Canada's fifth-largest metropolitan area is a vibrant, expansive city buoyed by Alberta's booming economy. Driving is the best way to see Edmonton's sites, such as the gargantuan West Edmonton Mall, and the Rockies, which rise a couple of hours' drive to the east. Amid old homes in Old Strathcona, hip strip Whyte Avenue leads to the University of Alberta and attracts an energetic, youthful crowd to its bars and offbeat boutiques. Fort Edmonton Park and Royal Alberta Museum showcase the province's past.