West Edmonton Mall: complete visitor guide

West Edmonton Mall is not like other shopping malls. At 5.3 million square feet spanning the equivalent of 48 city blocks, WEM — as Edmontonians call it — contains a fully enclosed waterpark with a wave pool, an NHL-sized ice rink, an indoor amusement park with a full-size roller coaster, a submarine fleet, a hotel, over 800 stores and services, and more restaurants than many small cities. It held the title of world’s largest shopping mall from its 1981 opening until 2004, and it remains one of the most astonishing indoor spaces in North America.

For travellers visiting Edmonton, West Edmonton Mall is an obligatory stop — not because of the shopping, but because it is a genuinely extraordinary spectacle and a world-class entertainment complex in its own right. On a cold Alberta winter day (and Edmonton has many of those), it is also an unbeatable family destination.

A brief history of the mall

The Ghermezian family — Iranian-born Canadian entrepreneurs — developed West Edmonton Mall through the early 1980s with a vision that went far beyond retail. Phase I opened in 1981 with 220 stores; Phase III completed in 1985 brought the total to its current scale. At its peak in the mid-1980s, WEM employed 23,000 people and was the largest employer in Alberta after the provincial government.

The mall’s tourism model was deliberate: by combining shopping with experiences that couldn’t be found elsewhere (the indoor waterpark, the submarines, the ice rink), the Ghermezians created a destination that drew visitors from across Canada, the United States, and beyond. This model influenced shopping mall development worldwide.

World Waterpark

The World Waterpark is the most spectacular feature of West Edmonton Mall and one of the largest indoor waterparks on the continent. Its centrepiece is a massive wave pool — when the waves are activated, they create surf conditions that attract bodyboarders and casual swimmers alike. Around the wave pool, a series of water slides of varying intensity fill the cavernous space: gentle family slides, terrifying vertical drops, and enclosed tube rides.

The Twister is the signature ride: a nearly vertical drop slide that is not for the faint-hearted. The Blue Thunder is a high-speed enclosed tube slide. More relaxed options include a lazy river circuit and a children’s play area with smaller slides.

The Waterpark maintains a tropical temperature year-round — a feature particularly appreciated by visitors arriving from an Alberta winter outside. Swimwear rental and lockers are available on-site if you haven’t brought your own.

Practical details:

• Separate admission to the Waterpark (not included in general mall entry)
• Book tickets in advance during peak periods (school holidays, weekends)
• Height restrictions apply to some slides — check the website before visiting with small children
• Swimwear must meet standards (board shorts acceptable; clothing not permitted)

Galaxyland Amusement Park

Galaxyland is the indoor amusement park at the heart of WEM — a full-scale theme park under a glass-domed roof. The signature attraction is Mindbender, a triple-loop steel roller coaster that winds through the space at heights that make most visitors forget they are inside a building. At the time of its installation it was the world’s largest indoor roller coaster.

Other Galaxyland attractions include the Drop of Doom free-fall ride, a carousel, a 3D motion simulator, and a range of family-friendly rides suitable for younger children. The park uses a ride credit system — visitors purchase credits and redeem them for individual rides, which works well for families who want to do specific rides rather than pay for an all-day pass.

Practical details:

• Separate admission or per-ride credit system
• Mindbender has height requirements (must be at least 137 cm / 4’6”)
• Best visited on weekdays when school is in session to avoid queues

Ice Palace skating rink

The Ice Palace is a full NHL-regulation-sized skating rink at the centre of the mall, used for both public skating sessions and as the home rink of the Edmonton Oil Kings junior hockey team. Public skating is available most mornings and some evenings when no games or events are scheduled — check the Ice Palace schedule on the WEM website.

Skate rentals are available. Figure skating is practiced here by regional clubs, and the rink has produced some notable Canadian skaters over the years.

Shopping in West Edmonton Mall

The 800+ stores at WEM cover every retail category from fast fashion to luxury goods. The mall’s indoor main street, Bourbon Street, is lined with restaurants and has a themed New Orleans ambiance with wrought-iron facades and jazz club styling. Chinatown is another themed internal neighbourhood with Asian restaurants and stores.

