About Calgary
A city set on the prairie near the Canadian Rockies, Calgary grew fast and vibrant on oil money during the last century. Visitors can hunt in the nearby foothills or find excellent fishing in the rivers that flow through the city and lakes that dot the area, all within a few hours of big-city lights. Calgary offers shopping, dining and sophisticated nightlife in the shadow of breathtaking mountain beauty.
Explore Canada
Overview
The gateway to adventures in Banff and Jasper National Parks, Alberta’s largest city, Calgary, offers a wealth of experiences in itself. The city boasts one of the world’s biggest rodeos each July, the Calgary Stampede, plus a variety of entertaining cultural attractions throughout the year. Vacationers can get a lay of the land from high atop the 525-foot Calgary Tower. Canada’s first National Music Center opened recently in downtown Calgary at StudioBell, featuring interactive exhibits, musical workshops, memorabilia, and multiple musical Canadian Halls of Fame.
Kids and their parents will love the Glenbow Museum, Western Canada’s largest museum, with travelling exhibitions and interactive art workshops, located next to the Calgary Tower. Those who prefer their animals a bit more tame can explore the Calgary Zoo. Sports lovers will enjoy Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, located at the site of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park. Visit the city’s birthplace at the Fort Calgary National Historic Site and wander through some of the area’s most popular neighborhoods before heading towards the national parks and abundant wilderness to the north.
What To Do
Interact with friendly pioneers and ride an authentic steam train at the Heritage Park Historical Village. Visit lemurs, penguins and bears at the engaging Calgary Zoo and conservation center. Attend a musical performance, or create some music of your own, at Canada’s National Music Centre’s entertaining StudioBell.
Experience a lot of bull riding, roping and lively entertainment at the festive Calgary Stampede every July in Calgary.
Explore Canada’s early aviation industry at the Hangar Flight Museum.
Take a bicycle ride along some of the city’s extensive paved pathways. Then, head north to Banff and Jasper, and some of the world’s most incredible scenery.
When to Go
Alberta is a sunny sort of place; any time of year you can expect the sun to be out. Winters can get cold, when the temperature can plummet to a bone chilling -20°C. Climate change has started to influence snowfall, with the cities getting less and less every year.
Summers tend to be hot and dry, with the warmest months being July and August, where the temperature sits at a comfortable 25°C. The 'June Monsoon' is, as you'd expect from the nickname, often rain filled, while the cooler temperatures and fall colors of September are spectacular.
Chinook winds often kick up in the winter months. These warm westerly winds blow in from the coast, deposit their moisture on the mountains and give Albertans a reprieve from the winter chill, increasing temperatures by as much as 20°C in one day!
Fast Facts
Calgary grew from Fort Calgary in 1875, when North West Mounted Police constructed a fort at the spot where the Bow and Elbow Rivers meet. The first Calgary Stampede was held in 1912, organized by Guy Weadick. The event has grown substantially to ten fun-filled days overflowing with rodeo competitions, live music, a midway carnival, and more, attracting over a million visitors each July.
Travel Tips & Tools
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