Staycation for young families in Edmonton

Having traveled extensively for work and for conferences and courses sponsored by work, now that we have a child in the family, I don't have an inclination to travel for the near future.  Although I don't pooh-pooh families that do a lot of traveling with their young kids, neither do I feel envious of them.  For me, traveling takes too much planning plus after coming back from traveling, it seems like there's a lot of catch up to do as things left undone continue to pile up.  Before again traveling extensively outside of the city, I'd like to get my ducks in a row so that things aren't spiraling out of control when we return home.  In addition to our sometimes "naughty" toddler, both my wife and I have elderly parents to look after so that is another reason for traveling less.

I am trying to find places in and around Edmonton, my home city, to enjoy on weekends and days off.  Criteria include:
* family friendly, that is, clean washrooms, safe space for toddler to explore
* free or economical
* fun and/or educational for toddler
* free wi-fi (optional)

While Edmonton is not a tourist mecca, we are lucky to have West Edmonton Mall and the indoor attractions there because our winters can be cold.  We are also fortunate to have the river valley and the extensive opportunities it offers during all seasons and especially during the summer.  Although we are not anything like Vancouver or Toronto, we have a number of ethnic neighborhoods where authentic food from other cultures can be enjoyed.  Isn't enjoying different foods one of the best things about vacation?

Unlike for jaded adults, almost anything is new to a toddler so traveling outside of the country is mainly for the adults in the family.  I think of myself as very familiar with the river valley, especially the central and northeast sections but I realized that I haven't explored the west and southwest regions.  What better companion to explore with than with my toddler?  And while I take the LRT nearly every day, I think my son will like taking the LRT for the first-time.  So many first's.

Some places we like:
* Ikea
* Public libraries, especially Whitemud Crossing and Meadowlark branches
* Galaxyland
* Edmonton's River Valley
* High-level Streetcar

"There is beauty and adventure in the commonplace for those with eyes to see beyond." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie