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Compiled by the Highway Journey Alberta staff
Final up to date on October 6, 2023
For a lot of Albertans, Purple Deer finest serves as a logical pitstop between Calgary and Edmonton, as a result of it sits virtually within the precise center! For individuals who resolve to dwell a bit longer – whether or not to dine at one of many nice eating places, discover the historic downtown, or discover your technique to the one-of-a-kind “Canyon Coaster” close by – these longer guests are sometimes aptly rewarded. As a result of as Alberta’s fourth-largest metropolis (and typically in a sizzling battle for third with Lethbridge), there are a stunning variety of actually distinctive and nice issues to do in Purple Deer.
The Finest Issues to Do in Purple Deer
Stroll Round Historic Downtown
First included as a metropolis in 1913, there’s numerous historical past to soak up while you’re in Purple Deer. Stroll round historic downtown and take within the structure, warfare memorials, and different essential websites which have formed town into what it’s right now.
Undecided the place to start? Fortunately, there are numerous self-guided strolling excursions that may provide help to find out about Purple Deer’s dynamic heritage, together with our favorite, “The Ghost Assortment Heritage Strolling Tour.”
Go to Bower Ponds
Location: 4715 Fountain Dr
Bower Ponds is a stunning spot to spend a day, whether or not it’s for boating in summer season or ice skating in winter. In summer season, get pleasure from paddle boats, canoes, and kayaks for lease, whereas in winter, there are ice skates for lease in addition to skating equipment reminiscent of helmets, skating aides, and extra.
The ponds are tranquil and peaceable year-round, making them the proper spot for a date, a household day trip, or a solo wander. It’s one of the vital common issues to Do in Purple Deer, and it’s simple to see why!
Go to Heritage Ranch
Location: 6300 Cronquist Dr
Usually referred to as “The Jewel of Purple Deer,” Heritage Ranch sits on 217 acres of lovely land simply exterior of town. You may go to the Westlake Grill for a meal, the place the whole lot from gentle snacks to a five-course dinner is served; it’s excellent for a romantic date, too, as you’ll be able to even order customized chef-inspired meals for a special day.
The ranch additionally hosts quite a lot of experiences, together with horse and carriage rides, ranch tracker video games, and sleigh rides within the winter, whereas there are additionally nice strolling and biking trails to get pleasure from.
Test Out Gaetz Lakes Chicken Sanctuary
Location: Entrance is at 45 Kerry Avenue on the Kerry Wooden Nature Centre
Gaetz Lakes Chicken Sanctuary is Alberta’s oldest federal migratory fowl sanctuary and is a little bit slice of paradise proper throughout the metropolis limits of Purple Deer. Excellent for fowl watching, you’ll be able to discover the protected land by strolling the 5 kilometres of trails by yourself or with one of many naturalists who works there.
You can too borrow binoculars, snowshoes, or an exercise package from the centre to assist your expertise be the perfect it could possibly presumably be. And with over 122 hectares of land, you’ll be able to count on tons of birds in addition to a bunch of different native crops and animals to identify!
Go to Sunnybrook Farm Museum
Location: 2879 Botterill Crescent
Head to Sunnybrook Farm Museum, a implausible residing museum proper within the coronary heart of Purple Deer that celebrates the historical past of Alberta farming! This early Twentieth-century farm reveals what it was prefer to reside and work in that period and even has costumed employees to show you about farm life as an early pioneer.
Go to the log cabin, get pleasure from a wagon experience, feed the chickens, and a lot extra. It’s an ideal summer season exercise in Purple Deer, particularly for households.
Go to the Purple Deer Museum + Artwork Gallery
Location: 4525 47a Ave
Should you’re after a little bit of tradition, make your technique to the Purple Deer Museum and Artwork Gallery, the place you’ll be taught all about native historical past and soak up a couple of artwork exhibitions, too. There’s additionally a implausible roster of occasions that occur on the centre, together with artist spotlights, day camps, interactive reveals, storytime, academic talks, movies, and a lot extra.
