Edmonton, Alberta -- An Edmonton Valentine’s is hard to match. The city is a breathtaking winter paradise surrounded by gorgeous countryside and there is no shortage of romantic things to do in Edmonton, so why not devote an entire month to celebrating that special someone.

Consider the old-fashioned merits of a leisurely stroll, arm in arm. The city’s famed river valley, twenty-two times larger than New York’s Central Park, is gorgeous in winter. There is plenty of room to walk and talk: 150 kilometres (just over 93 miles) of trails. And the sights along the way are stunning. Overlooking the river valley is the Alberta Legislature, a magnificent park surrounded by history, grandeur, and parliamentary tradition, set amidst elegant ice sculptures and outdoor displays.

On any given evening, there are plenty of romantic Edmonton restaurants to treat a loved one to. Sample a taste of Paris at the Creperie, where you can dine on delicious crepes in small intimate rooms with candlelight. Tantalize the taste buds with beef tenderloin in a goat cheese crust, cedar-planked Pacific salmon and Smoky Lake (Alberta) bison at the Hardware Grill.

Savour the charms of an Edmonton Valentine’s with champagne, Callebaut chocolate strawberries, and one dozen long stemmed red roses in a premier guestroom with fireplace at the Union Bank Inn. Enjoy fine gourmet food at La Ronde in the Chateau Lacombe downtown, offering Edmonton’s finest regional Canadian cuisine and an exquisite, unmatched view high above the city, in a restaurant that slowly rotates every 90 minutes.

Romantic Edmonton hotel packages abound. At the famed historic and indelibly classic Fairmont Hotel Macdonald that overlooks the river valley, enjoy a romantic evening for two with a package that includes: chocolate delights, seasonal fresh flowers, French champagne and flutes, and breakfast in bed for two and more.

West Edmonton Mall’s Fantasyland Hotel offers the “When in Rome” Package that includes a Fantasy Feast for two, with beef tenderloin, lobster tails, grilled chicken breasts and sauteed garlic shrimp, and a bottle of Italian wine served in your room with the Chef’s selection of fresh fruit and cheese.

End a day of pure romance the perfect way. Spend a night in the luxury and charm of a room with antique furniture, even an old-fashion claw bathtub. Located just two blocks away from the river valley, Edmonton’s very first bed and breakfast, La Boheme Restaurant and European-style Hotel, is a provincially designed historic site with an original Edwardian pressed tin ceiling.

Looking to do something incredibly romantic in February? How about this? Elope! Have an intimate private ceremony for the bride and groom and, if you so choose, a few close friends and family. Follow it with a romantic dinner for two in a quiet, secluded restaurant and end the day in an Edmonton hotel room of sheer comfort. It’s all waiting for you at Suffolk House Bed and Breakfast, a four star retreat located on the shore of Antler Lake in Strathcona County. The property is situated on the lakeshore, boasts a panoramic view of Antler Lake, just twenty-five minutes from Edmonton.

End your month of romance in a way you’ll always remember. Take in the Winter Light Star Party on February 28 at Elk Island Park National Park of Canada, located less than an hour east of Edmonton. It’s the perfect setting for a night of astronomy, with campfires, food, and the wonderment of the massive prairie sky. And think about it: what could be more romantic than sleeping under the stars while snuggled together in a tent on a winter’s night? Wake up in the morning and go for a long walk amidst the beauty of nature in a beautiful oasis where you’re bound to catch sight of bison, moose, deer, elk and any of over 200 species of birds.

To keep the magic happening all month, there are so many little things you can do. Start by getting the perfect cards, flowers, and balloons from Pollie’s Flowers. Send your loved one a romantic card a day and include heartfelt thoughts of love, romantic memories, or your hopes and dreams for your relationship in the year ahead. Send a beautiful bouquet of flowers every day for a week (or once a week all through February).

Better yet, go for the royal treatment. Decorate your sweetheart’s car. Fill it with balloons, flower petals, and a special gift of your choice. Then whisk them off to someplace special (and as you’ve seen here, there is no shortage of special places or things to do in Edmonton).

Visit Edmonton Tourism to learn more about Edmonton attractions, hotels, events, and more at .

Jenifer Christenson
Executive Director, External Relations
780.917.7890