I was born in Edmonton, grew up in the sticks way north of it, went to college (NAIT) in Edmonton and lived all over the province after that, with the longest stint being 9 years in Calgary. I lived in Medicine Hat a while and it never did much for me. Also lived in Grande Prairie for 7 years and it was pretty decent. Red Deer and Lethbridge seemed to be places I was always passing through without much time to spare. I never made it to Fort Mac even to visit, but people say I'm not missing anything.
Driving, Calgary is easier to get across, with the way the trails and main drags run, but to me Edmonton makes more sense (none of the 4 quadrant thing so there is one 17th Ave, for example not one north and one south). I also find Calgary drivers are better on things like merging ettiquette but the roads are starting to get more congested with the growing population and courtesy on them is dying fast.
Downtowns, Calgary is bigger but if you're there after 6:00pm most of the time its a ghost town. Edmonton's isn't much better but doesn't feel as totally deserted. Both have some scenery involved and both have have proximity to some rough areas so I don't really call one over the other. Edmonton used to have a better music scene (for rock bands... and I can't comment much anymore) but all the best artists all head out to the Wet Coast or south.
Location, Calgary's proximity to the mountains is an edge over Edmonton but Calgary's altitude (2nd highest major city in North America) can raise issues to those not used to it. Edmonton, has an edge in being closer to the great sports fisheries of Northern Alberta. Calgary is definately a better hub for airline flights. Sports teams are cyclical, but on the whole I've never been an Oiler or Stampeder fan: both cities are equal in their availability to the CFL, NHL, WHL and they both used to have AAA Baseball as well but I never really cared about it. Culturally, Edmonton has it over Calgary but the city in the south is gaining ground.
As for the whole city rivalry thing, Calgarians have more of a chip on their shoulder about it these days. Edmontonians seem to want things to center around the capital but with Calgarians they seem to have a mini-Toronto complex at times: "our city drives the economy so we should get the first and best of everything... even if nothing is really produced here but at all the facilities of our various companies, out in the boondocks". There are some great people in both cities but they seem more genuine (to me) in Edmonton. The pace of life is a little slower in Edmonton too probably the public vs private sector influences in the cities (I remember commenting to my mother one time a year or so after I mvoed to Calgary that the place seems to be on caffeine, nicoteine and adrenaline all day until it shuts down at about 5:00 pm).
If I had the choice to make, Edmonton would win out but I will freely admit thats influenced by proximity to friends and family members: most are north of or in Edmonton if they're still in Alberta. It all boils down to what you're looking for and your lifestyle.
Driving, Calgary is easier to get across, with the way the trails and main drags run, but to me Edmonton makes more sense (none of the 4 quadrant thing so there is one 17th Ave, for example not one north and one south). I also find Calgary drivers are better on things like merging ettiquette but the roads are starting to get more congested with the growing population and courtesy on them is dying fast.
Downtowns, Calgary is bigger but if you're there after 6:00pm most of the time its a ghost town. Edmonton's isn't much better but doesn't feel as totally deserted. Both have some scenery involved and both have have proximity to some rough areas so I don't really call one over the other. Edmonton used to have a better music scene (for rock bands... and I can't comment much anymore) but all the best artists all head out to the Wet Coast or south.
Location, Calgary's proximity to the mountains is an edge over Edmonton but Calgary's altitude (2nd highest major city in North America) can raise issues to those not used to it. Edmonton, has an edge in being closer to the great sports fisheries of Northern Alberta. Calgary is definately a better hub for airline flights. Sports teams are cyclical, but on the whole I've never been an Oiler or Stampeder fan: both cities are equal in their availability to the CFL, NHL, WHL and they both used to have AAA Baseball as well but I never really cared about it. Culturally, Edmonton has it over Calgary but the city in the south is gaining ground.
As for the whole city rivalry thing, Calgarians have more of a chip on their shoulder about it these days. Edmontonians seem to want things to center around the capital but with Calgarians they seem to have a mini-Toronto complex at times: "our city drives the economy so we should get the first and best of everything... even if nothing is really produced here but at all the facilities of our various companies, out in the boondocks". There are some great people in both cities but they seem more genuine (to me) in Edmonton. The pace of life is a little slower in Edmonton too probably the public vs private sector influences in the cities (I remember commenting to my mother one time a year or so after I mvoed to Calgary that the place seems to be on caffeine, nicoteine and adrenaline all day until it shuts down at about 5:00 pm).
If I had the choice to make, Edmonton would win out but I will freely admit thats influenced by proximity to friends and family members: most are north of or in Edmonton if they're still in Alberta. It all boils down to what you're looking for and your lifestyle.
