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Things To Do In Canmore
Alberta is one of the best winter destinations in the world. Canmore is one of its best-kept secrets. This small tourist town in Alberta is a great way to explore the Canadian Rockies. The town is brimming with turquoise-colored lakes and snow-capped mountains. When here, you can explore many outdoor activities with your friends and family. Banff is a tourist town located in close proximity.
You can make a great day trip to Banff during your stay in Canmore in order to enjoy the best of Alberta, Canada. Canmore has exciting caves, picturesque parks, and some of the best eateries of Alberta. When here, you can try freshly brewed beer by the Spring Creek or take a hike to the Ha Ling Summit- there are many adventures you can embark upon during your stay in Canmore!
An Underground Experience at the Rat’s Nest Cave
Spelunking is a fun activity that we often fail to explore. It is the act of exploring caves and underground places. Well, if you have ever wondered about what it is like to live beneath the ground, then Canmore is a great place to start with. The town is home to the Rat’s Nest Cave which is located under the Grotto Mountain of the Canadian Rockies. The caves have survived the test of time and remain they were, with little to no change. Coming here during your stay in Canmore will be enlightening and adventurous.
Hop on to a Canmore Caving Adventure Tour or any of the other tours like the Explorer Tour to get a wholesome experience of the caves. There are many professionals here, who know about the history and even the geography of the region. They will walk you through the caves and help you learn more about what it would have been like to live underground. During your exploration, you will also get a chance to engage in some fun activities like bouldering, rock climbing, and hiking. This is a great way to try a new physical adventure while also learning about history. Truly, a visit to Rat’s Nest Cave in Canmore can be the best of both worlds.
The area is divided into many segments, the Laundry Chute and the Challenge Squeeze remain some of the favorite tourist attractions. This is a great way to explore a new place. You can click many memorable pictures here as well. The tours are available all through the year. What is amazing is that the tour can be a completely different experience in the winter from the summer.
Skiing at the Nordic Center
Canmore is home to some of the best skiing terrains. Alberta is known all across Canada and the world for its deep powder snow. This makes the surface here extremely helpful for skiing and other snow activities. If you like outdoor sports, you must visit the Nordic Center in Canmore. This place has its very own cross-country space and a mountain biking center. The Nordic Center is located very close to Canmore city, near the Spray Lakes. It is more than 4.5 square kilometers wide.
During the summer, the snow of the region melts to create some beautiful hiking trails. The whole skiing terrain transforms into more than 100 kilometers of trails for mountain biking and hiking. These trails are divided by professionals according to the difficulty level. You can explore a wide variety of trails during the summer.
The Nordic Centre provides its very own orienteering course where you can learn about these adventures. The center also has a place for disc golf, skating, and biathlon. The whole region remains well lit during the nighttime as well. You can explore the terrains at night or day, depending upon your travel schedule. You must visit the Nordic Center, it will surely make for an exciting stay amidst the mountains.
A walk down the memory lane at the Canmore Museum
A museum can reveal more about the people and culture of a place than any other place. Museums are a lot of fun these days as several of them have become interactive spaces. You no longer have to watch and observe outdated history in museums. The Canmore Museum showcases some of the most pivotal moments in Canmore’s history. The place also has a geoscience center. Altogether, the geoscience center and the museum make for a fun trip for both kids and adults.
The museum is located within the Civic Centre of Canmore. This is a testament to the fact that Canmore has a thriving local community that puts together exciting events and workshops for all. They have a permanent exhibition called “From Coal to Community” that showcases the history of coal mining and development in the area. The museum hosts a wide variety of such shows like “Inside the Mine: A Virtual Reality Experience” which is a fun and interactive show.
This show is not just exciting but also educational. You will be able to get the experience of working in a mine without going inside one. All you have to do is register with a small fee to be able to enter and explore the unique Canmore Museum. You can visit the museum from Thursday to Sunday as per normal hours of business.
A stroll at the Spring Creek
The Spring Creek community is new to Canmore. However, this region has become a popular favorite quite quickly. When here, you can embark upon exciting hiking trails, shop at the new outlets, or grab a bite at a restaurant. The best part about the Spring Creek Area is that you can arrive here in many ways. There are many hiking trails that connect the area to other hiking trails like the Policeman’s Creek trail.
Visit the Artists of Elk Run
Tourists love spending time with the local community at Canmore. The people here are friendly and helpful, ensuring that you have the best experience during your stay. One of the best ways of meeting the community of Canmore is by visiting the studios at Elk Run. The studios of Elk Run are located in the industrial part of town. There are nine active studios here, all located in close proximity to each other.
