Top Things to Do in Calgary Canada
This list of 40 things to do in Calgary Canada helps you decide what’s actually worth your vacation time. Calgary is easy to treat as the place you fly into before driving straight to Banff, but I’d give the city some of your vacation time first. You can walk beside the Bow River in the morning, see the Rockies from Calgary Tower, explore one of Canada’s best music museums, eat your way through lively neighborhoods, and watch the sunset over the skyline before you’ve even started your road trip.
You will find Calgary’s must-see attractions, neighborhoods, museums, outdoor activities, food, viewpoints, and the best day trips into the Canadian Rockies and Alberta badlands. You don’t need to do all 40. Pick what interests you, spend at least a day exploring Calgary itself, and then use the city as a jumping-off point for some of Alberta’s most spectacular scenery.
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Top 10 Things to Do in Calgary Canada
If this is your first trip to Calgary, I’d start here.
- See the city from Calgary Tower.
- Walk along the Bow River.
- Photograph Peace Bridge.
- Explore Stephen Avenue.
- Visit Studio Bell.
- Explore the Central Library.
- Visit the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.
- Spend time at Heritage Park.
- Explore East Village and The Confluence.
- Watch the skyline from Scotsman’s Hill.
Things to Do in Calgary Canada
Grab a coffee and take a morning walk on the Bow River RiverWalk
Check out the 360-degree view from Calgary Tower’s rotating Skydeck
Explore Stephen Avenue historic district and stop for lunch on one of the patios
Photograph Peace Bridge and Centre St Bridge
Check out the city skyline from Scotsmen Hill, McHugh Bluff, Crescent Heights Lookout Point, or Mount Please View Point
Take a selfie with the Canada 150 sign in Prince’s Island Park
Wander through Devonian Gardens, an indoor botanical garden at the CORE Shopping Center
Watch surfers at 10th Street Wave
Enjoy a night out in the 17th Ave entertainment district
Get a photo standing inside the Wonderland Sculpture
Float down the Bow River or the Elbow River
Enjoy some retail therapy in Kensington
Take The Big Rock Brewery Tour or go craft beer tasting in Inglewood
Wander the street art in the East Village
Have lunch in Chinatown
Browse the Calgary Arts Walk Downtown galleries
Go Rafting on the Bow River
Watch a hockey game at the Saddledome
Check out the architecture of the Calgary Library
Stop by Studio Bell National Music Centre and explore the music exhibits
Get your history fix at The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland
Visit the Wild Canada exhibit at the Calgary Zoo
Enjoy the amusement rides at Calaway Park
See the world’s largest functioning Rubik’s Cube at Telus Spark
Explore Heritage Park’s 19th century village
See the historic aircraft at the Hangar Flight Museum
Learn about First Nations history at the Glenbow Museum
Go bobsledding at Winsport (Canada Olympic Park)
Enjoy the hiking trails at Nosehill Park
Day Trips Near Calgary Canada
Visit Banff National Park, Lake Louise, and Johnston Canyon
Explore Waterton Lakes National Park
Hike to Elbow Falls, Takakkaw Falls, or Lundbreck Falls
Spend a day at Lake Abraham (bubble lake) or Emerald Lake
Take a day trip to Canmore, Grotto Canyon, and Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary
Visit the Canadian Badlands
See Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump
See the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller
Visit Yoho National Park
Check the Alberta Canada Office of Tourism website for current events and festivals.
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