Drumheller is a charming town in Southern Alberta’s Badlands, that is renowned for its dinosaur fossils and the world-class Royal Tyrrell Museum. Drumheller isn't just about dinosaurs though - there's much more to explore! You'll find breathtaking landscapes, vast canyons, and old coal mines that shaped this town’s unique character. We've packed this two-day itinerary with all the must-see sights and attractions, to help you design your perfect weekend getaway.
This blog post outlines a jam packed itinerary to help you make the most of your weekend in Drumheller, and to ensure that you don’t miss any of the must-see sights.
WHY YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THIS ITINERARY
Since moving to Calgary in 2012, we've visited Drumheller several times, and I still find the landscape astonishingly otherworldly! It's so different from the prairies and Rocky Mountains that we're accustomed to. We’ve been camping, stayed in hotels, taken friends and family on memorable day trips, and visited the incredible museum on numerous occasions.
We've drawn from our experiences living and traveling across Alberta, to put together this two day itinerary to help you make the most of your visit. We recently tested this itinerary with our 7 and 10-year-olds (and they loved it), but most of it is equally suited to adults too.
As Drumheller is just a 90-minute drive away from Calgary, it’s easy to plan a day or two there. If you're short on time or fancy a day trip, check out our How to make the most of a Day Trip to Drumheller for a concise one-day itinerary. However, if you have the luxury of two days, it's definitely worth the extra time!
DRUMHELLER TWO DAY ITINERARY OVERVIEW
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Table of Contents
So without further ado, here is our two day itinerary for visiting Drumheller, starting with a map to show where everything is located.
MAP OF ATTRACTIONS IN DRUMHELLER
Whenever we plan a trip, we always start with Google Maps. It helps us visualize locations and create efficient itineraries. We’ve added all the sights and attractions to the map below to help you see where everything is and plan your own itinerary.
To use this map, click the tab in the top left corner to toggle between layers and for more details about each attraction. To save the map to your Google Maps account, click the star next to the title. To access it later, open Google Maps, go to “Your Places,” and find it under “Maps.”
DRUMHELLER ITINERARY - DAY ONE
To kick off your Drumheller itinerary, we recommend starting at the north end of Drumheller, with Orkney Viewpoint as your first stop. The Orkney Viewpoint offers stunning views of the Red Deer River Valley and is the perfect spot to appreciate the region's vast landscape.
After snapping some photos, continue down the road to the Bleriot Ferry, one of the last remaining cable ferries in the area. It's a bit of fun for the kids and is a quick and convenient way to cross the river and make a 'loop' itinerary around the north of Drumheller. It's worth noting that the ferry only operates in the summer, so if you're visiting in the winter, you won't be able to complete this loop.
Next on your itinerary, make a stop at the breathtaking Horsethief Canyon, a must-see in the Canadian Badlands. There’s also a bit of local legend behind the how the canyon got the name “Horsethief.” It’s said that outlaws once hid stolen horses in the canyon’s hidden valleys! In my opinion, Horsethief Canyon is even more impressive than Horseshoe Canyon (on tomorrow’s itinerary). You can either stop for a quick photo in just 5 minutes, or park up and hike down to the canyon floor to explore further.
Next stop along the Dinosaur Trail, are two activity parks that are perfect for families with children. Barney's Adventure Park has over 40 attractions, including a zip line, tubes slides, pedal-kart track and a petting zoo, which is great for younger kids. Alternatively, just a short drive down the road is Cactus Coulee Fun Park, where you can enjoy mini-golf, a euro bungy, or try your hand at go-karting.
In the afternoon, head to the The Royal Tyrrell Museum, but be sure to make a brief stop at the charming Little Church just minutes before the museum entrance. It makes for a fun photo op. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is a world-class facility, dedicated to paleontology, and filled with interesting artifacts and lots of dinosaur bones! Plan to spend 2-3 hours exploring the museum as a minimum, but before you leave, make sure to take the short hike up to the Royal Tyrrell Museum Lookout for views of the surrounding landscape.
At this point you should be getting hungry. For dinner I HIGHLY recommend eating at Bernie and the Boys, Drumheller's renowned restaurant that was featured on the Food Network’s “You Gotta Eat Here”, for a tyrannosaurus rex sized burger! They also have an incredible list of mikshakes to try, with all sort of unusual flavours. Not the healthiest, but the best in our opinion!
DRUMHELLER ITINERARY - DAY TWO
On your second day in Drumheller, begin in the heart of downtown with a delicious breakfast at Black Mountain Roasters, or simply pick up a local artisan coffee to go. Just a short walk away is "Tera", the World's Largest Dinosaur, which despite being a little tacky is worth visiting. It costs $5 per person to climb the 106 stairs to the top for a unique view of the Badlands. You can also pick up a dino-themed souvenir from the gift shop!
The Rotary Splash Park is located right next to the dinosaur, is free, and is a great way to cool off and have fun on a hot day.
Next on the itinerary is the Star Mine Suspension Bridge in the nearby town of Rosedale, just a 5-10 minute drive away. The bridge was originally used by miners back in the days when Drumheller was a coal-producing community. Now the bridge is a fun tourist attraction and provides access to some short hiking trails on the other side. Our kids enjoyed trying to 'scare Daddy' by jumping up and down on the bridge!