The studios hold exhibitions and also sell fantastic art. You can shop here for a painting or purchase adorable souvenirs for your friends and family. The vibrant arts community here organizes many events, workshops, and exhibitions here. You can visit their website to stay updated with all their upcoming events.
Take a Tour of the Rocky Mountain Soap Company
Canadians are famous for their original and handcrafted products. The Rocky Mountain Soap Company is a testament to Canada and Alberta’s thriving industry. Their main center is located at Canmore and is open to visitors who wish to know more about soap making.
There are professionals here who will take you on a tour of the campus that will be very educational for all curious minds. All tickets for the tour include a gift card that is worth twenty dollars for adults and five dollars for children. You can purchase several soaps and other bath products straight from the shop here.
Rocky Mountain Soap Company sells a wide variety of products like deodorants, face washes, hair washes, travel care, sanitizers, and of course, bath bombs! Their products are free from any toxins and harmful substances.
Their whole enterprise emphasizes sustainability and the use of accessible ingredients in order to make the soaps. You need to purchase the tickets for the tour well in advance as their tour is very popular. Their production facility is not operational on weekends and on public holidays.
Candy shopping at the Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe
A vacation is incomplete without candy! One of the best candy shops in Canada can be found at Canmore. The Old Tyme Candy Shoppe is located at Main Street, Canmore. They offer a wide variety of candy from all across the world. When here, you can purchase a lot of candy in bulk.
The shop also offers good old-style candy as well, a great way to relive the olden days. The shop can also help you customize your candy. All you have to do is call them and mention your specifications. You can pick up freshly made candy during your visit to the main street. You must visit the Old Tyme Candy Shoppe during your stay in Canmore, Alberta!
Attend the Canmore Winter Carnival
The exquisite Canmore Winter Carnival takes place during February every year. It is a local tradition to host and attend the spectacular winter carnival. The community of Canmore comes together to host a wide array of events that are unique to the region. During the carnival, you can try your hand at ice carving. There are several skating parties that you can join to try the outdoor activity with the local community.
There are avenues for street hockey here as well. Log sawing is a unique carnival event that takes place during this time. You can grab a seat by the stands and enjoy a log sawing competition between the locals. The cutest event of the carnival is the pooch parade, where the locals bring out their beautiful pet dogs for a show during the festival. You can purchase local handicrafts at the art shops or enjoy a sled dog race. The Canmore Winter Carnival is truly one of a kind.
Take a sip of local brew at the Wild Life Distillery
Canmore has its very own distillery and brewery! The Wild Life Distillery is famous for its craft spirits all over Canada. They are located at a picturesque location with large expanses of snow around the distillery during the winter. They have a unique process where they produce alcohol from fresh mountain water and locally sourced grains. They produce alcohol in small batches that get sold pretty quickly because of their alcohol’s unique flavor.
The best part is that they also offer a tour of their premises. You can watch alcohol being processed in real-time as experts take you around the distillery. The Wild Life Distillery tour costs nine dollars, which includes a taste of their freshly distilled craft spirits. Once you have tried a bunch of their options, you can choose which beverage to take home.
They also offer free shipping for orders that cost more than a hundred and fifty dollars. They serve delicious cocktail combinations as well. You must visit the Wild Life Distillery during your visit to Canmore.
Enjoy a scenic walk at the Policeman’s Creek
The Policeman’s Creek is a gorgeous place to visit in Canmore. It offers some of the best sightseeing locations along with a boardwalk. The wooden boardwalk is almost four kilometers long. The boardwalk cuts through Canmore and it is the easiest route to take in order to reach the Spring Creek Area. The boardwalk is far from the hustle and bustle of the city.
It is the perfect getaway for travelers who enjoy taking lesser-known routes from one place to another. This is also the route that many locals take to get from one place to another. You do not need to worry if you are worried about the location, the locals will help you all across the path. The boardwalk covers many areas like a gravel path, a creek and so much more, cradled right among the Rocky mountains. You can rest at the benches during your walk.
Purchase a gemstone at the Ammonite Factory
Ammolite was declared as a gemstone a few years before the ammolite factory arrived in Canmore. Ammonite is the name of the fossil from which you can obtain the colorful gemstone Ammonite. Today, Canmore is one of the only places in the world to mine and produce ammolite.
