Things to do in Calgary
Welcome to Calgary
Located just outside the spectacular Banff National Park, Calgary is a bustling hub of stylish bars, diverse restaurants, chic boutiques, and green-lawned parks, with enough to keep visitors of all ages happy. Host of the 1988 Winter Olympics, Calgary has a rich sporting pedigree, and it’s an ideal base from which to step into Alberta’s great outdoors. Explore the streets and walkways with ease on a guided Segway tour, on which you’ll take in top sites of interest such as the Bow River, Fort Calgary, Inglewood, St. Patrick's Island, and the Trans Canada Trail. Discover the flavors Canadians love (bison, honey, Saskatoon berries) with an artisanal food and craft beer walking tour, and perhaps meet some of Alberta’s passionate brewpub owners. While you’re in Calgary, take time to learn about the First Nations peoples on a guided day trip, and embrace the culture of Canada’s northern plains. Travelers keen to head into the Rockies can take a helicopter sightseeing tour for panoramic views over the soaring peaks and plunging valleys, or explore the mighty Columbia Icefield by coach tour—which often stretch all the way from the Banff National Park to the southern end of Jasper National Park. From there, it’s just a trip to the waters of UNESCO-listed Lake Louise, widely considered to be one of Alberta’s top natural attractions.
Top 15 attractions in Calgary
Calgary Stampede
Calgary Tower
Fort Calgary
Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site
Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre
Heritage Park
TELUS Spark
Calaway Park
Heritage Park Historical Village
Glenbow Museum
The Hangar Flight Museum
Calgary Zoo
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
WinSport
Medalta
Explore Calgary by interest
Trip ideas
Itineraries for your Calgary trip
Top activities in Calgary
Explore our promoted experiences
All about Calgary
When to visit
Westerly Calgary is at its liveliest and most vibrant in summer, when the long months of snow have blown off and the city’s events calendar is at its busiest. Held every July, the Calgary Stampede is a rodeo and festival that draws scores of visitors, while the Calgary Folk Festival and Calgary International Blues Festival draw music lovers to the city. For a totally different experience, visit in the winter to take advantage of nearby Banff’s top-notch skiing.
Getting around
Calgary is served by a robust public transportation network, including the CTrain light rail system, which consists of two main lines, and numerous bus routes. Due to the city’s size, it can be helpful to have a private car rental, or to take taxis; guided sightseeing tours offer another easy way to explore. Calgary also has over 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) of paved multiuse paths, making it an exceptionally bike-friendly city.
Traveler tips
Looking for a new perspective on Calgary’s skyline and landmarks? If you’re visiting in summer, you can rent a kayak or inflatable raft and go paddling right down the Bow River, which wends its way through the heart of the city. Routes from Baker Park to Prince’s Island Park take about three hours, and combine sightseeing and fresh-air activity.
People Also Ask
Calgary is perhaps most famous for the Calgary Stampede, an annual rodeo in July that draws crowds. The Calgary Zoo, Calgary Tower, and Heritage Park Historical Village are also well-known. The city is a jumping-off point for trips to nearby Banff National Park and the Rocky Mountains, west of Calgary.
...MoreYes. There are many things to see in Calgary, including the annual Calgary Stampede rodeo, Calgary Tower, Calgary Zoo, Heritage Park Historical Village, and other museums and historic attractions. Many of Calgary’s sites of interest are related to its cattle ranching history and culture.
...MoreCalgary is a city in western Canada, in the province of Alberta. It’s in the south of Alberta, around 600 miles (970 kilometers) northeast of Vancouver and 185 miles (300 kilometers) south of Edmonton.
...MoreYou don’t need to spend a lot of money to enjoy Calgary. For free fun in Calgary, visit parks, such as Nose Hill Park and Bowness Park, admire the Wonderland Sculpture, walk across the attractive Peace Bridge, and browse the Calgary Farmers' Market.
...MoreYes. Calgary is worth visiting, even though it’s not the most popular tourist destination in Canada. There are a variety of museums, parks, and cultural attractions to enjoy. Plus, Calgary is a convenient point of departure and stopover city for visiting the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
...MoreThose traveling to Calgary with teenagers can take advantage of the city’s outdoor and historic attractions, some of which are related to Calgary’s cattle-ranching history. Come July, teenagers will likely enjoy the Calgary Stampede rodeo, which includes concerts as well as animal-related events.
...MoreCalgary information
Number of Attractions | 15 |
|---|---|
Number of Tours | 261 |
Number of Reviews | 1,749 |
Currency | CAD |
Trending attractions
- Colosseum
- Eiffel Tower
- Hoover Dam
- Statue of Liberty
- Sagrada Familia
- Burj Khalifa
- Louvre
- Acropolis
- Road to Hana (Hana Highway)
- Roman Forum (Foro Romano)
- St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco)
- Molokini Crater
- Uffizi Galleries (Gallerie degli Uffizi)
- Na Pali Coast
- Blue Lagoon
- Tower of London
- Stonehenge
- Milan Duomo
- Ellis Island
- Florence Duomo (Cattedrale di Santa Maria dei Fiori)
Popular on Viator
- Statue of Liberty Tours and Tickets
- The White House Tours and Tickets
- Antelope Canyon Tours and Tickets
- Hoover Dam Tours and Tickets
- Alcatraz Tours and Tickets
- Stonehenge Tours and Tickets
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Tours and Tickets
- Beverly Hills Tours and Tickets
- Colosseum Tours and Tickets
- Washington Monument Tours and Tickets
- San Diego Zoo Tours and Tickets
- Space Needle Tours and Tickets
- Eiffel Tower Tours and Tickets
- Pearl Harbor National Memorial Tours and Tickets
- Empire State Building Tours and Tickets
- Art Institute of Chicago Tours and Tickets
- Aquarium of the Pacific Tours and Tickets
- Blue Lagoon Tours and Tickets
- Burj Khalifa Tours and Tickets
- Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) Tours and Tickets