Ten Reasons to Visit the Lethbridge Area This Summer

Discover history, nature and UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Sunshine 330 days every year? Yes, please. Venture south this summer and discover the wild-west spirit of Lethbridge. It has a winding urban parks system, fascinating history and it serves as a hub for easy day trips to Waterton Lakes National Park and the Crowsnest Pass.

Here are 10 reasons to visit Lethbridge and the surrounding area this summer.

What to do in Lethbridge:

Escape at Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden

You won't feel like you're in Alberta during a visit to this lush oasis. The Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden was constructed in 1967 to recognize the multicultural nature of Lethbridge and the friendship between Japan and Canada. Stroll the manicured pathways and take in the natural beauty and calming water features. Or visit the 16th-century-inspired tea pavilion to take part in a private tea ceremony and other cultural experiences.

Explore history at the Galt Museum & Archives

This internationally recognized museum has a wide variety of displays paying homage to the people, places and industries of southern Alberta. You'll learn all about mining, breweries, bison and Indigenous cultures. The Galt hosts a rotating roster of travelling exhibits each year, in addition to its colourful mainstay attractions.

Learn about fascinating characters at Fort Whoop-Up

Southern Alberta was once at the centre of the illegal whisky trade, bringing with it a cast of intriguing folks whose stories live on today. You'll hear infamous tales at Fort Whoop-Up, along with the history of the buffalo-robe trade from the late 1800s.

Learn about the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), other First Nations, Métis, Canadians, Americans and British settlers who shaped the history of the region. Take a self-guided tour or learn from an expert guide.

Sample locally brewed beer

The craft-beer industry in Alberta has exploded in recent years. And Lethbridge has some notable breweries of its own. Local favourites in Lethbridge include Theoretically Brewing Co.and Spectrum Ale Works.

Snap a photo with the High Level Bridge

This most recognizable landmark in Lethbridge is famed for being the world's longest and tallest railway bridge of its kind. The bridge was built in 1909 and was a feat of engineering at the time – it still is. Snap a photo at sunset when the golden-hour light hits.

Get outdoors at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre

This 200-acre nature preserve is found in the valley near the High Level Bridge. The Helen Schuler Nature Centre is a tranquil, untouched greenspace and offers an ever-changing calendar of exhibits. The nature centre is also a starting point to explore a winding, 200km (124mi) network of pathways. See if you can spot the distinct scenery of four ecosystems: prairies, coulees, cottonwood forest and natural floodplain – plus wildlife that calls each one home.

In the surrounding area:

Writing-on-Stone/ Aísínai'pi Provincial Park

Lethbridge is the starting point for some memorable adventures in southern Alberta, including Writing-on-Stone / Áísínai'pi Provincial Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Make a day trip to Writing-on-Stone, a sacred place that has held cultural significance for Indigenous Blackfoot people for thousands of years. Explore the pictographs on the towering sandstone cliffs alongside an expert guide who can tell the stories they depict and the history of the area.

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

The area near Lethbridge is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. This historic site 70.4 km (43.7 mi) west of Lethbridge highlights 6,000 years of Indigenous culture. Indigenous hunters drove bison off the namesake cliff, and the area still holds immense cultural significance. A visit to Head-Smashed-In includes trails winding through the stunning scenery, interpretive exhibits and educational programming.

Dinosaur Provincial Park

Dinosaur Provincial Park, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, is about 195 km (121 mi) northeast of Lethbridge. The area was a subtropical paradise 75 million years ago, and now it's part of the Canadian Badlands, where the scenery is otherworldly. More than 150 full dinosaur skeletons have been uncovered in Dinosaur Provincial Park. And more than 50 species have been discovered – one of the most famous being the Albertosaurus. The park is still filled with dinosaur fossils. Book a guided tour to do a fossil hunt.

Crowsnest Pass

One of southern Alberta's hidden gems is 95 km (59 mi) west of Lethbridge in the Canadian Rockies. The Crowsnest Past has a rich history, with tales of mine disasters, rockslides and rum running during Prohibition. You can't miss Frank Slide as you drive into town – it's where one of Canada's worst rockslides occurred in 1903. It levelled a town in 90 seconds. Visit the nearby interpretive centre to learn more about the incident.

Or spend some time hiking to the summit of Turtle Mountain, overlooking Frank Slide. Window Lake is another unbeatable hike in the area that's well worth it. Closer to town, stop for a photo op at Lundbreck Falls and the centuries-old Burmis Tree.