Calgary

Eco-friendly travel guide to Calgary advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Sun rises on a cold spring day in Calgary

Air quality: 4.25 / 5

Exploring by foot: 3.3 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 5 / 5

Public transportation: 4.3 / 5

Parks: 4 / 5

Outdoor activities: 4.1 / 5

Locals' English level: 4 / 5

Safety: 4 / 5

Accommodation: US$25 - $1,200

Budget per day: US$90 - $1,400

Responsible Travel

Calgary is quite larger than cities with a much bigger population as it covers a large swathe of land, close to 319 square miles. It takes pride in offering numerous attractions and activities of its own and it's not only a gateway into the spectacular Rocky Mountains. It's situated at the edge of the prairie where the Rockies foothills begin and it's the largest city in Canada’s province of Alberta. Calgary is such an easy city to fall in love with; it has plenty of family attractions, great food, high-quality shopping opportunities, a cosmopolitan, welcoming vibe, and it's a relaxed, friendly destination.

Calgary is gradually shifting from being a great city to live in to a great city to hang out in as it appeals to many with its Calgary market, high-end lifestyle and recreation operators, spas, boutique hotels, specialty retailers, theatres, galleries, and new restaurants. Calgary has attracted a very well educated and affluent workforce and its population has swelled to over a million over the last five years. As a result of its booming oil and energy economy, it's enjoying its tremendous growth as a thriving young city and it still retains the charms of its small-town roots, even though it's an increasingly cosmopolitan city in many respects.

The locals in this city are very friendly and the city itself is clean and modern. Still, you can put in your contribution to upholding the city's reputation. Nevertheless, if you want to experience some of the best that Calgary has to offer, getting a car to move around is the ideal way to go, unless you're staying downtown. And, here are other tips you can use to travel responsibly in the city;

You can take the bus. Taking the bus is an ideal way to get around in this city. One-way fares are valid for 90 minutes — you can pay $8 USD ($10.75 CAD) for a day pass and fares are $2.56 USD ($3.40 CAD) one way. Corner shops, supermarkets, and several drug stores are where you can buy tickets. However, exact change is required if you want to purchase a ticket on the bus but you'll have to use cash. Calgary is well-connected with its bus system. You can use the city's bus to get to most destinations and you can even combine your transport with the train. Boasting a very good public transportation system, the bus network is made up of over 100 routes, and you can complete your journey with the city's rail by using the bus service.
The subway is no bad choice either. You can use the Calgary Transit website or Google Maps to plan your route. Ticket prices cost the same as the bus and you can visit any C-Train station or use your credit card or cash to purchase tickets. Known as the C-Train, there are two Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines in the city. At times, the subway enters a free zone, but soon as you leave the free zone, make sure you have a ticket — between Downtown West/Kerby Station and the City Hall Station in Calgary’s downtown core, you can ride the C-Train for free. The city's light rail transit system operates from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Be informed that Taxis are not cheap here. Going around in a taxi might not be your best option to travel around if you're visiting the city on a budget. You can book a taxi in this city with these two apps: Checker Cabs and Calgary United Cabs. Taxis in the city have an additional $1.66 CAD ($1.25 USD) per kilometer afterward with a base rate of $3.80 CAD ($2.86 USD). If you don't have a car, taxis are your easiest option to reckon with in moving around but don't forget that it's quite expensive.
Enjoy biking around. Biking is a pretty much enjoyable activity in this city and you'll find it very employable as a great means to go around and explore this Canadian city. Most of the major streets in this city have designated biking lanes and there are almost 528 miles of pathways. Calgary boasts more cycling paths than anywhere in North America. To get a bike of yours, you have the opportunity of renting a bicycle to get around via the public bike-share program in the city; Lime Bike. You can simply download the app and afterwards, with just about $10 CAD ($7.55 USD), you can enjoy a 30-minute journey. It's actually $0.30 CAD ($0.23 USD) per minute to ride but you'll have to unlock a bike for $1 CAD ($0.75 USD).
Ridesharing is pretty much available. As earlier mentioned, renting a car can be very beneficial, especially if you plan to explore the city beyond its famous downtown area. With hundreds of smart cars all over the city, Car2Go, the unique car-sharing program in the city, offers visitors and locals alike an opportunity to move around with a car and the essential thing you have to do is to find the nearest car around you with the Car2Go app and get it unlocked. If you want to park your car at the Car2G0 parking lot as you journey to the airport, you will be spending an extra $12.50 CAD ($9.40 USD). Nevertheless, take note that car rates begin at $0.32 CAD per minute for 2 persons. Your rideshare option is not only constrained to Car2Go. Uber is also available in the city which you can use to get around Calgary as well. If you're going to places that aren’t covered by the C-Train or late-night bus service, or you're travelling late at night, Uber is a convenient option because it provides door-to-door service, and it's typically priced lower than taxi service.
Drive responsibly. Between the hours of 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and about 3:30 to 6:30 p.m, there's always a rush hour in the city. And, you can avoid driving during these hours if you don't want to be caught up in the city's traffic. The rapid growth in recent years in the city do have its very few ugly sides, and the traffic is one of them. Although driving in Calgary is typically a breeze, do well to be mindful of rush hours, and be tolerant.

