Calgary Attractions and My Personal Highlights
Calgary is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta. With a population of around 1.4 million, Calgary is the fourth largest city in Canada. While Calgary is situated in the plains, the impressive Rocky Mountains rise just 1.5 hours to the west.
Calgary serves as the starting point for many tourists - including myself - for a road trip into the Canadian Rocky Mountains with the towns of Banff, Jasper, and a drive along the legendary Icefields Parkway. It doesn't matter whether you visit in summer or winter. Calgary is also perfectly located for trips to Yukon or the Northwest Territories due to its international airport.
Calgary is a multicultural city, as over 120 languages are spoken here. Additionally, there are great shopping districts, excellent restaurants, nature with rivers and hiking trails right in the center, and plenty of attractions that make a stay feel too short.
By the way, Calgary is Canada's sunniest city, outshining every German city (Freiburg with about 1,740 hours of sunshine annually vs. Calgary's 2,405 hours).
Here you can find my highlights along with my detailed travel report on Calgary!
Highlights in Calgary in 1 Day
I have been to Calgary three times already. Therefore, I advise you not to rush to the Rockies but to spend 1 to 2 nights in this really great city.
Before my road trip in the Canadian Rocky Mountains to Edmonton, I spent a day in Calgary. Not only did I manage to acclimatize to the climate and time change, but the short stay was also worthwhile.
I spent my afternoon in Inglewood, Calgary's oldest district. Why? Here, the old meets the new, creating an exciting mix. More about this here: 1:20 PM - Arrival at Calgary International Airport.
Most flights from Europe arrive around noon at Calgary International Airport, as did ours. By the time we collect our luggage and get our immigration stamps and pick up our rental car, an hour passes. The drive downtown takes only 20 minutes.
3:00 PM - Arriving at Hotel Arts in the city center. At first glance, the city appears unremarkable and urban. Only the skyscrapers among the small houses, which are no taller than an apartment, let you feel that you are in the fourth largest city. Info and location for Hotel Arts:
Address: Hotel Arts 119 - 12th Avenue SW (in downtown Calgary, about 20 minutes by car from the airport)
3:15 PM Off to Inglewood - Calgary's oldest district.
Inglewood is Calgary's oldest neighborhood and is currently back in vogue. Here you find small shops and no shopping malls. From antiques to boutiques, furniture stores, and small art galleries, you'll find unique items and nothing for the masses.
3:20 PM Lunch at 'The Nash' in Inglewood.
The Nash recently opened in the historic building of the National Hotel. Here you get changing menus served with craft beer, wine, and cocktails. A perfect start to the Calgary stay!
Address: 925 11 ST SE
4:30 PM - Explore Inglewood and its shops.
After the refreshment at The Nash, we stroll from shop to shop. We discover local labels for clothing, uniquely designed postcards, and backpacks that surely no one in Germany owns.
Around 6 PM - Fighting jetlag at Rosso Coffee Roasters.
When the jetlag eventually kicks in, we head to Rosso Coffee Roasters located on 9th Avenue in Inglewood. Here, coffee is prepared with much love (and time). The staff are happy to take time to explain the brewing process and methodical preparation to us. I enjoy a Red Honey Cafe, which is significantly lighter than the coffee we have. Nonetheless, it contains enough caffeine to wake me up again.
Address: 1400 9th Avenue S.E.
8:00 PM Dinner on 17th Avenue.
Like 9th Avenue in Inglewood, 17th Avenue downtown guarantees you'll find a spot for dinner. There's something for everyone's taste here. After our intended Pigeonhole unexpectedly decided to take a day off on our arrival Sunday, we switched to Market. We did not regret it.
A not overly complicated menu with many delicious-sounding dishes.
Address Market: 718 17th Avenue SW
Attractions in Inglewood
The Livery Shop
In the old stable of the National Hotel, where once the horses of the hotel guests found shelter, a small boutique has recently opened. Here, you can find clothing, handmade cards, and bath accessories - all from local labels.
Shop Address: 1130 10th Ave SE
Recordland
Canada's largest record store is also located in Inglewood. With over 2 million records and some shelves filled with CDs, you can listen to and buy music here. I could have spent hours here, even though I now own very few records or CDs myself.
Address: 1208 9 Ave SE
Recordland on Facebook
Kent of Inglewood
Kent of Inglewood is a 100-year-old shop that opened its doors in 2014. At least that's what the website claims. Indeed, upon entering the store, you feel transported back in time. Here, men can find everything they need: razors, pomade, gin, and of course, an axe. After all, we are in Canada. A very authentic and well-scented shop that you must visit.
