5 things to do in Calgary, Canada

Never heard of Calgary? Well, it’s a city located in the province of Alberta, Canada. With over 1.2 million people, it’s actually the largest city in Alberta. Because Calgary is so close to the Canadian Rocky Mountains, many people choose it as a starting point to explore the Rockies.

But Calgary isn’t just a gateway to adventure, make sure to plan at least one full day to explore the city itself!

Calgary Tower

To avoid the crowds and enjoy the top of the tower almost to yourself, consider staying at Le Germain Hotel Calgary, conveniently located right across from the Calgary Tower.

The Calgary Tower is a 190.8-meter free-standing structure in Downtown Calgary. It opened in 1968 as the tallest building in the city and was originally named the Husky Tower. However, the name was soon changed to the Calgary Tower as a tribute to the city’s residents.

The highlight of the tower is certainly the glass floor extension on the observation deck. Most people gather around it, so if you want to take a picture without crowds, it’s best to visit early in the morning. On clear days, you can even spot the beginning of the Rocky Mountains from up there. Unfortunately, when we visited Calgary, the view was obstructed due to smoke from the wildfires in British Columbia.

All in one, the tower is not to miss when you’re in Calgary. Especially in the evening, the tower illuminated with different colors.

Fort Calgary

Fort Calgary is a kind of interactive museum that I highly recommend visiting. The fort was originally established in 1875 as Fort Brisebois by the North-West Mounted Police. It was built for three main purposes: to control the illegal American whisky trade, to prepare for the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and to build better relations with the Indigenous peoples to whom the territory rightfully belongs.

As the fort is located on the traditional territory of Indigenous peoples, their culture and history also play an important role in the exhibitions at the historic site. Visitors can walk through the history of Fort Calgary and gain a deeper understanding of its significance from multiple perspectives.

Outside of the museum, there are reconstructed walls and bricks that outline the original structure of the old fort, giving you a sense of its former size and layout. If you have a bit of extra time, it’s also worth taking a short walk down to the banks of the Bow River for a peaceful view.

Prince’s Island Park

The Bow River is the main river running through Calgary, and along its course lies Prince’s Island Park — a beautiful urban park located on an island in the river. The park was developed in 1947 and generously donated to the city by the Prince family, after whom it was named.

Big Rock Brewery

The Big Rock Brewery is a Canadian public beer company with its head office, and also its largest brewery, located in Calgary. Additionally, they brew in Vancouver, Etobicoke, and Toronto. The brewery was founded in 1985 and has gained one brewmaster after another over the years.

If you’re interested in beer, you definitely have to do a tour of the brewery. It’s fascinating to see how the whole brewing process works. And of course, after the tour, you get to taste some of their beers and ciders. The guide who did the tour with us was super friendly and even gave us some great tips for exploring Calgary.

Palomino’s Smokehouse

To be honest, I’d never have walked into that restaurant if we hadn’t gotten the tip that the food there is amazing. And indeed, I was positively surprised by both the food and the whole ambience of the place. At Palomino’s Smokehouse, you can enjoy barbecue all year round. I went for the pulled pork and Yannick had the ribs, we can definitely recommend both!.

After spending 2 days in Calgary, we were ready for Banff National Park. Have you already been in Calgary?

Read next: Top 10 things to do in Banff National Park, Canada