Air Quality and Pollution

Canada has some of the best air quality in the world and Calgary is regarded to be one of the top 10 cities with the cleanest air quality in the country. Visiting Calgary, it's best you come prepared with layers and umbrellas because from hour to hour and day to day, the city's weather tend to change pretty fast. Cold snaps with lows reaching below -30°C tend to happen during the winter but not for too long. Compared to any other major city in Canada, Calgary has the most hours of sunshine. With the sun setting around 10 p.m, mid-summer days are long. More so, there are mild highs around low-to-mid 20s, blue skies, and wonderful weather ushered in during the summer. And, spring brings the most rain.

Respect the Culture

Calgary and its culture continue to grow and evolve. With more than 120 languages spoken in the city, Calgary is a true melting pot. Howbeit, the culture in this city is varied just like its population and it uses powwows, literary programs, cultural celebrations, festivals, film, dance, fashion, food, art, and many more as its expressions across the city. Calgary is a very diverse place and it's a city with so much fondness for recreation, culture, arts, and expression of individuality. The quality of life in this city is believed to be enhanced by festivals and events and respecting the culture in this city do cut across a broad spectrum.

Top 10 Places to Visit

Everything in Calgary is fascinating from towering skyscrapers to the urban villages. Steeped well into the western culture, this city has obtained cool status over time, and you'll catch a glimpse of its natural beauty, culture, and history with its plenty of places to visit. Calgary is one of the coolest cities in Canada, it's a destination in itself, and it's popularly renowned for being the entry point to Alberta’s great outdoors. Offering great parks and museums, romantic restaurants, unique historic attractions, and scenic views of two rivers, Calgary is a beautiful city situated in the Canadian province of Alberta with endless places to visit from Skyline Luge Calgary to the Calgary Zoo, the National Music Centre, Heritage Park Historical Village, and Fort Calgary.

