Calgary

No reviews yetCity Alberta, Canada

The Calgary Tower is a free-standing observation tower in the downtown core, Alberta

Studio Bell houses the National Music Centre in Calgary's East Village, Alberta

The Calgary Central Library opened in East Village in 2018, Alberta

Fort Calgary marks the site of the 1875 North-West Mounted Police outpost, Alberta

About Calgary

Calgary is Alberta's largest city, located where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The site was a gathering place for Indigenous peoples long before a North-West Mounted Police post was built here in the 1870s, and ranching, railways and later oil shaped the city's growth. Today it combines a modern downtown skyline with a strong western identity, most visibly during the Calgary Stampede each July.

The Calgary Tower offers panoramic views from its observation deck, with the Rockies visible on clear days. Below, Stephen Avenue is a pedestrian street of restaurants and historic sandstone buildings. Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, explores Canadian music through instruments and exhibits, and the Calgary Central Library is admired for its striking architecture. Fort Calgary marks the city's origins at the river confluence. The red Peace Bridge crosses the Bow River to Prince's Island Park, a popular green space, and continues toward Kensington, a neighborhood of independent shops and cafes. The Calgary Zoo and Heritage Park Historical Village, with its recreated prairie town, are family favorites.

Calgary suits families, festival-goers and travelers heading to the mountains, as Banff is within easy driving distance. Summers are pleasant, while winter brings cold spells broken by warm chinook winds.

Best seasonSummer for festivals and patios, especially Stampede in July; winter suits those heading to ski resorts.

Ideal stayTwo to three days covers the city before continuing to the Rockies.

ArrivingCalgary International Airport is a major hub, and the Trans-Canada Highway passes through the city.

WiserMap travel guideCalgary Alberta Calgary Tower Heritage Park and Studio BellPlan a Calgary trip with the Calgary Tower, Studio Bell, Fort Calgary, Peace Bridge, Heritage Park, local food, stays, seasons and a simple three day itinerary.Read the guide

12 Best Things to Do in Calgary

Landmarks 3

Calgary Tower

Opened in 1968 and standing 191 meters tall downtown, the Calgary Tower was for years the city's tallest structure. A one-minute e...

Peace Bridge

Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and opened in 2012, this red helical bridge carries walkers and cyclists across t...

Calgary Central Library

Opened in 2018 in the East Village, this library designed by Snøhetta and DIALOG arches over an active light-rail line, its exteri...

Museums 3

Studio Bell

Home of the National Music Centre, Studio Bell is a building of curving terracotta-clad towers in the East Village that opened in...

Fort Calgary

Calgary was born where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet, when the North-West Mounted Police built a fort here in 1875. The historic s...

Heritage Park Historical Village

Canada's largest living history museum spreads along the Glenmore Reservoir in southwest Calgary. Costumed interpreters bring to l...

Parks 1

Prince's Island Park

In the Bow River beside downtown, this island park is a green retreat of lawns, shade trees and riverside paths, linked to the cit...

Wildlife 1

Calgary Zoo

Set largely on St. George's Island in the Bow River east of downtown, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo houses animals from around...

Neighborhoods 2

Stephen Avenue

Stephen Avenue, part of 8 Avenue SW, is a downtown pedestrian mall lined with sandstone buildings from the late 19th and early 20t...

Kensington

Across the Bow River from downtown, Kensington is a walkable village around 10th Street and Kensington Road NW, full of independen...

Sports 1

WinSport Canada Olympic Park

Built for the 1988 Winter Olympics on the western edge of the city, Canada Olympic Park still has its ski jump towers and the bobs...

Events 1

Calgary Stampede

For ten days each July, the Calgary Stampede turns the city into a western celebration billed as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Eart...

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Photo: Dwayne Reilander, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

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