Drumheller is nestled in the heart of Southern Alberta’s Badlands, and is famous for its association with dinosaurs and the exceptional Royal Tyrrell Museum. However, there’s much more to Drumheller than just dinosaurs! You'll find stunning landscapes, vast canyons, historic buildings, and experience Drumheller's distinctive charm.
This blog post outlines a jam packed itinerary to help you make the most of your day trip to Drumheller, to ensure that you don’t miss any of the must-see sights.
WHY YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THIS ITINERARY
Since relocating to Calgary in 2012, Drumheller has become one of our favourite places to visit. We’ve camped there, taken friends and family on memorable day trips, and visited the incredible museum numerous times. We've drawn from our experiences living and traveling across Alberta, to put together this fast paced day trip 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 it’s just as enjoyable for adults.
Since Drumheller is just a 90-minute drive from Calgary, it's perfect for a quick day trip. However, if you have the time, we recommend staying at least one night to fully appreciate all that Drumheller has to offer. You can check out our two-day itinerary here:
DRUMHELLER ONE DAY ITINERARY OVERVIEW
Use the drop-down menu to quickly navigate to different sections of the blog. Simply click on a topic to jump directly to the information you’re interested in!
Table of Contents
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, to follow along or 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 DAY TRIP ITINERARY
If you’re starting your journey from Calgary, your first stop is Horseshoe Canyon, just a 20-minute drive from Drumheller. At Horseshoe Canyon, you can either head down into the canyon via wooden steps for a quick hike, or, enjoy the sweeping views from the observation deck. If you’re into hiking, you might want to come back when you’ve got more time to really explore the canyon.
Next, make your way to the heart of Drumheller to visit "Tera," the World’s Largest Dinosaur. For a small fee of $5, you can climb to the top of this gigantic dino and take in panoramic views of the Badlands. This spot is also a great place to pick up maps at the visitor information desk, or to buy a dino-themed souvenir from the gift shop.
The next stop on this itinerary is The Royal Tyrrell Museum, a world-renowned institution and one of Canada's best museums. You could easily spend half a day here, but if you’re short on time, plan for a 2-3 hour visit to ensure you can check out other highlights in Drumheller too. During that time, you should be able to wander through the main exhibits skimming through some parts and focusing on the parts that interest you. However, you might struggle to attend one of the expert talks, extra activities (for additional cost), or the 1.4 km Badlands Interpretive Trail.
Another must-see attraction is the Willow Creek Hoodoos, which is just a 5-10 minute drive away from the museum. These striking geological formations are tall, thin spires of rock shaped by erosion into fascinating 'top-heavy' structures. Although climbing on the Hoodoos themselves is prohibited to preserve their integrity, the rocky hillside behind them offers a great area for kids to explore and climb. Given the often hot temperatures, it’s also an ideal spot to cool off with an ice cream from the van usually parked in the parking lot.
Continue your journey with a visit to the Star Mine Suspension Bridge in Rosedale, which is along the road back towards Drumheller. The bridge was originally constructed for miners during Drumheller’s coal-producing era, but now serves as a fun (and free) tourist attraction, with a few short hiking trails on the other side. Our kids always enjoy trying to 'scare Daddy' by jumping up and down on the bridge!
Before heading back to Calgary, make sure to drive north up the Dinosaur Trail to visit the breathtaking Horsethief Canyon, a must-see in the Canadian Badlands. This canyon is even more impressive than Horseshoe Canyon (in our opinion) and definitely worth the extra effort to get there. You can stop just to admire the view, or hike down into the canyon.
After the canyon, continue north and you'll need to cross the Red Deer River via the historic Bleriot Ferry, one of the last remaining cable ferries in the area. The Bleriot Ferry, though a little old and slow, adds character to the Drumheller experience and is a fun ride for the kids. Note that the ferry only operates only in the summer months, so if you’re visiting in winter, you’ll need to return to town the same way you came.
Your final stop on this itinerary is the Orkney Viewpoint, where if timed right, you might catch a stunning sunset. Orkney Viewpoint offers incredible views of the Red Deer River Valley and provides a fantastic opportunity to appreciate the region’s expansive landscape.
STAYING LONGER? HERE ARE MORE IDEAS
If you are planning on spending longer in Drumheller, then we’ve put together a detailed blog post on the 20 best things to do in Drumheller and its surrounding areas, as well as the perfect 2 Days itinerary. Here are some of the suggestions from these blog posts:
Drive the 10X and the 11 Bridges of Wayne: Take the scenic route to the ghost town of Wayne and enjoy a drink at the Last Chance Saloon.
Explore the Atlas Coal Mine: Visit this historic 1930s coal mine to see old mining equipment and learn about how coal miners' lived back in the day. Choose between a self-guided tour or join a guided one.
Enjoy a drink at Valley Brewing: Visit Drumheller’s first and only microbrewery for a refreshing beer.
Have fun with the kids at Barney's Adventure Park or Cactus Coulee Fun Park, for a go-karting or a petting zoo experience.
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 EAT IN DRUMHELLER
If you are planning on eating before heading back to Calgary, 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 have a huge list of milkshake flavours too. Not the healthiest in town, but definitely the best in our opinion.
Alternatively, you can find plenty of dining options in Airdrie on the drive back to Calgary.
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 stick with the big guys when it comes to car hire, so tend to 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 DAY TRIP TO DRUMHELLER
Drumheller is a great place for anyone interested in fossils, dinosaurs or interesting landscapes, and makes a fantastic day trip. As always, if you have any questions about Drumheller, or this itinerary, feel free to reach out to us on our socials!
We hope you found this blog post useful and that you have a great time exploring Drumheller!
Comments