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?