Adventure Town Series: Calgary, AB
Best known for the Stampede and as a gateway to Banff, most travellers tend to treat Calgary as a transit stop; a way to access the well-trodden trails of the National Park, leading to the jagged mountain peaks, cerulean lakes and foaming waterfalls that have made this part of the country one of Canada’s most popular tourist attractions. While the Rockies are indeed alluring, Calgary itself is worth spending a few days in. With a burgeoning cultural scene and plethora of restaurants, breweries and cocktail bars that will satisfy even the pickiest of palates, the city is a noteworthy adventure destination, but only if you know where to go.
How to Access Calgary
Calgary boasts a recently renovated international airport terminal at the northeast edge of the city. The location provides easy access to Deerfoot and Stoney Trail, the two main arteries of the city’s roadways, which will easily get you to where you want to go. Renting a car is the best option for exploring Calgary if you are also planning on travelling to the parks outside of the city, but there are bus stops in both the domestic and international terminals that will take you to the city centre. Shuttles, taxis, Uber and Lyft are also readily available for all of your transportation needs.
Driving
Calgary is conveniently accessed via the Trans-Canada Highway, but visitors will need to rent a car if driving from another city or town, as there is no longer a national bus service.
If traditional car rental is too expensive, but you want the convenience of a car in the city from time to time, consider using a car sharing service. Communauto, a Montreal-based company, currently operates in Calgary with a user-friendly app that allows you to access a vehicle for as little as 41cents a minute (long distance rentals are also available). Alternatively, Turo, essentially Airbnb for cars, is also now available in Calgary.
Transit
Public transit in Calgary has not kept up with the city’s growth over the past decade. While there is Light Rail Transit (LRT), otherwise known as the CTrain, it does not service the airport directly and only provides access to part of the city on the two lines that currently operate. Within the downtown zone, however, people who opt to take the CTrain can ride for free. The bus system is more extensive and new high-speed routes have recently been added to alleviate long travel times in heavy traffic zones within the city. A one-time use transit ticket, valid for 90 minutes, costs $3.60 for adults and $2.45 for youth aged 13-17, while children aged 12 and under ride for free. The most convenient way to purchase tickets is by downloading the My Fare app, but they can also be found at most convenience and grocery stores or at ticket vending machines at any CTrain station.
Outdoor Activities
Views For Days
Walk or bike the river pathway that runs parallel to Memorial Drive for vibrant views of the iconic Peace Bridge. The Calgary Tower offers thrilling 360-degree views of the city, and those brave enough to step out onto the glass floor extension will gain a unique birds-eye-perspective of downtown core.
Pop up to the Crescent Heights Lookout for views of the Bow River and the city skyline, while Scotsman’s Hill serves up an all-you-can-see buffet of Calgary’s most striking downtown landmarks.
Get Out on The Water
Not only does the Bow River provide Calgary with drinking water, it is also the perfect place to cool off in the summer heat. A Calgary summer staple is to drift down the aquamarine waters of the Bow on an inflatable raft (or paddleboard, kayak, canoe), and there are several rental places along the river if this type of activity floats your (literal) boat. Lazy Day Raft Rentals offers a package that begins at West Baker Park Boat Ramp and ends across from Prince’s Island Park (about 15 kilometres of paddling). They also offer a shuttle service so that you don’t have to worry about making it back to your car at the end of the experience. (Note: PFDs are mandatory and basic paddling experience is required.)
If you are an experienced paddler looking for something to get your adrenaline pumping, check out the Harvie Passage Whitewater Park: a manmade whitewater rafting course with difficulty levels ranging from the Class Two South Channel to the class three North Channel. Alternatively, if river surfing gets your (frigid) blood pumping, squeeze into your wetsuit—the water is literally glacial—and make your way to The Wave located on the south side of the Bow just down from the 10th Street Bridge.
Parks, Parks, Parks!
Want to feel like you are no longer in the city without actually leaving the city? Fish Creek Provincial Park encompasses a sprawling 2,800 acres in the southeast of Calgary and offers over 80 kilometres of multi-use trails. While visitors should be aware that all trails are for all users, mountain bikers will find an urban nirvana in the many single track trails that wind through grassy meadows, lush forests and trickling streams. A mountain bike skills park, located near the Burnsmead Day Use parking lot, offers eager cyclists further opportunity to hone their skills. Alternatively, walkers, hikers and runners can follow the song of over 200 bird species through the maze of pathways that meander through the park and perhaps catch a glimpse of a moose in the marshland. Sikome Aquatic Facility offers a man-made lake cool off in during the sweltering summer months or relax with an ice cream cone and a bite to eat at the historic Bow Valley Ranche.
Glenmore Reservoir is a park for all seasons with a 15 kilometre walking and cycling loop around the vast body of water that also serves a sailing and canoeing club (both offer rentals). The pathway is mostly plowed during the winter, but cold weather cyclists will want to ensure their tires are studded or consider renting a fat bike to navigate potential snow and ice in sections of the park. The city tracksets cross-country ski trails in both the north and south of the park when there is sufficient snowfall. Limber up for the 730-metre-long ice-skating trail that is connected to the North Glenmore skating rink. (Skate rentals are available at the Skate Hut in the park, while Cactus Bike & Ski is a five-minute drive away from Glenmore Landing for additional rental needs.)
Historically, Nose Hill Park was a lookout for Indigenous people, and now visitors can experience the rich, spiritual stories of the past for themselves by downloading the IndigiTRAILS app for a history lesson of the area that also gets the body moving. ‘Echoes of the Past’ is a GPS Augmented Reality that follows the footsteps of the Indigenous people within Treaty Seven territory. Bike or hike one of the many trails in the park to the Siksikaitsitapi Medicine Wheel for vast prairie views interrupted only by the city skyline in the distance. Built by members of the Blood Tribe in 2015 in order to mark the hill as part of traditional Blackfoot territory, the wheel represents the Blood, Siksika, and the Northern and Southern Peigan tribes that form the Blackfoot Confederation.
