Rundle Park is far from the closest river valley park to my home, but it's one that I frequent…read moreoften. Why? Disc golf! Rundle Park has the largest and most well-used disc golf course in Edmonton, and is home to Edmonton's disc golf league. For those that aren't familiar with disc golf, it's similar to traditional golf, in that you start at a tee, but the goal is to throw discs into baskets instead of hitting balls into holes. Disc golf has ramped up popularity since Covid restrictions were introduced, as it's an easy outdoor sport that has no green fees and allows for social distancing. I've played the course at Rundle many times and I still find it challenging. Some of the holes are fairly long, and have hazards like water or hills to keep you on your toes. Compared to the other courses I have played, Rundle could do a better job with signage to help players find the next hole, as some of the holes criss-cross each other a bit. The bathrooms in the family centre are open daily, and there are plenty of parking spots. Aside from disc golf, Rundle is huge. I've attended 5k races here, and they easily can stay within the park. There are playgrounds, and numerous picnic sites. On a recent Sunday, the park was full of people setting up makeshift picnic sites in the grass, and all the city-run picnic spots were fully of families. I will note that the mini-golf is no longer open, even though there are a few painted signs remaining in the park. Rundle is a wonderful place in the city to spend time with family and friends, and a perfect picnic destination.

LOVE me some Rundle Park…read more When I first moved to Canada, from Seattle, 14 years ago our townhouse was across the street. Now, the area is a bit rough but that's not Rundle Park's fault. The park itself is MASSIVE and contains the ACT pool, the clubhouse you can rent out for parties, paddle boats, lots of trails, views/access to river valley, and tennis courts open to the public for free. Not to mention the bumpy roller coaster feel of the road that will abuse your car but is oh so fun for bike riding. It's build on the old city dump so that's why the ground bubbles up all over the place! There's a golf course here though I've never had the pleasure. They also have outdoor mini golf but I've never tried that either. They also set up huge bails of hay here in the winter along the fence lines for awesome and relatively safe tobogganing! See you soon Rundle Park!

Park is quite large with a reasonable amount of picnic tables, one of the best large hills in the…read morecity for sledding in the winter, fireworks in the summer are nice here, spray park is good for little kids when it's too hot, and overall very well landscaped. Only downside is that being the only large park in the area it is often packed in the warmer months and parking spaces are very limited.

GREAT park with small water splash pad, toddler area, swings, and playground…read more This park includes TONS of land and including grassy knolls, soccer fields, ball diamonds, and maybe even more! Located conveniently across from Mill Woods Town Centre - bus service would be a breeze to and from this park.

I love going to the promenade any time I need to clear my head or just step out for a moment to…read moreenjoy the sunshine. It has a picturesque view curving up from 100 Ave and stretching from 117 Street to 121 Street. The sidewalk is very wide which allows for a variety of non-motor activities. There is also a bike lane that runs its lengths so it helps alleviate the tension between motorists, cyclists and pedestrians; making it a very popular commuters route. In the summer if you time it right you can snag one of the benches to watch a river valley sunset which goes on my list of top free views in the city. Its a very friendly area as almost everyone you pass has a smile on their face and a spring in their step. Mostly it is walkers or joggers that live around there but my person favourite is seeing the grannies decked out in their Sundays best going for a stroll in the sunshine. I hope when I reach their age that I have that good of taste in clothes and and still able to walk with that kind of swagger. My favourite recent addition to the promenade is the Fresh Cafe which is a perfect compliment to the area just located off of Jasper and 116th in The Elmhurst Apartments. Now I have somewhere close enough to buy gelato with out worrying about it melting before I have a chance to find a bench. I hope that they continue to maintain this gem and preserve it for generations to come. I am reminded of all those who were kind enough to preserve it for me to use every time I sit on a bench and ready the plaque inscribed on it. I hope they continue this model else where in the river valley as there are not enough places for one to sit and enjoy the amazing park system that we have in this city.

Victoria Promenade is the kind of thing that's missing from a lot of our river valley. It runs…read morealong 100 Ave from 117 St to 121 St, with a nice wide sidewalk, lots of benches, and great views of the river valley. On a nice day, it gets pretty busy and is popular with walkers, runners, and those of us who get our exercise by sitting on a bench, eating gelato. I would love it if there was a little cafe around here... even just a kiosk in the summer.

What a nice park! I have gone there in winter time but this was my first time in spring. It's a…read morebeautiful place and it attracts a lot of people and runners. We had a long walk and enjoyed the weather, beauty of the park and people's energy! It's a great place for walking your dog too. I enjoyed my walk and I'm sure I'll go back there for walking again!

Maybe it's being close to the whitemud equestrian centre (after all I'm a farm kid lost in the big…read morecity) but I really enjoy the layout of the surrounding park area. The closeness to the river let's you enjoy the sound of water plus the trees and birds while drowning out the busy main roads that run past. If you have the ability to hike into other parks, I'd highly suggest taking a few hours and bring a picnic with you. It's well worth the time to loop around the river valley in a circle and enjoy a picnic at the end. Lots of randomly placed picnic areas and benches throughout. Some areas more accessible than others. If you're looking for scenic area that has a flatter path to start improving your waking distance, I'd suggest this as one of the better places in the city. I also see a lot of parents helping their kids ride bikes along the paved road over the years. Smaller parking lot at the front but that takes you directly to the main paved path which makes sense why it fills up on the nice days. If you keep driving along the loop, you'll find a few more additional parking spots. Under the bridge might be a different park but allows access to parking too. I believe there's access to a stairwell on that side (but that's the last thing I'd go looking for with my bad knees!). Newer bathroom facility that even has a bottle filing area inside. No more need to desperately try and fit your reusable bottle under the tap of warm water. If you go over the grassy hill (opposite of the path) there are outdoor arenas and further along the gravel road, the newly built equestrian arena and horse pens. There's usually a fruit stand parked on the corner during summer, which is nice to grab a snack if you're sitting outside enjoying the sun. In summer you'll also see horse trailers lined up along the grass area & dirt road. As they hold shows at this location, it can get quite busy. Signs are posted for the events well in advance, just in case you wish to walk where there's less people around. Please do remember to keep dogs on leashes and bells working on your bikes (on and off the main path), as horse riders share the paths too. It really is wonderful to see so many ages and levels of physical activity enjoying one area of the river valley. Now thinking about it more, this is probably why I find myself revisiting this park at least several times from spring to fall.

