Ready for a road trip? Pick up your rental car (
Hertz has discounts for AAA members) and drive about 35 minutes east to
Elk Island National Park, the closest national park to Edmonton. Make your first stop the Visitor Information Centre near the south entrance, where exhibits explain the history of the park and the wildlife you’ll likely encounter. Once inside, drive Bison Loop Road to see free-roaming plains bison from the safety of your vehicle (the bison herd is best spotted around dawn or dusk). After you’ve snapped some photos, continue north to Astotin Lake where you can rent canoes or explore one of the many park trails or the boardwalk over the lake.