12 Must-Visit Small Towns in Southern Alberta

From the Rockies to the foothills, the river valleys, badlands, and prairies are several southern Alberta towns with their own unique charm, attractions, and summer events.

For live events and festivals in these towns and villages, you will find a mix of rodeo and western events, cultural celebrations, fairs and midways, live music, and outdoor sports.

Many of these events are ticketed, but you can plan around free attractions like historical downtown walking tours, Provincial Parks (for picnics, beaches, or hikes), and natural attractions.

Alberta’s southern portion (south of Calgary) is a lot smaller than it is in the north, so you can likely stop at a few of these southern Alberta towns in one road trip, or hit them all!

Warner

As one of Alberta’s southernmost villages, Warner’s summer weather alone might make you want to visit soon. If you can make it for the summer, you can take advantage of several family-friendly activities and events, like the annual Writing-on-Stone Rodeo.

The Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park is also a short drive away from town, offering unique badlands views, hiking, camping, and activities on the Milk River.

• Visit Warner for the Writing-on-Stone Rodeo.
• Paddle the Milk River and enjoy incredibly unique views of Alberta.
• Stop by the Devil’s Coulee Dinosaur Museum, the first discovered dinosaur nesting site in Canada, for indoor and outdoor exploration.

Fort Macleod

You can travel through history by several means when you get to Fort Macleod, and take your pick from natural history, cultural history, or even through a walk downtown (which you might recognize from a few big movies). To get the most out of the natural areas around Fort Macleod, like the Oldman River, you can drive about 5 minutes outside of town to find the Provincial Recreation Area or Park Lake Provincial Park.

• Head to Main Street on Thursdays this summer for Fort Macleod’s Market on Main.
• Visit Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump for an interpretive walk around the UNESCO World Heritage Site, grab a bite at the Buffalo Jump Café, and tour the Visitor’s Centre/Gift Shop.
• Travel through time in Fort Macleod with a visit to The Fort Museum & First Nations Interpretive Centre.
• Cast fishing rods from the Oldman Dam PRA for excellent southern Alberta fishing, or launch a canoe/kayak.

Vulcan

The replica Starship Enterprise is a prominent symbol for the town of Vulcan, as is its bronze statue of Spock (Leonard Nimoy). The town of Vulcan and their willingness to go along with the Star Trek themes are reason enough alone to visit. You can walk around town and find odes to the sci-fi franchise almost at every turn. However, there are many other reasons to check out this smaller town east of Calgary.

It is also a perfect place to stay for anyone wanting to book an Aspen Crossing train excursion.

• Explore the various odes to Star Trek around Vulcan; you’ll find small ones and some that are quite obvious.
• Download the OnThisSpot app for a virtual historic walking tour of Vulcan.
• Visit the Vulcan Museum and Archives year-round for even more history and culture.

 

Pincher Creek

Pincher Creek is in the southwest corner of Alberta, but not so far west that the town is in the Rockies. Instead, Pincher Creek has the prairies, foothills, and mountains as a backdrop to their southern town, making the scenery alone a reason to visit. Throughout the summer, there are many ways to explore and learn more about the town, including trips to the Pioneer Village, Heritage Acres, and various summer festivals. And with all the great outdoors at your actual back door in Pincher Creek, you can swim, hike, boat, and fish.

• Plan a trip to the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village in August when they host their Summer Shindig.
• Catch a Summer Balcony Concert at the historic Lebel Mansion, now owned by the Allied Arts Council of Pincher Creek.
• Explore Alberta’s rich farming history at Heritage Acres.
• Dust off your cowboy boots for the Pincher Creek Rodeo on August 18-21.

Elkwater

The lakeside town of Elkwater is at the heart of Alberta’s side of Cypress Hills Provincial Park. The small village is a southern Alberta beach escape with a lodge overlooking the water and several campsites nearby. And if the beach isn’t attractive, the Cypress Hills supply seemingly endless stretches of trails for bikers and hikers and offer some unique wild and plant life to view and photograph.

• Plan a beach day: there are two large beach areas here, perfect for a summer picnic.
• Launch inflatable boats, canoes, or kayaks onto the small lake.
• Stay the weekend at Elkwater Lake Lodge and live the lake life for a bit.
• Watch the extreme bike race of the Battle Creek Showdown on August 22, and stay for the party.

Taber

The name of Taber, whether you’ve visited or not, probably rings a bell, as they are famous for the corn harvested here. They also celebrate the corn each year with the end-of-summer Cornfest. Many come to Taber for the river location, as well, with the Oldman River and its slower flow being ideal for canoers, kayakers, and stand-up paddleboarders (SUPers).

• Learn all about their famous corn in the most fun way possible: with Cornfest August 27-29.
• Embark on a Freak Fishin’ Tour on the South Saskatchewan River with their jetboat adventures.
• Shop the summer markets in both Taber and Vauxhall.
• Cool off at the Vauxhall outdoor pool.
• Launch onto the Oldman River with your canoe or kayak from the Taber Municipal Park & Campground.