Another must see attraction is the Hoodoos, which, apart from dinosaurs, are possibly Drumheller’s most famous attraction. These fascinating rock formations are definitely worth a visit. The Hoodoos are tall, thin spires of rock that have been shaped by centuries of erosion into fascinating 'top-heavy' structures. Although climbing on the Hoodoos themselves isn’t permitted, there’s a rocky hillside behind them where kids can enjoy climbing and exploring.
Every time we visit in the summer it has always been REALLY hot, so we usually treat the kids to an ice cream at the van that is parked in the car park.
Around 10 minutes drive further down the road is the Atlas Coal Mine. This 1930's mine is a historic site where you can explore old mining equipment and learn about the lives of coal miners. You can either tour the site yourself, or purchase one of their guided tours, including a tour through the old mining tunnels or a ride on a coal car. You'll need around 60-90 minutes here.
At this point, we recommend heading back towards Drumheller. Before you leave though, consider taking the 6 km drive from Rosedale to Wayne along the 10X, known as the 11 Bridges to Wayne. As the name suggests, you'll cross 11 bridges along this route, which actually holds the Guinness World Record for the most bridges within the shortest distance. Once in Wayne, you can stop at the rustic 1913 Last Chance Saloon for an early dinner or a drink.
It's now time to leave Drumheller! However, there is one last stop! As you start your drive back to Calgary, don’t miss Horseshoe Canyon, which about 20 minutes away. Horseshoe Canyon is really accessible; you can easily head down into the canyon via wooden boardwalks or simply enjoy the view from the observation deck. There ere are several hiking trails to explore in the canyon, if you have time as well.
SHORT ON TIME?
Although we believe that two days in Drumheller will let you explore all the top attractions at a comfortable pace, if you’re visiting for just one day, consider skipping the Atlas Coal Mine and the 11 Bridges of Wayne. These sites are a bit further out of town and require more driving time.
For those day-tripping from Calgary or Edmonton, we’ve put together a streamlined one-day itinerary. You can find it here:
STAYING LONGER? HERE ARE MORE IDEAS
If you are planning on spending longer in Drumheller, or perhaps some of the items above don't interest you, we’ve got plenty of other suggestions in our detailed blog post on the best things to do in Drumheller and its surrounding areas. Here are a few highlights
Attend an event at the Badlands Amphitheatre: Experience incredible outdoor performances on Canada’s largest outdoor stage.
Enjoy a drink at Valley Brewing: Visit Drumheller’s first and only microbrewery for a cold beer.
Explore the East Coulee School Museum: Step back in time to see what school life was like in a 1930s coal town.
Drive 30 minutes north to Rowley Ghost Town: Once a bustling community, Rowley now has a population of just eleven people and is a fascinating place to explore. The town features several old buildings, including a garage, church, bank, and saloon. Its around 30 minutes away from Drumheller.
Satisfy your dinosaur cravings at Dinosaur Provincial Park: If Drumheller has sparked your interest in dinosaurs, consider visiting Dinosaur Provincial Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in the Red Deer River Valley in southeastern Alberta, is just a two-hour drive from Calgary and offers an incredible array of dinosaur fossils and stunning landscapes.
WHERE TO STAY IN DRUMHELLER
Drumheller is a relatively small town, so accommodation options are limited, plus we quite often go there just for the day. However, when we do stay in Drumheller, we have a few places we tend to go back to.
Hotels in Drumheller
The hotel we visit the most often is the Surestay Plus Best Western. The hotel itself isn't flashy, but they do offer a free breakfast and it has a swimming pool with water slide. Hotel pool + water slide = happy kids! We've stayed once at the Ramada as well which also has a pool and is similarly priced.
Camping in Drumheller
Our favourite campground is River Grove Campground, as there is a pretty good play area in the camp ground, and it is just a short walk away from the Rotary Spray Park and the World's Largest Dinosaur.
WHEN TO VISIT DRUMHELLER
Drumheller is a fantastic destination to visit from late spring through early fall, when the weather is generally dry and suited to exploring its unique landscape. However, summer temperatures often reach the high 20s and 30s Celsius, and in many areas, shade is hard to come by. Don't get caught out - bring plenty of water and apply sunscreen regularly.
Winter in Drumheller is much quieter, with the trade off being that temperatures often fall to -30°C, and some outdoor activities are off-limits. That said, winter is a wonderful time to visit the museum, and the canyons and hoodoos look stunning with a light dusting of snow, provided you time it right.
HOW TO GET AROUND
Hiring a Car
If you don't have a car, hiring one is a great option for exploring Drumheller and its beautiful surroundings. A rental car gives you the flexibility to travel at your own pace, access the more remote attractions, and easily navigate the scenic routes in the area.
We tend to play it safe with the big guys when it comes to car hire, so usually use one of either Avis, Enterprise or Hertz. I've heard great things about Turo which is a peer to peer rental company where you rent directly from a local, but haven't used the service myself.
Other Methods of Transport
There really aren't many great options to get there other than by car, as there is no train service and the buses would take a long time to get there, with a number of changes required.
ENJOY YOUR VISIT TO DRUMHELLER
Drumheller is a great place for anyone interested in fossils, dinosaurs or interesting landscapes to visit. As always, if you have any questions about Drumheller, feel free to reach out to us!
With so much to see and do, I’m sure you’ll have a great time exploring Drumheller!
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