Calgary

Visit Calgary? Many People Miss this Gem

Many of the tourists who arrive at Calgary International Airport don’t visit Calgary. If the Calgary Stampede isn’t in progress, visitors rent a car immediately drive to Banff National Park or sometimes to Waterton Lakes National Park. From Banff they drive the beautiful Icefields Parkway to the Athabasca Glacier and on to Jasper National Park. After that, tourists return their rental car to Edmonton and fly out. The route works just as well in reverse, so you will find there isn’t a significant surcharge for one-way car rentals between Calgary and Edmonton.

If you don’t Visit Calgary, you will miss out on a number of wonderful attractions. So, continue reading about things to do that are worth several days of your time, including the Calgary Zoo, Heritage Park, the Calgary Tower and many more adventures in Calgary that make this city a gem, even when the Calgary Stampede isn’t on.

Visit Calgary – Calgary Zoo

The Calgary Zoo is often referred to as the best and most visited zoo in Canada. It has thousands animals, including various types of penguins, lemurs and even a Komodo dragon. The pre-historic park with its life sized dinosaur models is a big hit with families. The Calgary Zoo is located in southeast Calgary along the Bow River.

From the large parking lot or the CTrain Blue Line Zoo Station, you enter a tunnel to the admission area and then cross under the CTrain into the zoo. A portion of the zoo is located on an island in the Bow River, which you access by crossing a pedestrian bridge.

Dinny the Dinosaur is a model Brontosaurus who joined the zoo in 1934. Dinny is 34 feet tall and 107 feet long, which means she/he was too big to be moved to the Prehistoric Park with the other dinosaur models. You will find Dinny on Dinny’s Grove off of the Discovery Trail in the Imagine Asia zone.

Visit Calgary – Heritage Park

Heritage Park is located on 127 acres along side Glenmore Reservoir in southwest Calgary. The entrance starts at the Gasoline Alley Museum with an antique car collection, historic gas pumps and memorabilia. At Resource Ridge, you can pan for gold and see an old fashioned oil rig. Then at the Village Square wander past the general store, a blacksmith shop, a Mounted Police Post and the Wainwright Hotel. Buy sweets at the confectionary. The Railyard has a turntable for train engines and a grain elevator. At the Settlement, see the Hudson Bay Company Fur Trading post, a saloon and a one room school house.

Don’t forget to visit the First Nations Encampment too. The exhibits don’t stop there though. How about an authentic steam train that anyone can ride for free? Board the train at Midnapore Station. Your ride is included in the price of admission. Also take a short ride on a street tram. In the summer months, the S.S. Moyie paddle wheeler takes you out for a spin on Glenmore Reservoir. Not tired out yet? How about a wagon ride, the wooden maze, an ice cream parlor or the Antique Midway with children’s rides? Ok, I’m exhausted and there is still more to see!

Calgary Stampede – When and Where

The Calgary Stampede always begins on the first Friday in July and lasts for 10 days. The Stampede has four main public entry gates located around Stampede Park in southeast downtown Calgary: the Victoria Park/Stampede Station Entrance on the CTrain Red Line, Erlton Entrance also on the Red Line, the Stampede Trail Entrance and the MacDonald Avenue Entrance.

Getting to the Stampede Grounds

When the Stampede is on in July, the CTrain Light Rapid Transit will definitely be your best option to reach the admission gates. Look for accommodation along the Red Line and then ride to the Victoria Park / Stampede Station or the Erlton Stampede Station. The Blue Line requires a transfer at City Hall to reach the entrances on the Red Line.

Calgary Stampede – Chuckwagon Races

The most well known event at the Stampede is the evening chuckwagon races. Three chuckwagons, each drawn by 4 thoroughbred horses, make a tight 180 degree u-turn around their own designated barrel and must then make a full lap of the racetrack to the finish line.

After the wagons start moving, 2 outriders for each wagon must ensure a stove is thrown into the back of the moving wagon, run to theor designated barrel, mount their horses and catch up with their wagon to avoid a penalty. The 3 wagons and 6 out-riders all scrambling in a tight space to make it first onto the main track create great excitement and occasional serious crashes. Animal rights groups have objected unsuccessfully for years to stop the chuckwagon races. More than 70 horses have died during chuckwagon races. The most common reason is broken legs when chuckwagons crash and topple over.

Rodeos in Alberta

Rodeos happen all summer long in big cities and small towns across Alberta. They feature bull riding, saddle broncs, barrel racing and steer wrestling. The ultimate rodeo for Alberta is the Calgary Stampede, which brings in competitors from all over the world. After the rodeo caught on in a big way in Calgary, the chuckwagon races generated enough interest to become the most popular event at the Stampede. If you are looking for a rodeo with a more local flavor, check out the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association schedule to find more than 40 small town rodeos you can attend during the summer months.

More Things to Do in Downtown Calgary

Calgary Tower – originally the highest building in Calgary, but now surrounded by higher skyscrapers, the Calgary Tower still provides interesting views, including a glimpse of the Rockies.

Red Mile – This stretch of about 10 blocks along 17th Ave SW became famous for celebrations by Calgary Flames hockey fans. The Red Mile is packed with bars and restaurants.

