The day after we returned from our mid-week ski trip to Banff, my kids and I set out on another road trip, a day trip to Drumheller with their godmother and my best friend, Christine.
Drumheller, also known as Dinosaur Capital of the World, is famous for all the dinosaur bones that have been found in the area. The town is home to Canada’s only museum dedicated to paleontology and the world's largest dinosaur. For those who aren't dinosaur enthusiasts, Drumheller is still worth a visit as it is the heart of the Canadian Badlands, with breathtaking scenery and many unique hiking trails among other non-dinosaur related attractions.
Edmonton to Drumheller is a three hour drive, and the drive is fairly boring until you reach the top of the canyon formation where the prairie land transforms into rugged, rocky terrain. The view is absolutely spectacular! The landscape is seriously out of this world!
Travel Tip #1: The best time of the year to visit Drumheller is March to May and September to November. Typically, there are less people visiting during these months which means smaller crowds. Secondly, Drumheller can be very hot and dry during summer and very cold during winter. In the summer, there are days where the temperatures can exceed 40 Celsius! If you are visiting Drumheller in the summer, use sunscreen, cover your head and face with a hat and sunglasses, bring plenty of water, and stay hydrated.
Our first stop was the Royal Tyrrell Museum, which features one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaur bones. The museum is home to 130,000 fossils of more than 300 different species, most of them dinosaurs. There are tons of exhibits showcasing fossils, dinosaur skeletons, evolution, geology, and palaeontology research. There is an interactive room for kids to enjoy as well as an outdoor playground that is opened seasonally. Jordan and Evelyn were so fascinated, they couldn't stop running from one display to another.
Travel Tip #2: The Royal Tyrrell Museum offers a 90-minute guided tour called Dinosite, where you would search for fossils, see real dinosaur remains, and learn about ancient Alberta on a hike through the badlands. From what I have read and heard, this is a must. I had forgotten to check the website in advance for the scheduled start times so we missed out on this activity.
Our second stop was the World's Largest Dinosaur, a tyrannosaurus rex model weighing 65 tonnes and standing 86 feet (25 meters) tall. You can even climb up to a look out room in the mouth! Unfortunately the look out, visitor's centre and gift shop were all closed the day of our visit. Instead, we cruised around town on a scavenger hunt for dinosaur statues and found nearly a dozen of them.
Our third and last stop was Huckleberry's Cafe in Wetaskiwin for dinner. Service was slow, absent but friendly. Food tasted great, portions were large and prices were reasonable. We absolutely loved the homemade dinner buns! The prime rib is a definite must!
Comments