Tucked away in Alberta’s stark, dramatic badlands, Drumheller is the ultimate prehistoric playground for a family road trip. You’ll find yourself in a surreal landscape of striped canyon walls, towering hoodoos, and the meandering Red Deer River valley.
If you have a kid who loves dinosaurs, you’ve got to come here. When you drive into town, you’ll see a towering Tyrannosaurus Rex, peeking over the tops of buildings. Your first introduction to all things dinosaurs.
More than dino-fun, this desert-like valley offers plenty of family-friendly sites and activities to keep kids energized and curious. We’ve explored the Drumheller area several times and have our top picks to share.
10 things to do in Drumheller with kids on your next family vacation
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1. Royal Tyrrell Museum
First stop, and the main attraction for most visitors, is the world-famous Royal Tyrrell Museum. Located in the heart of Midland Provincial Park, this world-renowned museum brings the prehistoric past back to life with fossils, bones, and natural artifacts. The museum also offers indoor and outdoor programs and an enormous playground structure built beside it.
Exploring the galleries and exhibits takes about two hours, and your family will experience a 3.9-billion-year journey through time.
Plan your trip to the Royal Tyrell Museum
2. Midland Provincial Park
The Royal Tyrell Museum is located in the heart of Midland Provincial Park, so you might as well explore it while you’re there. After the museum, get outside for some fresh air and exercise! Go for a walk or bike ride, have a picnic, and skip stones on the Red Deer River. The park also has a disc golf course.
You’ll find a few easy walking trails here. Our favourite is the Midland Coal Mine Interpretive Trail. It’s interesting for kids because it shares the stories of the coal mining industry, with old mining machinery and artifacts to explore along the way.
Learn more about Midland Provincial Park.
3. World’s Largest Dinosaur
It’s a bit gimmicky, but kids love to check out and climb up the World’s Largest Dinosaur, AKA: that enormous green T-rex by the Visitor Information Centre. They’ve named this beast Tyra, and for $ 5 per person (kids under five are free; $15 for a family of four), you can climb a series of stairs inside its gaping jaw. Look through the spiky teeth to see views of Drumheller.
Learn more about the World’s Largest Dinosaur.
4. Drumheller Rotary Spray Park
Drumheller can get pretty hot, with summer temperatures climbing past 30 °C. Cool off at the Rotary Spray Park, conveniently located across from the World’s Largest Dinosaur and the Visitor Information Center. It has a large, circular splash deck with a centre sprinkler that’s caught in a shallow pool. The park also has various dinosaur-themed water features the kids can run through. Parents can sit with their feet in the cooling water while kids wade, splash and play.
5. Willow Creek Hoodoos
The Willow Creek Hoodoos are probably Alberta’s most popular and widely recognized (and photographed) sandstone formations. Just 15 minutes east of Drumheller, this small collection of picture-perfect hoodoos is easy to access, with on-site parking. A visit here will teach kids about natural erosion and the area’s unique geology.
Learn more about the Willow Creek Hoodoos.
6. Star Mine Suspension Bridge
The Star Mine Suspension Bridge (also known as the Rosedale Suspension Bridge) is located in Rosedale, about 10 minutes southeast of Drumheller. This 117-metre pedestrian bridge crosses the Red Deer River. Built in the 1930s to let coal miners reach the Star Mine, this monument to the region’s mining history is a fun stop! Kids will love how the wire-mesh deck sways and bounces as you walk across, and the views of the river and surrounding Badlands are very scenic.
7. 11 Bridges to Wayne (and the Last Chance Saloon)
A drive from Rosedale to the small hamlet of Wayne and the historic Last Chance Saloon is a fun way to spend the afternoon. Along the way, you’ll cross eleven narrow, historic wooden bridges that travel along the winding Rosebud River. It’s fun to count the bridges with the kids while taking in the stunning Badlands scenery.
