If you haven’t visited Waterton Lakes National Park, you need to drop everything and book a trip immediately. Waterton is an adorable little town that is surrounded by jaw-dropping lakes, beautiful mountains, endless hiking trails, and so much nature. When we call this town “little,” we mean it. Seriously, the population is about 100 people. It is absolutely buzzing in the summer, and there are so many things to do and see, you won’t be bored for a single second.
Located about three hours from Calgary and two from Lethbridge, you won’t believe how remote and serene it feels after such a short drive from the city. If you like waterfalls, streams, mountain vistas, beaches, wildlife, and wildflowers, you’ll fall in love with this place.
While we could talk about Waterton itself for hours, we’re here to talk about hot dogs. Yes, you read that correctly: hot dogs. Wieners of Waterton is a hot spot for hot dog lovers that is open seasonally every summer. Wieners wants you to know that they’re not your average hot dog shop. You’ll find fresh-baked buns, locally-made sausages, and a collection of homemade toppings that will keep you coming back for more every single time. They’re also famous for their mouth-watering sweet potato fries and special dipping sauces, so you better come hungry.
Let’s talk about the menu. They like to keep it simple, with just a few options, including the Local Smokie, Lil’Wiener, Anti-Dog, and Nathan's 1/4lb Wiener. Your topping choices include coleslaw, sauerkraut, onion, pickles onion, ginger carrot, dill pickle, and more. Of course, there are a range of sauces, too.
The Anti-Dog is made of housemate falafel, covered in hummus, tzatziki, marinated cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, olives, feta, and more. How good does that sound? On the other side of the spectrum, we’ve got the 1/4lb wiener, the classic all-beef hot dog from Coney Island. If you love a good dog, this is the one you need to order.
Of course, all the meat-forward options can include cheese and bacon, if you feel inclined. If we’re talking about side dishes, you’ve got the choice of French fries, poutine, deep-fried pickles, and sweet potato fries. But, who are we kidding? You’re getting the sweet potato fries. If you’re a sauce lover, you can choose from chipotle mayo, rosemary parmesan, curry ketchup, wasabi ginger, peppercorn ranch, spicy mayo, and more.
If you’re feeling thirsty, you can grab a beer from the rotating craft taps, sip on a housemate raspberry lemonade, grab a kombucha, or enjoy a good old fashioned soda.
While you’re there, you might as well get some of their awesome merch so you can rep your new favourite wiener spot while you’re in Waterton.
Waterton is a lovely spot for a romantic getaway, solo trip, family vacation, or any type of trip that has earned its spot on your bucket list this summer. After a day of adventuring in the mountains, can you think of anything better than getting a delicious hot dog in your hand? We sure can’t.
Britanny Burr is a freelance writer and a contributor to Great West Media. This story was written for the 2023 Hot Summer Guide advertising feature. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.
