Small Town Charm in Bentley, Alberta

Bentley, Alberta is the cutest little town you ever did see and it has a thriving Main Street. Bentley is a quick jaunt off of Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton. You don’t want to miss the small town charm in Bentley, Alberta so I thought I’d give you a few reasons to come and visit.

We’d love to see you in our little town and there are lots of things to do! Here are some of the must-visit places in Bentley, Alberta (with some must-do things thrown in too).

Places to Shop in Bentley

Merry’s Mercantile – 5014 50th Avenue – First, you have to come to visit ME! My store is a blend of new and old. We have vintage, antique and new home decor, women’s fashions, jewelry, home decor hardware and more. Follow me on Facebook to see frequent posts of what we have in the store. You can also read about my first year anniversary (it’s crazy that this summer will be 3 years!)

Earthy Accents – 5016 50 Ave – While Leslie at Earthy Accents is a talented florist for your wedding or special occasion needs, she also stocks tons of house plants and succulents. Every time I visit, I find about 1 million plants I want to take home including a few that I’ve never seen before. She also stocks cute pots and a variety of cool products that she curates.

The Rusted Rack – 4937 50 Ave – Pop into the Rusted Rack to find a great new to you outfit. Joanne curates a lovely store full of gently used and new clothing and shoes. You never know what you will find!

Cabin-Ish Custom Wood Works – Bay #2, 5201 – 49A Ave – If you can make it out of wood, they can make it for you! While they are amazing on custom jobs, their store is a great stop on your visit to Bentley because they have lots of items in store that are available for purchase. From adirondack chairs to birdhouses & feeders to Christmas ornaments…you can find it at Cabinish.

Bentley Cycle – 4925 50th Ave, Bentley – Bentley Cycle has a bike selection you won’t believe you found in a small town. They carry Townie, Electra and more PLUS they do bike repairs.

The Weekender – 4925 50 Ave – Bentley Cycle’s sister store with women’s fashions, giftware, and more.

Boho Apothecary – Boho Apothecary is the coolest. They make tons of natural bath, beauty and cleaning products (my fave is Clean Freak cleaning spray). They are no longer in a store front but you can still find their wares at TheBoho.ca

Queen Bee – 5011 50th Avenue – Queen Bee is a women’s clothing store with a focus on Canadian made and natural fibre clothing. They also carry great boot, shoe and accessory brands.

Koda’s Kountry – 5016A-50th Ave – Koda’s has a unique selection of jewelry, decor, toys and more! They are also home to Koda’s Natural Healing which provides massage, reflexology, raindrop and cupping therapies.

The Kite Guys –  4901 50 Avenue – You have never seen a selection of kites this huge! Visit their shop on Main Street or shop their huge online store!

The Market in Bentley – 5024 50 Avenue – While we don’t usually include grocery stores into our lists of “where to shop”, we are very excited that Bentley once again has a grocery store. Pop in for fresh baked bread (we suggest the foccacia), fresh donuts, great cuts of meat and more.

Places to Eat and Drink in Bentley

Head over to my post about Where to Eat in Bentley to check out all the great options in town. Make sure and stop by The Drop Coffee and Tea for your favourite coffee, latte or tea!

Things to Do In or Near Bentley (Summer)

Check out the Bentley Mural on the wall of Merry’s Mercantile – Artist, Lauren Cowles painted this beautiful mural that represents the natural beauty around Bentley. We hope you love it as much as we do. Make sure to take a picture with the butterfly wings!

Visit Sandy Point – Sandy Point has a great, sandy beach that is open to the public. On weekends they usually have a food truck as well. Note that there is a charge for parking at the beach.

Visit Ebeling Beach Day Use Park – Get there early because this Alberta Parks beach is very popular. It has picnic tables and fire pits for day use as well as a concession stand selling food.

Bentley Farmer’s Market – Head to the Bentley Curling Rink any Saturday from May Long Weekend to September Long Weekend for the Bentley Farmer’s Market. You will find loads of vendors with fresh vegetables, baking, handmade products and more.

Bentley Museum – 4929 51st Avenue – Check out the Bentley Museum housed in a 1924 farmhouse. You’ll get a trip back in time to see how first Central Albertan settlers lived. Check the website for days they are open.

Bentley Rodeo and Parade – August 6-10, 2024 – While the rodeo lasts two days, the events in Bentley run Thursday through Sunday with pancake breakfasts, a parade (on Thursday August 8th) and more. It’s the perfect weekend to experience Bentley!

Playground at Bentley – 5314 49 Street – The Bentley School has an amazing playground that is open to the public during the summer.

Koornneef Farms – 40217 Range Road 10 – Pick your own strawberries at Koornneef Farms! Family owned and operated, Koornneef Farms is right outside of Bentley. They have delicious strawberries that you can pick yourself or buy picked by them. They also make yummy strawberry products for purchase.

Gull Lake Honey Company – 41113 Range Road 282, Lacombe County – The Gull Lake Honey Company is a family run honey farm, with on-farm store, petting zoo and more! You’ll find yummy local honey, candles and many more treats to take home.

Kraay Family Farm & Corn Maze – Site 6 Box 9 RR 1, Lacombe, AB – Kraay Family Farm is a full day of fun just down the road from Bentley on Hwy 12 towards Lacombe. They have animals, games, food, a giant corn maze and more. They are a ticketed attraction so make sure and book your tickets before you go as some days they get too busy to allow more people to enter.

Things to Do In Bentley (Winter)

Ice Fishing on Gull Lake – One of my favourite views in winter is frozen Gull Lake covered with ice fishing shacks. People flock to the ice to try their hand at ice fishing. Their shacks come in every shape and size and level of comfort. The pic above is from my visit to friend’s ice fishing shack.

Don’t’ worry, you can try out ice fishing without buying all the stuff. Both Adventure Ice Fishing and Gull Lake Fishing Charters have ice luxury fishing rentals. You can rent a fishing “shack” for a day outing or overnight. Holes are pre-drilled for you and they warm up the shack so this is a great way to experience ice fishing without freezing your bum off.

Bentley Ski Hill – It’s not the same as skiing in the mountains but Bentley does have their own ski hill. Medicine Lodge Ski Club is open when there are decent conditions for skiing. Make sure to confirm they are open and bring cash or cheque.

Check out all the Holiday and Christmas markets throughout the Central Alberta Region!

It’s a great way to explore a bit more of Central Alberta and have fun doing it. I love getting to know my new small-town home and I know you will too. Make sure and stop in to see me when you visit!

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