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Calgary, Heart of the New WestTM
Calgary is a vibrant and growing city that offers the best of all worlds - a cosmopolitan city of nearly one million with outstanding outdoor adventure and pristine wilderness only an hour away in the Canadian Rockies.
Nearly 5 million visitors each year find a wealth of cultural attractions, diverse restaurants and award-winning cuisine, parks and pathways, specialty shops and trendy nightspots in Calgary. Our wide, blue sky and moderate climate beckons year-round outdoor enthusiasts to golf, hike, fish, mountain bike, ski or dog-sled.
Our parks offer some of the finest natural areas in North America. Our shopping is a paradise - we are the only province in Canada with no provincial sales tax. Our dynamic arts scene will indulge your passion for culture. Our western heritage and legendary hospitality will make you feel welcome. Main festival is the Calgary Stampede, a ten day event in July attracting over a million visitors.
The two major gay events are the IGRA sanction Canadian Rockies International Rodeo held over the weekend nearest to Canada Day [1st July]. Over four thousand visitors attend the gay rodeo. Over the Easter weekend, many teams from all over Canada and the U.S.A. Western states compete in sports like bowling, curling and Babington for the Apollo Cup.
Though Calgary down town is home to second largest concentration of head offices, most of the gay bars and clubs are located in an area called the beltline. This is between 1st and 14th SW and 9th and 17th Ave SW. The 17th Ave has most of the gay stores and also 4th Street in the Mission area adjoining the beltline. The annual pride parade is held downtown along 8th Ave SW also know as Steven Avenue. Below are links to the various tourist attractions and venues. The gay bars and clubs may be found on the section “Around Gay Calgary”
Events:
The Calgary Stampede
General information about the Greatest Outdoor Show
Sites and Museums:
Heritage Park
Canada’s largest historical village park with steam railway trains, stern wheel paddle boat.
The Calgary Tower
Panoramic views and revolving dining room, one of the first Towers of its kind, the Calgary Tower offers the best view in Calgary and is a must-see on any tourist's itinerary and now with a glass floor.
The Glenbow Museum
Western Canada’s largest museum though with a western theme it has many artifacts from around the world.
Calgary Arts Central
OVER 50 ARTIST STUDIOS, GALLERIES, SHOPS AND CAFES
Cantos Music Foundation Collection
Tour through the Cantos Music Collection, your journey into our musical history. With over 200 instruments on display, the Collection spans the evolution of music from 246 B.C. to present day. The piano that Sir Elton John used to compose his first songs.
Telus world of Science Centre
The TELUS World of Science experience is designed for curious families. We have some of the best exhibits and films in North America located in three main exhibit areas.
www.firefightersmuseum.org
Calgary's Fire Fighting Museum
Aerospace Museum/
A living history documenting aviation in Canada.
www.museumoftheregiments.ca
One of North America's largest military Museums
The naval museum of Alberta
Detailing the Canadian Navy History
Calgary Zoo
An international renowned zoo with Prehistoric Park
Fort Calgary
An Interpretive Centre of the Original Fort Calgary
Canada Olympic Park
Year round sporting activity park including the Bob Sleigh, skiing, mountain biking also the home of the Olympic Hall of Fame.
Spruce Meadows
International Venue for Horse Jumping Shows with the world’s richest prize money.
www.calawaypark.com/
Western Canada‘s largest outdoor family Amusement Park
Shaw Millennium Park
The World’s Biggest Free Outdoor Skate Park
Calgary Telus Convention Centre
Calgary Tourism:
www.tourismcalgary.com
Calgary's official tourist information web site
www.calgary.ca
The city of Calgary website for parks, Calgary Transit with maps and time tables, the pathways system with maps also local government administration.
Downtown Calgary
For information on shopping, attractions, events in the downtown area
www.where.ca/calgary
Another great source for information
Calgary Local Weather
Calgary's local weather reports
www.calgaryattractions.com
Guide to Calgary attractions and discount coupons.
