{"id":892690,"date":"2026-09-12T06:34:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T06:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/892690\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T06:34:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T06:34:11","slug":"between-calgary-and-the-us-border-is-a-vibrant-small-town-with-shops-tasty-restaurants-and-parks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/892690\/","title":{"rendered":"Between Calgary And The US Border Is A Vibrant Small Town With Shops, Tasty Restaurants, And Parks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>            &#13;<br \/>\n    &#13;<br \/>\n    &#13;<br \/>\n    &#13;<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n    &#13;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">There is a small town in Alberta, Canada, whose streets you may recognize \u2013\u00a0even if you don&#8217;t know its name. High River is home to less than 16,000 people and is nestled between Calgary and the US border. The town dates back to the early 1900s and has been seen in &#8220;The Last of Us,&#8221; &#8220;Wynonna Earp,&#8221; and perhaps most notably, &#8220;Heartland.&#8221; Once better known for its cattle industry, High River&#8217;s appeal extends beyond its on-screen fame. The town, which is located on the Highwood River and is part of the Calgary Metropolitan Region, features a verdant downtown with shops and restaurants.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">There are also a\u00a0few parks\u00a0worth exploring in High River, offering visitors a chance to explore the lovely natural landscapes of Alberta. Plus, the town hosts the annual <a href=\"https:\/\/heritageinninternationalballoonfestival.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival<\/a>. This celebration is held in late September and features a series of events across\u00a0five days. This includes the Balloon Glow, where an assortment of these vibrant aircraft\u00a0are tethered to the ground and light up the evening sky. &#8220;While you can&#8217;t ride the balloons or see them fly during the glow event, you can get up close for photos and even chat with the pilots,&#8221; explains a review from <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/5yqpLUeHCFNuoMXu5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Google<\/a>. &#8220;Overall, it was a really enjoyable experience!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If High River is officially on your radar, the town is about an hour&#8217;s drive from Calgary and two from Babb, Montana. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.museumofthehighwood.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Museum of the Highwood<\/a>, a structure from 1912 that was once a train station, serves as High River&#8217;s visitor center. Be sure to stop in, as it&#8217;s\u00a0located downtown \u2013\u00a0a charming area\u00a0bounded by Macleod Trail SW and Centre Street.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<p>                Where to shop and dine in downtown High River, Alberta<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Alberta is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.islands.com\/2196014\/alberta-canada-forget-american-west-prairie-province-cowboy-fun-rodeos-ranch-stays\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">a prairie province packed with cowboy fun, rodeos, and ranch stays<\/a>, and there&#8217;s no better way to dive into this history than the aforementioned\u00a0Museum of the Highwood. Take some time to view the displays (this donation-based attraction has exhibits on High River&#8217;s filming and cattle industry), then hit the downtown streets for some shopping fun. One popular local business is <a href=\"https:\/\/courtneyscloset.manus.space\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Courtney&#8217;s Closet<\/a>, a consignment shop filled with racks of men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s clothing. &#8220;This place is a gem! Great name brand clothing for a fraction of the price! Staff is wonderful and in a charming location,&#8221; states a review from <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/EcaHVJj9vdZDfcEg9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Google<\/a>. Housed in a pink home, Courtney&#8217;s Closet is hard to miss. It&#8217;s also hard to beat, with an impressive 4.8-star rating.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Similarly,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.millieslittlecloset.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Millie&#8217;s Little Closet<\/a>\u00a0(4.7 stars on <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/GJbLiGbkh5dHDYyYA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Google<\/a>)\u00a0offers both new and used\u00a0kids&#8217; clothing.\u00a0This woman-owned boutique is stocked with Canadian brands, children&#8217;s books, and wooden toys for youngsters aged 8 and under. At <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oliveandfinch.ca\/#\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Olive &amp; Finch<\/a>\u00a0(4.5 stars on <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/HE51i2QDe4uUs1Fw5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Google<\/a>), a gift shop with a western-style facade, you can shop for bath products, stylish hats, and High River souvenirs. The shop is\u00a0located next to <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/B2snKC6wRgzFKPGf7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Maggie&#8217;s Diner<\/a>, seen in\u00a0&#8220;Heartland.&#8221; Although this is not an actual eatery, the nearby\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlcafe.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Evelyn&#8217;s Memory Lane Cafe<\/a> is. This lunch spot boasts an old-school aesthetic with Coca-Cola decor and a Jukebox.