Let’s be Explorers- The Top Ten Drumheller Attractions for Kids

We try to visit Drumheller every year with our kids- it’s only three hours from Edmonton, we love the landscape, our girls love dinosaurs and there’s so much to do.  You can hit up the major atttractions on a day trip or spend a weekend and really get exploring. With lots of accommodation options there’s everything from hotels with waterslides and pools to camping in a Provincial Park with no services.  Whether you’re thinking of making a weekend out of it or have a little less time, here is our list of our Top Ten attractions to explore with kids while in the Drumheller Valley. We also like to keep our costs low while travelling, so while there lots of activities like mini-golf and bumper boats around Drumheller, most of these activities are free or inexpensive.

1.) Start by heading over to The World’s Largest Dinosaur. It’s located right along the river and is attached to the very helpful visitors information centre- grab a free local map for the rest of your trip here!  Kids under 5 are free to climb to the top, so I took the girls up while Tim watched from below (he decided he didn’t need to spend $6 walking up a dino 😉 ). However, the last three times we’ve been to Drumheller the girls have literally begged to go back up, so I guess that shows it’s good entertainment value for the younger crowd.

 

2.) Go for a Hike at the Suspension Bridge. The bridge itself is wobbly and fun to cross, and then there’s acres of badlands to run across and explore. You can spend hours hiking, or  quickly make it up to the old coal mining structure and call it a day.  You can also head further south on Hoodoo Trail and make it out to the actual Hoodoos as well. That park has structured trails  around each hoodoo and is suitable for all ages and ability.

 

3.) Check out The Tiny Church.  Kids seem to like mini things and going into a church the same size as playhouse is actually pretty exciting. I recently posted a picture of it on my Instagram and had many friends message me about how they remembered playing in it as kid themselves. I also remember visiting it as a child and anytime memories vividly stand out to me as an adult I feel like it’s worth taking my own kids. It’s located just past the museum on the highway, right before the Golf Course.

 

4.) Royal Tyrrell Museum.  This place is a given on any trip to Drumheller. The Museum is world class and is fantastic for kids and adults alike. If you don’t want to spend the money on a visit (it was $36 for the two of us, kids under 7 are free), the interpretive trails around the grounds are free to hike, along with the large shaded dino-themed playground and picnic grounds. If you plan on visiting more then one Alberta museum this year, I highly encourage the very reasonable Alberta Museum Pass. The Royal Tyrrell Museum will take around 2 hours to go through with kids and very hands on for every age. It is closed on Mondays.

 

5.) Go for lunch at the 100 year old Last Chance Saloon. Cross 11 bridges (in a short couple of  kms) to get out to Wayne, Alberta (population 33) and enjoy lunch at the kitschy Saloon. Kids will be kept busy looking at the decor or at the roof covered in currency from around the world.  The servers are funny (they asked us to BBQ our own steaks out back) and if you ask nicely they’ll even turn on the 1940’s big band box. There’s also often live music on the patio.  The food is standard pub fare with the menu and directions can be found on their website.

 

6.)The Atlas Coal Mine tour is another must do, especially if your children are older. We haven’t done it yet because Maeve is still too little to go underground on the Locomotive,  but my brother and his family have and they loved it. We took the girls into the Bellevue mine in Crowsnest Pass a couple years ago and we still hear about it often, so I’m guess Atlas would be a another winner. Tours can fill up quickly, especially in the busy summer months.  There are above ground tours are for all ages and you can even climb the tipple, check out their website for videos more details.

 

7.) Hike Horsetheif Canyon. Outlaws used to hide stolen horses in the Canyon because it is so vast and has many hidden valleys. It’s gorgeous and even looks a bit like a mini grand canyon.  There are steep areas and no marked trails- I recommend good shoes, water bottles and hats, especially in the summer. Also if the ground is wet it is too slippery to hike- the sandstone is like a mudslide. But on sunny days  we have “hiked” it in flip-flops and even in dress shoes 🙂

 

8.) On a hot summer day cool down at the spray park next to the giant dinosaur.  There’s also there is a wading pool with a fountain to play in.  If you are staying at a campground or in a hotel without a waterslide, the Recreation Centre has a great one, along with both inside and outside pools. We usually take an hour in the heat of the day to get ice cream (there’s a fossil shop that sells hard ice cream across the street from the dino), have a picnic and play in the splash park.

 

 

9.) Search the town for Dinosaurs. There are over 30 brightly coloured dinos all around the town of Drumheller.  It’s fun to count them as you see them and notice the clever painting work. For example, the dino outside the Fire Hall is white with black spots and the Triceratops in the shopping area is carrying a purse.  If we ever walk by one, you bet the girls are asking for a picture with it!

 

10.) On your way in or on your way out of Drumheller, spend a little extra time travelling and cross the Red Deer River on the Bleriot ferry. We guessed it added about 20 minutes onto our trip home, but it was educational and fun. There’s not too many ferries left in Alberta and it was a great experience for them.  The captain is very friendly and will explain all about the pulley system.  It’s free to cross and was currently running between 8am-11pm- but double check the times before heading out.

 

We’ve also enjoyed our experience staying at the Ramada which has a waterslide, free cookies and a  free breakfast. We have also been camping at the Rivergrove campground which is in great central location. We have enjoyed eating at O’Shea’s Restaurant during each of our trips- it has a great kids menu. For a Map of the area, check out www.drumhellermap.com

Where do you like to visit on a road trip to Drumheller?