The 5 Most Exciting Places to Visit in Calgary

Canada’s oil capital and Alberta’s biggest city, Calgary has never gotten rid of its “Cowtown” name. As a result of its long past as the hub of a large cattle-raising area, the name has been very valuable to tourism marketers, conjuring up images of cowboys, cattle drives, and the Wild West that has always been free.

Visiting this busy city means you can do a lot of related things, like seeing the famous Calgary Stampede in July or exploring the city’s pioneer-era Heritage Park, which is a great activity for children.

Additionally, it’s an especially beautiful spot to visit for people who like taking in amazing views. Looking west, the Rocky Mountains look like an impassable wall rising from the plains. For ski, climbing, or sightseeing trips, these mountains and their well-known national parks make Calgary a great place to go on vacation.

There are also many local sites in Calgary that you can visit if you’re looking for fun things to do. Walking through the city’s huge Prince’s Island Park and across the famous Peace Bridge at night is a lot of fun, either before or after going to a great restaurant in the downtown center.

Our detailed list of the best places to see and things to do in Calgary, Alberta will help you fit as much as possible into your trip.

1. Enjoy the Seasons at Bowness Park

If your trip to Calgary still has time for one more park, try to fit Bowness Park in as well. This big 74-acre urban green space is in the northwest corner of the city. It is very popular with families and has fire pits for picnics and barbecues.

Summertime offers a fun paddleboat ride. Taking the kids with you? Children will want to get on the cute little train that is there for them to enjoy.

As winter approaches, skating and a cool new activity called “ice biking” (yes, it’s a bike on skates!) are the things to do. Hockey, curling, and cross-country skiing are some other winter sports. In the fall, when the leaves change color, it’s a nice place to visit.

2. Hike around Fish Creek Provincial Park

The size of Fish Creek Provincial Park is almost 14 square kilometers, making it Canada’s second-largest urban park. This huge green space is in the far south of Calgary. It’s famous for its many nice walking and hiking trails that go through forests and along the creek. Some of these trails connect to other trails that go all over the city.

Because Fish Creek Park is a natural place, it’s great for people who want to get close to nature. About 200 different species of birds have been found to live here, making it a famous place to watch birds.

Fishing, swimming, biking, and going on a guided wildlife tour are some other fun things to do. The park also has a tourist center, a restaurant, and many historic buildings that are fun to look around.

3. Studio Bell, Home of the National Music Centre

Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, opened its brand-new, state-of-the-art building in 2016 in Calgary’s East Village neighborhood. The huge building has roots that go back to 1987. It is home to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Collection, among other music-related sites.

These museums have an amazing collection of over 2,000 music-related items, many of which are old and hard-to-find instruments. A mobile recording booth that used to belong to the Rolling Stones and a piano that Elton John used to own are two of the bigger exhibits.

There are more than 226,000 beautiful terra-cotta tiles inside the building, which makes it look even more beautiful. Studio Bell has a lot of exhibits, many of which are interactive and hands-on. It also has a full schedule of educational events and classes, as well as daily performances and concerts.

You can go on a guided tour or a fun “backstage pass” walk that lets you play some of the instruments you’ll see.

4. Visit the Glenbow Museum

The Glenbow Museum has some unique displays that show how Western Canada has changed over time. It opened in 1966. The museum takes you back in time to look at the lives of early fur traders, the North West Mounted Police, the Métis uprisings led by Louis Riel, and how the oil business grew.

This interesting museum of art and history also has special shows from all over the world. There are also educational programs and guided trips.

Telus Spark is another great museum to check out. This great science museum has a lot of interesting interactive exhibits, multimedia presentations, talks, and educational workshops that are great for families to enjoy together.

5. WinSport: Canada Olympic Park

The strange-looking buildings of WinSport, which is home to the Calgary Olympic Park, rise in the foothills of the mountains west of the city. This was the main spot for the XV Olympic Winter Games in 1988.

You can still ski and snowboard on the hill today, and you can also slide, zipline, toboggan, snow tube, and mountain bike down the hills and slopes. There is also indoor ice skating, with professional competitions, casual lessons, and events that both tourists and locals can enjoy.

From the top of the ski-jump slope on a guided Ski Jump Tower Tour, you can see the whole city of Calgary. The park is also home to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

FAQ’s

Read More: 10 Best Tourist Attractions in Washington, D.C