Edmonton is a huge city, so it can be overwhelming to decide where you can take your date. No matter who you plan to take out, there is something in Edmonton for everyone. Let us see what date ideas in Edmonton we can cook up.
A romantic dinner with great food, live music, and some ice cream to top the night off. These are just some of the best things you can do for date night with your husband, wife, or partner. But if you’re looking for a unique experience, there’s a wide variety fun date ideas you can try around the Edmonton area.
Looking for a great date idea for you and your significant other? Here are some of the romantic things you can try out.
1. The University of Alberta Botanical Gardens
Whether you want just to wander around or enjoy a specific event, these gardens are always a great place for a date because of the relaxing environment.
The Wind in the Pines tea group offers a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in the Kurimuto Japanese Garden. Your hosts dress in traditional Japanese kimono and offer delicious Japanese treats alongside the tea.
You can also purchase the Twilight Picnic Experience, which includes a gourmet picnic box. While you have to bring your own blanket, you are free to wander the gardens as you please while enjoying your food.
2. Taste of Edmonton
Nothing beats a classic food and drink festival, especially Western Canada’s largest one.
At Taste of Edmonton, you can sample several restaurant and diner food trucks from all over the city. Enjoy some of the city’s most famous meals and drinks and some lesser-known ones ready for the spotlight.
This is a huge event, so you will have to wrangle with crowds and a lot of waiting. However, you and your date can enjoy the smells of Edmonton’s finest restaurants coming together to celebrate food and drink enthusiasts.
This event only happens in downtown Edmonton during the summer but is well worth the wait.
3. Snow Valley Aerial Park
If you and your date are a little adventurous, you should find something at Snow Valley Aeriel Park.
There are several different trails with different challenges you can complete, with activities like climbing, swinging, or crawling. These activities vary in difficulty. All trails lead to the top of the Tower, where a guide can take your picture if you wish.
Do not worry about safety: the park’s harness and lanyard system will keep you safe for every step of your journey. Well-trained guides will also provide assistance if needed.
4. Ride a Glowing Kayak with Edmonton Kayaks
There is a low chance that your date has ridden a glowing, transparent kayak on a river before. So why not take this chance and share the experience at Edmonton Kayaks?
Located at the Buena Vista Dock in Edmonton’s River Valley, you and your date will receive basic safety instructions for your kayak. You can rent either a single or tandem kayak for a two-hour block anytime between noon and 8 p.m. A tandem kayak usually costs around CA$120.
Your kayak will even include a Bluetooth speaker so you can play your favorite music on your journey.
5. Picnic Affair
Picnic Affair is excellent for a couple looking to elevate their picnicking game. It is a touch more expensive than a regular picnic in the park, but the luxury element is well worth it.
They have several packages to choose from, with the Signature Package for two people for $175. The package includes a picnic set up with blankets, cushions, rugs, silk flowers, cutlery, and more. You can add more people and time to a package for an extra fee.
Other special touches include a Donut Wall with 16 donuts and a photography section.
6. Stargazing at Elk Island
Elk Island is a natural refuge for bison, several bird species, and elk, but also an excellent spot for camping and stargazing, making it a wonderful place to experience nature together. Visiting the Elk Island National Park will definitely bring you and your date a great time while also getting out to see the best mother nature has to offer.
You can reserve a campsite at a prime stargazing spot if you feel like spending the night. Otherwise, you can set up a picnic and enjoy a magnificent view of the night sky. In fact, the sky is clear enough that you can even view seasonal meteor showers and the northern lights.
Keep in mind that the Aestotin Lake area, where most people like to view the sky, can be breezy at night. Be sure to bring an extra jacket or blanket. Such weather could be an excellent chance to share a blanket with your date or special someone.
7. See a Show at the Citadel Theatre
When going on a date, you can never go wrong with a live show at one of Canada’s largest and most popular theater venues.
The Citadel Theatre is a great choice because it shows both new and old shows from around the world. Now, while going to a live show is an incredible experience, the theater also offers on-demand streaming from their library of shows. You can buy a streaming pass on any available show and enjoy it for 48 hours for a small fee.
8. See the Telus World of Science Museum
If the weather turns a little sour, or if you both simply enjoy science and interactivity, the Telus World of Science Museum could be a great date.
You can enjoy a special film at the museum’s Imax Theatre or explore some of the temporary exhibits. There are plenty of evergreen exhibits, which you can explore in any order as long as you like. You and your date will find plenty of interactive content to stay entertained for hours throughout the museum.
9. Listen to Jazz at the Yardbird Suite
The Yardbird Suite presents a different jazz experience every weekend from the middle of September to the end of June. There are plenty of in-person and virtual concert experiences to enjoy in the venue’s comfortable atmosphere.
If you cannot make it there on the weekend, the Yardbird Suite hosts Tuesday Night Jams. You might see the Littlebirds youth jazz bands, the Yardbird Suite Jazz Orchestra, or the Yardbird Suite Allstars showcase their musical skills.
The Yardbird Suite Jazz Orchestra is the Suite’s resident band, but they only play three times per season, with each concert directed by a different local musician.
10. A Walk in the River Valley
The River Valley has many paved paths you and your date can walk on. For a little more adventure, you can bike together down these paths, which connect several Edmonton neighborhoods.
You can access these paths from several parks along the river, with several other cool stops and sights along the way. Whether you want to enjoy a pristine forest or walk past the river, you will find all kinds of natural delights in the River Valley. All paths remain open all year.
Other Honourable Mentions
- Visit Fort Edmonton Park, Victoria Park, or Hawrelak Park
- Stroll around the West Edmonton Mall
- Check out the art at the Art Gallery of Alberta
- Visit the Neon Sign Museum
- Check out the Muttart Conservatory
Wrap-Up
There is no shortage of awesome date ideas in Edmonton, but we hope you enjoy the favorites we picked above. After trying out those, we hope you continue to find some more favorites time and again.