National Music Centre: It functions as a live music venue seven nights of the week and the historic King Edward Hotel is part of its facility. Visitors have guided docent-led tours and daily performances to enjoy plus there's a variety of interactive and engaging exhibits and displays that will catch your fancy here. From the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame and selections from the Canadian Music Hall of Fame to one of Elton John’s pianos, it features a collection of more than 2,000 unique instruments and artifacts. It's situated in the historic Customs House building and it was designed by Portland architect Brad Cloepfil. It owes its dedication to sharing the love and understanding of music and it's a 160,000 square-foot facility in Calgary’s East Village.
Calgary Tower: Calgary Observation Tower is one of the best places to visit in Calgary if you're in Canada. The celebration of the hundredth anniversary of Canada propelled the construction of this tower in 1967. It used to be the joint venture of Marathon Realty Company Limited and Husky Oil and this is why it was originally called the Husky Tower. It offers striking panoramas of the city and it's standing tall at a height of 190.8 m. It's an observation tower like no other and it's regarded to be one of the most iconic buildings in this beautiful city.
Heritage Park Historical Village: You can get all your questions answered and get more information from the costumed interpreters here. Heritage Park is a fine place to visit if you're wondering what to do in Calgary today. There's a bakery, an ice cream parlor, a working printing press, and blacksmith shop you can explore here, amidst several other businesses and shops. There's an authentic steam train you can explore to your pleasure too and there's an array of exhibits showcasing the lifestyle during the early 1900s as it's a living historic village from the early 1900s. From the Heritage Town Square and 1880s Pre-Railway Settlement to First Nations Encampment and 1860s Fur Trading Fort, you'll find an array of things to see and do here which will delight you, whether you're a history buff or a leisure seeker.
The Military Museums: Visitors can enjoy a close-up tour of the world-renowned Mural of Honour, and through the Naval Museum and Tank Park, there are in-depth tours of the museums offered. In the four regimental army museums, you can walk through a First World War trench or experience Army and Air Force Museums of Alberta and see life at the helm in a Second World War wheelhouse. The Canadian Forces have had its good share of sacrifices, tragedies, and victories, and you can have a better understanding of all these by exploring the eight distinct museums and galleries featured here. The honourable role the navy, army, and air force have played is what it is dedicated to educating the public about.
Fort Calgary: It was the birthplace of the city known as Calgary today and Fort Brisebois established Fort Calgary in 1975. Situated at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers on 40 acres of parkland, preserving the history and heritage of Calgary is what it's dedicated to as a historic site and museum. It offers a truly hands-on experience and you can pay a visit to the fort’s jail, try on an authentic RCMP uniform, and take advantage of its interactive displays. There are interesting guided tours offered here with several exhibits showcasing the history of the city featured at a modern interpretive center.
Calgary Zoo: It houses the largest indoor hippo habitat in North America and showcases the TransAlta Rainforest and African Savannah, which are two African ecosystems. The plains of Africa in the Destination Africa area is a spot you'll enjoy exploring here and this zoo itself is a great place to visit if you seek fun things to do in Calgary with kids. It boasts endangered Canada's ecosystems in the exclusive Canadian Wilds section, a Mesozoic landscape featuring 22 life-size dinosaur replicas, and a unique nocturnal exhibit called Creatures of the Night. Here, visitors can experience the animals as they would exist in the wild as the zoo features several ecosystems. Over 1,400 animals inhabit in a variety of natural and diverse habitats here and it's one of the largest animal parks in Canada. It's in the middle of Bow River and it's situated on St. George's Island.
Prince's Island Park: The Canada Day celebrations and the Calgary Folk Festival are some of the many large events this park plays host to all through the year. Around a protected wetland area, there's a constructed recreational resource and an environmental educational pathway; the Chevron Learning Pathway, which snakes along the East end of the Park. There's a perfect spot to relax over a coffee; River Café, and it's a very popular spot here. You can as well enjoy cross-country skiing and outdoor skating on the lagoon here for winter provides excellent recreational opportunities. In the summer months, there's canoe access to the river and there are flowers gardens, hiking trails, winding pathways, playgrounds for children, water fountains, and several picnic areas featured here. Prince's Island Park was established in the 1950s. Visitors and locals alike can enjoy a variety of recreational activities at its beautiful green space and it's situated in the heart of Calgary as a beautiful urban oasis.
Glenbow Museum: It has three gallery floors as event space and offers a 210-seat theater, meeting rooms; it's available to be hired for corporate and private functions. The School Programs and Chevron Museum School is one of the programs it organizes and children of all ages have a range of art-based educational programs offered for them here. Historians and students and alike will be a great fan of its important research center; Glenbow's Library and Archives. This museum tells the story of Southern Alberta and the West with its several permanent exhibitions on the third floor and works relating to the northwest of North America is what its collections focus on. Dating from the 19th century to the present, it's home to more than 33,000 works. It showcases the largest art collection in Western Canada and it's renowned for featuring an array of world-famous travelling and permanent exhibitions. Popular philanthropist Eric Lafferty Harvie established this museum. This museum inspires and encourages people to experience art and culture.
Calgary Farmers' Market: From kids’ cooking classes and book signings to chef-guided tours of the market, every weekend, there are several events hosted at this market. Clothing, handmade jewellery, organic products, baked goods, prepared foods, poultry and fish, meat, flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruits are some of the fresh, seasonal produce that can be found here. Laid out in an easy-to-navigate system, locally-sourced, handmade and homemade products are sold by the 80 vendors here. Throughout the year, the market holds every Thursday through Sunday. the Calgary Farmers' Market is situated just off Blackfoot Trail and Heritage Drive.
Devonian Gardens: It has fish ponds and fountains with a hundred different varieties of trees and plants. It was built with aid of 37 million dollars and the whole place spans across a hectare. The beauty of flowers and botanicals is what you can take a break and admire when you get tired of shopping. Being a delight to your eyes as a large indoor botanical garden, it's situated on the 4th floor of the Core Shopping Centre, it's the star attraction of Alberta, and it's in the heart of Calgary.

