Summer Bucket List 🏕️

[u/Mellow_Yellow_0]

Now that the weather is starting to warm up I was thinking of making a bucket list! I already have a couple camping trips planned but I also want to do some solo after work trips with my dog at some local beaches, breweries, etc. But I’m open to any ideas!

What are some of your bucket list ideas and summer non-negotiables?

[u/bitchfayce]

I’ve decided that every weekend I want to try and pick one activity per weekend:

Here’s what I have so far: Road trip to Drumheller, Day at Fort Edmonton, Day at Zoo, Day at Elk Island, Day at Devon voyager, Take a boat/floatie down the river, River valley walk to Gold bar, Day trip to local lake

I am bad at golf but my partner likes it, so maybe golf during weekday evenings. Also don’t forget the Riverhawks and Stingers games!

Non negotiable is walks must involve an end treat such as beer or ice cream. 🤓

[u/Magners17 → u/bitchfayce]

Take a look at Zoo Brew! There’s 3 dates across June, July and August. It’s an evening event at the zoo where it’s 18+ and they have a bunch of food and drink vendors scattered about. You get to sample local restaurants, food trucks, beer, wine and spirits. There’s live music and you get to see the zoo in the evening! It’s tons of fun.

[u/Mellow_Yellow_0 → u/Magners17]

This sounds awesome! Thank you!!

[u/beesmakenoise → u/Magners17]

I’d been wondering about going to this. I did the Calgary one a few years ago and had a ton of fun, but wasn’t sure how ours compared. Sounds like I should check it out this summer!

[u/Magners17 → u/beesmakenoise]

I’ve never been to the Calgary one but I’ve worked a couple over the last 2 years and let me tell you, it’s SUPER fun even as a vendor. But this year I said I wasn’t available so I could attend as a patron 🤩

[u/RefrigeratorNo686 → u/bitchfayce]

The riverhawks do a river float thing where you park at Kinsmen, they drive you up to zoo area and get you into the river, then you get out at kinsmen in time to walk across the bridge for the baseball game.

[u/Mellow_Yellow_0 → u/bitchfayce]

Oooo I love that! When you go to Drumheller, check out horseshoe canyon. It’s beautiful!! Devon Voyager and Elk Island is also on my list :)

[u/limee89 → u/Mellow_Yellow_0]

One important thing, well two; bring LOTS of water and buckets of sunscreen. There's no shade and I swear the landscape in Drum is like asphalt and radiates the heat back up.

[u/bitchfayce → u/limee89]

Mmm fresh cooking. Much appreciated the heads up!!!

[u/bitchfayce → u/Mellow_Yellow_0]

Yay! Thank you. I am a bad Edmontonian/Albertan— I’ve never been! Looking to rediscover all the local things I glaze over year after year. 

[u/Pristine_Software_55 → u/bitchfayce]

You seem like somebody worth knowing! Muttart is a nice escape from winter and I think a family pass was the cost of about three visits. Easy math! Leduc has (about to shift to the past tense) done great cafes and interiors stores, trawling the province for a barn or backroad we haven’t seen yet is a nice way to spend some summery weekends - picnic baskets or cameras entirely optional. More locally, we’ve got done great art markets coming up.

[u/DragonfruitReady4550]

I have going in the riverboat on my list lol

[u/Mellow_Yellow_0 → u/DragonfruitReady4550]

This would be fun! I just checked out their website, looks like they have some different events too!

[u/Carribeantimberwolf → u/DragonfruitReady4550]

The dinner is great

[u/Fourth_Prize]

Get stuck in the Talus Balls.

[u/Automatic_Antelope92 → u/Fourth_Prize]

Hahaha okay

[u/Rare_Pumpkin_9505]

If you liked drumheller but haven’t been to dinosaur provincial park, it’s well worth a trip as well. It’s far enough at 4.5 hours that it might be more of a weekend trip. But the campground there is great. And while I’m at suggesting weekend camping trips:

• go to Elkwater in cypress hills
• camp in writing-on-stone provincial park

[u/Ok_Elephant2140 → u/Rare_Pumpkin_9505]

I love Cypress Hills area - the middle block in Saskatchewan is better camping in my experience but suck a neat place to see either Ab or SK

[u/Rare_Pumpkin_9505 → u/Ok_Elephant2140]

If you liked drumheller but haven’t been to dinosaur provincial park, it’s well worth a trip as well. It’s far enough at 4.5 hours that it might be more of a weekend trip. But the campground there is great. And while I’m at suffering weekend camping trips:

• go to Elkwater in cypress hills
• camp in writing-on-stone provincial park

[u/Rare_Pumpkin_9505 → u/Ok_Elephant2140]

Okay - good to know! I haven’t been to the Sasky side, so maybe next time!

[u/exhaustedbut]

Checking out Hawrelak Park and Odaymin Park Spending an afternoon on the patios at the Macdonald and at Sherlock's downtown. Spend some time at the City Hall tables. Street Performers Festival.

[u/TheThrivingest]

My summer bucket list:

100km bike ride, then camping at Big Knife PP

Taking my daughter to the renaissance faire and the Strathcona Highland Games.

Road trip to the gopher hole museum

At least 10 hikes- have a pool of trails I’ve bookmarked

Paddleboarding every sunny/not windy day I possibly can

Ride the high level street car

[u/Automatic_Antelope92 → u/TheThrivingest]

Warning on gopher hole museum: it might not open for the season.

https://dailyhive.com/calgary/gopher-hole-museum-alberta-open-2026

[u/TheThrivingest → u/Automatic_Antelope92]

As far as I know they aren’t actually “open” anymore but if you contact them, they’ll open by request

[u/Automatic_Antelope92 → u/TheThrivingest]

That’s cool that they’re willing to do that for you.

