Whether your stay in Medicine Hat is long or short there is always something going on. From festivals to fairs, from sports events to parades; Medicine Hat has something for everyone.
Information courtesy of www.tourismmedicinehat.com
Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede
The Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede is steeped in tradition and remains true to its roots of western heritage while embracing excitement here in the city. Whether your family has been here for generations or your family has just moved here, we welcome you to enjoy the many Stampede events.
Family Leisure Centre
COME OUT and PLAY at the Family Leisure Centre! A place where one’s social, emotional, mental and physical needs can be met under one roof. We offer a wide variety of structured and unstructured health and lifestyle opportunities for individuals, families and entire communities to meet, grow, laugh, explore and more. Learn a new skill, make new friends, spend time with the family or find a ‘whole’ new you – the opportunities to play are endless.
Heritage Trail System
Often called the “Oasis of the Prairies,” Medicine Hat has more than 90 km (56 mi) of hiking/biking trails linking five major parks and many of the city’s municipal parks that dot the South Saskatchewan River valley.
Police Point Park
Stroll along the nature trails among ancient cottonwood trees and watch for bald eagles or white-tailed deer in the scenic 400 acre natural reserve. Bordered on three sides by the South Saskatchewan River, this park features 8 km of walking and cycling trails included 3 km of paved, with easy access for wheelchairs. Police Point Park is an excellent area for watching birds and wildlife. Learn more about grassland flora and fauna at the Interpretive Centre on site. Open year round, the center offers many special events for the public. Police Point Park is located on the North side of the river on Police Point Drive. Contact us at 403.529.6225.
Grassland Wildlife Observation
Some of North America’s most spectacular native grassland lies at Medicine Hat’s doorstep. Heading south, visitors frequently see birds that are rarely seen elsewhere, like long-billed curlew, sprague’s pipit and ferruginous hawk. Wildflowers carpet the prairie from late April to July, with many species continuing on to freeze-up in October. Spring brings what local birders call “prairie bells”, the cheerful mixture of a half dozen bold bird songs, all ringing out together in the early morning. Fall is equally memorable, with tens of thousands of waterfowl staging on local lakes during their southward migration.
For details on the current events or best places to explore, call the Police Point Nature Centre at 403-529-6225.
Parks And Trails
Medicine Hat’s excellent open spaces system includes five major parks and over 100 community parks. A network of 92 km of trails wind through the city, connecting many parks with the abundant natural environment along the creeks and river. Trail maps are available at Tourism Medicine Hat.
South Saskatchewan River
Medicine Hat is the staging area for exploring the smooth water of the South Saskatchewan River. Whether you want to float for a couple of hours, or embark on a five-day wilderness voyage, you will enjoy this prairie river.
Echo Dale Regional Park
Bask on the beach, go for a swim or a paddle, fish for trout, hike under the red cliffs or picnic under the trees in this 160 acre playground. Echo Dale features two beautiful man made lakes in a peaceful river valley setting and 7 km of walking trails
Echo Dale Historic Farm
Echo Dale Regional Park also offers a historic experience. Take a step back in time at the fully restored Woolfrey House which offers a glimpse of what life was like in the early settler days. The Ajax Mine makes for a great family outing, as visitors can go “underground” to see tools used by the coal miners on this site. And of course, the farm animals are always popular with kids of all ages. A great place for a family visit!
Kin Coulee Park
Seven Persons Creek meanders through this beautiful multi-purpose 100 acre park. Kin Coulee offers natural areas as well as recreational facilities including playgrounds, trails, ball diamonds, picnic facilities, fire pits, toboggan hill plus more. Entrance to the park is at the bottom of College Drive.
Riverside Park
In the heart of downtown, this park features a fascinating brick mural by the renowned artist James Marshall, depicting the history of the area. Flowers, walkways, CP diesel engine and huge old trees along the river make this a beautiful place for lunch or just to relax.
Strathcona Island Park
Just beneath Medicine Hat’s scenic cliffs, on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River, this park is a family favorite. From a water park playground for the kids, to the walking and hiking trails and superb picnic facilities, there is something for everyone!