Prince's Island Park

Explore

There are tons of interesting activities to enjoy in Calgary with a fine slew of arts and culture to grease your artsy side. Being in Calgary opens so many opportunities for outdoor activities as it's a gateway to outdoor adventures in places like Banff and Drumheller. It's quite surprising how Calgary often gets overlooked when some people are planning a trip to Canada because this is a city within a short drive of Rocky Mountain resorts and it metamorphoses to one of the most popular skiing destinations in North America when temperatures drop. Calgary is a city that shines in summer and winter.

With a diverse range of stores, cafes, and galleries bursting into life at its 17th Street, locals and visitors alike getting entertained with the Calgary Folk Music Festival and X Fest, coupled with idyllic picnic spots like the Prince's Island calling the city hike, it's easy to affirm that Calgary is more than an enjoyable place to while away some time. With full confidence, you won't leave disappointed so, book your tickets today and explore "stampede city" to enjoy everything from alpine escapes to NHL ice hockey because Calgary has something to offer whenever you visit.

Calgary is famous for hosting one of the wildest parties in all of Alberta; the Calgary Stampede, and its popularity gets more volumed up with its artistic sculptures of cows throughout the city and wild-west history. Everyone knows Calgary is one of the coolest cities in North America, and of course, you’d be right to expect plenty of things to do here since its the third-largest city in Canada. Combining a historic past with a progressive attitude and outlook, Calgary is a city you would love visiting, with plenty of attractions at your fingertips to explore conveniently.

City Parks

While some parks in the city give way to small beaches, others are a refuge for coyotes, and there are as well some that feature folk festivals. Calgary offers visitors an alternative nature fix even as it's home to parks and green spaces. With its snow-capped mountains and open blue skies, Calgary triumphs for its outdoor activities.