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Aside from Evelyn&#8217;s memorable retro vibes, a reviewer on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/reviews\/data=!4m8!14m7!1m6!2m5!1sChZDSUhNMG9nS0VJQ0FnSUMwbzZXVFVREAE!2m1!1s0x0:0x9b7766f28fc0718b!3m1!1s2@1:CIHM0ogKEICAgIC0o6WTUQ%7C%7C?entry=tts&amp;g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDkwMi4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D&amp;skid=d8df228f-f7c9-4aff-905a-6f314efd846a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Google<\/a> wrote, &#8220;The homemade soups and sandwiches are well known and the stuff of legend.&#8221; The Bird, made with chicken and cranberry sauce, is one of many sandwich options on the menu.\u00a0Fine dining is also available in High River at <a href=\"https:\/\/mypizza.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Steakhouse by My Pizza<\/a>. The dimly lit eatery, lined with contemporary art, serves various cuts of Alberta meat cooked to your taste. On <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/LcqPv2iJExTAP4qp9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Google<\/a>, one individual wrote that their party&#8217;s selections &#8220;were as tender as tender can be, and genuinely delicious.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<p>                Outdoor recreation in High River, Alberta<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If you&#8217;re hoping to experience <a href=\"https:\/\/www.islands.com\/2243129\/alberta-canada-known-for-turquoise-lakes-outdoor-fun-mountain-views-breathtaking-parks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Alberta&#8217;s outdoor fun and breathtaking parks<\/a>, High River won&#8217;t disappoint \u2014 and that&#8217;s especially true because of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/highriver.ca\/town-services\/public-works\/natural-elements\/parks\/george-lane-memorial-park-and-campground\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">George Lane Memorial Park<\/a>. This site has walking paths, cottonwood trees, and views of the Highwood River. Additionally, it&#8217;s within walking distance of downtown, perfect for adding a touch of nature to your shopping and dining outing. As one visitor on <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/XSYaF6HjeopFNaj69\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Google<\/a> put it, it&#8217;s &#8220;Impossible to be in a bad mood after spending any amount of time in this park. Being here instantly resets and recharges your mind.&#8221; Bring your trailer; you can camp at George Lane Memorial Park, too. Showers\u00a0and a\u00a0playground, among other amenities, are available to guests.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The picturesque <a href=\"https:\/\/sheppardfamilypark.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Sheppard Family Park<\/a> is another popular High River green space. The 13-acre site dates to the late 1800s and has the oldest home in town (via <a href=\"https:\/\/highriveronline.com\/articles\/sheppard-family-park-celebrates-30-years\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">HighRiverOnline<\/a>). There are other historic buildings on the grounds as well, including an early 20th-century schoolhouse. Visitors can step inside these structures via a tour. If interested in this activity, contact Sheppard Family Park <a href=\"https:\/\/sheppardfamilypark.ca\/contact-information\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">online<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In the summer, when High River&#8217;s temperatures can reach highs in the 70s, visitors can cool off at <a href=\"https:\/\/highriver.ca\/town-services\/public-works\/natural-elements\/parks\/high-river-spray-park\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">High River Spray Park<\/a>. Also known as Highwood Spray Park, this unique\u00a0concrete space has misters, water cannons, and more, with a reviewer on <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/NGnAbqk7LS3cLRLR9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Google<\/a> describing it as, &#8220;Such a fun play area for kids and adults.&#8221; However, the outdoor adventures don&#8217;t have to end at High River. The town is about an hour and a half from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.islands.com\/1918271\/hidden-peter-lougheed-provincial-park-canada-alberta-rocky-mountains-playground-trails-camping\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, which is hidden in Alberta&#8217;s Rockies with trails and camping in unmatched scenery<\/a>. High River is located off Alberta&#8217;s Highway 2,\u00a0and near this junction you&#8217;ll find a handful of hotels (including a <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/RhptQwAsY7NBUk8EA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Super 8<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.app.goo.gl\/W1tdHRxMVSCUC7Lw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Canalta Hotel<\/a>, both of which are quite affordable and earned solid reviews on Google).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n    &#13;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; There is a small town in Alberta, Canada, whose streets you may&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":892691,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[49,48,75],"class_list":["post-892690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=892690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892690\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/892691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=892690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=892690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=892690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}