Nathan, the shop manager in Calgary, is happy to take time for customers and the uninformed like me to explain everything thoroughly. Even courses are offered on Saturdays, teaching men how to shave with a razor.
Address: 1319-9th Avenue SE
Knifewear
Knifewear offers you primarily one thing: sharp, handcrafted knives from Japan! You can impressively test the sharpness of the blades in the knife store. All kinds of designs and lengths are available here. Professional advice from specialists is included. The owner of the shop is the same as that of Kent of Inglewood. Here too, everything is presented and explained with great love and patience.
Address: 1319-9th Avenue SE
The Silk Road Spice Merchant
Here you can find herbs and spices from around the world and, of course, from the Calgary region. The products are pure and unblended. There are also spice sets available as ideal souvenirs from Calgary: Bow River Fish Blend, City Palate Seasoning, and Maple Smoking Salmon Rub.
Address: 1403A 9 Avenue SE
More Attractions in Calgary
First time in Calgary? Here are the highlights of Calgary:
Don't feel like spending an afternoon in Inglewood? Then you might want to visit Calgary's most famous attractions and sights?
Tip: On Calgary's official website, you can often find coupons that save you money: Coupons for Calgary.
17th Avenue - International Avenue
The International Avenue is a multicultural street along 17th Avenue SE, from 26th to 61st Street. You will find shops and restaurants from all over the world here. I had dinner here at Market (see above).
Calgary Food Trucks
Since the trucks are located in different places every day, you can check yycfoodtrucks.com for the next food truck location. Unfortunately, during my trip, there wasn't one near me.
Calgary Tower
The Calgary Tower is 191 meters tall and thus the highest observation deck in Western Canada (not the highest building). The floor is made of glass so you can look directly down. A challenge for those with a fear of heights, but for me, it's fantastic!
An adult ticket costs 18 CAD (about 12 Euros).
The tower is open daily from 9 AM to 9 PM and in summer (June - August) even until 10 PM.
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede takes place annually in July. This ten-day event is the largest rodeo and agricultural exhibition in the world, attracting over a million visitors. International cowboys compete in rodeo events, wagon races are held, and with many musical performances, the Calgary Stampede is the annual highlight for locals and tourists alike.
Olympic Sports Venues
The sports venues of the 1988 Winter Olympics can still be visited today. For example, WinSport's Canada Olympic Park with its Olympic ski jump and North America's fastest zip line, which you can see on your left when leaving the city heading toward Banff National Park. You can also have a thrilling ride in the bobsled on the Olympic channel here.
Attend a Calgary Flames Hockey Game
Calgary has been a winter sports capital since the 1988 Winter Olympics. If you are in Canada in winter, you must attend a home game of the Calgary Flames. Canada is the hockey country par excellence. Unlike American football, hockey is intense and boredom is nonexistent.
The Flames, with the flaming 'C' on their chest, play their home games at Scotiabank Saddledome, which accommodates over 20,000 fans. I missed a home game but was able to experience the rivalry against the Edmonton Oilers live twice. I wonder when they will win the Stanley Cup. Currently, their chances don't look too good, much better against the competition from Edmonton with German Leon Draisaitl.
Heritage Park Historical Village
One of the most visited attractions is the Heritage Park Historical Village. Here you can experience the history of Western Canada in a lively and well-done manner. Some buildings are preserved in their original state, others have been authentically reconstructed.
Even though Canada's history is not quite as old as ours, the items on display are quite interesting. You can see old streetcars, horse-drawn carriages, and historical furniture and clothing.
You can undertake these tours and activities in Calgary:
Hotel Tips in Calgary
In Calgary, you will find accommodations and hotels of every price range. Especially downtown, there are modern city hotels, boutique hotels, and even wellness hotels.
During my stay, I resided in the designer Boutique Hotel Arts. The location at 119 - 12th Avenue SW - right in the center - was excellent. Even with the rental car, we found the hotel without any problems. A parking space including valet parking service (where an employee parks your car for an additional fee) is also available, which we utilized.
Breakfast at the on-site Yellow Door Bistro was delicious.
Other hotel tips for Calgary:
If you have early onward flights, I've become a fan of 'in-terminal' hotels. Recently, I was stranded at the Calgary Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel. I had a huge room and could conveniently be at check-in within five minutes the next morning. The breakfast was also great, and I dined in the bar the night before.
