It's a lot like a zoo, only here all of the animals are dead...
Written: Sep 17 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Badlands & Prairie Scenery, Royal Tyrrell Museum
Cons: No real nightlife, depressing in the winter
The Bottom Line: A good family destination for a day or two.
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| tch7's Full Review: Drumheller, Alberta, Canada |
There’s nothing quite like a phone call at 6:30 in the morning on your day off, asking you to go to work that day. Add to it that you’re being sent out of town for an indefinite period of time, and it’s sure to brighten up your day. Fortunately for me, there were far worse places I could have been sent than Drumheller, and I discovered that Drumheller isn’t such a bad place during the summer.
For tourists, Drumheller is popular because of its badlands and all of the dinosaur-related attractions. For me, my dozens of visits have been either for work or to visit relatives, but I’ve managed to squeeze in most of the tourist attractions by now. I’m somewhat tired of the landscape since I’ve connected it to work and relatives, but people that have never seen badlands are bound to be impressed. Some people are so impressed (and dim) that they park their rental vehicle in the Emergency Runaway Lane for large trucks so that they can get out and take pictures...
Getting there...
Most people that visit Alberta head west to Banff and Jasper from Calgary, making Drumheller somewhat out of the way, being east of Calgary. Still, Drumheller gets its fair share of summer visitors willing to make the 1.5-2 hour drive from the city. There are many routes you can take to get to Drumheller from Calgary, with the most straightforward being to take Highway 2 north to the Crossfield turnoff, and then go go east. Alternatively, you can head east on the Trans-Canada Highway to Highway 24 North, and then turn east on Highway 9. A third way is to continue on the Trans-Canada past 24 to the Wiseman Corner (take #561), and then head north on #840 to Highway 9, where you turn east. This third route is longer, but takes you through the lovely hamlet of Rosebud and is less traveled. If traveling during rush hour, do your best to avoid the first route, as it is by far the worst when you’re near Calgary.
Attractions
The World’s Largest Dinosaur
At approximately 4 times the size of a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex, it’s quite the massive concrete structure. Built in 2000, it’s become one of Drumheller’s most popular attractions, with 106 stairs to its viewing platform that looks over part of Drumheller. Access to the stairwell is through the town’s Tourism Office, so hours are somewhat restricted - but it’s always free. If you can’t get inside, don’t fret, as the dinosaur is best appreciated from outside at the Spray Park.
Spray Park & Aquaplex
If looking for some hot mommas, the Spray Park is a good place to head on a hot summer day. Don’t waste your time scanning the numerous fountains, since they’re mainly populated by little kids pretending they’re dinosaurs. The older, more developed bodies are most often located on the grass between the fountains and the river, with the bike path providing one of the best vantage points. Even though the view from the Dinosaur looks down on the area, you need a zoom lens or binoculars to get a good view. Or so I’ve heard…
Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology
One of the best museums you’ll ever visit, the Royal Tyrrell Museum is a big part of what makes a trip to Drumheller worthwhile. Age doesn’t matter one bit, as the museum caters to little kids just as well as it does to adults, being educational without being…you know…educational. It’s remarkable how much fun you can have when viewing one of the world’s greatest collections of death.
Reptile World
It’s been some time since my last visit, but Reptile World was a fun place to learn about and see various reptiles and amphibians. Even though Drumheller is a fairly religious town, Reptile World doesn’t shy away from the theory of evolution and does tell you about connections between current creatures and dinosaurs.
Hoodoos & the Rosedale Suspension Bridge (Hoodoo Trail)
A few kilometers down the river valley from Drumheller, the pedestrian suspension bridge over the Red Deer River is nothing abnormal, but since this is a rural prairie town, they’ve made it seem like its something truly special. A better stop is a little further down the road, with a small parking area where you can get out and view hoodoos. If you don’t know what a hoodoo is, look at the picture above. Speaking of pictures, badlands are best viewed during the early morning or during the evening, as the sunlight really brings out the colour in the rock layers. During the daytime, everything comes across as being dull and gray.
Atlas Coal Mine
It’s not often that you’ll find a coal mine at the base of a coulee, but here you’ve got just that. The mine has long since ceased operations, but you can take a tour of the site for a small fee and have a simulated venture into the mine. At the very least, it’s worth a photo stop.
Horseshoe Canyon
Fifteen minutes west of Drumheller on Highway 9, Horseshoe Canyon Recreation Area is one of the best public places you’ll find for hiking in badlands. Just be forewarned that the mosquitoes are often brutal in late spring and early summer anywhere on the prairies, with Horseshoe Canyon being no exception. If you aren’t the hiking sort, $40/person helicopter rides over the area are available all summer long.