Take within the social historical past, artwork historical past, and up to date artwork observe, all whereas celebrating the variety of town’s inhabitants over time. It’s undoubtedly among the finest issues to do in Purple Deer, particularly if you wish to get to know town’s historical past and tradition!
Pattern the Finest Breweries
Purple Deer is dwelling to some wonderful breweries… in reality, there’s even a “Purple Deer Ale Path” that features the likes of Stomach Hop Brewing, One thing Brewing, Sawback Brewing, Troubled Monk, Purple Hart Brewing, and Craft Beer Commonwealth.
Pattern town’s finest IPAs, stouts, lagers, and extra at these implausible breweries, all of which supply one thing distinctive. Should you had been unaware that Purple Deer has such a vibrant brewing group… now’s your probability to strive all of them!
Chill out and Seize a Espresso
Purple Deer boasts a thriving espresso tradition characterised by its native appeal and community-oriented method. Town’s espresso scene revolves round quite a lot of locally-owned cafes, like Dose Espresso, Café Séne and Cafe Vero, every providing a singular expertise and showcasing a dedication to high quality and freshness.
These institutions are extra than simply locations to seize a cup of espresso; they’re hubs of connection and creativity. Purple Deer’s espresso tradition is marked by its help for native artisans, deal with group engagement by means of occasions and reside performances, and a dedication to offering their regulars with a heat and welcoming setting.
Try the Alberta Sports activities Corridor of Fame and Museum
Location: 4200 Queen Elizabeth II Hwy #102
A much-beloved museum in Purple Deer, the Alberta Sports activities Corridor of Fame and Museum is each academic and entertaining. With over 7,000 sq. ft to discover, the museum is extraordinarily interactive; there’s a digital multisport space, a wheelchair problem, inflatable flooring curling, and a lot extra.
Celebrating the variety of sports activities, you’ll discover info on the whole lot and everybody, from essentially the most well-known athletes to the lesser-known sports activities heroes. In truth, there are over 16,000 artifacts on show within the Corridor of Fame! Excellent for sports activities fans, it’s nicely price a go to while you’re on the town.
Get pleasure from Discovery Canyon
Location: 3800 River Bend Dr
If you wish to quiet down on a sizzling summer season’s day, look no additional than Discovery Canyon. Operated by River Bend Golf and Recreation, Discovery Canyon is a seasonal waterpark that many take into account a little bit of a hidden gem in Alberta.
With a pure river-fed pool, a recreation space, a playground space, and many concessions, it’s a great spot to go as a household in hotter climate. Youngsters will love tube floating on the lazy river, taking part in within the wading pool and a lot extra.
Take to the Sky in a Sizzling Air Balloon
Should you’ve ever wished to strive sizzling air ballooning, you’re in luck… Purple Deer has an incredible sizzling air balloon firm that means that you can see Central Alberta in a singular and memorable means! Air-Ristocrat Balloon Rides has been in operation since 2003 and runs seven days per week from Could to October yearly.
Even higher? By 2024, they may have an accessible sizzling air balloon that’s able to holding a wheelchair so that everybody might be included on this magical expertise.
Go to Canyon Ski Resort
Location: 38433 Vary Rd 264
Take a drive exterior of Purple Deer to go to Canyon Ski Resort, the place each summer season and winter supply quite a bit to do. In winter, benefit from the terrain park, snow tube park, 23 runs, six lifts, and a lot extra. Excellent for households and for newcomers, there’s one thing for each skier to like at Canyon Ski Resort.
And the enjoyable doesn’t cease in summer season… it’s important to strive the Canyon Coaster, which is Alberta’s first and solely alpine coaster! An incredible technique to zip by means of the forest trails, you’ll use your individual brake rider as you soar alongside over 1,300 metres of monitor. It’s an expertise not like some other.
Head to Historic Fort Normandeau
Location: 28054 45 Ave
Historic Fort Normandeau is among the highest-rated issues to do in Purple Deer, and for good purpose. Situated alongside the Purple Deer River, the fort is on the web site of the traditionally essential Purple Deer River Crossing, which was the principle level connecting Edmonton and Calgary earlier than the railway was inbuilt 1893.
