The Open Road Travel

Choosing the 10 best things to do in Calgary is no easy task, as the city and its surrounding areas are simply brimming with things to do and see. From natural beauty spots to man made wonders and historical locations, Calgary truly has it all.

As someone who used to live in the city, I can attest to how difficult it is to plan your ideal travel itinerary when you arrive in Calgary for the first time. This is especially true if you only have a limited amount of time.

That is why I wanted to use my personal experience to compile a list of the 10 best things to do in Calgary, to help you out and make your life a little easier. So, if you are planning a trip to “The Stampede City” for yourself and don’t want to miss any of the highlights, I highly suggest reading on.

Founded in 1875, Calgary is one of the oldest cities in western Canada. It is also the most populous city in the province of Alberta and 3rd most populous in the country as a whole. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, it offers both natural beauty and man made convenience.

Known throughout the continent for the wide open prairies that lay to the north and east of the city, in its early years herds of buffalo and cattle roamed the region. This helped the city to develop the nickname “The Stampede City” which it maintains to this day.

Thanks to the presence of gas and oil in the region, Calgary has a booming economy. This has helped it to become a city that is among the fastest growing and offers the highest quality of life in Canada. It is even home to more millionaires per capita than any other Canadian city.

The best time to visit Calgary is in July or August. While the warm summer season of June through August will help you to avoid the bitterly cold Canadian weather the city experiences each year, June is by far Calgary’s wettest month.

This means using our July and August recommendation, you will experience the best all round weather conditions in the city, allowing you the most enjoyable trip possible. Going towards the start of that window will also allow you to witness what is perhaps the city’s biggest event.

As we now get to our list of the 10 best things to do in Calgary, I am going to take you through a wide range of choices. These will cover things that appeal to travellers with a wide range of interests, while making sure to include something covering everything Calgary is known for.

The Calgary Stampede is a yearly rodeo and festival that takes place each July and is considered by many to be the most famous attraction in the city. The first events of their kind were held on the site in 1886, while it has been an annual occurrence since 1923.

Dubbed “The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth”, the event lasts for 10 days and features concerts, BBQs, competitions, fairs, First Nations exhibitions, parades, stage shows, horse drawn wagon races, western themed attractions, and one of the largest rodeos on the planet.

Having earned induction into the ProRodeo Hall Of Fame in 2008, it is a must see event for any fans of rodeos, Canadian history, or even just wild festivals who happen to be visiting Calgary when it is taking place.

Built in 1875 at the same time the city was founded, Fort Calgary was located where the Elbow and Bow rivers meet.

It was designed as a base for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to manage the growing number of American bootleggers in the region and build relations with the Native people.

While the original fort was demolished about 40 years later to make way for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, the site was reclaimed in 1973 by the government of Calgary in preparation for the city’s 100th anniversary.

In the years since, Fort Calgary has reopened as a historic site. A museum filled with artefacts and educational displays was the first things to open, before being joined by reconstructed buildings from the original fort.

With Deane House and Hunt House, the oldest building in Calgary, still located on the grounds, Fort Calgary is a perfect place to learn about the history of both Calgary and the Mounties.

With construction starting in 1967 to mark Canada’s 100th anniversary, Calgary Tower opened a year later and immediately became the city’s most iconic landmark.

Standing 262 feet (191 metres) tall, it was the tallest structure in Calgary and tallest in Canada outside of Toronto upon completion.

With most of its height taken up by a cylindrical concrete tower, it features a rotating restaurant and glass floored observation deck at its peak. At the base of the tower, you then have the fabulous Vertigo Theatre and connections to the Skyway network.

With the platform at the top completing a full rotation every 45 to 60 minutes, it gives visitors the opportunity to witness some breathtaking views of the city, with the option to sit down and enjoy a gourmet meal while they do so.

First opened in 1929, the Calgary Zoo is often recognised as one of the best zoos on Earth, especially when it comes to research and conservation. Spread over 120 acres, the Calgary Zoo is home to more than 1,000 animals, covering 272 different species, as well as a range of fish and insects.

Split into sections that includes different regions of the Earth, gardens, and an aquarium, the zoo provides a wonderful opportunity to see a wide range of different local and exotic wildlife in faithful recreations of their natural habitats.

There is even a prehistoric zone filled with model dinosaurs.

Fabulous events are held here periodically throughout the year and a wonderful gift shop lets visitors purchase mementos from their visit. This all makes the Calgary Zoo a must visit attraction for any animal lovers visiting the city.

Heritage Park Historical Village is a wonderful outdoor living 127 acre museum that opened in 1964.