More Travel Tips
Data & Facts
Calgary has the longest urban bike paths in North America at 700 km.
Calgary hosted the first Winter Olympics in Canada in 1988.
Calgary's Inglewood neighborhood was voted Canada's prettiest neighborhood.
Calgary is multicultural: over 120 languages are spoken here.
The 191-meter high Calgary Tower is Western Canada's highest observation platform.
In Calgary, there is no Provincial Sales Tax (across Alberta).
The Shaw Millennium Skate Park is the largest free outdoor skate park in North America.
The Calgary Stampede is the largest rodeo event in Canada.
Many know Calgary solely as the Olympic city from 1988, when the Winter Games were held there. Calgary is known for its friendly and welcoming residents, for music and outdoor events, and for the Calgary Stampede. The latter is considered the largest outdoor event in the world and each July attracts over 1.5 million visitors to Calgary.
Calgary has experienced significant development and immigration in recent years due to strong commodity price growth. Calgary is also quite green and has four parks nearby that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Dinosaur Provincial Park, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, and the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, and Yoho, Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine, and the Hamber Provincial Parks).
Traveling to Calgary
By Air
Calgary's Calgary International Airport (YYC) is only 20 minutes from downtown Calgary. The airport in Calgary is the third-largest in Canada. Every day, 40,000 passengers arrive here, and there is no nighttime flight ban.
From Germany, Air Canada flies directly to Calgary several times a week from Frankfurt.
By Car
You can reach Calgary via the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway Two, also known as the Queen Elizabeth II Highway.
The Trans-Canada Highway runs coast to coast and connects Calgary to places like Banff National Park. The Queen Elizabeth II Highway heads north to Edmonton and south towards the U.S. border.
Transport and Traffic in Calgary
From the Airport to Downtown
The Calgary Transit Bus 300 (Route 300 - BRT Airport / City Centre) takes you to downtown for $9.50. Conversely, you can quickly and cheaply travel from downtown back to the airport for just $3.15. You can either pay your ticket in cash (no change is provided, so count carefully), or you can purchase a 'Calgary Transit Boarding Pass' from the machine at the bus terminal or at one of the Mac's stores at the airport terminal. More information: calgarytransit.com
By Taxi
You can take a taxi from the airport to downtown for about $40. For rides in downtown (e.g., Hotel Arts to Inglewood), we paid about $9 without a tip. Don't forget: 10-15% tips are customary in Canada. Taxi rides are straightforward as every taxi is equipped with a meter. You can hardly get ripped off.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus
Calgary has small sightseeing tours. The stops are located at all the major sights and attractions as well as in important neighborhoods. Check out this tour on Get Your Guide.
Plus 15 Skywalk Network Calgary
The world's largest pedestrian network allows you to walk through hotels, shopping centers, and attractions on over 18 km of paths and 62 bridges without having to step onto the street. The system is quite controversial in the city, as normal street life suffers from it. In winter, at -20°C, however, the system can still be a helpful institution. Who likes to freeze in icy temperatures when they can walk in warmth?
Here are the paths to take a look at: calgaryplus15.com
Car Rental in Calgary
We picked up our rental car at the airport for our winter road trip through the Banff and Jasper National Parks to Edmonton. This is the most flexible way to get around Calgary.
Car rental price comparison for Calgary
More Useful Links for Calgary
City magazines like 'avenue' and 'calgary' are available for free and were left in my hotel room. Here you will always find useful information and tips for events.
You can view the latest issue online:
Conclusion on Calgary as a City
Not everyone loves the city and even recommends heading straight on. However, I believe that after a long journey from Germany, you should spend at least 1-2 days in the city and you can, as it isn't that boring here. One day can easily be spent in Inglewood to combat jetlag.
On the second day, one should explore the downtown area with the Calgary Tower and other highlights (maybe even catch a hockey game or enjoy one of the numerous summer festivals).
If you must choose between the cities Calgary and Edmonton, I would lean towards Edmonton, which is supposedly the more boring option. I've been here twice now and found the city anything but dull and boring.
Link tips for a Canada road trip:
Road trip from Calgary along Icefields Parkway in winter - tips, route, and info
Edmonton: Tips with attractions
All Canada travel reports at a glance
Note: My trip to the Canadian Rockies was supported by Travel Alberta. All opinions are my own.
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