Organized Tours

With its ridiculously long addresses (10230 101st Street) and awkward way of counting off its sprawling blocks (streets and avenues start at 100 in central downtown, and count up as they go out), it's not a bad idea to take a tour, if only to get your bearings.

Peter's Edmonton Tours (tel. 780/904-6973) provides small-group tours (up to 7 people) of about 4 hours that can be tailored to suit your interests, though it does include stops at the beautiful Provincial Legislature building and Edmonton City Hall. Tour prices are adults C$35, seniors C$30, children C$15.

Out An' About Tours (tel. 780/909-8687) is a local operator that has a smorgasbord of options for Edmonton and the surrounding area, but offers a 3-hour tour of Edmonton's high points, including cultural and heritage sites such as the Historic Glenora and Old Strathcona neighborhoods. The tour takes you through downtown, the Legislative Building, the University of Alberta, and the scenic North Saskatchewan River valley. It's a larger tour, with a full-size bus that can accommodate up to 54 people. Adults C$40, children under 16 C$25.

Edmonton Canoe (tel. 480/470-5353; www.edmontoncanoe.com) offers the unique opportunity to explore the city from the surface of the North Saskatchewan River. Your guide will lead you on a paddle starting in nearby Devon, Alberta and into downtown, where, from the water's surface, the looming skyscrapers up the tall riverbanks are an imposing sight indeed. Weekends only, June to September, C$30 per person for day trips from Devon to Edmonton.

For those less outdoorsy -- or completely indoorsy -- Riester Explorer Tours (tel. 780/475-6675) will take you on a six-hour tour of massive West Edmonton Mall. With more than 800 stores it can be a little overwhelming, even for the most devout shopaholic, so a little hand-holding can't hurt. Tours are C$25 per person.