Calgary, situated on the Bow River, is located in the province of Alberta, Canada. The city serves as a gateway to the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and most tourists will fly into Calgary and then head to the Rockies making their way to Banff, Jasper or Columbia Icefields. But don’t rush out too quickly—there are plenty of things to do in Calgary itself! You can stroll around Stephen Avenue, gaze at the Calgary Tower, dive into history at Heritage Park, visit its museums, or admire the statues around the city. The vibrant city will charm its way into your heart. The best time to visit the city is of course during the Calgary Stampede when the city comes alive. Read on to know about the things to do in Calgary in one and a half days en route to Banff.
A family wedding in Calgary provided the perfect opportunity for us to explore the city. Since Banff is an hour’s drive from Calgary, we added it to our itinerary. After taking an early morning flight from Toronto, we arrive in Calgary and check into our downtown hotel. After freshening up, my children and I stroll to a café nearby and get breakfast of avocado toast and coffee. My son has planned the city tour covering all major Calgary attractions, and my daughter and I follow him gladly.
Stephen Avenue
What Fifth Avenue is for New York, Stephen Avenue is for Calgary. It’s the commercial district lined with historical buildings, shops and cafés. Novus Textura, a giant art installation, is the first to grab our attention. The place is buzzing since it’s close to lunchtime, and we see officegoers and locals dining and drinking at the restaurants and cafés. Shops selling souvenirs, curios, works of art, avant-garde fashion, and much more. There are numerous art installations and sculptures around Stephen Avenue. A statue of two businessmen meeting and greeting stands on the avenue; a statue of a horse, crafted from scrap metal pieces and mechanical parts, is nearby. We spot several historic buildings made of sandstone, which earned Calgary the nickname ‘Sandstone City’.
Calgary Tower
We soon find ourselves at the imposing Calgary Tower, an unmissable feature in the city’s skyline. The torch of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games was in the shape of the Calgary Tower. The tower features an observational deck that offers a panoramic view of the city and the Rocky Mountains. Other features include a revolving restaurant, a glass floor, a theatre room and souvenir shops.
Famous Five Statues
Next, we see the Famous Five Statues. No, these are not the statutes of the characters of the Enid Blyton novel series by the same name, but of five Alberta women who fought for women’s rights in the early 20th century. The bronze statue honours Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby and Emily Murphy — behind the 1929 Persons Case. They strived to include the word ‘persons’ in the law to include both women and men, not just ‘men’, thereby ensuring gender equality. The artist Paterson sculpted the five women when they reunited over a cup of tea to celebrate their victory.
Olympic Plaza
At the corner of the statue is the Olympic Plaza, which served as the venue for the medal distribution ceremonies during the 1988 Winter Olympics, which were held in Calgary. The Olympic motto is inscribed on the arches, and we see a slanting wall with niches from which peep colourful sculptures of chipmunks. In winter, this park serves as a skating rink.
Calgary Municipal Building
We soon find ourselves in front of the Calgary Municipal Building. The Family of Horses statue is in front of this building. On the steps around the statues are strewn several children’s shoes, toys, and a banner reading ‘Every Child Matters.’ My son explains that the memorial honours the Indigenous children who died or went missing in Canada’s residential schools, including those near Calgary. These schools, meant to assimilate Indigenous children, led to widespread trauma, neglect, and abuse. The display of toys and shoes symbolizes the innocence lost and the painful legacy of these institutions. I stare in silence, wondering about the agony and pain these children would have experienced. Reflecting on the dark legacy of colonialism, I wonder how it tore Indigenous children from their families, erasing their cultures and leaving behind deep scars of suffering and loss.
Calgary City Hall
Adjacent to the Municipal Building is Calgary City Hall, a Romanesque-style sandstone structure featuring a clock tower. It is the seat of local government for the city of Calgary.
Calgary Stampede
Next, we board a CTrain that meanders through the city and takes us to the Calgary Stampede venue. It is an annual meet, exhibition, and festival held every July in Calgary. The 10-day event is, for many, the perfect time to partake in the festivities and experience the city up close. We are content just seeing the venue for now, but it does provide us with a sense of the scale and grandeur of the event. We stroll around and see the empty chairs of the lift ride, the BMO Centre, the Nutrien Western Event Centre, and the Scotiabank Saddledome. The venue is now deserted but buzzes with locals and tourists during the Stampede.
Prince’s Island
We board the CTrain and get off at a stop, and walk to Prince’s Island. The island on the Bow River houses a beautiful park with myriad flora and landscaped gardens. What Central Park is to New York, this park is to Calgary. We watch ducks waddling, admire the flowers and gaze at the sculptures. The island hosts musical festivals and performing arts events too.
It’s way past lunchtime, and we head to a restaurant close to the park on the island. After a sumptuous meal, we head to our hotel and rest for an hour or so. My husband is back from his meeting and drives us to the Peace Bridge.
Peace Bridge
The Peace Bridge, in red, has a contemporary design and spans across the Bow River. We walk on the bridge and admire the river flowing underneath. People are river rafting and making merry. A band plays soulful music as people cycle; still, others pose and click Instagram-worthy pics.
