When we talk about Canada’s West Coast, we automatically imagine the snowy mountains of Whistler or the omnipresence of the ocean in Victoria.
However, just aprovince away there is a surprising city with an abundance of experiences and attractions for all those who want to satisfy their desire for thrills: Edmonton!
Athlete : Charlie kerr
Credit : Jérémie Perreault
Are you already an avid surfer, or is surfing a sport you’d like to try one day? The West Edmonton Mall World Waterpark is THE place to practice this sport! It is the largest indoor surfing center in North America. The place has a special pool called “Tsunami” that pumps water at high speeds to create real waves that are easy to carve. Our friend Cody Matechuk, had a great session with the young local surfing legend, Charlie Kerr, during our visit on the JACKALOPE WEST COAST TOUR. Needless to say, we couldn’t help but set aside the boards for a moment to try the multiple water slides in the same vicinity. A simply epic day!
Athlete : Chris
Credit : Jérémie Perreault
Water is not your thing? Don’t worry, Edmonton has everything you would want and need if skateboarding is more your style. There’s nothing better than being surrounded by local riders to get to know the best spots. Our homies Chris, Bailey and Colby helped us find the best skate spots to shred, including Callingwood Skate Plaza and Capilano Skatepark. The quality of the skateparks is unbelievable! Using the metaphor of an urban network, the Callingwood Skate Plaza consists of nearly 19,500 square feet of interconnected plaza lines, combined to create a network of iconic “spots”. Interestingly, many of the transitional elements are modeled after some famous urban “spots”, such as Montreal’s “BIG O” and Guadalajara’s PQN.
Athlete : Sidney Mcgill
Credit : Jérémie Perreault
After a bite to eat at the Tres Carnales Taqueria and a little drink at the Sea Change Brewery, it’s time to put in some physical work to digest it all. Why not try a new sport?Cyclo-Cross! We had such a blast spending the day with Edmontonian, Sidney Mcgill, the 2019 Canadian Cyclo-Cross Champion, getting a taste for the intensity of the sport. Cyclo-Cross combines the technical aspects of mountain biking with the speed of racing. We tried to keep up with her during her training, but unfortunately, we lost her somewhere between some stairs and a muddy trail. It goes without saying that we have a lot of respect for her impressive cardio and strength.
If this action-packed itinerary is too busy for you, we invite you to simply buy yourself a ride on a Lime electric scooter (yes, yes, we are a little ashamed of using them as a means of transportation, but we must admit that we had a blast on them – we have video to prove it). It was the best way to discover the multitude of restaurants and venues scattered throughout the city,[NG3] including highlights such as KB & Co, Lock Stock Coffee, Next Act Pub and Baijiu, just to name a few.
In short Edmonton’s hospitality and diversity of activities makes it a must visit on your next road trip across Canada
Want to know more about the adrenaline infused activities Edmonton has to offer? Watch Episode 1 of the Jackalope West Coast Tour