The Calgary Herald
Local Newspaper
Calgary Tour Operators:
The following are Calgary tour operators providing tours of Calgary and day trips to Banff and Lake Louise, Drumheller and the Dinosaur Museum, the native interpretive centre at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. Most use minivans and need a minimum of 4 passengers though they do refer to each other if they do not have enough passengers. Prices vary from $90 to over a $100 per person depending on the tour. Ideal for single travelers and you do see a lot more than driving a car.
New Ming Tours
English language historical and cultural tours. Calgary city tours. Banff National Park. Drumheller Valley.
Legendary Tours
I have had great reports from this Calgary tour operator.
Hammerhead Scenic Tours
Another recommended Calgary tour operator
Home On The Range Adventure Tours
Escorted and self-drive western experiences: natural/historic sites, rodeos, Canadian Rockies
Inside Out Experience – Outdoor Adventures
Provides white water rafting, mountain biking and hiking in a fun, safe and memorable Canadian Rockies adventures for all ages and skill levels.
Calgary Tours
They are able to offer guided tours in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese, Japanese and of course English.
Time Out Touring
Time Out for Touring specializes in Day Trips from Calgary. Join in on one or more of these exciting, fun and informative day trips.
Lone Wolf Tours
Rocky Mountain Pedicabs
Bicycle Rickshaws
The Calgary Performing Arts:
Calgary has a wide and diverse selection of live theatre and entertainment venues from the Calgary Opera to the Jubilations Comedy Dinner Theatre. The Epcore Performing Arts Centre is the second largest centre in Canada and along and just of 9th Avenue down town, there are around 14 live theatres.
Calgary Opera
Alberta Ballet
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
The Epcore Centre for the Performing Arts
Containing the Jack Singer Concert Hall, Max Bell Theatre, Martha Cohen Theatre, Big Secret Theatre and the Engineered Air Theatre
Calgary Jubilee Auditorium
Alberta Theatre Projects
Theatre Calgary
One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre
Pump House Theatre
Theatre Junction at The Grand
Vertigo Theatre
Stage West Theatre Restaurant
Jubilations Dinner Theatre
www.Loose Moose Theatre
The Downright Theatre Company
Fairytales International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
Sports:
Calgary Flames
NHL ice hockey team
Calgary Stampeders
Canadian Football Club
Calgary Hitman Hockey Club
Member of the Western Hockey League
Calgary Roughnecks
Calgary's professional lacrosse team
Further Education:
The University of Calgary
The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Mount Royal College
CALGARY'S SURROUNDING AREA LINKS
Tourism:
Travel Alberta
Alberta's Official Tourist Information Web Site
Discover Alberta
An excellent alternative Alberta tourist information site
National Parks of Canada, Alberta
The Federal Government Parks in Alberta including Banff and Jasper
Where.ca/Canadian Rockies
A great site for information
Canadian Rockies
Live Shot of Banff
Anderson Vacations
Tours/charters, step-on guide service, convention/conference tours, senior holiday excursions and fully independent traveler (F.I.T.) programs.
Alberta Attractions:
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
One of the world's oldest, largest and best preserved buffalo jump's known to exist -- Head-Smashed-In. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981
Bar U Ranch
Bar U Ranch commemorates the history and importance of ranching in Canada.
Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
Canada's deadliest rockslide, coal mining, settlement and early days in the Crowsnest Pass.
Remington Carriage Museum
North America's largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles.
Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology
World-renowned museum of palaeontology focusing on Alberta's fossil heritage. One of the world's largest displays of complete dinosaur skeletons.
Rosebud Theatre
An excellent theatre located about 90 min drive east and north of Calgary. Set in a small prairie hamlet of Rosebud close to Drumheller.
The Canadian Badlands Passion Play
Set in a natural amphitheatre not far from Drumheller, the scripture-based script and music, realistic set and costumes, quality performances and remarkable similarity of the site to the Holy Land all add to the experience.
Accommodations:
www.explorealberta.com
The official website of all approved accommodations in Alberta |