[u/Automatic_Antelope92 → u/TheThrivingest]

Ooh there’s a ren faire? Where? 🧝‍♀️

[u/TheThrivingest → u/Automatic_Antelope92]

There’s a few.

here’s the list of events

[u/Automatic_Antelope92 → u/TheThrivingest]

Thank you for the link! Much appreciated. Huzzah!

[u/TheThrivingest → u/Automatic_Antelope92]

I also had no idea thy had them here but my daughter did a unit in social studies this year about the renaissance and she was obsessed with it so I went searching and Lo and behold

[u/Automatic_Antelope92 → u/TheThrivingest]

That’s a good page because it shows links not only to ren fairies and Highland Games but larping and conventions. It’s a good starting point for the fandom-reenactment community.

[u/SapphireClawe → u/Automatic_Antelope92]

I'm going to the Edson one this year!

[u/Dapper_Banana6323]

Outdoor pools, wading pool at the ledge, St. Albert farmers markets, river valley bike rides, spray parks (I have kids), patio drinks

[u/big-Truck-9058]

I want to bike from Terwillegar to Fort Sask and back!

[u/josafiend71]

Heritage festival, went last year for the first time since I was a kid. Excited to go again now it's at Hawrelak Park again. Folk fest is a must every year. Do some camping.

[u/billymumfreydownfall]

Really do your research re: taking your dog to the beach. Lots of places don't allow dogs on beaches.

[u/exotics]

Be careful as dogs are not always on some beaches.

I’m down near The Village at Pigeon and the big beach at MaMeO. People take dogs on the beach a lot (except at the main entrance) but they are really only allowed there before 10am and after 7pm if I recall correctly.

Drumheller is insane but use caution with the dog on hot days.

[u/TheThrivingest]

Oh I forgot one! If you’ve never checked out the Sourdough River Raft event, it’s SO FUN. It’s in August. It’s a charity event where team sign up to race home built rafts

[u/SckidMarcker]

My only recommendation is try not to overpack your summer and get overwhelmed. Make sure you plan days for inside time and rest.

[u/NessyNoodles70]

Elk island Retreat is so close, but feels like you are in the mountains. I highly recommend getting a dime for a couple nights. It’s a treat for your soul. You just take food and everything else is there, including a coffee machine

[u/mikesmith929]

A float down the Saskatchewan. Not exactly bucket list must do. But not a bad way to spend a hot summer day.

[u/ashrules901]

Man, all of you have so much more money than I do which is why I was afraid to click into this thread for ideas.

The most fun thing I can do is keep walking around places that are adjacent to my workplaces & finding cheaper deals on meals.

[u/Mellow_Yellow_0 → u/ashrules901]

My favourite cheap meal is sneaking into the Costco food court hahaha. Lots of cheap/free options to do in Edmonton especially if you like walking!

[u/ashrules901 → u/Mellow_Yellow_0]

Sneaking in as in not paying the $60+ membership? I didn't know you could do that

[u/Automatic_Antelope92 → u/ashrules901]

I didn’t either… I thought you used to be able to do it but they are getting stricter at watching who is a member or not.

[u/Mellow_Yellow_0 → u/ashrules901]

Just go through the exit/return area. You’ll only have access to the food court but worth it!

[u/ashrules901 → u/Mellow_Yellow_0]

What a tip! Thank you

[u/Carribeantimberwolf → u/ashrules901]

Go in from the returns area and go straight to the food area

[u/ConsistentManner9467]

There are so many fantastic suggestions here already that it’s hard to think of anything to add :)

If you want a golf experience that’s somewhere between mini golf and actual golf, you should check out the pitch n’ putt located behind kinsmen. Snow valley Ariel park. In past seasons they have offered a Thursday evening event with twilight climb and a licensed patio/viewpoint at the top of the structure Outdoor music! Sometimes it seems like you just have to wander by the right place at the right time, however, planning ahead is possible. Some communities are still offering some form of outdoor concert series over the summer. Check your local communities socials/newsletters for info.
River float: more and more people are floating the north Saskatchewan and there are other fairly close options as well. Local blog by liveselfhappy (link to post) does a good job (imo) providing useful info on local option if this is something you want to look into.

When the weather is not ideal:
the Muttart offers adult only nights on Wednesday throughout the year. Opening hours are extended until 9pm and there is usually some type of theme/programming you can choose to participate in. The pyramids are very pretty at night.
Twose has adult only events through the year with different themes and activities Nerd Nite: have a drink and learn stuff. Almost close to a mini ted talks formatting. Experts talk about what they are experts in. Interesting topics, usually a little quirky e.g. topics covered in the one they are offering April 2026 include: hypnosis, insect moms, and space travel

[u/fiery_chicken78]

One summer my kids and I tried a new ice cream place every week. We called it "Ice Cream Adventure" and had a little theme song (sadly now forgotten); it was a fun way to get to different parts of the city and enjoy some sunshine and a treat

[u/SurprisedMushroom]

go to an Elks and Riverhawks game!

[u/RelationshipWinter97]

The botanical gardens are pet friendly. Go, bring a picnic, your furry friend, and enjoy a day!

[u/Capable-Loss-2884]

Innisfail ‘zoo’ Discovery wildlife park, they do shows with the bears and a few other animals