Olympic Plaza – Under reconstruction through 2028.

Interesting Architecture such as the Telus Sky Building and the Bow Building.

Jubilee Auditorium and the Werklund Centre

Things to Do on the Outskirts of Calgary

Down Hill Skiing & Karting – Skiing at Calgary Olympic Park, also known as Winsport. In the summer go Karting down the slope.

Spruce Meadows Equestrian Centre – international equestrian events.

Calaway Park – Western Canada’s Largest Outdoor Amusement Park.

Drumheller Day Trip

Drumheller is less than two hours away from Calgary and makes a great day trip. This trip takes you in the opposite direction from Banff and the Rockies. On the road to Drumheller, stop to admire the viewpoint over the beginning of the badlands of Alberta at Horseshoe Canyon. The badlands extend well beyond Drumheller and are famous for their exposed heavy concentration of 70 million year old dinosaur bones.

Visit the Royal Tryrrel Museum in Drumheller to see real fossilized remains. See the giant dinosaur model in downtown Drumheller. Then drive 25 minutes southeast to enjoy walking among the Hoo Doos. These are soft rock pillars protected naturally by hard rock tops. Kind of like a mini Cappadocia.

Ski Adventures near Calgary

Travel to the Rockies for downhill skiing:

In Kananaskis Country: Fortress Mountain and Nakiska

In Banff National Park: Mount Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise 

You will also find excellent areas for Cross Country in the foothills near Calgary.

What to Try in Calgary

Alberta Grade A Beef – this is steak & ribs country.

Bison – quite popular in Alberta.

Saskatoon Berry Pie.

Sip on a Caesar. Canada’s signature cocktail, made with clamato juice, has many elaborate versions topped with everything from bacon to mini burgers.

At the River Cafe along the Bow River in Prince’s Park, enjoy Canadian ingredients such as sablefish from Vancouver Island, halibut from Haida Gwai, corn from Taber, sumac from the Okanagan or wild rice from Saskatchewan.

What to Buy in Calgary

A Smithbilt White Cowboy Hat. The white cowboy hat is a symbol for Calgary. You will see lots of them at the Stampede. Not ready for the real Smithbilt? How about a white hat fridge magnet or pin?

Longview Beef Jerky.

Alberta Boot Company leather goods.

Indigenous beadwork from Moonstone Creations.

Silk Road Spice Merchant blends.

Heritage Park souvenirs.

Visit Calgary – Getting Around

A rental vehicle can work well for getting around Calgary. You will find lots of parking for destinations such as Heritage Park, the Calgary Zoo or TELUS Spark Science Centre. 

The CTrain Light Rapid Transit is good for access to downtown and the Zoo. You can purchase your tickets on the MyFare app, but it’s probably easier to buy your tickets at the station. Tickets are valid for 90 minutes. If you think you will make more than 3 trips per day, buy a day pass. Your ticket is valid on all types of buses as well.

Visit Calgary – Hotels

Calgary has lots of hotels to choose from in the downtown area. If you are visiting during the Stampede, look for hotels along the Red Line of the LRT (CTrain) because it has the best direct access to the admission gates at the Stampede. For families, consider the Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel with its waterslides, reasonable pricing and great downtown location.

Getting to Calgary

The gateway to Calgary is through Calgary International Airport. Canadians will have an easy time reaching Calgary on airlines such as Air Canada, WestJet, Porter Airlines, Flair Airlines and Air North. From the United States you can reach Calgary on Delta, United and American Airlines.

Calgary has good direct connections through British Airways to London, KLM to Amsterdam and Lufthansa to Frankfurt. Recently Calgary has seen the addition of direct flights to Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways. For connecting flights, the best routes are through Vancouver, Toronto and Seattle.

In 1990, Via Rail ended passenger service to Calgary, which eliminated access by rail to Banff. The only cross Canada rail service goes through Edmonton, Alberta instead.

CTrain LRT for Free?

Did you know that you can ride the Blue or Red Line CTrain for free if your entire trip stays within the downtown section along 7 Avenue between theDowntown West–Kerby Station and the City Hall/Bow Valley College Station.

Calgary Weather & Chinooks

Calgary weather has two distinct seasons. The weather can be freezing cold in the winter months centered around February, when temperatures of -40 F are possible. An Arctic front typically brings in these cold temperature along with bright sunshine in the aftermath of a blizzard.

The rest of the year it’s very unpredictable. Spring has seen a continuing increase in rainfall that has resulted in significant flooding. Summers have been getting hotter with temperatures consistently reaching 30 C (85 F). International visitors will find summer temperatures to be pleasant in Calgary.

Calgary is also on the fringe of the Chinook Winds. These winds are created by the release of moisture as the prevailing winds descend the eastern slopes of the Rockies. The winds accelerate during the elevation drop to the prairies and often create a distinctive Chinook Arch cloud formation. Chinooks Winds are strongest in the area southeast of Calgary around Pincher Creek.

A Chinook can reach wind speeds of a Category 1 Hurricane and last for several days without letting up. During the coldest times of year in Calgary, a Chinook wind is warm enough to melt snow, but you can have trouble standing up straight in a good Chinook.