West Edmonton Mall

West Edmonton Mall opened in 1981 and was the largest shopping mall in the world for over two decades; it is still the largest in North America. The scale comes from what was built alongside the shops: World Waterpark, one of the largest indoor waterparks anywhere with a wave pool and a slide tower; Galaxyland, an indoor amusement park with the Mindbender triple-loop rollercoaster; an NHL-size ice rink; a lagoon holding a full-size replica of the Santa Maria; and a hotel with themed rooms. It draws around thirty million visits a year in a city of about a million, which says something about Edmonton winters.

What you actually see

• World Waterpark - a vast indoor waterpark with a wave pool.
• Galaxyland - an indoor amusement park with a triple-loop coaster.
• The Santa Maria replica - a full-size ship in an indoor lagoon.
• The scale - over eight hundred shops under one roof.

When to go

Year-round, and it exists precisely for winter, when Edmonton can hit minus thirty. School holidays are extremely busy. Each attraction is ticketed separately.

Honest expectations

Every attraction costs extra and a full day adds up quickly. It is overwhelming and hard to navigate. The Mindbender coaster had a fatal accident in 1986, after which the ride was modified.

Nearby

Fort Edmonton Park lies east; the river valley runs through the city.