The Dinosaur Trail
Orkney Hill viewpoint and Horsethief Canyon are the most scenic overlooks of the Red Deer River Valley, both being a few kilometers northwest of Drumheller. Orkney Hill is on South Dinosaur Trail, while Horsethief Canyon is on North Dinosaur Trail, with the latter also having some hiking trails. These two roads are connected at Bleriot Ferry, one of the few remaining cable ferries in Alberta. Connected together, these clearly signed roads give you a pleasant loop that shows you the badlands, grasslands, and many of the features that make this part of the world unique. Make sure you check out the World’s Smallest Church, not far from the Royal Tyrrell Museum on North Dinosaur Trail.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
A two hour drive southeast of Drumheller will bring you to this enjoyable provincial park, where you can experience some of Alberta’s most scenic badlands. There’s even a geological formation that resembles a camel. A variety of hiking possibilities exist, supported by a pleasant provincial campground for overnight stays. If you plan on spending multiple days at Dinosaur Provincial Park, Brooks is a better base for staying overnight than Drumheller, as it’s much closer.
Stuff Your Face
Expense accounts are so much fun: They let you eat out 7 nights a week. Drumheller isn’t the best place to take advantage of an expense account, but if you’re looking for a decent meal at a fair price, there are a few places worth checking out.
Bernie’s and the Boys
Right by the courthouse and the water tower, this small cafeteria-style restaurant has some of the town’s best food at easy to digest prices. The building has signs of age, but the atmosphere is kept alive by colourful tables with humourous sayings painted all over, keeping you amused until your food arrives. The menu is fairly simple, but varied enough with burgers, chicken, pizza, and steak. The steak sandwich I had one night was excellent, and the chicken fingers on another night were also rather good, especially in conjunction with the well-spiced fries. Unique to Bernie’s is a massive 3-pound burger, and a 12-pound pizza that you need to order hours in advance.
Red’s Place/The Turtleback Restaurant
Red’s has some of the best food in town, but unfortunately allows smoking since it is a pub. The accompanying Turtleback Restaurant offers a smoke-free environment with the same menu, but unfortunately has a rather spartan atmosphere. Prices are decent, but not great.
O’Sheas
New to Drumheller, O’Sheas Ale House is an airy pub/restaurant that’s doing fairly well in its infancy. Just like Egan’s Irish Ale House down in Brooks, the restaurant section lacks life, but the smoke-free pub bustles with activity and has a bunch of large televisions to keep your mind occupied. Beyond flavourless fries, the food is generally good, if only a little overpriced.
Boston Pizza, Smitty’s
Though pricey for its quality and variable service, BP’s does have some good food and a pleasant atmosphere during the evenings. Smitty’s is best for breakfast, being in the same league as a Denny’s.
A&W, McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Subway
Drumheller has the aforementioned chain restaurants, with A&W being about the best. For a short time there was a Quiznos, but it didn’t last long and is now a place to stock up on cold beer. Oddly there is still no Tim Hortons, but one is bound to show up in the next couple of years.
Others
Stavro’s, Gus’s Corner, and Athen’s are decent alternatives that I haven’t been to for some time. New to town is The Quarry, but I’ve yet to hear anything about it and didn’t get around to trying it. If you don’t mind driving 20 minutes west of town, the Carbon Corner gas station has a tiny little cafeteria with good grub. Don’t bother with Yavis’ Family Restaurant, with its bland food in a bland environment.
Plunk 'er Down
Drumheller has a decent assortment of hotels and motels, but because of the oil and gas activity in the area, room rates are generally high. Try to reserve a week in advance.
The newest, cleanest, and most attractive is the Ramada, made better by being within easy walking distance of a dozen restaurants. However, it is one of the more expensive places. My overnight stays have always been at the Travelodge, which is the only hotel on the river’s edge. The corporate rate ($60) my company receives makes it a good deal, as the rooms are clean and in good condition, but the price can be a little steep for the casual visitor ($90). Two other good spots to consider are the Best Western Jurassic Inn, and the Super 8. The other hotels in town aren’t particularly desirable and are best left for desperation (or a very low budget).
During the summer, campgrounds do get busy on weekends, but are typically quiet during the week days. Newcastle Beach Park has a camping area that appeared to be free, and it’s about the nicest place in town to stay. Failing that, there’s a good assortment of private campgrounds throughout the valley.
Goasaurus or Dontbotherosaurus?
There’s a reason why Banff and Jasper pull in most of Alberta’s tourists, but Drumheller and the surrounding area is also worthy of visiting if time permits. There aren’t many places in the world where you can see a landscape quite like this, and if you’re looking for a lesser-known alternative to South Dakota’s Badlands National Park, this is it. If you do visit Drumheller, one full day is all that it really takes. Only if you plan on hitting up Dinosaur Provincial Park is it really worth devoting a second day to the area. Otherwise, hitting up the Royal Tyrrell Museum, the Dinosaur Trail, and the Hoodoo Trail will provide you with an educational, scenic, and fun day.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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Epinions.com ID:
tch7
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Reviews written: 112
Trusted by: 145 members
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