Drumheller, Let’s Do This!
Try Drumheller if you’re looking for a great day trip from Calgary and don’t want to fight the crowds near the mountains. Drumheller has plenty of shops, restaurants, and attractions to keep everyone entertained. Also, if you’re driving from Calgary, it’s about 1 hour and 30 minutes, perfect for getting a car nap in if your kids still nap!
First Stop – The Hoodoos Trail
For my family, every trip to Drumheller starts at the Hoodoos Trail. What we like about this, compared to mountain trails, is how easy it is for everyone to wander all over the hoodoos and explore all the little details. Some days, my son and I make it to the top, and other days, we don’t make it more than 100m from the parking lot. Both of those are perfectly acceptable. I am not sure how the parking works. I know we’ve gone on the weekend and had to pay $5 (cash) to park, and most times, we’ve gone and parked for free. I don’t know when you have to pay and when you don’t, so maybe bring $5 just in case. Because, who has cash anymore, so you better be prepared for it. You’re going to want to make sure you have suitable footwear, as some spots can be tricky. Also, make sure to have sunscreen and lots of water, since it can be pretty hot on the Hoodoos in the summer. Another great location, but a bit more challenging for smaller children, is Horsethief Canyon. If you’re arriving at Drumheller along highway 570 from the southeast, you might also want to have a stop at the Atlas Coal Mine. I wouldn’t say this is the best location for kids, but it makes for some great photos, and you’ll get to see something you usually wouldn’t come across.
Downtown Drumheller
Once we’ve had our fill of adventure, we head into the town of Drumheller to walk around and check out all the quirky shops and all the local dinosaur statues and art. This part is fascinating if you have a Dinosaur lover in your home. I am into dinosaurs also, but I enjoy all the art shops in Drumheller. There are some quirky items that would be a conversation starter if they were on your coffee table at home! If you have a significant dinosaur lover in your home, check out the Royal Tyrell Museum. It has a fantastic collection of fossils and exhibits. We tried the Royal Tyrell Museum a few years back but found it to be a bit crowded and not worth the money with smaller children that have the attention span of an ant. When I spend a certain amount of money, I need to spend hours at a location to make it worthwhile. But, after about 45 minutes, my kids were tired of looking at fossils and wanted to leave. So maybe We’ll try again in a few more years when they can appreciate fossils and how much money it takes to look at them. So, for now, it is just as fun to get ice cream from the Jurassic Store across from the world’s largest dinosaur statue and walk around, far less expensive also! If you’d like to eat more than ice cream, there are lots of local restaurants near the world’s largest dinosaur; however, if your children are more into happy meals or DQ blizzards, you’ll find those also along the main highways that lead into Drumheller.
Keep Exploring!
Anyway, Drumheller is one of our family’s favourites in the summer. Fewer crowds, easy to get around, and lots of exploring!