The Ammonite Factory has its own workshop where the unique ammolite gemstone is cleaned, processed, and prepared from fossils that were discovered here. The factory also designs its own jewelry. Their handcrafted products are sold all over Canada. The factory has its own retail shop where you can purchase gorgeous jewelry, art pieces, and fossils straight from the ground.
You can speak to the experts here to know more about the history of this special gemstone and the process of refining it. Ammolite is one of the rarest gemstones in the world. There are other places that have begun mining for it; however, experts have said that the gemstones found in Alberta remain the most colorful and unique. Many people have begun buying Ammolite as an investment for a better future because of its rare existence.
Hike to the Ha Ling Peak
Ha Ling Peak needs no introduction for Canadians. It is one of the highest peaks in the country. The peak remains snow-capped throughout the year. There are many trails in Canmore that can help you reach the summit. It is one of the popularly visited landmarks in Canada. The summit will give you one of the most gorgeous views of Canmore. The trail for the Ha Ling Summit is a little longer than three kilometers. Once you complete the trail, you will need to cover a final distance of four hundred meters and then an elevated hike for around a hundred meters.
The highest regions of the hike are not maintained regularly and hence can be tricky. You must complete the hike if you are a professional or have professional guidance for the same. Other parts of the hike are wonderful as well. You can stop and click pictures all along the way. Taking a hike to Ha Ling Peak has to be on your travel itinerary for your stay in Alberta. You can begin the hike in the morning or in the afternoon, either way, you will get a gorgeous view of the Canadian Rockies.
Dine at the Crazyweed Restaurant
What is more amazing than a freshly baked woodfired pizza in the mountains! The Crazyweed Restaurant is a popular favorite among locals and tourists alike, The place has been called fancy yet not fancy, making it the best of both worlds. You can enjoy a comfortable meal here all through the day as they offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can try a delicious cocktail with your meal as well.
You can explore other eateries in the region however, this place has to be on the top of all these lists. You can visit their website to get a look at their menu. They also host a wide variety of events. You must stay updated in case you wish to catch a show or event at the Crazyweed Restaurant during your stay in Canmore. It is always recommended to make reservations before you head to the restaurant. You can also opt for a wine tasting service during your visit.
A picnic at the Quarry Lake Park
The Quarry Lake Park was set up by the Rocky Mountain Heritage Foundation along with the Town of Canmore. It is one of the most scenic parks in Canmore. It is located on Spray Lakes Road, Canmore. It is very easy to reach the park, you can cycle there or visit on foot as well if you do not have a car. The area comes with some of the best outdoor facilities like the picnic area, mowed grass lawns, benches, swimming area, walking trails, places for sightseeing, toilets, and also a dog park!
You can also host special events. If you do wish to host a personal event at Quarry Lake Park, you will have to book a reservation with the Town of Canmore. It is one of the best venues for birthday celebrations, weddings and so much more. The community of Canmore built this park with the idea of creating a place for rest and rejuvenation. It is also a wildlife preservation area.
The park is naturally occupied by many animals that have always lived here. You must be aware of this at all times during your stay. According to the rules, you cannot feed or get close to the animals that live in the park. You can visit the website to know more about weekly bear activities in the area in order to find the best time to visit the park.
A visit to the Hopi Pictographs
Canmore is a great winter destination and a good place to go for a relaxing stay. However, Canmore is also a historic town. There are many shreds of evidence from the past that are scattered all across the region. There are caves, dinosaur remains, and many other monuments that you can visit in Canmore. The Grotto Canyon is a great place to visit for some adventure and history. The canyon is located less than a kilometer away from Canmore.
You can join the walking trail and reach the narrow creek bed in no time. You can walk along the limestone walls to arrive at the waterfall that is found here. Here, next to the waterfalls of the Grotto Canyon, you can see the epic Hopi pictographs which experts say were painted more than a thousand years ago! These images contain many facets from the past.
The pictographs were made by the Hopi people and represent their culture. The Grotto Canyon is also an excellent place for rock climbers. You will be able to see many climbers all across the region.
Camping at the Grassi Lakeside
If you enjoy visiting lakes and creeks, the Grassi Lake of Canmore has a gorgeous lakeside. You can visit the place for a short camping adventure during your stay. There is a short hiking trail here as well. Beginners can explore the Grassi Lake hiking trails. It is only a hundred meters long and connects to the deeper forest trail which is said to be more difficult. The Riders of Rohan trail will take you along a loop that connects the two Grassi Lakes. The lakes are small but enchanting, surely worth a visit during your trip to Canmore.
