Calgary is scattered with many attractions and sightseeing ventures. Below is list of some ideas that can help you satisfy your Calgary appetite.

Major Attractions

The Calgary Stampede: The greatest outdoor show on earth featuring livestock shows and sales, a midway, live concerts, parades, arts and crafts, exhibitions, the world famous Calgary Stampede Rodeo, and much more.  The Stampede runs every July for 10 days.

The Calgary Tower: the most distinctive characteristic of Calgary’s skyline is located downtown. The tower provides an exceptional view of Calgary and the Rocky Mountains. It also houses the Panorama Room revolving restaurant which is elevated 189 meters above the ground.

The Calgary Aero Space Museum: founded in 1975, located near the Calgary International Airport, and is aimed to preserve and promote the history of the aviation and space industry in Western Canada. Some attractions include: flight simulators, aircrafts and other exhibits, archives and library, and gift shop.

The Calgary Zoo: A world class zoo that features over 1,500 animals in a natural habitat exhibit blushed with Botanical Gardens, a Prehistoric park with 27 life-size dinosaur models, and is located near downtown. Also Zoolights, an event held every winter, where lights are scattered throughout the zoo for a Christmas light show.

Devonian Gardens: located on the 4^th floor of TD Square in downtown Calgary, this 1.0 hectare garden has 20,000 miraculous plants, and holds an enormous pool with blissful waterfalls, fountains, fish, and turtles.

Fort Calgary: a museum and interpretive centre where visitors can learn how life was in the historical Calgary (from 1875 through 1930). Also, the Deane House is operated by the Fort Calgary Preservation Society.

The Glenbow Museum: The largest museum in Western Canada, with over 93,000 square feet of exhibition space, a substantial art collection, and library and archives. The Museum focuses on Canadian Heritage, Native and pioneer culture, Canadian artists, and military history.

The Heritage Park Historical Village: 66 acres of land located in South-West Calgary on the edge of the Glenmore Reservoir. This 1914 and older village is lined historic buildings, such as schools, residences and businesses and is packed with old time fun. The park employees interpret the history of Calgary by performing heritage activities. Also on the site are a steam-powered locomotive, a full-service heritage restaurant, an oil rig, a Ferris wheel, and a carousel. The park is open from May to October.

The Museum of the Regiments: Opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on June 30, 1990 and located on Crowchild Trail, across from the Calgary Farmers’ Market (formerly the Canadian Forces Base Calgary). The Museum houses the regimental archives and galleries of four famous Calgary regiments; Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, The King’s own Calgary Regiment (Royal Canadian Armoured Corps), and The Calgary Highlanders.

The Spaceport: an interactive travel experience for children located at the Calgary International Airport. Admission is free and is open from 9am to 9pm.

Spruce Meadows: the world’s most premier horse show and jumping facilities and has been voted number 1 in the world for the past four years. This 300 acre site holds over twenty buildings; seven permanent stables, two indoor arenas, tournament centre, administrative offices, Congress Hall, British House, on-line television production site, maintenance, and storage buildings. Spruce Meadows holds up to 300 horses but usually boards about 80 to 100 horses year round. The grounds are open 365 days a year and admission to the grounds is free, except during tournaments.

Parks

Canada Olympic Park (COP): a unique sports facility that was created in 1988 for the Winter Olympics, is still used year-round as a training, recreation, and competition facility for all athletes as well as the general public. COP is used for skiing, snowboarding, bobsledding, skeleton and luge, biking, and beach volleyball.

Calaway Park: a 160 acre outdoor family amusement park, with 28 exciting rides, and just 10km west of Calgary. You will also find live entertainment, a fishing pond, mini-golf, playgrounds, and midway games. Open from May to October.

Bowness Park: located in the Northwest of Calgary, this 30 hectare park is a mini oasis, filled with playgrounds, fire pits, mini-golf, paddleboats to rent for the lagoon, and in the winter the lagoon turns into a huge ice skating rink.

Fish Creek Provincial Park: the park is located in an urban setting, in South Calgary, and is one of the largest provinicial parks in Canada. The park comprises over 1300 hectares of land and showcases three of Alberta’s natural environments; the grasslands, parklands, and foothills forest. The park attracts over 3 million cyclists, pedestrians, photographers, naturalists, and picnickers every year. The park is full of educational programs for children and adults in order to explore the natural history of the park. The 800 acre Bow Valley Ranch is also located within Fish Creek Provincial Park. And if you get lost in the park and find your tummy rumbling, well not to worry, the park is home to The Ranche, a classy delicious restaurant.

Banff National Park: established in 1885 as Canada’s first national park and is home to a variety of distinctive natural features, sightseeing attractions, and cultural and historical sites. The landscape is composed of rugged mountains, glaciers, icefields, alpine meadows, beautiful blue cold-water lakes, mineral hot springs, deep canyons, and hoodoos. The park is also a habitat for a variety of mammals, such as deer, elk, bighorn sheep, cougar, and grizzly and black bear.

Wildlife in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada – The best bloopers are a click away