STEPHANIE BALLOO IS BEGUILED BY SNOWY EDMONTON’S BEAUTY AND RELAXED VIBE
I’M GLIDING down an ice slide under the gaze of a frozen narwhal sculpture in a castle made from thousands of icicles.
A trio of igloos stand dusted in powder-white snow alongside the icy towers, arches and pathways.
We clamber on hands and knees through a short tunnel of compact snow to marvel at a secret room of suspended crystals.
Under the night sky, this enchanting winter fort – formed by 10,000 icicles a day for five weeks – comes to life as lights glow from inside the ice.
These are Canada’s famous Ice Castles. They’re located here in Edmonton ICE District, Alberta’s capital city.
It’s known for festivals, North America’s second largest mall and the country’s biggest living history museum.
But quirky bars, urban street art and an explosion of gin distilleries and breweries are putting the city, North of the Saskatchewan River, on the map as a tourist destination.
Overlooking skyscrapers, our base for three nights is the lavish JW Marriott hotel – one of three in the whole of Canada.
Edmonton is three hours out of Calgary Airport, so you’ll need a car or driver to get around.
The sharp winter chill is palpable as you approach the window for city views, so the plush feather bedding in my room feels a welcome retreat from the cold.
The hotel’s hot bubbling whirlpool is the perfect antidote to long days exploring in sub-zero temperatures. And if working out takes your fancy, there’s a spacious gym boasting skyline views too.
Like most cities, Edmonton is largely grayscale, but Rust Magic is doing its part to transform its walls through urban street art.
“At first we had to go begging for walls, businesses now ask us,” Annaliza and Trevor explain, as they lead the two-hour walking tour.
There are now 60 murals painted across Edmonton, half by local Canadian artists and half by visiting international artists.
Amazingly, business owners have no clue what they’re getting until the work is complete.
Artists are ‘supported with whatever they want to paint’ and it’s easy to see why, each piece is individual, colourful and injects life into its brick canvas.
Head 35 minutes east out of the downtown bustle and you’ll find a national park where you can follow in the footsteps of bison – an animal brought back from near extinction.
“They can run faster than Usain Bolt”, our guide Brennan insists as we squint our eyes at brown fur blobs 100ft away at Elk Island National Park.
Luckily we get an up-close glimpse when we pull the van beside a pair surely about to lock horns. Formerly hunted for their hides to make police officer coats, the 500 bison are now protected in the enclosed conservation park.
Here on Park’s Canada grounds, you can camp, take walking tours, hikes or pedal cycle routes. Activities centre around a stunning lake, which sees some 7,000 visitors flock here on summer weekends.
Now frozen over and topped by a 3ft blanket of snow, the park carries a completely different appeal.
Trek through deep snow, enjoy a moment of peace on Canada’s iconic red chairs and follow the trail of beavers through bitten-down trees.
A pit-stop sees us toast sugar-coated apples over a fire pit and before we head back into the inner city, we warm up at Edmonton’s first gin distillery. It’s a brand which set out ahead of the current gin boom.
Housed in an old radiator shop from 1946 and later taken over by a punk rock band, there’s something charming about the distillery – with speakers still in place in the former rehearsal space.
On a gin tasting course in the striking pink building, we learn how Strathcona Spirits’s smoky barrel-aged wares are forged in a still affectionately named after the owner’s gran.
Though artwork and ingredients are sourced locally, they also ship off to a keen customer base in Japan. “They know a good spirit when they see it”, manager Michelle says proudly.
If beer is more your taste though, stop by Situation Brewery for a tour of how the beers are created before feasting on juicy burgers.
For dinner, we’re taken to Baijiu, opposite the city’s Neon Light Museum – which is worth a look.
Think notorious BIG, Nas and Mobb Deep blasting in a dimly lit, lively restaurant with sharing plates swapped around on a lazy Susan.
Its Asian-infused menu features mouth-watering prawn dumplings, bao buns and Korean spiced Brussels sprouts – yes really.
Seek out the bar’s antique cupboard – which swings open to reveal a secret doorway to a speakeasy, where you can try ‘original gangster’ cocktails.
It’s just one of many innovative new restaurants popping up in Edmonton. For example, contemporary restaurant Biera pairs its beers with sharing plates like ricotta dumplings and grass-fed ribs.
Before you leave, head out to Riverdale – home of one of the first settlers in 1905 – to the quaint Little Brick Café. Brave the cold on the heated patio or head into the cosy, homely café for breakfast or brunch.
Experiencing the unique Ice Castles, dining at lively restaurants and encountering inspiring wild animals in their natural habitat leaves me feeling Edmonton should come recommended as a must-see stopover in Canada.