Last Updated on May 2, 2023
From jaw-dropping views of the Rocky Mountains and year-round sunshine, to unique historical sites, museums, and world-renowned activities, the city of Calgary offers a variety of activities for all ages. Team all of this with an efficient mass transit system, and Calgary is a delightful city to visit.
Situated at the confluence of two rivers, the Bow and the Elbow, Calgary was long a meeting place of First Nations Peoples. In the mid-18th century, a new wave of immigrants were drawn to the area. Montana cattlemen discovered the rich farmland of Southern Alberta and soon Calgary became a transportation hub for ranching.
Also drawn to the area were buffalo hunters and whiskey traders, some of whom exploited the First Nations Peoples.
The discovery of oil in 1914 changed the future of Calgary and by mid-century, the city rose to world prominence in the petroleum industry. Many corporate offices were housed in Calgary and the city became known as the oil capital of Canada.
Today, Calgary is Alberta’s largest city and the third largest city in Canada. With over 1.2 million inhabitants in the metro area, the city ranked as the most livable city in North America in both 2018 and 2019.
Calgary Stampede
Called “the greatest outdoor show on earth,” there simply is none other that compares. Held for nine days every July, the entire city breaks into a party. Visitors from around the world flock to the city for the Calgary Stampede; even royalty and movie stars have visited.
The event began over 100 years ago with a vision to keep alive the cowboy way of life. The Stampede continues to thrive today.
Celebrations include art displays, big name entertainers, cultural celebrations, agricultural events, and of course, the rodeo and evening chuckwagon races. Rodeo events include bull riding, barrel racing, and steer wrestling.
Get your cowboy hat and join the fun!
Glenbow Museum
Spend a few hours or even all day at the Glenbow Museum. With four floors of exhibits and over a million artifacts, the museum is a great place to explore the history and culture of Southern Alberta.
Start on the third floor titled History and Culture. Enter the exhibit hall marked by the flag tipi to the First Nations Galleries. The museum works closely with First Nations to preserve their stories of traditional cultures. The collections include artifacts from the Blood, Siksika, Peigan, Tsuu Tina, and Cree Peoples.
The Ranching Display gives life to the Southern Alberta history of ranching. The surrounding foothills and prairies were and are home to famous brands of cattle such as the Cochrane and Bar U.
You might want to stay longer and explore the fourth floor World Collections, and the second floor Art Collections. The Art Collection focuses on artists from Western Canada. There is also a Library Collection, which is the largest non-government archive in Canada. Some of the collections are searchable online.
On the way out, check out the Glenbow Shop for gifts crafted by Alberta artists.
Calgary Zoo
Home to over 1000 different animals from 100 species, the Calgary Zoo is one of the city’s top tourist attractions.
It is the second largest zoological park in Canada. Particularly interesting is the Canadian Wilds Area where you can observe and learn about the native Canadian wildlife. Also visit Destination Africa, Eurasia, Prehistoric Park, Panda Park, and the Dorothy Harvey Gardens.
The zoo is more than just a park to observe animals. One of its missions is animal care research and conservation.
Check out the Whooping Crane Recovery Program. In the 1940s, the worldwide number of this largest North American bird was 21 and facing extinction. Thanks to recovery programs such as at the Calgary Zoo, the numbers of whooping cranes in the world is now into the hundreds.
Another recovery program, At the Gorillas On The Line, explores the plight of the gorillas in the Congo.
Enjoy the excitement of the daily Penguin Walk. The King Penguins waddle through the zoo, greet the guests, and at the end of the walk are treated to a tasty herring. It is great fun to experience.
The Zoo also has a Panda Cam, which you can access anytime to watch the giant pandas.
Walking and Hiking Areas
The Bow River Pathway is a network of pedestrian and bicycle paths extending over 30 miles and connecting a number of parks. Different parks are used year-round by hikers, joggers, rollerbladers, and skateboarders. Bikes and scooters are available for rent. Shouldice and Edworthy are two of the most popular parks.
Shouldice Park, located in northwest Calgary along the Bow River, houses an athletic pool, universally accessible children’s playground, neighborhood park, aquatic center, and arena.
In December, stroll Candy Cane Lane in the off-leash dog area. One doesn’t need to have a four-legged friend to enjoy the festivities. This area is used by both walkers and off-leash dogs.
Stop for a bit and marvel at the industrious beavers and their work. Looks like a big beaver party on the banks of the Bow.
Edworthy Park, located in southwest Calgary, offers lovely views of the skyline of downtown Calgary. It is particularly beautiful in the fall with the turning of the leaves. There are separate areas for walkers and off-leash dogs. There are picnic sites, firepits, and BBQ stands.
Spruce Meadows
Located in southwest Calgary, the multi-purpose sports facility Spruce Meadows has the distinction of being twice named the #1 show jumping facility in the world.
There are both indoor and outdoor tournaments so you can visit year-round. Spruce Meadows also trains, breeds, and sells Hanoverian horses.
The production facility at Spruce Meadows produces the show-jumping series Spruce Meadows Chronicles, which is broadcast to over 100 countries.
Lougheed House
Lougheed House is a national and provincial historic site and museum located in the downtown area. Built in 1891, the Victorian mansion was the home of Sir James Lougheed, his wife, Lady Isabella, and their six children. One of the second-generation children, Peter Lougheed, was premier of the province from 1971 to 1985.
The stained-glass windows are particularly beautiful and feature the flora and fauna of Alberta. Spend time also outside enjoying the lovely Beaulieu Gardens.
Stop for high tea or lunch at the mansion.
Studio Bell and National Music Center
Studio Bell, also referred to as Music Mile, is the first facility of its kind in North America. The five floors of Studio Bell house a performance hall, recording facility, broadcast and studio facility, live music venue, and museum. Exhibits include the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Studio Bell also incorporates the historic King Edward Hotel, one of Calgary’s oldest buildings. The stunning architecture and beautiful views of the Bow River make this a most pleasant stop.
Canada Olympic Park
Canada Olympic Park (COP) was the site of the 1988 Winter Olympics and now offers visitors many similar experiences. COP is also home to the Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
There are year-round activities, depending on the season.
Winter events include skiing, snowboarding, bobsledding, and tubing.
Summer season brings mountain biking, ziplining, summer bobsledding, mini golf, and skyline luge. There is also a children’s activity area with wall climbing, spiderweb activities, and eurobungy.
General admission is free, so visitors are encouraged to stop by to enjoy the site. Fees vary for the different activities. Dining is also available.
Women Are Persons Monument
Located in the downtown area and close to the Glenbow, the sculpture is by Barbara Paterson. It honors five Canadian suffragettes who advocated for women and children: Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Lousie McKenney, Nellie McClung, and Henrietta Muir Edwards.
They are also known as the “Famous Five.” Three were from Alberta: Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy, and Henrietta Muir Edwards.
This sculpture celebrates October 1929, when women were officially declared “persons” under Canadian Law. It is one of two monuments in Canada, and the other is in Ottawa on Parliament Hill.
The sit-by-me statues encourage visitors to rest awhile and contemplate history.
Bowness Park
Bowness Park is a shallow lagoon and canal off the Bow River in northwest Calgary. It is known for its paddle boating in the summer and ice-skating in the winter. Activities vary from summer paddling, train rides, mini golf, river fishing, biking, and hiking.
The site also has a restaurant, boat shop, and skate shop. Skating is free. The charge varies for the other activities. Picnic areas may be booked online. There are also fire pits and BBQ stands.
For many Calgarians, the afternoon of Christmas Eve is a traditional time for skating at Bowness.
Indigenous culture
