Offbeat Spa Travel: Drumheller, Alberta Canada

Badlands, Alberta Canada

Here's a tip for an offbeat destination you wouldn't typically think of as a destination with spa or wellness options:  The badlands of Alberta, Canada. 

Drumheller is a town within the Red Deer Valley in the badlands of east-central Alberta province in Canada.  It's located 110 kilometers (68 miles) northeast of Calgary.  It's referred to as Dinosaur Valley, and is known for being a rich source of dinosaur fossils, its striking landscape, Hoodoos and canyons.

This fascinating area boasts several protected geographic sites, parks, and museums, and appeals to hikers, runners, bicyclists, and adventure enthusiasts.    This doesn't mean spartan accommodations, or preclude romantic outings, however.  We recommend a stay at the Heartwood Inn & Spa in Drumheller, so that you'll "be in good hands in the bad lands."

Exterior
Heartwood Inn & Spa, Drumheller   

THE INN

The Heartwood Inn & Spa is centrally located, just a few blocks from downtown Drumheller. It has eight unique rooms and cottages with over-sized jetted tubs and fireplaces, a large dining room suitable for meetings and receptions, and a day spa.  All interior spaces are non-smoking.  A limited number of rooms are pet-friendly.

Breakfast
Heartwood Inn & Spa, Drumheller

Guestroom, Jetted Tub
Heartwood Inn & Spa, Drumheller

Dormer Room
Heartwood Inn & Spa, Drumheller


Interior Sitting Room
Heartwood Inn & Spa, Drumheller

THE SPA:

The Inn's full service day spa has a full menu of spa treatments and healing arts for men, women and couples.    Services include skincare, body scrubs and wraps, manicures and pedicures, massage, hydrotherapy, and more.  Interesting wraps and scrubs include the Oriental Pearl Scrub, D Age Firming Treatment, Mediterranean Olive Scrub, European Thermal Mud Treatment, Indian Rice Scrub, Arabian Coconut Scrub, Cellulite re-modeling Treatment, and a re-moisturizing body wrap (1 hour each, $130).

For hikers returning from touring the Badlands, try the the Spa's Badlands Leg Circulation Restorer (1 hour for $110).  Runners should try the Intensive Sport Performance Foot Treatment (1 hour for $85).

FALL TRAVEL SPECIAL

• One night Luxury Accommodation
• Hydrotherapy massage
• Tickets to the Royal Tyrrell Museum (see below)
• Tickets to the World's Largest Dinosaur (see below)
• Happy hour

From $99 per person (weekdays), $129 weekends - based on double occupancy.

AROUND DRUMHELLER:

Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is open May through October.  The park is well known for being one of the richest dinosaur fossil locales in the world.  It offers guided excavations ranging from 7 hours to 3 days. The experience includes an orientation to the Park and the research project, working in a real quarry, and hiking and prospecting for new fossil finds. Your work will contribute to research going on at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology  is a museum that hosts Canada's largest collection of dinosaur fossils.  Tickets to the museum are included in the Heartwood Inn's Fall Special (above).

In and around Drumheller are the striking hoodoos -- also called fairy chimneys -- tall, thin spires of rock. The name "hoodoo" is derived from the word "voodoo" and was given to these geological formations by the Europeans. In the Blackfoot and Cree traditions, the Hoodoos are believed to be petrified giants who come alive at night to hurl rocks at intruders.

Hoodoos, Drumheller

The World's Largest Dinosaur is a tourist attraction of an obviously pretty large fiberglass dinosaur.  It's open year-round and visitors can climb the giant T-rex and admire the badlands from inside her (yes, it's a she) gaping jaws. On your way up, you'll see mural paintings by local artist Gary Cox, as well as the black light area, which features fossils and dinosaur bone displays. Tickets included in the Heartwood's Fall Special package.

Drumheller Travel Information

SEE ADDITIONAL SPA DESTINATIONS IN ALBERTA

Comments

[Canada SIM Card]

Canada is famous for a lot of things. From cities to many natural wonders like Niagara falls Canada deserves that.
Baffin Island
Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies
Bay of Fundy
Cabot Trail
Cabot Trail
CN Tower (Canadian National Tower)
Fortress of Louisbourg
Niagara Falls between Canada & The United States
Old City of Quebec
Perce Rock
The Canadian Rockies