Head to Fort Normandeau right now to find out about that point in Purple Deer’s historical past by means of everlasting and non permanent exhibitions, interpretive indicators, occasions, programs, and way more. There’s an interpretive centre, a reconstruction of the fort, teepees, and plenty of extra areas to discover onsite.
Store at Purple Deer Market
Location: 100 Faculty Blvd (Purple Deer Polytechnic)
Considered one of our favorite issues to do in Purple Deer is to buy on the farmers’ market, which occurs each Saturday morning from the Could Lengthy weekend till Thanksgiving. This implausible market has quite a bit on supply, together with recent produce, native items, reside leisure, and a lot extra.
A social and cultural hub within the metropolis, the Purple Deer Market has a wealthy historical past of bringing individuals collectively over a cup of espresso and a shared love of group. Make certain to cease by when you’re on the town on a Saturday!
Enjoy Westerner Days
Head to Westerner Days for 5 days each July for among the finest issues to do in Purple Deer! This honest and exposition is the biggest summer season celebration in Central Alberta, because it actually does have all of it: reside music and leisure, a market, adorned autos, pony chuckwagon rides, halfway rides, and tons of wonderful meals on supply.
Held within the coronary heart of downtown Purple Deer and ideal for households, this occasion often attracts tens of 1000’s of individuals a 12 months, so make certain to ebook nicely upfront if you wish to go to Purple Deer for Westerner Days.
Take within the Bowden SunMaze
Location: 34530 Vary Rd 14
On the finish of each summer season, drive half-hour south of Purple Deer to seek out Bowden SunMaze, a good looking spot with over 100,000 sunflowers. Benefit from the sunflower mazes, take dwelling some flowers and/or greens within the u-pick gardens, and plan for a surprising photoshoot amongst the rows of yellow blooms.
It’s a implausible technique to wind down summer season and benefit from the countryside surrounding Purple Deer.
The place to Eat in Purple Deer
Fortunately, we have now a whole information to the finest Purple Deer eating places, however listed here are a few our favourites within the metropolis.
Tribe
Location: 4930B 50 St
All the time scrumptious and all the time fascinating, Tribe makes use of revolutionary strategies and native, high-quality substances to create dishes which might be one-of-a-kind.
Recognized for his or her wonderful service and comfortable ambiance, get pleasure from meals that may be labeled as “trendy fusion” from all over the world; their flatbreads are particularly tantalizing (we love the Casablanca and the Copenhagen).
It’s All Greek to Me
Location: 3701 50 Ave
In search of the perfect Greek meals in Purple Deer? Search no farther! It’s All Greek to Me serves up traditional Mediterranean meals in a welcoming spot that’s beloved by locals and vacationers alike.
Get pleasure from dishes reminiscent of souvlaki, skewers, meze, and moussaka in addition to Greek ribs, Athenian prawns, roast lamb, and a lot extra.
The place to Keep in Purple Deer
There are fairly a couple of inns in Purple Deer, relying in your finances. Listed below are a few our high picks.
Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton Purple Deer
Location: 128 Leva Ave
Discovered within the south of town, the Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton Purple Deer is a superb place to remain on the town.
With tons of facilities to make your keep as comfy as doable – assume a health centre, enterprise centre, pool, free breakfast, and extra – the resort can be one of many metropolis’s latest and most trendy.
Purple Deer Resort and On line casino
Location: 3310 50 Ave
The Purple Deer Resort and On line casino is a implausible place to remain within the metropolis; it affords comfy rooms in addition to a enjoyable, entertaining vibe.
Benefit from the pool, health centre, lounge, and a lot extra, together with the brand-new 38,000-square-foot on line casino and gaming space. Feeling fancy? Make certain to ebook one of many jacuzzi suites!
Dalene Heck is a co-founder of Highway Journey Alberta. She was born in Edmonton, grew up within the Peace Nation, and has ventured to virtually each nook of Alberta and the world (she’s travelled to 60 nations)! She is a serial blogger, the CEO of HMI Advertising and marketing, co-creator of the Journey Chaser card sport, a leukemia-slayer, and cat whisperer.