Scotsman’s Hill
It is close to sunset as we reach Scotsman’s Hill, which provides a breathtaking view of the City Skyline. We can see the Calgary Stampede grounds below, which we visited earlier in the day. There are benches strategically placed. We sit on the beaches quietly and watch the sunset as the sky changes colours from blue to yellow and orange.
Wonderland Statute
We then drive to the city, where we see the Wonderland Statue. The 12-meter, bent-wire girl’s head is in front of a building on a busy street. The portrait represents ‘humanity as well as our human potential created and fostered by our dreams’. We watch it from a distance in the car, click a picture, and drive ahead.
Central Memorial Park
As we approach our hotel, I notice a lovely park with a beautiful two-storey sandstone building. It is Calgary’s oldest library in Central Memorial Park. I see a statue of a soldier. It stands in remembrance of the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers during World War I.
We head to a local restaurant for dinner and retire to bed, as we will be driving down to Banff the next day. (There is a separate travelogue on Banff, which you can read here.) Upon returning from Banff, we had half a day to spare. It was the perfect opportunity for us to explore the Heritage Park Historical Village, which we had previously missed. The children decided to meet their friends, so Rafiq and I visited it on our own.
Heritage Park Historical Village
This 127-acre living history museum features numerous exhibits and attractions that showcase Canada’s history from the 1860s to the 1950s. It is our best chance to travel back in time to the ‘Settlement of Western Canada’ and experience life a century ago. Even the attire of the staff is reminiscent of the past. We purchase entry tickets and are provided a map to help us explore the village. With limited time on hand (2 hours), we try to make the most of it. Being a weekday, the crowds are not overwhelming, but since it’s summer and schools are closed for vacation, several local families and tourists are making the most of it.
The entire Heritage Park is divided into seven zones: Heritage Plaza, Resource Ridge, Antique Midway, Village Square, Heritage Rail Yard, Ranch and Farm Life, First Nations Encampment, and The Settlement.
Navigating Around the Heritage Park Historical Village
There are various modes of transportation around the heritage park, including steam train rides, horse-drawn wagon rides, tractor-drawn wagon rides, and the S.S. Moyie, a paddlewheel boat that operates over the Glenmore Reservoir. We managed to do all these and saved a lot of time that would have been spent walking from one zone to the next.
Heritage Plaza
Our exploration begins at Heritage Plaza, which is near the ticket window. It has shops, cafés, restaurants and, most importantly, the Gasoline Alley Museum. The vintage car museum boasts an extensive collection of antique vehicles and automobile artifacts. The two-storey museum is a riot of colours. We want to spend more time here, but since we only have limited time, we exit and head to the next zone.
Ticket Window and Heritage Plaza
Resource Ridge
You will get a glimpse of Western Canada’s energy history at the Innovation Crossing exhibit. We see the windmill on the banks of the water body and take a fun train ride to the next zone. Since we see the cruise ready for departure after alighting from the train, we decide to take the cruise ride. The 20-minute ride over the Glenmore Reservoir on S.S. Moyie, Calgary’s only paddlewheel boat, is refreshing.
Resource Ridge and Wind Mill
Antique Midway
After descending from the paddle wheeler, we explore the Antique Midway, an amusement park featuring various rides, including a Ferris Wheel, dangly swings, carousel, and numerous others. Children and families are making merry as we hear squeals of laughter and excitement.
Village Centre
We next wander through the Village centre, a lively prairie town with exhibits showcasing what one is likely to see in a village from the 1900s, including a post office, bank, barber’s shop, laundry, bakery, hospital, school, opera house, town hall, and more.
Heritage Rail Yard
This area provides a glimpse of what the railways were like in the 1800s. From railway carriages to water tanks and grain elevators, we saw them all here.
We are running short of time and hop onto a tractor-drawn wagon as we pass through the Ranch, where we see horses and tepees in the First Nation encampment. It’s the end of our visit to Heritage Park Historical Village, which truly has been an immersive experience in Western Canada’s history.
Ranch and Tepee at First Nation Encampment
Final Word on Calgary
The next time you are in Alberta and want to explore the Canadian Rockies, set aside a day or two to explore Calgary, and you will not regret it. There are so many things to do in Calgary: shopping, heritage park village, parks, fine dining and endless entertainment options. And yes if you can plan your trip to coincide with the Calgary Stampede it would be the cherry on top of the cake.
GETTING THERE
Nearest Airport to Calgary:
Calgary Airport is the nearest airport, offering connectivity to major cities in Canada, the US, and other international destinations.
Where to Stay in Calgary:
You can do a net search for hotels depending on your budget and comfort. We stayed at a Marriott property in downtown.
Calgary Travel Tip:
Calgary can be explored easily in a day or two. The C-Train ticket costs $3.70 for one-time use and is valid for 90 minutes. The Heritage Park ticket will cost you $34.95 plus taxes. It is lower for children and seniors.