Picture choosen by: Mr.David Birch Things to Do & See in Calgary Calgary, an oil-rich and vibrant city, is known as the New West. Technology and production industries have grown immensely as oil and gas productions have increased, propelling it into a radically evolving 21st-century city.
The oil that lies beneath Calgary drives the city’s economy. The mountains attract many skiers and snowboarders during the winter seasons, while cattle roam the grasslands in the summer, marking this out as a cowboy country.
The Rocky Mountains and, in particular Banff National Park, attract thousands who are drawn by the park’s stunning alpine beauty and its famous hotels, the Banff Springs Hotel and the Chateau Lake Louise.
Many have likened the Calgary of today to a Canadian Dallas. Calgary is a confident and often brash cowboy town that has grown wealthy on oil. Country and western music are played in noisy taverns while thick and juicy steaks are usually served in restaurants.

Top Things To Do

Calgary Tower
The Calgary Tower, which opened in 1968, stands at 190m (626ft). This attraction, standing among the gleaming skyscrapers of the city centre, is a must-see. The Observation Terrace offers a bird’s eye view of the city and the snow-capped Rocky Mountains to the west. You can even try walking across the glass floor suspended over the city street below! A snack bar, cocktail bar and revolving restaurant (the Panorama Dining Room) provide a more relaxed environment in which to take in the view.

Glenbow Museum
The Glenbow Museum, built in the 1960s, alone can make a trip to Calgary worthwhile. Its three floors house an excellent collection celebrating Canadian West. This permanent collection follows the development of the west through Canadian indigenous art, early European depictions of native Canadian peoples, native crafts, fur trade exhibits and much more. A permanent gallery, Nitsitapiisinnii: Our Way of Life displays the traditions and history of the Blackfoot people in their own words.

Calgary Stampede
Each July, for 10 days, Calgary hosts one of the grandest celebrations of cowboy culture in the world. There are over a million visitors, most in cowboy hats and boots, descend on the city for a week and a half of chuckwagon races, rodeos (the roughest on North America), parades, square dancing and free pancake breakfasts. At night, there is music, cabarets, dancing, fireworks and a lively bar scene. Although this festive atmosphere infects the entire city, the main venue for this event, the Calgary Stampede, is Stampede Park (where visitors can find an amusement park, concert halls, bars, restaurants and a range of stalls).

Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden & Prehistoric Park
Scenic St George's Island is home to an attraction that houses more than 1,100 animals - the Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden & Prehistoric Park.

The Calgary Zoo, founded in 1929, is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. It has nearly 300 different species that are left in their natural environments as much as possible. One such example would be the ‘Canadian Wilds’ exhibit where close encounters with cougars, grizzlies and Rocky Mountain goats are possible. The more exotic ‘Destination Africa’ section features gorillas, giraffes and zebras. The Eurasia exhibit, which was opened in Summer 2007, has Siberian tigers, snow leopards, red pandas and Elephant Crossing, which is a new home for the Asian elephants.

The Botanical Garden includes a butterfly garden, rainforest garden and waterfalls. It covers over 2.5 hectares (6 acres).

The prehistoric park features 22 life-size dinosaur models.

Fort Calgary Historic Park
Fort Calgary dates all the way back from 1875, when the Canadian government dispatched a troop of North-West Mounted Police to cross the Bow River to build a fort. Although the Mounties’ occupation in the fort ended in 1914, local volunteers using period tools have reconstructed the fort. It outlines Calgary’s development via artifacts, audiovisual displays and guided walks along the river. The site also includes the Deane House Historic Site & Restaurant, a historic building that now houses a restaurant (open year round).

TELUS World of Science-Calgary & Creative Kids Museum
The TELUS World of Science offers a variety of attractions and exhibitions that feature a constantly changing menu of multimedia interactive exhibits. It covers topics such as nature, the atmosphere, the universe and physics. You can explore the outdoor Amazement Park, WOWtown and the Discovery Dome Theatre, North America’s first multimedia theatre with Alberta’s largest indoor screen. The Creative Kids Museum provides interactive educational programs for kids.

Calaway Park
Calaway Park is western Canada's largest amusement park. The park has 32 rides, including the Vortex rollercoaster, and the Rocky Mountain Railroad, as well as the popular Shoot the Chutes and Ocean Motion rides. There are also live musical and stage shows performed daily.

Bow Valley Ranche
The Bow Valley Ranche was built in 1896 by Roger Hull, a Calgarian who made his fortune supplying beef to railway crews as they pushed west into British Columbia. In 1973, it was bought by the Alberta government. The grounds became Fish Creek Provincial Park, the largest urban park in North America, popular for walking and swimming during the summer and for cross-country skiing in the winter. The ranch house was slowly restored and converted into a restaurant, The Ranch Restaurant, with full period effects, such as wall coverings, historic furniture and full restoration of the stately veranda. Visitors can sample authentic western Canadian food such as caribou or buffalo.


Top Things To See

The Calgary Tower, which was built in 1968, is Calgary’s most identifiable man-made attraction. It is located at the heart of the city centre. Across the street is the Glenbow Museum, which contains three floors of galleries celebrating the Canadian West, including an excellent exhibition on Native Canadians. The Eau Claire Market is just a shirt distance northwest. It is a refreshing mall with cafes, bars, an IMAX theatre and craft market.

A series of enclosed elevated walkways (known as plus-15s for their height of 4.5m above street level) are used to connect these attractions as well as shops, offices and entertainment venues. These walkways shelter Calgarians from the worst of the winter chill and provide one of the city’s most unique features. The Devonian Gardens, where 20,000 plants grace an indoor garden of 1 hectare (2.5 acres) on three levels of the TD Square Complex, are also linked to the system.

To the east of Downtown, St George's Island stands in the Bow River and is home to Calgary's most popular tourist attraction, the Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden and Prehistoric Park. Northwest of Calgary's Downtown, is the Kensington neighbourhood - a place where interest shifts to trendy bars and restaurants, health-food stores, cafes and bookshops. The stretch of 17th Avenue SW to the west of Fourth Street is also a popular destination for shopping and dining.