Dedicated to western Canadian history from 1860 to around 1950, it features a collection of historical buildings that have been relocated here, as well as others that have been recreated.

All of the buildings are fully furnished and decorated in the traditional style, while staff all wear authentic period outfits, to help immerse visitors in the history of the location.

With a wonderful collection of over 100 working antiques, historic artefacts, exhibits, horse drawn vehicles, automobiles, buildings, streetcars, paddle steamers, and First Nations camps and tools, it is the comprehensive experience for anyone wanting to learn about western Canadian history.

There may be nothing as quintessentially Canadian as ice hockey and there is nowhere in the city of Calgary better to take in a game than the Scotiabank Saddledome .

Having first opened in 1983 and boasting a seating capacity of over 19,000 people, it is home to both the Calgary Flames and Calgary Hitmen, of the NHL and WHL, respectively. This makes it the only place in the city to see the highest level of Canadian and North American ice hockey live.

Even if you’re not a hockey fan, the Saddledome is home to the Calgary Roughnecks box lacrosse team of the NLL and regularly hosts events like basketball games, concerts, figure skating and pro wrestling, so there will likely be something on here to enjoy while you are in town.

Stephen Avenue Walk is a pedestrian zone located at the very heart of Downtown Calgary that constitutes the inner city’s primary recreation area. With its perfectly central location, no trip to Calgary is complete without a visit to Stephen Avenue Walk.

It boasts everything from stores, eateries, and shopping malls to entertainment venues and outdoor art installations.

This gives you the perfect opportunity to do some shopping, grab a bite to eat, and maybe catch a show or performance, before exploring some of Calgary’s historic buildings and locations in the surrounding area.

The Bow River Pathway is a 30 mile (48 kilometre) network of pathways along the banks of the Bow River around Calgary.

Designed for walking, jogging, cycling, skateboarding, and rollerblading, the route passes countless parks, nature preserves, golf courses, and various other outdoor attractions.

While hiking the entire route will be a little much for most, taking a trip along a section of the Bow River Pathway is a great way to enjoy the more natural side of the region.

It will also give you the chance to see some of the most stunning views of Downtown Calgary you will find.

Covering 1,377,768 square feet (127,999 square metres), the Chinook Centre is the largest shopping mall in Calgary, 2nd largest in Alberta, and 3rd largest in western Canada. Having first opened in 1960, it boasts 242 stores spread over 2 floors, making it the perfect place for a day out shopping.

Retailers include everything from department stores and high end designers to more modest brands and electronics and sporting goods stores, ensuring there is plenty here to suit people of all tastes.

Throw in features like a 900 seat food court offering various foods, drinks, and cuisines, a bowling alley, a multiplex theatre, and much more, and the Chinook Centre is a destination you can spend a whole day out having fun with the entire family.

Located roughly an hours’ drive to the west of Calgary, Banff National Park was the first established by the Canadian government back in 1885. Often ranked among the most beautiful places on Earth, it is frequently listed as the most visited national park in the country.

Set high up in the Rocky Mountains, Banff covers 2,564 square miles (6,641 square kilometres) that are filled with stunning lakes, forests, mountains, icefields, and world heritage sites.

With famous ski resorts and communities like Lake Louise, you can even set up to enjoy a longer, more luxurious experience.

Popular for skiing, hiking, swimming, kayaking, and more, dependant on the time of year, Banff is an ideal location for anyone who loves the great outdoors.

While it isn’t technically located in Calgary itself, it is more than worth the trip and perfectly represents the landscape surrounding the city.

The Fairmont Palliser is a luxurious, historic, 4-star hotel, located right at the base of the Calgary Tower in Downtown Calgary. With is stunning décor, wonderful facilities, and perfect location, it gives you maximum comfort and convenience for the duration of your stay.

Each room is spacious, air conditioned, pet friendly, and boasts comfortable furnishings and amenities like a coffee maker, flat screen cable TV, work desk, and mini bar, and a private bathroom, bathrobe, and hairdryer. Some rooms even include a seating area and panoramic city views.

The property also has an on-site restaurant, Starbucks, swimming pool, fitness centre, steam room, spa, and laundry and dry cleaning services. Wi-Fi is available throughout the property, while secure parking is available for an additional fee.

Calgary is a truly wonderful city and our list of the 10 best things to do in Calgary will hopefully have helped you see it in style.

From beautiful natural landscapes to historic sites and iconic buildings, you should have everything you need to plan your dream travel itinerary for your trip.

All you have left to do now then is start getting everything booked. That way, you can stop worrying about missing out on any of the highlights and start looking forward to experiencing it all for yourself.