Medicine Hat - Pitstops for Kids

Where to stop in Medicine Hat, Alberta

July 28, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

Driving along the Trans Canada Highway 1 through Medicine Hat? Stop for lunch or dinner at Tino’s and stretch your legs at the Tallest Teepee in the World!

Tino’s Drive In is located at 860 14 St. SW (right off the highway). You’ll spot it by the castle exterior. Why stop? We’ll give you over 100 reasons…we counted 120 milk shake flavors on offer! This old-school drive-in has every kind of creamy ice cream treat imaginable, and their burgers, hot dogs, and fries are great, too.

Be ready for a wait during weekends and nice weather! We were told the locals would line up for Tino’s, and during a Saturday afternoon visit, we found out this was no exaggeration! Tino’s is worth the wait, and you can eat at picnic tables outside on-site or take your food to one of the many parks and nature areas along the South Saskatchewan River.

After eating at Tino’s pause for a stop on the Trans Canada Highway at the Medicine Hat teepee…don’t worry, you can’t miss the Saamis Teepee from the road! This huge teepee was bought by a local after the Calgary Olympic Games and brought back to the city. When standing inside, families can see the true scope of the structure, and on the trails beside it, kids can venture along the coulees (hills) and see the place where aboriginal residents of the area once drove bison off the hillsides to their deaths.

Have more time? Check out our review of where to stay in Medicine Hat, and what to do with kids indoors.

We toured Medicine Hat as part of our Great Coast Road Trip with Coast Hotels. Read more about our road trip through the Wild West of Alberta!

Medalta Historic Clay District, Medicine Hat

July 23, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

If you’re traveling through Medicine Hat, Alberta, as we were during Day 2 of the Great Coast Road Trip (in partnership with Coast Hotels…check it out!) make a stop at Medalta. This 150-acre Canadian National Historic Site houses the historic ceramic factory and beehive kilns of Medalta in a one-of-a-kind museum.

Families can tour the site by guided self-tour: eight galleries take you through the process of ceremics-making (sorry for the unofficial term) from the gathering of clay from the banks of the nearby South Saskatchewan River to the glazing and packaging of finished wares. We entered the museum with no particular interest or knowledge of pottery or ceramics, but it didn’t matter: this museum is well done and drew us in.

The first few galleries explain the history of the building itself, and its glory days as a factory. The exhibits are very kid-friendly and accessible. The next section takes visitors through the old factory interior (you can look at equipment but not touch), and a video describes the entire process followed by factory workers. The last galleries showcase the various wares the factory produced during its heyday, including dinnerware for hotels, restaurants, and the railroad. This was the most interesting section for us: we had no idea Medalta had contracts for POW camps, soldiers on the front line, and baby dinnerware products I remembered from my childhood.

You can walk inside a kiln, and on select days, watch potters at the wheel. There is a courtyard outside for restless kids or after-visit picnics. The museum isn’t particularly toddler or baby-friendly; we’d recommend this attraction for kids 8 and up. If we were in the area longer (or local), their pottery workshops and summer classes would definitely be on our must-do list.

Date last visited:

May 2014

Distance from the interstate:

About ten minutes from Trans Canada Highway 1.

Admission:

Adults are $12 and kids (6-17) are $10. Their family rate is $30 (for two adults and two kids).

Hours of operation:

Summer hours are 9:30 am to 5 pm daily. Off-season hours vary; check hours of operation before you arrive.

Directions:

Located at 713 Medalta Ave SE. This site is very well marked; signs will point the way from the highway!

Read more about our road trip through the Wild West of Alberta!

Medicine Hat Family Leisure Centre

July 21, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

When we arrived in Medicine Hat with energized kids and several hours to kill before bedtime, we made the awesome discovery (as tourists) of the Medicine Hat Family Leisure Centre. This city-run recreation centre is located on 57 acres, and includes a massive indoor water play and pool facility, called Kinsmen Aquatic Park. Tip: it’s always a good idea to look up leisure centers or recreation centers when you enter a new town!

The Kinsmen Aquatic Park pool facility includes:

a large free-form recreation pool filled with fun floating toys and a rafts that turns into a wave pool at set intervals
a kiddie pool with floating Lego-style building blocks to play with
a large hot tub
a current stream area (where the water flows fast)
a diving area with high and low dives
a tube water slide several stories high
a rope swing
a lap pool
a water polo pool

Seriously. All this! And we discovered it simply by checking the city parks and rec page when we arrived in town. Always check these types of pages for local fun (or ask a local)!

Also on-site are a hockey ring (indoor), fitness centre, outdoor soccer pitches, a large play structure, a lighted sports field, baseball diamonds, and a BMX park.

Food services:

There is a snack bar with (less than healthy) snack and quick food options, plus vending machines and an ice cream bar cooler. Families could easily picnic on-site in nice weather.

Hours of operation:

General hours are found by calling the swimming hotline at 403-502-8571. Be sure to also check the Kinsmen page for event information. Some pools or activities may be closed for a tournament or meet. Generally, the facility stays open nightly to 8 pm or 9 pm.

Admission:

We paid $20 for a family admission (two adults and all kids in the same household). Adults not swimming do not pay admission to enter. Towels can be purchased for about $5, so remember to bring some, but if you forget, you’re covered (literally).

Directions:

We used Google Maps to find the centre, because streets change names frequently in Medicine Hat, and we are easily confused. However, the address listed is 2000 Division Ave N.

Read more about our road trip through the Wild West of Alberta!

Coast Medicine Hat Hotel review

July 16, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

If you’re road tripping through Medicine Hat, Alberta, as we did last May, you’ll want to stop for the night at a clean, comfortable, affordable hotel with the perks we all look for in an overnight stop: free wifi, free breakfast, and free parking!

The Coast Medicine Hat Hotel fits the bill, and we always trust the Coast name. Located in the centre of town, the Coast Medicine Hat is in walking distance of dining, and only five minutes from the historic section of the city. It’s utilitarian, and clean.

During the time of our visit, their onsite restaurant, Bourbon Street Restaurant and Lounge, was closed for renovations. Their complimentary continental breakfast featured all the standards you’d expect (cold cereals, muffins and pastry, and juice, coffee, and tea) and service was pleasant. The front desk staff at the Coast Medicine Hat was very cheerful and helpful, and the location was convenient.

Room amenities:

Rooms are a bit on the small side, but comfortable. Our standard room included a small table and two chairs, TV, and coffee service. The bathroom featured a shower and tub (nice for families with small children). Sadly, our room lacked our favorite amenities: a mini fridge and microwave.

There is a small spa onsite, and a hair salon, but I didn’t have opportunity during my visit to venture into either. It is worth noting that this hotel is pet-friendly.

Room rates:

At the time of our visit, our standard room was $119.

Directions:

The Coast Medicine Hat is located at 3216 13 Avenue SE
Medicine Hat.

As I disclose whenever applicable, our stay was complimentary, for the purpose of review.

We stayed in Medicine Hat as part of our Great Coast Road Trip with Coast Hotels. Read more about our road trip through the Wild West of Alberta!