6 Things To Do In Calgary That Are Actually Worth Your Money, According To A Local
These things are worth the hype!
Someone at Banff National Park. Right: Calgary
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
If you're visiting a new city for the first time, it can be hard to work out what things are actually worth spending your hard-earned cash on.
However, as someone that has lived in Cowtown for two years now, there are a ton of things to do in Calgary that I would highly recommend and personally, I think are well worth the money.
There are so many different things to do in Calgary whether you're an outdoorsy person looking for adventure or just a city break. If you're wondering if it's worth parting with the cash, these are the things I would always recommend in the city.
Check out all the animals at the Calgary Zoo
Price: Adult tickets are $34.95 plus GST, senior tickets cost (60+) $32.95 plus GST. Children between three and 15 years old can go for $24.95 plus GST and infants under three get free admission.
One of my favourite things to do in Calgary visiting to the Calgary Zoo as it's always a fun spot to spend a day. You'll be able to see hundreds of animals including lions, tigers and penguins to name a few and learn all about them. You can even walk through the Land of Lemurs, a walk-through experience where you can explore the lemurs' habitat while they play and explore.
The Calgary Zoo has also recently gained quite a few new babies including a baby gorilla and two adorable red panda cubs so you'll want to prepare for a cuteness overload.
They host tons of different events throughout the year from the annual festive Zoolights and Sunday safari brunches to boozy adults-only evenings so regardless of the time of year, the zoo is well worth the price of admission.
A day trip to the Rockies
Price: Admission to Banff National Park is $10.50 for adults, $9 for seniors, and free for kids. Group passes can be purchased for $21.
While not technically in the city of Calgary, I would always tell anyone visiting the city to make the trip out to Kananaskis or Banff National Park. The stunning Canadian Rockies are just an hour's drive away from Calgary and it's hard to believe they're so close to the city.
Whether you're heading out on a day trip or staying overnight, there are so many incredible sights to take in or you can head out on a hike overlooking gorgeous mountains and bright blue lakes. You can visit iconic Alberta landmarks too like Lake Louise or Moraine Lake.
The towns of Canmore and Banff are also well worth a visit too with tons of unique restaurants, bars and cafes to enjoy, all while surrounded by the natural beauty of the area.
Grab a sunset cocktail at Major Tom
Price: Cocktails start from $15
If you're looking to enjoy drinks with a view, you don't get much better than Major Tom. The 1960s-style bar gives total Mad Men vibes and is set high above the city on the fortieth floor making it the perfect place to wind down with a cocktail.
The restaurant was recently named Canada's top restaurant bar but even if you're not up for grabbing some dinner, they have an incredible selection of cocktails that are perfectly paired with the stunning views.
If you head down at sunset, you'll be able to enjoy looking over the city and you might even get a peek at the Rocky Mountains before the sun goes down. After that, you can take in the city lights.
It's usually pretty busy so make sure to make a reservation if you're planning to stop by.
Renting a paddle board
Price: Paddle board rentals start from $55 a day.
Alberta is the absolute perfect place to be if you love outdoor activities in the summer and renting a paddle board and heading out onto one of the many stunning spots both in the city and out in the mountains is one of my favourite summertime activities.
If you're looking to spend time in the city, you can rent a paddle board head to Bowness Park or along the Bow River or the Elbow River for gorgeous city views while you're on the water.
However, you can also venture out of the city in the Rocky Mountains to paddle on some of the impressive sparkling lakes like Quarry Lake or Barrier Lake in Kananaskis or Johnson Lake or Two Jack Lake in Banff National Park.
It's honestly the perfect way to spend a summer day.
Getting wild at the Calgary Stampede
Price: General admission to the Stampede grounds is $23 per person. Seniors over the age of 65 can get tickets for $15. Children aged seven to 12 get tickets for $14 and those under seven go for free.
While it's not year round, July in Calgary is Stampede time so if you're visiting the city that month, I would highly recommend budgeting some money for the 10-day Calgary Stampede. The whole city comes to life with hundreds of thousands of people heading both to the grounds and at events all over the city.
There's so much to see and do at Stampede Park from the rodeo, the evening show, just wandering around the grounds and the midway and checking out live music.
There are also a ton of music festivals held around the city so it's well worth checking out the lineups in advance and getting some tickets to save any stress.
While it can definitely be pricey, it's unlike anything I've ever experienced elsewhere so it's worth the money to check it out.
Learn about Calgary's history at Fort Calgary
Price: General admission for anyone over 18+ is $10, seniors aged 65+ can get tickets for $7 and youth tickets for those aged five to 17 years old are $5. Indigenous peoples are able to access Fort Calgary for free as are children under the age of four.
If you're interested in learning more about the history of Calgary, Fort Calgary is a great place to visit and is also really affordable. You can wander round museum exhibits about Treaty 7, Métis influence in Alberta and the early stages of the city of Calgary.
Throughout the summer, Fort Calgary is even showing screenings of Alberta-filmed movies including Brokeback Mountain, Unforgiven and Prey.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
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