Trip chapter 12
Kelowna to Red Deer
A long drive, a Stampede-priced lodging problem and a practical Red Deer overnight with one excellent off-leash stop before Edmonton.
After Kelowna, we had one of the longest travel days of the trip. My brother was preparing to leave us and fly back to Scotland, and the Calgary Stampede made accommodation around Calgary expensive enough that Red Deer became the practical target.
A practical Motel 6 night
We stayed at Motel 6 Red Deer on 19th Street. It was in a retail plaza rather than somewhere scenic, but it solved the actual problem: we needed a dog-friendly room after a long drive.
During our stay, up to two pets per room were allowed without an extra fee. The downside was walking space. There was not much green space around the plaza, although we did find some grass behind the units for quick breaks.
Motel 6 Red Deer
A retail-plaza motel that allowed up to two pets per room with no extra fee during our July 2024 stay.
Read our Motel 6 Red Deer notes →Supplies nearby, patio closed later
The motel's location did have one useful dog-travel advantage: Bone & Biscuit was across the road and carried pet supplies. There was also a dog-friendly patio across the street at Toad 'n' Turtle, but that business appears to be closed as of 2026, so we have not created a guide entry for it.
Bone & Biscuit Red Deer
A pet-supply store across the road from Motel 6 Red Deer.
Read our Bone & Biscuit notes →One last run before Edmonton
After the Calgary airport detour to drop my brother off for his flight back to Scotland, Tilly and I stopped at Oxbows Off Leash Dog Park before continuing toward Edmonton.
It was a much better dog stop than I expected from a practical overnight city. There were wide open areas to run around, dog exercise and agility equipment, and hardly any other dogs when we were there. Tilly could stretch out without the stop feeling chaotic.
Oxbows Off Leash Dog Park
A spacious Red Deer off-leash park with open running areas and dog exercise equipment.
Read our Oxbows dog park notes →Before leaving Red Deer behind, we made a quick Dairy Queen drive-through stop on Leva Avenue so Tilly could get a pup cup. Then it was back on the road to Edmonton.