Why does everyone say “skip Edmonton” when visiting AB?

[u/Zestyy-Gold]

I’ve seen a lot online where tourists will ask for a Alberta itinerary, which I understand they are excited to see mountains…but people would add the extra “skip Edmonton” line even as if there’s nothing to embrace here. I have never been to Edmonton, but as the capital of Alberta, is there really nothing to see as a traveller? I read that there is an interesting food scene, cool museums (Reynolds, Telus World of Science, Royal Alberta Museum, etc), chill neighborhoods like Whyte Ave, and a big ass shopping mall? Do people say this just so the city wouldnt be clustered with tourists or is the city really that skippable? I don’t think anyone expects it to be a Vancouver, Montreal, or Toronto…but I’m sure it still has it’s charm?

[u/SerboCanadiann]

I was once a tourist visiting Western Canada, and honestly feel that we could have skipped our Edmonton stop and spent an extra day in Kelowna, Calgary, Banff or Jasper.
Because of a work opportunity i now live in Edmonton, and the city has things to offer to its residents, but if I'm spending my hard earned money to travel, Edmonton truly doesn't have that many unique things that you can't find somewhere else and it isn't that close for people to just swing by.

[u/Starpoodle → u/SerboCanadiann]

Neither does Calgary or Kelowna. Banff and Jasper are also very small towns and I would argue that 1 day is more than enough for the towns theimselves.

[u/SerboCanadiann → u/Starpoodle]

It is. I know when i did my Western Canada trip we had 3 days in Calgary, 1 in Edmonton. If i was redoing it i would do 1 day in Calgary and 0 in Edmonton. Or 2 days in Calgary if something like a Stampede is happening.

But overall Calgary and Edmonton are both giving me Canadian big cities, and are not differentiated much from other big cities, like everything you can find in those two you as a tourist could find in others and more.