Drumheller is one of the easiest family trips in Alberta, because the headline attraction is something children already love. A town with a giant dinosaur on the main street and a world-class fossil museum nearby practically plans itself. The trick is pacing: the sights are spread along a valley, the drives are short but frequent, and a day of museums can wear out small legs. This guide suggests how to mix the big stops with easy, active ones and where to stay if you want a pool.
Start with the museum, but keep it flexible
The Royal Tyrrell Museum is the star. Dinosaur Hall, with its skeletons in lifelike poses, is the highlight for most children, and the museum offers a Cretaceous Garden and a preparation lab where fossils are cleaned. The museum suggests allowing about two hours, but with young children it is often best to plan for ninety minutes, pick three or four things to see and leave before anyone melts down. Children aged six and under are free but still need a ticket, and there is a family rate for older children. Go in the morning, when the galleries are quieter, and keep the afternoon for something outdoors.
Climb Tyra
The World's Largest Dinosaur is a must for children who can manage stairs. Inside the 25-metre sculpture, 106 steps lead up to a viewing platform in her mouth, with a view over the town and valley. It takes well under an hour and costs only a few dollars, and children five and under are free. It is worth checking Tyra's climbing days on her website, since they change by season. The visitor centre and gift shop at the base are a good place to pick up maps and a souvenir.
Easy badlands walks
The Badlands Interpretive Trail, a 1.4-kilometre loop that starts at the museum, is suitable for all ages and takes about an hour, with signs explaining the rocks and plants. It is free and perfect after the museum. The Hoodoos are a short, flat stop with pathways, where children can spot mushroom shapes, though they must stay on the paths and never climb. Horseshoe Canyon has a longer trail down to the floor and back, which suits older children and is best on a dry day. At the Orkney Viewpoint and Horsethief Canyon, keep children well back from the rim.
Trains, ferries and bridges
Children enjoy anything that moves. The Atlas Coal Mine in East Coulee has a short train ride of about twenty-five minutes, plus machinery to look at and tours for older children. It is a seasonal site, so check before you go. The Bleriot Ferry, a small cable ferry, is a fun five-minute crossing when it is running, and the Rosedale Suspension Bridge is a wobbling walk that feels like an adventure. The Little Church, which seats only a few people, takes ten minutes and delights small children.
Where children can run
The East Coulee School Museum has a play yard and picnic grounds, a good lunch stop with a cafe. The Drumheller Aquaplex, near downtown, offers swimming. At home base, choose a hotel with an indoor pool and waterslide, such as the hotels on 2nd Street, so that children can burn off energy at the end of the day. The Homestead Antique Museum, with its old cars and instruments, is a hands-on browse for school-age children when it is open.
Rainy-day and cold-day backups
If the weather turns, the Royal Tyrrell Museum, the Badlands Historical Centre, the East Coulee School Museum and the hotel pool all work indoors. In winter, bundle up for Tyra, look at the hoodoos in snow for a few minutes and keep the rest of the day indoors. Paths get icy, so wear shoes with grip.
Practical tips
Bring water and snacks, because facilities are limited at viewpoints and hamlets. Plan one big stop and one small stop per half day. Check opening hours for seasonal sights, and let children choose one thing each day, which gives them a sense of ownership of the trip. Book family rooms early for summer weekends. A sensible rhythm for a family day is museum or outdoor walk in the morning, lunch and a swim or a play break in the middle, and one easy stop in the afternoon, such as the Hoodoos or the Little Church. Tired children make a long drive feel longer, so keep the car stops short and the snacks handy, and be willing to drop the last stop when the mood turns.