High River

You can visit High River for a variety of getaway types: you can keep it all in town and enjoy local shopping, dining, and even a drive-in movie! The Highwood River runs along the northwest side of town and is a popular fishing river. There are riverside parks on the edge of town where you can start a water adventure like boating or floating, set up a picnic, or enjoy the nature trails.

• Go for a family walk and birdwatching adventure at Frank Lake, where migratory birds of all kinds vacation for the summer.
• Explore the local dining with Rock-a-Doodles Chicken, Sally’s Bar & Grill, or Foxes Den Restaurant. View all your local High River food options here.
• Watch an outdoor movie at the Sunset Drive-in Theatre, where part of all ticket sales is donated to local charities.
• Featuring balloons from around the world, there will be lots to see in the skies over High River during the Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival.

Turner Valley (Diamond Valley)

Surround yourself with endless rolling foothills and the distant views of the Rockies by making a trip to Turner Valley this summer. The southwest town is a short drive from Calgary and Okotoks, as well as all the outdoor recreation possibilities to the west.

Surrounding Turner Valley are beautiful natural and provincial areas, including Threepoint Creek, the Bluerock Wildland, and the Sheep River. The Sheep River extends east to Turner Valley and runs along its eastern border.

• Visit Turner Valley Gas Plant, a Provincial Historic Resource and a National Historic Site. This was Western Canada’s first commercial oilfield and processing plant.
• Try an excursion with Full Circle Adventures and their several guided walks/hikes.
• Glamp right off Main Street with Meska Outdoors.

• Hike the nearest mountain trails off Highway AB-546.
• Taste traditional German beer brewed in Alberta.

Nanton

The southwest Alberta town of Nanton is in a beautiful location at the foothills’ start and on the western edge of the prairies. The town itself is just as nice to look at, with their historic and restored downtown at the centre. Learn about Nanton’s history with a walk downtown or take the experience further at the town’s local museums.

• Tour Nanton’s unique museums this summer: the Bomber Command Museum, the Museum of Miniatures, or the Grain Elevator Discovery Centre.
• Attend a Nite Rodeo on Fridays in the Summer.
• Enjoy a traditional 18-hole golf round at the beautiful Nanton Golf Club or Disc Golf in town.
• About a 10-minute drive from town, the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage features a diverse collection of historic buildings, garden paths, and more than 18 perennial gardens.

Brooks

Families can have a lot of fun in Brooks this summer, which is about halfway between Calgary and Medicine Hat on Highway 1. Brooks and surrounding Newell County offer families and any other road trip buddies educational experiences, local dining, and outdoor recreation with the help of nearby Provincial Parks. Within a 30-minute drive in any direction from Brooks, you can see badlands, lakes, rivers, and prairies. The closest lake, Lake Newell, is large and warm, with a Provincial area for boaters, swimmers, and winter activities.

• Visit the enormous engineered concrete structure, the Brooks Aqueduct.
• Get lost in the Brooks Corn Maze.
• Drive north of Brooks to visit the iconic Dinosaur Provincial Park: there are trails and fossils to explore, and ample space for picnics.
• Attend a live music event on the patio of the local Piston Broke Brewing.
• Book a camping trip for Kinbrook Island Provincial Park, and spend a few days getting to know Brooks.

Cardston

 Cardston can easily fill a summer weekend with local fun, including a carriage ride at the Remington Carriage Museum, but also from the town’s short distance from St. May’s Reservoir, as well as the start to the southern foothills.

• Enjoy a live production of The Prince of Egypt, The Importance of Being Earnest or James and the Giant Peach, from the local Carriage House Theatre.
• Attend the Cardston Heritage Days Rodeo & Mud Bog that will feature a Pow Wow, classic car parade, and more.
• Bring the boat! St. Mary’s Reservoir is perfect for tubing and waterskiing, fishing, or paddling.
• Go on whitewater rafting and kayaking, or guided fishing tours with Incept Adventure Company

Okotoks

There are several reasons to make time this summer to see Okotoks with the town’s thriving arts and culture scene, a beautiful downtown to easily tour on foot or bike, upcoming outdoor concerts, and the abundance of riverside trails. The Sheep River runs through Okotoks and provides the town with not just trails but also several parks where you can picnic or relax for the day.

• View more than 500 unique cars, trucks and motorcycles during the Okotoks Show & Shine.
• Pack some golf clubs! The foothill landscape of Okotoks makes for beautiful and challenging courses. Crystal Ridge also offers mini golf.
• Visit the Okotoks Erratic, a unique and prominent geological feature a short drive west of town.
• Spice up your weekend with chilli sampling, children’s activities, live music, and an outdoor artisan street market on August 27th

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