The Outdoor Experience

As the sunniest city in Canada, Medicine Hat experiences the most days of sunshine per year which means Hatters get to do what they love outdoors, longer. 

"I love the fact that we get to celebrate 330 days of sunshine," says Jace Anderson, Executive Director, Tourism Medicine Hat. "It's an incredible gift for our community and as a local we benefit from that and get to share it with visitors to our community!"

As an avid outdoors enthusiast himself, Jace can often be found exploring the community's expansive trail network which he describes as "no small thing".  

"We are over 155 kilometers now and as a municipality we rank extremely high for trails per capita in the province," says Jace. "Whether you enjoy biking or walking, there's a trail for everyone. You can explore through the coulees, conquer the rolling hills, or follow alongside the South Saskatchewan River."

In the wake of a post-COVID era with doors now open, Jace anticipates a flurry of activity and is expecting another busy season for tourism and local events. He says it's not lost on him that 5 to 10 years ago in our community it felt as though there were limited things to do but that we are seeing the reverse. 

"I encourage everyone to look around as we now have to start making decisions on what to do with our time," says Jace. "This summer we will see events such as JazzFest, Quonset Days, PorchFest, the Interpretive Dance Competition, The Great Big Paddle, The Great Big Pedal, and more in the community. These are exciting times because we start choosing activities that align with our passions." 

With June recognized as Parks and Recreation month, Jace also shared his adoration for the number of parks in the community. 

"The variety of parks is awe-inspiring and you can get an intimate experience in any one of them," explains Jace. "Whether it's Strathcona or Police Point Park, the beauty of each space is that when you end up in them, it's so easy to forget that you are in the middle of the city. Unless you are a large community, you don't generally have inner city parks. We are so fortunate!"

For more great ideas on ways to explore Medicine Hat this summer, visit www.tourismmedicinehat.ca. Share your Parks and Recreation activities this month (June) by tagging #ParksRecMH or #MedicineHatSummers to take part in the conversation all summer long!