9 Surprisingly Great Things to do in the Calgary Area

March 30, 2010

The city of Calgary has never been a destination in my mind. To me it’s been a place to fly in to and get the hell out of as fast as you can. I have however been pleasantly surprised at its offerings. There are the usual sites on Tourism Calgary’s website – museums, heritage streets, heritage parks… but that’s not what I’m looking for.

Calgary March 2010 009 9 Surprisingly Great Things to do in the Calgary Area

The view of downtown Calgary

Here is my list of 9 Surprisingly Great Things To Do in Calgary.

  1. Bring, borrow or rent a bike because this city has a truly amazing network of trails. You can head south all the way to Fish Creek Provincial Park, head east past the zoo to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, head west along the Bow River to Bowness Park or head north and explore the trails of  Nose Hill Park. In total there are 550 kms of pathways and 260 kms of on street bikeways.
  2. Go to the zoo – it’s rated the third best in North America.
  3. Head for the Canada Olympic Park. Here you can ski, try a bobsleigh or luge ride and mountain bike in the summer. There are half pipes, terrain parks and challenge courses to further thrill you.
  4. Try speed skating at the Calgary Olympic Oval. It has two international sized rinks and an oval for long track speed skating where the public is welcome. You can rent the necessary equipment.
  5. Fish Creek Provincial Park at the south end of Calgary is one of the largest urban wilderness areas in the world. Enjoy over 85 kms of biking, running and hiking trails.
  6. About an hour away is the Canmore Nordic Center Provincial Park, developed for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Now it is a world class destination for athletes but fully accessible to the public. Depending on the season, plan on cross country skiing on more than 65 kms of trails or mountain biking on over 100 kms of  trails.
  7. In the heart of the Canadian Badlands, 90 minutes northeast of Calgary, you’ll find the Royal Tyrrell Museum. It boasts the largest display of dinosaur skeletons anywhere in the world. Take a walk through the badlands, experience a dig and marvel at the dinosaur skeletons.
  8. If you have extra time than a trip to the World Heritage Site – Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump, two hours south, should be on your agenda. The interpretative center explains the lifestyle, technology, ecology and mythology of the Blackfoot people based on archaeological evidence. Learn about the 60 million buffalo that once roamed the Great Plains.
  9. Of course a visit to Banff National Park , 90 minutes west of Calgary, is a must. Canada’s first national park offers up breathtaking scenery. You could spend weeks here exploring the back country.

Calgary is not just about cowboys and oil companies. It dishes up more culture than expected  with over 60 theater companies calling the city home.  I’m told that over 260 birds have visited the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary and that there is a vibrant horticultural society. Restaurants and shopping are world class. There are public and private art galleries galore …so the city is slowly shaking off its Cowtown only image.

Come and visit. You will be surprised.

Leigh McAdam

HikeBikeTravel

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Posted by Hike Bike Travel | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Biking, Canada, Miscellaneous travel tips 

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