Things to Do at River Cree Resort & Casino

Beyond the gaming floor

River Cree was built as a complete destination, and the activities outside the casino are a big part of why guests come back. You can check into the hotel, work your way through several dining venues, catch a concert at the entertainment centre and unwind at the spa, all within the same building. For many local guests, River Cree entertainment and dining are the main draw, with the gaming floor as one stop among several.

Because everything is connected indoors, you can plan a full evening without stepping back outside. That’s a real advantage in the Edmonton climate: park once, walk in, and move between dinner, a show and your hotel room in comfort. The sections below walk through each part of the resort experience.

The River Cree hotel

The River Cree hotel is a Marriott-branded property attached directly to the resort, which makes overnight stays simple. Guest rooms and suites are a short walk from the restaurants, the gaming floor and the entertainment centre, so you never have far to go.

The hotel suits a range of guests. Travellers in town for a concert can pair their tickets with a room and skip the late drive home. Business visitors find the property practical for meetings and events. And anyone wanting a relaxed weekend can settle in and use the resort as a base. On event weekends, rooms fill up quickly, so we recommend booking ahead if your visit lines up with a show or a major booking at the venue.

Staying over also changes the pace of a visit. Instead of watching the clock for the drive home, you can linger over dinner, take in a full show and enjoy the gaming floor without a deadline. For travellers heading to or from the Edmonton International Airport, an overnight at the River Cree hotel turns an awkward early start or late arrival into a comfortable, low-stress stay close to the resort’s restaurants and entertainment.

Restaurants, the buffet and dining

Food is central to the River Cree experience. The property carries several River Cree restaurants under one roof, ranging from quick counters to full sit-down dining, so River Cree dining can be a casual bite or a proper meal out depending on your mood.

Dining options at a glance

A River Cree buffet-style offering gives guests a help-yourself option with plenty of choice, popular with groups and families, while sit-down restaurants suit a slower, more focused dinner. Whatever you choose, the kitchens are a destination in their own right for many local visitors who come for the meal first.

Here’s a quick reference for the kinds of dining you’ll find:

A few notes to help you plan:

• Reserve for groups. If you’re dining with a larger party, especially on an event night, call ahead.
• Check venue hours. Each restaurant keeps its own schedule, so confirm before you arrive if you’re set on a particular spot.
• Pair dinner with a show. Eating on site before a concert is the easiest way to make an evening of it.

Bars and lounges

River Cree bars and lounges are spread across the property, so there’s usually somewhere nearby to pause for a drink, watch a game or regroup with your party. The lounges offer a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere than the gaming floor, which makes them a good place to start or end the night. Whether you want a cocktail before a show or a low-key drink between rounds on the floor, you’ll find a spot that fits.

The bars also serve as natural meeting points for groups. If your party splits up across the dining venues, the gaming floor and the entertainment centre, a lounge makes an easy place to gather before a show or wind down afterward. With drinks, light snacks and comfortable seating, they round out the resort’s social side and give the evening somewhere to breathe between its busier moments.

Concerts, live shows and events

Live entertainment is one of the things that defines the resort. River Cree concerts and live shows draw crowds from across the Edmonton region, and the property is a genuine fixture on the local event circuit.

Live entertainment calendar

The River Cree Entertainment Centre is the main event space, a flexible venue configured differently for each booking. Over the years it has hosted touring musicians, comedians, fights and special River Cree events, and the attached arena adds a second large space for sports and community gatherings. River Cree live shows range from big-name concerts to smaller, more intimate performances, so it’s worth checking the calendar to see what’s on during your visit.

Because the venue sits in the same building as the hotel and the restaurants, an evening of River Cree entertainment becomes an easy package: dinner at one of the restaurants, the show, and a room a short walk from your seat. Doors and start times are printed on your tickets, and we suggest arriving early on busy nights to settle in without a rush.

Booking an event or group visit

The resort also hosts private events, from corporate functions to celebrations and group outings. If you’re planning a gathering, the event team can help with space, catering and logistics. Booking ahead is key, particularly around popular dates, so reach out early to lock in your plans. Hosting on site has clear advantages for your guests, too: dining, parking and, if needed, hotel rooms are all in one building, which keeps the logistics simple and lets everyone focus on the occasion rather than the arrangements.

Spa and wellness

To round out the experience, the River Cree spa offers a calmer, more restful side of the resort. After an evening on the floor or a long day of travel, the spa is a place to slow down and recharge. It’s a fitting complement to the rest of the property: where the gaming floor and the entertainment centre bring energy, the spa offers a quieter retreat without leaving the building.

For guests staying overnight, the spa makes a natural part of a relaxed weekend: a treatment to start a slow morning, or a way to unwind before an evening show. It also rounds out the resort’s appeal for visitors who come as much for a getaway as for the gaming, giving the property a restful dimension to match its livelier sides. Together with the hotel, the dining and the entertainment, it helps River Cree work as a full destination rather than a single-purpose stop.

Between the hotel, the restaurants, the buffet, the bars, the concerts and the spa, River Cree gives you plenty of reasons to stay beyond the gaming floor. Whether you’re here for a show, a meal, a weekend away or all three, the resort is designed to keep the whole experience under one roof.

River Cree Resort & Casino welcomes guests 18 and over to its gaming floor. Please play responsibly. Gaming in Alberta is regulated by the AGLC, with confidential support available through GameSense and Alberta’s responsible-gambling resources.