Nose Hill Park: You might catch a glimpse of a crafty coyote or two here if you're lucky. It offers an opportunity to enjoy panoramic views of downtown Calgary in the distance as a hiker or cyclist but don't forget to stay off the grasslands as they’re a threatened ecosystem, kindly oblige to this. It's surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and it's the biggest park in Calgary, featuring 11sqkm (4sqmi) of native grasslands.
Fish Creek Provincial Park: The American white pelican and the great blue heron are some of the rare sights you can catch a glimpse of if you're an eager bird-watcher. Finches, towhees, wood warblers, a natural habitat for songbirds, aspen forests, and dense spruce are what the ecosystem is made up of. It borders the Tsuu T’ina (Sarcee) First Nation, it's situated in the south of the city, and it’s the second-largest urban park in all of Canada.
Bowness Park: Visitors are provided with a rock-hard natural ice rink because, during the winter months, the lagoon freezes over – this is its fun and often overlooked feature. This park boasts picnic spots, a paddling pool, a lagoon, and it's a serene idyllic green space off Bow River.
Prince's Island Park: There's a perfect spot to relax over a coffee; River Café, and it's a very popular spot here. You can as well enjoy cross-country skiing and outdoor skating on the lagoon here for winter provides excellent recreational opportunities. In the summer months, there's canoe access to the river and there are flowers gardens, hiking trails, winding pathways, playgrounds for children, water fountains, and several picnic areas featured here. Prince's Island Park was established in the 1950s. Visitors and locals alike can enjoy a variety of recreational activities at its beautiful green space and it's situated in the heart of Calgary as a beautiful urban oasis.

Nose Hill Park

National Parks

Five national parks call Alberta home; Elk Island, Wood Buffalo, Waterton, Jasper, and Banff.

Nevertheless, there are a few national parks you can visit with a day trip from Calgary:

Waterton National Park
Banff National Park
Yoho National Park
Jasper National Park

Waterton National Park

Beaches

Calgary offers both its residents and visitors an opportunity to get a full-on beach experience but take note that most of its beaches are pebbly and they aren't sand beaches as you might have hoped for.

Sikome Lake: If you'll be coming here with kids, you'll have to keep an eye on them if they're playing near the water because there's no lifeguard on duty. It has a concession stand, picnic areas, playgrounds, and change rooms on-site. The lake can be quite warm and there are sweeps of sand to spread out upon. It's situated in Fish Creek Park in the southwest of Calgary and it's the only true sandy public beach within the city limits. If you'll be coming here, make sure you show up early to snag your space on the sand because it can get quite busy, especially on bluebird days. And, the lake access isn’t free.
Edworthy Park Beach: Situated along the Bow River, it's one of the best beaches in Calgary. Featuring picnic tables with shelters, it also sports a playground. Here, you can enjoy the cool breeze wafting off the Bow River, wade in the water, and there's plenty of space for you to sit. It's a small, pebble beach under the pedestrian bridge but take note that in spring and the beginning of the summer, waters can be high, fast, and cold. So while wading in or playing near the river, be aware of rushing water.
Sandy Beach: It's a popular launch off spot for tubing and rafting and it offers playgrounds, picnic sites, paved paths for cyclists and strollers, lovely forested areas for strolling, and good river access. With a beach along the Elbow River, Sandy Beach is a beautiful park, and it's one of the nicest in the city, although it isn’t Calgary's most noticeable beach. It's situated in the southwest of the city and the water is great for wee ones for it's quite shallow in some spots. There are water advisories for the Sandy Beach area usually in June or during extended rainy periods.

Sikome Lake

Landmarks

There's an endless list of landmarks no-one should miss out on in this city. Home to one of the largest rodeos in the world, it's one of the most liveable and cleanest cities in Canada, and aside from being a fusion of country music, cattle rearing, winter sports, and cowboy vibes, Calgary also boasts a plethora of eye-pleasing landmarks. And, the good part of it all is that, some the city's favorite landmarks have been listed on our list of top 10 places to visit;

Calgary Tower: Calgary Observation Tower is one of the best places to visit in Calgary if you're in Canada. It affords free admission and tour options for entire visitors and boasts dining facilities with various events around the year. It has 10-15 minutes of free shows at regular intervals, offers a scenic view of downtown, and has lots of information about the city. It gives a uniqueness to the Calgary skyline and it's one of the impressive landmarks in the city.

Heritage Park Historical Village: In terms of fun and education on Alberta's heritage, it has a lot to offer. You can get all your questions answered and get more information from the costumed interpreters here. Heritage Park is a fine place to visit if you're wondering what to do in Calgary today. There's a bakery, an ice cream parlor, a working printing press, and blacksmith shop you can explore here, amidst several other businesses and shops.

