West Edmonton Mall is not just a shopping centre — it is an experience that needs to be understood on its own terms. Covering more than 490,000 square metres, it houses over 800 shops, more than 100 restaurants, a full amusement park, a water park, a casino, a hotel, a skating rink, and a replica of Columbus's Santa Maria floating in an indoor lagoon.
The shopping is as complete as you'd expect from the largest mall in North America — every major brand, plus a genuine range of independent shops. But the draw for visitors is everything else: Galaxyland, an indoor amusement park with a full-size roller coaster; World Waterpark, with a wave pool and a dozen waterslides; and the ice rink, which has hosted professional hockey games.
Go in expecting sensory overload and you will not be disappointed. The sheer scale of the place — it has its own postcode — makes it worth a visit even if you have no intention of buying anything. Take a few hours and wander without a plan; the surprising juxtapositions (swimwear shops next to a fairground; a hotel lobby overlooking an indoor beach) are the actual attraction.