The Last Chance Saloon is between the ninth and tenth bridges and was built in 1913. It is known for the bullet holes in the walls and old-timey frontier charm. The historic saloon is family-friendly, and kids are welcome, as long as they’re behaved (their words, not mine).
8. Horse Thief Canyon
Whether your family is up for a hike or just wants to see some views, head to Horsethief Canyon. Located 16 kilometres northwest of Drumheller, it showcases a multi-coloured landscape of rock layers, hoodoos, coulees, and the best scenery the Badlands has to offer. It was named for a 19th-century legend about horse thieves and cattle smugglers who used the deep canyon and hidden nooks to stash and rebrand stolen livestock.
There are no formal trails here, and some of the canyon is on private property. A few boot-beaten tracks from the viewpoint let you explore the coulees, climb around the rock formations, and climb up dried creek beds. Keep kids close and wear sturdy shoes!
9. Bleriot Ferry
The Bleriot Ferry is a free ferry that crosses the Red Deer River, about 25 kilometres northwest of Drumheller. The crossing takes about 7 minutes, and the friendly operators make it a fun experience for kids. When we were there, they showed us how the cable motor worked and let my son control the speed and put down the vehicle ramp. It truly was one of the most memorable stops on our Badlands road trip.
Read more about the Bleriot Ferry in the Badlands.
10. Barney’s Adventure Park
Barney’s Adventure Park is close to the Bleriot Ferry. This 15-acre farm-and-coal-mine-themed amusement park offers fun, interactive activities, including a forest walk with dinosaur statues. Kids will love the farm animals, playground, go-karts, slides, train rides, gem mining and tasty treats.
Plan your visit to Barney’s Adventure Park
Planning Your Trip to Drumheller
How to Get There
By Air: Major airlines operate international and domestic flights to the Edmonton International Airport or the Calgary International Airport. You can rent a car or take a regional bus from either location.
By Car:
- From Edmonton: Drive south on Highway 2 (QEII) or Highway 21 for about 3 hours (280 km).
- From Calgary: Drive northeast via Highway 2 and Highway 9 for about 1.5 hours (135 km).
- From Saskatchewan: Drive west along the Yellowhead (Highway 16) or Trans-Canada (Highway 1) into Alberta and connect south or north to Drumheller.
Best Time to Visit
Drumheller is a year-round destination, and most natural attractions, the World’s Largest Dinosaur and the Royal Tyrell Museum, are open in winter. For warm weather, book May through September. If you don’t mind a little cold and want to avoid the summer crowds, book in the shoulder season or winter.
Where to Stay
For hotels, our top pick for families is the Ramada by Wyndham Drumheller Hotel & Suites. It has a massive indoor pool and waterslide kids love, plus a hot breakfast. The Canalta Jurassic – Drumheller doesn’t have a pool, but it has an automatic pancake machine at the complimentary breakfast and is close to major badlands attractions.
Many vacation rentals in and near town accommodate families. For larger families, the Coulee Estate Vacation Rental has a playground, ping-pong table, pool table, and hot tub. For a unique stay, try the Tyrannosaurus Rest Bed and Breakfast. It’s a private, spacious attic suite with a family-friendly layout and helpful hosts. It’s also downtown, so you can walk to some attractions.
For camping, our favourite is the 11 Bridges Campground, RV & Cozy Cabin Park. It’s just outside Drumheller in Rosedale, but the 5-minute drive is worth it. It’s nestled directly under massive 200+-year-old cottonwood trees that block the intense Badlands heat. It also has a playground, a community T-Rex fire pit, and themed family cabins equipped with bunk beds for kids. Last time we were there, the owner showed up at our campsite with a free ice cream bar for my son!
For camping in town, try the Dinosaur RV Park & Cabins. It’s more of an RV-style park with minimal privacy, but it has a mini-golf course, outdoor movie area, arcade and e-bike rentals. It also has fully equipped, private rental cabins for families who want a camping atmosphere without bringing gear.
Find places to stay in Drumheller.
