Sleep in the 1915 Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

For a first stay, downtown is the easy base: it holds most of the city's best-known hotels and sights, has the most direct LRT and bus links, and keeps the ICE District and river valley close. Old Strathcona suits nightlife and festivals but offers a smaller choice of hotels, so many visitors sleep downtown and head…

Every January the Alberta Avenue district hosts Deep Freeze on 118 Avenue between 90 and 95 Streets, with ice sculptures, light installations, bannock by the fire, live music, storytelling and the famous Deep Freezer races. It is outdoors, so dress for real cold and plan warm-up stops among the food vendors. Dates…

Each August, the weekend after the August long weekend, thousands fill Gallagher Park for four days of music on the hill. Bring a tarp no bigger than 8 by 10 feet and a low chair, since tall lawn chairs are not allowed. An optional lottery lets people lay tarps first each day. There is no on-site parking, so use the…

The Yardbird Suite is a jazz room with roots in 1957, run by the Edmonton Jazz Society from its home on Tommy Banks Way in Old Strathcona. Concerts run through the week, and a Tuesday night jam lets you hear local players try ideas in front of an audience. Check the calendar and buy tickets ahead for touring acts. A…

The Winspear Centre on Churchill Square is the home hall of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, which plays classical, pops and special programs through the season. The hall opened in 1997 and also hosts touring talks and tribute shows, so check the calendar for what is on during your stay. Book early for headline…

Above Rowland Road near the Dawson Bridge, a lookout with a few benches takes in the downtown skyline, the North Saskatchewan River and the Walterdale Bridge. A short trail from the Rowland Road parking lot climbs to the top, so wear shoes with grip. On the way back, the steep path from the last bench drops to the lot…

The Alberta Craft Council runs a gallery and shop on 106 Street downtown with work by more than 150 Alberta artists in clay, glass, jewellery, fibre, wood and metal. Entry is free, and most of each sale goes to the maker. Look for pieces signed by the artist and ask staff about the current exhibition. The front…

From about mid-May to mid-October, 104 Street between Jasper Avenue and 102 Avenue becomes an outdoor Saturday market with more than 45 vendors selling produce, prepared meals and artisanal goods. The footprint is smaller than before, so go before lunch, then eat on the same strip, where the pubs and restaurants are…