Fort Calgary: It affords complimentary admission for its guests, it has plenty of facts and pictures of early Calgary, and it's a fantastic venue for corporate and personal events. A movie that shows the history of this landmark is played at the theatre here. Situated at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers on 40 acres of parkland, preserving the history and heritage of Calgary is what it's dedicated to as a historic site and museum. It offers a truly hands-on experience.

Calgary Tower

Museums

Here are some of the best museums in Calgary;

Nickle Arts Museum: It creates new discussion and insight into the future, present, and past. It's very innovative so do well to come back every once in a while because new exhibitions are open regularly. There are fantastic displays and information available at exhibits and, inspiring the imaginations of people and students is the goal of this museum. Artwork, pottery, scrolls, and rugs are some of its different kinds of objects on display.
Naval Museum of Alberta: There's a variety of interesting topics covered by the extensive displays here. The contribution of Alberta to the Royal Canadian Navy is what this museum focuses on. It's a small but excellent museum.
TELUS World of Science Calgary: It manages to be educational and fun at the same time and it's one of the rare breeds of museums. There's close to a hundred fun interactive “exhibits”, a demonstration theatre, and a “discovery dome” here.
Glenbow Museum: This museum tells the story of Southern Alberta and the West with its several permanent exhibitions on the third floor and works relating to the northwest of North America is what its collections focus on. Dating from the 19th century to the present, it's home to more than 33,000 works. It showcases the largest art collection in Western Canada.
The Military Museums: Visitors can enjoy a close-up tour of the world-renowned Mural of Honour, and through the Naval Museum and Tank Park, there are in-depth tours of the museums offered.

Glenbow Museum

Eat

Whether it's perfectly cooked traditional pizzas, vegetarian feasts, gourmet sushi, or grass-fed beef from the Alberta range, Calgarians love food, and the city has a thriving food culture. During the Calgary Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival which takes place in May or the Taste of Calgary which takes place in mid-August, you'll have a great time to savor the city's cuisine. In this city, Alberta beef is a star dish on many restaurant menus, and it's actually not surprising looking at the city's nickname, "Cowtown." Deep-fried shredded ginger beef and cheese buns from Glamorgan Bakery are some of the city's other local favorites.

Traditional Local Restaurants

Here are some of the popular traditional local restaurants in Calgary;

Limericks Traditional Public House
Shanghai Classic Restaurant
Shokunin
Santorini Greek Taverna
大天津餐馆 Lucky Chinese Restaurant, *Tianjin style
Native Tongues Taqueria
Minas Brazilian Steakhouse

Vegetarian and Vegan

From salads and Asian fusion to Indian, there are tons of stunning vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Calgary and there's a fine wide array of food trucks, cafés, and restaurants specializing in vegetarian and vegan offers;

Hearts Choices
White Rose Vegetarian Kitchen
Veg-In YYC
Buddha's Veggie Restaurant
SaVeg Cafe
Raw Eatery and Market
The Coup
Dirtbelly
Five Rivers Indian Cuisine

Street Food

Calgary has an epic food truck scene and it's pretty easy to find some of these food trucks around, you can even get to follow the trucks in real-time by downloading the Street Food Calgary app. There are tons of food trucks you'll find around town, and a prominent one among them is the Calgary Mini Donuts food truck that is capable of satisfying your cravings.

Drink

There are many bars throughout the city. Sometimes called Canada's national cocktail; the Caesar cocktail, was birthed in this city.

Tap-water

Calgary's tap water is safe to drink. However, at times, it seems to have a particular taste and smell, which has drawn the attention of many but it's certified to be safe to drink.

Organic Cafés

Madly Organic, Dairy Lane Café, Veg-In YYC, and Reader’s Garden Cafe are some of the best organic cafés in Calgary.