Co-Op Place
The Canalta Centre is Medicine Hat’s premiere entertainment venue and home to the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Located in the growing area of Box Springs Business Park, this state-of-the-art facility has seating for 7,000 people featuring 350 club seats, 22 suites, eight loge boxes, two community suites for public rental, and a lounge.
The Canalta Centre teams creates unique experiences that turn into memories and first-time visitors into loyal supporters.
The event centre is proudly owned by the City of Medicine Hat and managed by SMG Canada.
The Esplanade
The Esplanade is where arts and heritage come to life in Medicine Hat, where the stories of our great collective culture are told through music and dance, theatre, painting and sculpture, exhibitions and installations, artifacts, objets d’art and more.
A marvel of contemporary Canadian architecture on traditional Blackfoot territory just steps from the South Saskatchewan River, the Esplanade occupies an eminent position on downtown’s elegant First Street South. From its rooftop terrace, you can see Saamis, the shoreline escarpment which is the setting for the story of how Medicine Hat got its name.
Medalta Museum
Medalta is an innovative industrial museum, contemporary ceramic arts facility, art gallery and community hub in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Located within a converted century-old factory, it has become an exciting place where cutting edge technologies meet historic restoration and archaeology come together.
Medicine Hat Brewing Co.
In 1912, the Medicine Hat Brewing Company began serving old fashioned lager, ale and stout to our city’s early, thirsty residents. It’s hot and dry here and we all know how a good beer can cool you off after a hard day’s work. When the Temperance Movement picked up, this popular brewery – One of Medicine Hat’s first – was forced to close.
But you can’t keep a good thing down. Over a century later, the Medicine Hat Brewing Company name has been dusted off and again serves thirsty, hard-working Hatters Timeless Craft Beer.
Hell’s Basement Brewery
Six courageous beer lovers from Medicine Hat along with their families, friends, and countless members of the community worked tirelessly for six months to bring quality, craft beer to Medicine Hat.
We take pride in our community, and we’ve worked with a variety of local businesses, tradespeople and artists to make our dream a reality. We’re excited to let you know that we’re now open for business. We can’t wait for you to come in and taste what we’ve created (if you’re over 18 of course).
Saamis Teepee
If you’ve ever driven through Medicine Hat on the Trans-Canada Highway, you might recall seeing an enormous steel structure akin to the skeleton of an Indian teepee towering over the asphalt. This internationally-recognized monument, arguably Medicine Hat’s most prominent landmark, is known as the Saamis Teepee. Standing at 65.5 metres, the Saamis Teepee holds the record for being the tallest teepee in the world.
Windmill Garden Centre
The Butterfly House is a 5000 sq. ft. tropical paradise with hundreds of exotic butterflies, birds, fish, and turtles. The butterfly house is located in Windmill Garden Centre. The centre also houses a full line garden centre with a petting zoo, gift shop, espresso cafe and ice cream.
Hidden Valley
Hidden Valley is located in the Cypress Hills Provincial Park near Elkwater, Alberta, Canada. The facility offers a unique opportunity to experience winter activities in a friendly, professional environment.
The hours of operation are typically from early December thru to the end of March. Hidden Valley Ski Resort guarantees reasonable rates and reasonable lift lines.
Winter Time Fun is what Hidden Valley is all about!
Monarch Theatre
The Monarch Theatre of Medicine Hat was built in 1911. The grand opening was December 21, 1911, as reported in the Medicine Hat News. Although there were other theatres built and opened prior to this one, most opened as vaudeville theatres and did not show films until later. The Monarch showed films on opening night and therefore can lay claim to being one of the first, if not the first, movie theatre in the country that started life as a film theatre from day one.
Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
If drive for about 20 minutes east of Medicine Hat on the Trans-Canada Highway, and then about 30 minutes more south on the 41A, you’ll come to a place that cannot have justice done unto it in a few short paragraphs. The Park spans the SE corner of Alberta and the SW corner of Saskatchewan. You will also find the National Heritage Site of Fort Walsh on the South side of the park. It is a great place to relax, discover the outdoors or have an adventure.