International visitors often note that WEM’s retail mix is thoroughly North American — many of the brands will be familiar from US malls. However, some distinctively Canadian retailers (Hudson’s Bay Company, Sport Chek, Reitmans) are well-represented, and the food hall includes a broader range of cuisines than most suburban malls.

Key anchor stores: Hudson’s Bay, Sport Chek, H&M, Zara, Anthropologie, Apple, and numerous specialty retailers across home goods, electronics, outdoor gear, and fashion.

Dining at West Edmonton Mall

The dining options at WEM range from fast food chains (concentrated in three large food courts) to sit-down restaurants with genuine quality. Highlights include:

The Keg — the reliable Canadian steakhouse chain, with an excellent location at WEM for a proper Alberta beef dinner after a day of activities.

Joey — a contemporary Canadian casual dining chain with good cocktails and a sophisticated menu.

Bourbon Street restaurants — the themed street has a cluster of restaurants including New Orleans-style fare, though quality varies and the atmosphere is more visual than culinary.

The mall also has a large Earl’s restaurant and numerous fast-casual options for families who don’t want to commit to a sit-down meal between activities.

Staying at the Fantasyland Hotel

The Fantasyland Hotel is the on-site hotel located within West Edmonton Mall — literally inside the building. Staying here is an experience in itself. Beyond standard hotel rooms, the property offers themed accommodation suites designed around concepts including the Igloo Room (sleeping inside a domed ice structure-styled room), the Polynesian Room (bamboo and thatch ceiling elements), and the Hollywood Suite (art deco glamour). These themed suites are a particular draw for couples and families with children.

Staying at the Fantasyland Hotel gives guests immediate access to the mall’s attractions without commuting, and the hotel is a perfectly serviceable mid-range option for those without interest in the themed rooms.

Other WEM attractions

Professor WEM’s Adventure Golf — 18-hole indoor miniature golf with adventurously themed holes winding through a jungle-like environment. Excellent for families.

Laser Quest — indoor laser tag arena popular with teenagers and corporate groups.

Movie theatres — a multi-screen cinema complex within the mall shows first-run films.

Ed’s Rec Room — a large games arcade and entertainment venue with arcade machines, bowling, billiards, and food service.

Sea Life Caverns — a small aquarium attraction with fish and sea creatures, best suited to younger children.

Getting to West Edmonton Mall

By car: WEM is located on 87th Avenue NW in west Edmonton, well-signposted from all major roads. Parking is vast and free. From downtown Edmonton, the drive takes approximately 20 minutes.

By public transit: Edmonton Transit Service Route 100 (the West Express) connects downtown Edmonton to WEM directly. Buses run frequently and the journey takes approximately 45 minutes. The ETS app provides real-time schedules.

From Calgary: Edmonton is approximately 300 kilometres north of Calgary — a 3-hour drive on Highway 2 (QEII Highway). WEM is a natural stop for road-trippers on this route, particularly for those with children.

Tips for visiting West Edmonton Mall

Allow more time than you think: The mall is genuinely enormous. Walking from one end to the other without stopping takes 20 minutes. First-time visitors consistently underestimate the space.

Use the WEM app or maps: The mall provides maps at entrances and its website has a floor plan. The internal signage is good but the scale can be confusing.

Visit on a weekday: WEM is a genuine regional shopping destination for Edmontonians, meaning weekends — especially Saturday afternoons — are significantly busier than weekdays. If your schedule allows, a Tuesday or Wednesday visit is much more comfortable.

Book Waterpark and Galaxyland in advance: During school holidays, these attractions sell out or have very long queues. Pre-purchasing tickets online saves both time and money.

Budget for attractions: Shopping aside, budget CAD $50–100 per person for a day of activities (waterpark + one or two other paid attractions). The mall itself is free to enter and browse.

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West Edmonton Mall vs other major malls

WEM pioneered the entertainment-within-retail model that malls worldwide have since copied. The American Dream mall in New Jersey and the Mall of America in Minnesota both followed WEM’s template. What distinguishes WEM from later imitators is its authenticity as a working local mall alongside the spectacle — Edmontonians genuinely shop here for everyday needs, giving it an energy that purely tourist-focused entertainment malls lack.

For travellers to Edmonton comparing options, WEM is unambiguously the single largest and most diverse indoor entertainment destination in Canada. Spending half a day here is worthwhile regardless of interest in shopping.

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