Red Deer is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, in the aspen parkland region. Red Deer is Alberta's third most populous city—after Calgary and Edmonton. Red Deer is focused on oil, grain, and cattle production and a centre for oil and agriculture distribution. Red Deer’s gently rolling parkland is deeply cut by the canyon of the Red Deer River.

Red Deer is one of those unique Canadian cities as it combines the convenience of urban amenities with the quaintness of a country life. The gently rolling parkland is deeply cut by the canyon of the Red Deer River. The city offers a variety of arts and cultural attractions as well as recreation facilities. The annual Westerner Days Fair and Exposition celebrates the city’s heritage.

Red Deer is in lake country, Sylvan Lake and Gull Lake offer excellent boating opportunities and are often bustling with activity during the warm, dry summer. Red Deer and the surrounding area are also home to a myriad of local shops, restaurants and cafes, which all add to the personality of the area.

On an historical note, Red Deer, prior to European settlement was inhabited by aboriginal tribes (Blackfoot, Plains Cree, and Stoney) and later by Métis and fur traders. The first major road from Fort Calgary to Fort Edmonton was called the Calgary and Edmonton Trail and it crossed the Red Deer River near the present city at Red Deer Crossing. It is now known as the C and E Trail. In 1882, a trading post was established at Red Deer Crossing.

During the North-West Rebellion of 1885, the Canadian militia constructed Fort Normandeau at the crossing, which was later taken over by the North-West Mounted Police, who used it until 1893. By 1891, the Calgary and Edmonton Railway laid track east of the crossing at the present site of the city.

On March 25, 1913 with a population of nearly 2800 Red Deer was incorporated and became a major divisional point for the Canadian Pacific Railway. In 1911, the Alberta Central Railway and the Canadian Northern Railway entered the town.

In the late 1950s, Red Deer claimed to be the fastest-growing city in Canada and roughly by 1991 the Canadian Pacific Railway had been removed from the inner city, the track currently runs parallel to the city outskirts. The most prominent landmark of the railway remaining is the CPR bridge spanning the Red Deer River, converted to a walking trail shortly after the track removal.