Breweries

There's been a massive boom in craft breweries in Calgary! Offering a variety of tasty hops and suds, there's a wealth of excellent breweries cropping up throughout the city. And, here’s our rundown of the best breweries to hit up while in Calgary if you’re looking for great, locally brewed beer;

Village Brewery
Wild Rose
Big Rock
Minhas Micro Brewery
Last Best Brewing & Distilling
Citizen Brewing Company
Tool Shed Brewing Company
Cold Garden Beverage Company

Activities

Outdoor adventures are ready and waiting for you in Calgary from hiking and dogsledding to biking, snowboarding, skiing, and lots more. Whether you visit during the summer or winter months, you'll find so many things to see and do because every time is the perfect time to bundle up and explore the great outdoors in and around Calgary.

Get Spooky At Field of Screams
Take Flight With The Heritage Inn International Balloon Festival
Experience Nature In The City At McHugh Bluff Park
Interact With Cute Animals At Butterfield Acres Farm
Have A Cozy Carburn Park Picnic
Hike to the waterfalls near Calgary
Run, walk or rollerblade 150kms of the Calgary’s Pathways
Enjoy a picnic at Prince’s Island Park
Birdwatch at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
Play Mini Golf at Canada Olympic Park
Check out Calgary’s Skyline from Nose Hill Park
Explore Fish Creek Provincial Park
Go paddling at Bowness Park
Explore Beaver Dam Flats, a habitat for many birds, insects, and other wildlife
Re-discover Calgary on the bike or electric scooters
Discover Canada’s Military history at The Military Museums
Take in some of the great views of Calgary from various lookout points
Go whitewater paddling or river surfing in Calgary’s Bow River at Harvie Passage
Watch Bell Fireworks Spectacular by Calgary Stampede

Yoga and Retreats

You can trust any of these places for your yoga and retreats in Calgary;

Evolve Retreat Co.
YogaMCC (Yoga & Meditation Center Calgary)
Art of living Calgary
Calgary Iyengar Yoga
Mandorla Yoga Institute
Soul Connexion

Accommodation

There are lots of accommodation options within easy reach in Calgary and Airbnb options are quite plentiful in this city too.

Green Hotels

Here are some of the best green hotels in the city;

Hotel Le Germain Calgary
Calgary Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel
Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel
Courtyard by Marriott Calgary South
Best Western Premier Freeport Inn Calgary Airport
Comfort Inn & Suites

Hostels and Guest Houses

Hostels and guest houses are great options to reckon with if you don't want to spend too much on accommodation;

Wicked Hostels - Calgary
HI Calgary City Centre
Little Riverwalk House B&B
The Calgary Hub Hostel Style Home
Hotel Clique Calgary Airport

Apartments

Apartments are not difficult to find in Calgary and you've got plenty of options of places to call home.

Couchsurfing

Finding a host for Couchsurfing seems possible in Calgary and you can find a nice Couchsurfing host in Calgary if you plan ahead.

Camping

You can enjoy camping in Calgary at any of these places;

Calgary West Campground
Clearwater Tipi Park
Calaway Park Campground
Marshall Springs - Fish Creek Provincial Park
Beaver Dam Flats
Mountain View Farm Camping Ltd

How to Get There

Flying into the Calgary International Airport is the best way to reach Calgary.

Air

Calgary International Airport is the main airport serving the city. From banking and shopping to free Wi-Fi, it boasts all the things peculiar to a major airport and it's spacious and modern.

You can as well fly into Springbank Airport or the Edmonton International Airport which are not too far from the city.

Calgary International Airport

Bus

Calgary is easy to reach by bus and there are several long-distance bus travel services such as Rider Express, Banff Airporter, and Brewster Banff Airport Express serving the city. Greyhound Canada also has a stop at 877 Greyhound Way SW.

Train

There has been no Via Rail passenger service to Calgary since 1990.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking in Alberta is legal!

Others

If you're coming from some cities in the United States of America, you can explore some routes in the city to drive in.

