Best day trips from Edmonton
 

One thing that makes a city a great place to live is the chance to get out of it once in a while and explore the surrounding area. What are the best small towns, natural sites and other attractions close to Edmonton? Obviously there are the mountains, but I'm talking about closer things within the capital region that are good for a day trip.

Wetaskiwin and Lacombe (a little further off) both have cute historic downtowns: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.9697...7i13312!8i6656 and https://www.google.com/maps/@52.4638...7i13312!8i6656

In terms of natural areas, Elk Island and Chickakoo Lake (https://www.google.com/maps/@53.6148...7i13312!8i6656) are really nice.

What else can we add that nicely showcases the capital region outside of Edmonton proper?

We found a great little beach this summer called Hubble Lake which is about 10 min west of Stony Plain. A very nice beach and swimming area, calm lake for paddle boarding, canoeing, etc.

Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin
Pembina River tubing near Entwistle
Sylvan Lake
Wabamun Lake
Pigeon Lake
Jurassic Forest near Gibbons
Ukrainian Cultural Village
Energy Discovery Centre near Devon
Botanical Gardens west of the city
St. Albert Farmers's Market in downtown St. Albert

Slave Lake is 3hrs door to door, but a nice drive and beautiful lake/beach.

It is a longer drive, but there is nice scenery around there. Not as nice as Jasper, but a nice change and something different. A few years ago my family rented out "The Nest"--really great accommodation and highly recommended. http://www.borealbirdcentre.ca/media.htm

That's good to know--thanks. We used to have a cabin at Alberta Beach on Lac St. Anne, but the place is a real dump and has only gotten worse. Is Hubble Lake the same as Alan Beach resort? I think I may have once gone to Allan Beach as a teenager but then totally forgot about it until I googled Hubble Lake. Allan Beach appears now to be closed? Is that right? Is Hubble Lake public access? Is there a charge to use the beach?

Whitecourt is a great place to go to in summer, they have a fantastic park that has waterslides and a lake you can swim in for free. There is also hard luck canyon nearby that makes you feel like you are in the mountains. Carson-Pegasus provincial park just north of the town that has a nice lake. You can also go tubing down the McLeod River.