7 magical small towns near Calgary you can get to without a car
Amazing places that are just a bus ride away! 🏔️🌲
Drumheller feels like another world. Right: The quiet calm of Lake Louise.
Looking to escape the city? There are tons of charming small towns near Calgary you can get to without a car. Just hop on a bus and within a short while you can be enjoying a change of scenery and an epic adventure.
Calgary is surrounded by beautiful landscapes and quaint towns that feel like they're straight out of a storybook. Many of them can be reached via public transport too, which means you don't have to worry about renting a car or filling the tank up with gas.
Whether you're looking for an easy day trip from Calgary, a weekend getaway, or even a small town to move to, these magical small towns in Alberta are just a bus ride away.
Okotoks
Price: $6 one-way fare with Greyhound or $15 one-way fare with On-It Regional Transit
Address: Okotoks, AB
Why You Need To Go: Okotoks is just 38 kilometres south of Calgary, but it has a much more relaxed vibe. You can explore the historic downtown or head into the foothills to hike beautiful trails and see interesting rock formations.
One of the most famous sites in Okotoks is Big Rock, which is a huge glacial erratic that made its way to the area during the last ice age. It’s a very cool place to explore and a site of spiritual significance for the Blackfoot people.
Some other fun things to do in Okotoks include visiting the local art gallery, cooling off in the nearby water park, or teeing off at one of the region's golf courses. The town also has many interesting shops and restaurants.
Both the Greyhound Bus and the On-It Regional Transit have routes from Calgary to Okotoks. The trip takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the route taken.
Canmore
Price: $12.50 one-way fare with On-It Regional Transit
Address: Canmore, AB
Why You Need To Go: Nestled in the mountains just southeast of Banff, Canmore is am incredibly scenic spot that offers endless outdoor adventures. The small town even featured in HBO's The Last Of Us.
Canmore’s quaint Main Street is lined with boutique shops, breweries and cafes. It can get busy at times, but not nearly as crowded as Banff.
Venture out of downtown and you can hike trails that pass by glacier-fed rivers and lead you into the mountains. The Bow River Loop, for example, is a great way to soak up some local scenery. Another easy Canmore trail takes you along the Bow River and offers views of the Three Sisters Mountains. It also takes you across the historic Engine Bridge, which offers some amazing photo ops.
There are several ways to get from Calgary to Canmore. On-It Regional Transit is the cheapest option, but you can also catch a ride with FlixBus, Banff Express or the Banff Airporter. The trip takes about an hour.
Drumheller
Price: $270 round-trip tour with RTB Tours & Shuttles
Address: Drumheller, AB
Why You Need To Go: Explore the lunar-like landscape of Drumheller, located just an hour and a half drive from Calgary. This is the gateway to the Canadian Badlands where dinosaurs used to roam. In fact, the area is known as the "Dinosaur Capital of the World" because it's believed to have the most dinosaur fossils on the planet.
Drumheller is surrounded by sandstone cliffs and unique rock formations called hoodoos. You can explore trails around the stones and search for fossils and ancient stone carvings.
Dinosaur lovers won’t want to miss the Royal Tyrrell Museum with its exhibits on prehistoric creatures discovered in the area. Also be sure to visit the world’s largest model dinosaur and climb to the top to take in sweeping views of the valley from its mouth.
There are currently no buses that run between Calgary and Drumheller, but several companies offer tours to the area. RTB Tours & Shuttles offers a Drumheller and Badlands Tour that includes visits to some of the top attractions in the area. It's not super cheap, but it's affordable if you split the total cost between a group of friends!
Cochrane
Price: $14.29 one-way fare with On-It Regional Transit
Address: Cochrane, AB
Why You Need To Go: If you want a quick and easy escape from Calgary, Cochrane is just a short bus ride away. This small town has a Wild West feel thanks to its numerous historic wooden buildings in the downtown, with the prairies as a backdrop.
Downtown Cochrane is a pleasant place to spend a few hours popping into shops and stopping for drinks and bites at restaurants and cafes. You can also indulge in spa treatments at the Cave Sauna Day Spa.
If the weather is nice, the Historic Cochrane Ranche is a great spot to visit. The sprawling public park has bike trails, picnic sites and fire pits. Riverfront Park is another beautiful outdoor area with several walking trails along the Bow River.
On-It Regional Transit has regular trips between Calgary and Cochrane which take about 45 minutes.
Banff
Price: $12.50 one-way fare with On-It Regional Transit
Address: Banff, AB
Why You Need To Go: Banff isn’t the smallest of towns close to Calgary, but it's definitely one of the most magical. It's a year-round outdoor playground with ski slopes, hiking trails, lakes and rivers.
The town of Banff is located within Banff National Park, so you'll have to pay a fee to enter the park. The fee is $11 for adults and kids get in for free. Once in town, you'll find plenty of hotels, restaurants and shops. No matter where you go, you'll likely have jaw-dropping views of the Rocky Mountains.
While there is plenty to keep you occupied in town, it’s the park's spectacular natural beauty that draws people here. Some of Banff's most iconic landmarks include the Upper Hot Springs, Two Jack Lake and the Sulpher Mountain gondola.
The cheapest way to get to Banff from Calgary is with On-It Transit. The trip takes about two hours. Other options include the Banff Airporter, Brewster Express and RTB Tours & Shuttles.
Lake Louise
Price: $17.50 one-way fare with On-It Regional Transit
Address: Lake Louise, AB
Why You Need To Go: People often lump Banff and Lake Louise together, but they’re actually two different places. Lake Louise is a hamlet that is about a 40-minute drive northwest of the town of Banff. It's also within Banff National Park.
Many consider Lake Louise one of the most spectacular lakes in Alberta. In the warmer months, it shimmers with a gorgeous turquoise hue. During the winter, it becomes a giant skating rink with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop.
You won’t find much in terms of nightlife in Lake Louise, but that’s exactly why many visitors love it. Most people come to Lake Louise to hit the slopes at the Lake Louise ski resort, explore trails along the lake or go boating and fishing.
On-It Regional Transit offers affordable bus trips to Lake Louise and the trip takes just under three hours. Another option is to take a bus to Banff and then catch a Roam Transit bus to Lake Louise.
Kananaskis Village
Price: $72 one-way fare with Brewster Express
Address: Kananaskis Village, Alberta
Why You Need To Go: Kananaskis Village is the gateway to the Rocky Mountains. It’s located just south of Canmore and Banff National Park, but far less crowded than the other resort towns. If you love the great outdoors, this is your spot.
With over 4,000 square kilometres of wilderness to explore, Kananaskis Country is a nature lover’s dream. You can hike along trails to hidden lakes, go mountain biking beside rushing rivers and horseback ride along magical trails with mountain views.
If you’re thinking of staying overnight, there are several hotels and lodges in Kananaskis Village. Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge is particularly picturesque with its outdoor pools that overlook the mountains.
Brewster Express has a scheduled service from Calgary Airport to Kananaskis Village. You may want to call first because the routes and times can change depending on the season. The trip takes about an hour and a half.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
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