighbourhood, with a variety of performances scheduled for the two days.
When: January 18 to 19, 2025
Where: 118th Ave. NW from 90th-95th Street
How much: free
Togather Chinatown Arts Festival
Enjoy this festival celebrating the lunar new year. Togather Chinatown Arts Festival includes a curated market featuring 38+ local artists, a NEW Chinatown Food Court, live musical performances, kids activities, face-painting, cultural workshops, Chinatown tours, and more!
When: February 1 & 2, 2025
Where: Edmonton Chinatown Multi-Cultural Centre, 9540 – 102 Ave NW, Edmonton
How much: free
Winterruption YEG
Get your dance on together this winter. Winterruption YEG 2023 fills five nights with live music, drag performances, comedy acts, outdoor events, craft beer features, and more. The musical acts consist of all types of genres, and the venues will be spread across the downtown core.
When: January 22 to 26, 2025
Where: downtown Edmonton
How much: Varies
The Flying Canoe Volant
The events for Edmonton’s Flying Canoe Volant will take over the Bonnie Doon neighbourhood and Mill Creek Ravine at the end of February. The festival spreads across four main venues: Edmonton Ski Club, Ecole Rutherford School, Mill Creek Ravine North, and La Cité Francophone. Between the venues will be cultural and artistic displays, the illuminated trails, a snowslide, an art walk, and live performances.
When: January 29 to February 1, 2025
Where: Mill Creek Ravine North
How much: free
Silver Skate Festival
Hawrelak Park invites you to get out in Edmonton through the cold weather with the annual Silver Skate Festival. This event celebrates everything great about winter, especially the pond skating. There are also large displays of art, warm and comforting food choices, and more recreation. Both snow sculptures and fire sculptures are major artistic highlights of Silver Skate. And during the early days of the festival, you can watch the snow sculptors work on their creations.
When: February 7 to 17, 2025
Where: Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park, 13221 Buena Vista Road, Edmonton
How much: free
IV. Stay Warm: Indoor Winter Date Ideas in Edmonton
Sip & Solve
Enjoy a unique date at Sip & Solve at TELUS World of Science. Navigate over 60 brain-teasing mazes and games, compete in a board game café, and relax with drinks from a cash bar. Perfect for a playful, intellectual evening.
When: January 18 and February 9, 2024 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Where: TELUS World of Science, 11211 142 Street Northwest, Edmonton
How much: $12.95
Disney Animation: Immersive Experience
Embark on a whimsical date at the Immersive Disney Animation event. Journey through iconic Disney scenes, from Encanto to Aladdin, and relive the enchantment of beloved classics together. A perfect blend of nostalgia and romance.
When: February 15-April 28, 2024
Where: Edmonton EXPO Centre, 7515 118 Ave NW, Edmonton
How much: $43.33 & up
Explore Edmonton’s Art
Edmonton’s art scene can be explosive at times. This is especially true in the winter when the city sees numerous winter art festivals. You can take a more casual approach to enjoying local art on a date and visit the AGA, or one of Edmonton’s local galleries.
- Spend an afternoon browsing The Art Gallery of Alberta. The AGA has enough exhibits to fill an afternoon, and a large gift shop filled with local art and locally made goods. The AGA is free on evenings of the last Thursday of each month, too!
- 124th Street is home to a range of local art galleries, and you’ll find different genres and media at each one.
Catch an Indie Flick
Metro Cinema is on 109th Street NW in the iconic Garneau Theatre building. This central location also places it near several choices for a meal or snack before your movie (Rosso Pizzeria, Remedy Café, Sugarbowl, or Tang Bistro, to name a few). The theatre is a not-for-profit organization who show a diverse set of film in long and short form. They offer a monthly Metro Series which cover a huge array of different themes.
When: evenings daily
Where: 8712 – 109 ST NW, Edmonton
How much: $11-$14
Discover the Muttart Together
Edmonton’s Muttart Conservatory will unveil its new feature pyramid on January 13th. The feature, Giants in the Mist, will be displayed alongside the three mainstay pyramids. Between the four areas, and the centre court, there are seemingly endless flowers and plants to uncover. You also have a chance to get each other a gift at the end from the Marigold Gift Shop. January 19 will feature Illuminature: a night of house music, live art, and cocktails amidst flowers, with local DJs and performers, on January 19.
When: January 13 – March 10 — Giants in the Mist
Illuminature: Friday January 19, 2024 | 7:00 PM
Where: 9626 – 96A Street
How much: $14.95 per person
Illuminature: $40
Live Theatre/Concerts
See a live performance together.
- Mean Girls: Direct from Broadway, MEAN GIRLS is the hilarious hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including book writer TINA FEY (“30 Rock”), composer JEFF RICHMOND (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist NELL BENJAMIN (Legally Blonde) and original director and choreographer CASEY NICHOLAW (The Book of Mormon).
- Edmonton Opera: Don Giovanni: The timeless music and an incredible cast will bring the emotionally charged world of desire, love and betrayal to life with this opera in concert performance, followed by the captivating Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
- Star Wars: A New Hope – In Concert: Join the FILMharmonic Orchestra on a journey to a galaxy far, far away and experience a live-to-projection performance of one of the most iconic films of all time.
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