Edmonton, Alberta

Alberta's capital may be only the sixth largest city in Canada, but it is the biggest and best in many other areas. Take, for example, the mammoth West Edmonton Mall, which – spanning the equivalent of 48 city blocks – is the biggest shopping mall and entertainment complex in the world. With an ice rink, an amusement park, an indoor lake, and more than 800 stores, restaurants, attractions, and services, it is a real feast for the senses and great for family day-trips. (And thanks to a lack of provincial sales tax, the shopping is reasonable, too.) Want something smaller? Old Strathcona is a quaint pedestrian shopping area with boutiques and restaurants that provide a very different experience than the modern mall.

But we're in Alberta, so we have to look to the great outdoors – and, again, Edmonton doesn't disappoint. Edmonton is one of the greenest cities in Canada, with more than 4,046 hectares (10,000 acres) of parkland. Indeed, Edmonton's stretch of urban parkland, which is 22 times larger than New York's Central Park, is the largest in North America.

And if you're a golf fanatic, there are more than 70 golf courses in metro Edmonton, including Victoria Golf Course, which is the oldest municipal golf course in Canada.

Speaking of history, you can take the kids to Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest historical park, and go on a journey into the past to experience the days of the Western pioneers.

Edmonton is also known as Canada's Festival City, because there's always something to celebrate: there are more than 20 major festivals during the year, with nine major festivals in the summer alone. Perhaps this attitude of celebration comes from that fact that Edmonton has long been a place of good fortune. The city was originally established because of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. And following the discovery of oil in 1947, Edmonton became really wealthy, and is still a hub for the petrochemical industry.

It may surprise you to learn that Edmonton is one of Canada's sunniest cities. Despite the cold winters, Edmonton receives an average of 12.32 hours of sun a day (in the summer there can be as much as 17 hours a day). This means you'll have plenty of time for the excellent hiking and biking opportunities within the city or for taking a weekend trip to Jasper National Park and the Rocky Mountains, which are just 366 kilometers (227 miles) away.

Whatever your interests, you'll never be bored in Edmonton.

See our 101 Jobs in Edmonton, Alberta

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