Visit Bowness Park to wander through sweet-scented cherry blossoms in the spring, paddle on the shallow lagoon, or brush up on your Frisbee skills with a (free!) game of disc golf. In winter, sharpen your skating skills on the 1.6 kilometre ice trail that runs parallel to the Bow River, or try ice biking on the lagoon when conditions allow (rentals are provided by the University of Calgary Outdoor Centre).
Canada Olympic Park is a one-stop adventure destination that will delight adrenaline junkies in both winter and summer. Best known for its easy access to urban downhill skiing (experienced skiers and snowboarders can also test their skills at the Advanced Terrain Park), the park also offers a variety of adventurous warm weather activities in the form of lift-accessed mountain biking and downhill karting by Skyline Luge.
Nearby Attractions
Bragg Creek Provincial Park
A convenient 45-minute drive from Calgary, Bragg Creek offers something for even the most timid of outdoor explorers. Casual paddlers, walkers and cyclists will want to check out Forgetmenot Pond, while more ambitious hikers and mountain bikers can access the thrilling Nihahi Ridge Trail or Forgetmenot Ridge nearby. Nihahi Ridge is accessed by first passing through Little Elbow campground, with 60 sites for both tents and RVs, as well as an additional 30 walk-in tenting sites.
Other popular trails include Prairie Mountain (which can be hiked year-round, although microspikes and poles are recommended in the winter), Moose Mountain for hiking and mountain biking and Fullerton Loop for those craving a family-friendly expedition.
In winter, Bragg Creek Trails tracksets a wide variety of cross-country ski trails and treadsets the all-season trails for fat biking. There is ample terrain available for snowshoeing and winter horseback riding, but visitors engaging in these activities should ensure that they are staying off of groomed ski trails.
Kananaskis Country
A 60 to 90 minute drive will treat travellers to a wild romp through the favoured natural playground of Calgary’s adventurous locals. Sweeping mountain vistas, verdant alpine meadows and an extensive trail network—accessible through all seasons—make Kananaskis a must-visit.
As a bonus, with an advance reservation, weary wanderers can remedy any muscle fatigue with a sumptuous soak in the Kananaskis Nordic Spa.
Please note visitors who plan to drive to the park must first purchase a Kananaskis Conservation Pass. A day pass registers one vehicle and costs $15 while an annual pass registers up to two vehicles and costs $90. Passes can be purchased online or in person at certain locations within the park.
Where to Stay
A more affordable option than the Fairmont Banff Springs or the Chateau Lake Louise, the Fairmont Palliser grants visitors a luxurious stay in a historic building that is centrally located and within walking distance of some of Calgary’s best attractions.
Hotel Arts is a stylish and modern accommodation option that has the bonus of an outdoor pool serving up refreshing cocktails as well as food from the delectable Yellow Door Bistro.
For a bucket of whimsy, stay at The Dorian, Autograph Collection. Inspired by the writing of Oscar Wilde, the eclectic and bold décor of the hotel will delight even non-literary guests. The Wilde, the hotel’s restaurant on the 27th floor, pays homage to its flamboyant muse by offering carefully curated cocktails, boozy brunches and fine dining dinners, all complemented by rooftop views of the city.
Camping
There are no campgrounds within central Calgary, and the best campgrounds are found in the nearby provincial and national parks (expect to drive at least 45 minutes to access these); however, Mountain View Farm Camping and Calaway Park Campground are private sites located near the outskirts of the city. Visitors willing to drive approximately 30 minutes south to Okotoks also have the option of camping at Riverbend Campground or Okotoks Lions Campground.
Libations and Sustenance
The Himalayan is located in an unassuming strip mall on 17th avenue, but don’t let its location turn you off. Run by a charming Nepalese family, the unforgettable food consists of fiery curries, buttery naan and traditional dahl baht. Don’t miss out on the momos (a Tibetan steamed dumpling stuffed with savoury, spiced meat or vegetables). Make a reservation.
At Lulu Bar, try the steam bun burger with spam and wash it down with a Coconut Cooler cocktail. Get to Shiki Menya to slurp down a bowl of home-made ramen before they run out for the day.
Vegetarians and vegans should check out Ten Foot Henry, although carnivores will also find the food (especially the fried potatoes) irresistible. Lil’ Empire Burger and Made By Marcus serve up classic yet innovative menus (burgers, hot dogs and ice cream oh my!) that will tickle the taste buds.
Proof and Shelter will set you up with a hip cocktail before hitting the bowling alley at National on 10 Ave where patrons can sample a variety of local beer. If you prefer to imbibe the frothy brew in its natural habitat, check out the Calgary Beer Map. Many of the breweries are located close to each other so it’s easy to (responsibly) hop from pint to pint.
For a caffeine-fuelled energy boost, try a condensed milk latte at Monogram or percolate with a cereal milk Hoopla Donut and an espresso from Phil and Sebastian. Analog, in the heart of Calgary’s beltline, brews up some of the best beans in the city, and while you are down there pop into Black Sheep Patisserie for a jammy croissant or, if you are in the mood for brunch (who isn’t?), the Bannock Funghi Eggs Benedict at Maven is a delightful Indigenous twist on the classic breakfast dish.
More of Canada’s Adventure Towns:
Adventure Town Series: Coquitlam, BC
Canada’s Best Adventure Towns: An Outdoor Lover’s Paradise Found in Sault Ste. Marie