Moving Around

You'll need no car to get around the city conveniently because an efficient and affordable light-rail and bus service all over the city is provided by the Calgary Transit system and using public transportation is the best way to get around Calgary. However, if you know you'll be heading westward into the mountains to Banff, a car might come handy. The region boasts hundreds of pathways and bike lanes and bicycling is a great option to opt-in for when the weather is nice.

Walk

All thanks to the Plus 15, Downtown Calgary is made warmly accessible but you may be deterred from getting around on foot by the cold winter weather. However, you should have no trouble walking around specific neighbourhood. To include, Calgary's urban sprawl has made it difficult to fully explore Calgary on foot as the city has grown from being the small, manageable town it used to be.

Bicycle

Biking is a pretty much enjoyable activity in this city and you'll find it very employable as a great means to go around and explore this Canadian city. Most of the major streets in this city have designated biking lanes and there are almost 528 miles of pathways. Calgary boasts more cycling paths than anywhere in North America. To get a bike of yours, you have the opportunity of renting a bicycle to get around via the public bike-share program in the city; Lime Bike.

Electronic Vehicles

You should be able to get around in an electronic vehicle in this city.

Public Bus

Bus routes are operated by the Calgary Transit system and you can use the city's public buses to get around enjoyably for they'll get you around the city hassle-free plus they're reliable and easy to navigate. Single fares are valid for 90 minutes with discounts offered for children and a ride starting from CA$3.50.

Tram, Train and Subway

A light-rail system; the CTrain, is operated by the Calgary Transit system which functions almost just like the public buses. And, take note that using the CTrain is free in downtown Calgary.

Sustainable Shopping

You'll find a lot of eco-friendly stores in Calgary where you can shop sustainably.

Food Markets

Calgary hosts some of the best farmers’ markets Canada has to offer!

Howbeit, Calgary Farmers' Market remains to be one of the best food markets you'll find around in the city.

Other nice food markets in the city include;

Just Ripe Fresh Market
DJ Market
Hillhurst Sunnyside Farmers’ Market
Farmers’ and Makers Market
Avenida Food Hall and Fresh Market
Inglewood Night Market

Flea Markets

Some of the best flea markets in Calgary are;

Hillhurst Sunnyside Calgary Flea Market
Heritage flea market
Crossroads flea market

Second Hand Stores

There's no shortage of second-hand stores in Calgary;

WorldServe Thrift Store Calgary
Junk In The Trunk Thrift Store
Mission Thrift Store
MCC Thrift Store
Zoe's Store
17th Ave Thrift Store

Eco-Fashion

If you're looking for where to buy ethical and sustainable clothing in Calgary, you can hit up any of these places;

Purr Clothing
The Grinning Goat
Field Study
Outside the Shape
Nourish Sweat Soul
Parts + Labor
The Livery Shop
Holt Renfrew

Recycling

Calgary encourages its residents to properly prepare their materials and recycle the right things in their blue cart and community recycling depots. Residents are to set their carts out by 7:00 a.m. as blue carts are collected weekly on the same day as green carts. Calgary others blue cart recycling to single family residential homes and some of the recyclables it accepts include bundled stretchy plastic bags and cling wrap, paper and cardboard, and container packaging.

Waste

Calgary is one of the cleanest cities in Canada and it does provide a variety of residential waste programs and services through its Waste and Recycling Services.

Work and Study Abroad

Calgary is a fine place for work and study abroad.

Exchange Student

Calgary universities offer student exchange program with a set requirements that must be met.

Au Pair

There's a possibility of finding opportunities as an au pair in Calgary. You can mingle with the locals around you for possible opportunities or go online to make more researches.

Volunteering

There's a wide range of volunteer opportunities for you to choose from in Calgary;

City Clerk's Office – Volunteer Tour Guide Program
Calgary Police Service
Recreation
Parks
Fire Cadet Program
Positive Animal Wellness Support (PAWS Pal) Program
The City's Boards, Commissions and Committees