It is a nice place for city apartment dwellers to see a few man made lakes and bike paths. Plenty…read moreof parking. But I have found it always too busy, too many people. Some people fishing. What is worse is the goose poop that is everywhere, and you cannot avoid stepping on it. Forget about sitting on the grass! The city should intervene. Lots of people honking their car horns to lock their doors which takes away from the ambience (people are very inconsiderate these days). For a better experience get out of the city.

Hermitage Park is an urban outdoor lover's paradise. The paved trail that runs through it is…read moreperfect for biking, hiking, and rollerblading. Dog lovers will enjoy the hug off-leash area. The park is picturesque, with several man-made lakes, including one stocked with fish. It is also close to the North Saskatchewan River. As Jeanette pointed out, there are a lot of geese here, so in some places you have to watch where you step -- but I personally think Canada geese area beautiful and it is wonderful to see so many of them at once. Hermitage is also home to the memorial for the tornado that took place in 1987. If you head south in Hermitage, you end up passing the Rundle Golf Course and eventually ending up in Rundle Park itself. To the north is a steep hill worth the climb for the incredible view. Unless you live in the north, Hermitage can be a bit of a trek to get to, but it is worth the effort.

Elk Island National Park is one of my favourite spots to visit…read more The park has many hiking trails ranging from a few kilometres to over 10. So definitely a variety for all fitness levels. Hiking can be done read round, and snowshoeing in the winter. The park has a visitor centre at the south entrance with Parks Canada staff, who are very welcoming, professional and very knowledgeable about the park and the wildlife. Speaking of wildlife, Elk Island is the home of bisons, which have been introduced to the area many years ago. They are impressive beautiful animals, that I've seen up close and personal (from my vehicle). They are impressive park also offers camping at the Astotin Lake area, but also backcountry camping. The park is a short hour (or less) east of Edmonton, and it is absolutely one of the best areas you can go to in Alberta to enjoy the outdoors, outdoor sports and activities, and wildlife. Ell Island National Park is also a dark sky area, where you can enjoy a starry night sky!!!

Awesome place Great hikes…read moreLots of wildlife... birds bears beavers elk bison etc Fun to ride bikes Quaint visitor center. Bring supplies. No provisions. Great for the day. Or you can camp. Would recommend!

(4.5 on the Jennie scale). This is a great place to take your kids for a day of sun and spray…read more Accessible bathrooms, places to cook off in, and The Legislatoras live music and exhibits to share. I come here often and bring a picnic and let the kids hang out for the day. The water is cold, (but not as cold as the City Hall Pool). The other thing is that because of the fact that you are on government grounds, security is good there. So I am not worried about being bother by other people. The only thing is that there isn't a lot of food vendors here, so if you drop by and are hungry you will have to make do with the ice cream man and fat franks.

The park that surrounds the Legislative Assembly of Alberta is a great place to relax with friends…read moreor family or cool your feet in the wading pool. The south end of the grounds includes a skating rink for the winter and the area is great for snowshoeing and other activities in the winter too. During the summer it is great for a walk or just for sitting on a bench or on some steps and relaxing. Sometimes there are events here with food trucks or other things too. Overall it's well worth a visit and from this park one can see the fireworks on Canada Day or just enjoy some good weather. The fountains are pretty nice as well.

I've stopped here several times over the years when my body needs a break from being in the…read morevehicle. Tonight I sat way too long in the lineup at Peter's, so naturally I thought of this location on my way home. It was super windy and quite chilly tonight. I debated just looking at the lake from the vehicle but I wanted to see what birds were out there. So I had a fast eating kind of picnic while watching the geese at the lake, checked out the playground to see if it's worth bringing the nephews and nieces (definitely cool!) and just enjoyed watching the sun set from different angles. It's a large park with the road dividing the off leash area from where the playground is. Trees look to be the boundary to the gold course further back in the park. If you're looking for well set up group spaces for picnics that are family friendly, I'd recommend this location. Lots of parking too. Oh

This park is OUT OF THIS WORLD!…read more There are so many playgrounds here, it is easy for me to get lost! TONS of parking, at least 5 separate playgrounds including - toddler playground, big kid playground, rock wall/climbing and rope course play ground, HUGE spray park, and a freaking monkey bars playground... that's right, I said a monkey bars playground with more than 20 different types/styles of monkey bars. This park is INSANE - if you haven't been here, you NEED to come. Get up, right now and go! So pray tell, why am I only giving 4 stars rather than 5 stars? Well... Okay, compared to my family's personal have spray park, this park does not offer concessions, is not staffed during all open hours, and has a lake that little ones could run off to quickly and possibly get wet or be in a dangerous situation. So... If coming here with only big kids that you trust not to go in the lake or run out in the parking lot, then this park may become your very favourite. If you are like me with two kids under 6, this park requires a 1:1 ratio of adults to children to be certain of safety. I will most definitely be coming back here again and again and again!