Hotels in Calgary

Exploring Calgary

The Canadian city of Calgary lies in Alberta province, on the edge of its endless western prairies and sheltered by the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Nowadays a major hub for tourism and trade, the city began its life as a fortification for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in response to alcohol-fuelled troubles between fur traders and the local Indian tribes. It’s a city of boulevards, parks, museums, buzzing nightlife, multi-ethnic restaurants, the world-famous Calgary Rodeo, and a varied cityscape featuring old colonial mansions, ultra-modern towers, and renovated heritage quarters.

The city is quartered by four major highways, with its downtown district, built on a grid pattern, the starting point for exploring its sights and shopping areas. Areas of interest to visitors include see-and-be-seen 17th Avenue and Beltline with its nightclubs, boutiques, bars, restaurants, and partying locals. For ethnic diversity, bargain shopping, and cuisine from across the world, Forest Lawn is the place, and eclectic Inglewood with its antiques stores and art galleries is the city’s original downtown and heritage district. Bridgeland, originally Calgary’s Little Italy and now an iconic development district, boasts charming old buildings which have been renovated to house chic stores and loft apartments without losing their distinct heritage architectural style.

Sights nearby

Calgary’s main claim to fame is its annual rodeo and Calgary Stampede, held at the Stampede Grounds every July, but there is a lot more to see and do for visitors arriving during the rest of the year. Professional and amateur theatre is thriving, Calgary Zoo is world-famous, and the city’s multi-ethnic community ensures a great choice of festivals and carnivals.

Chinatown
Canada’s third-largest Chinatown runs along Central Street South to the south bank of the River Bow, with a 20-block extension on the river’s northern bank. The endless choice of eateries, including the best Vietnamese restaurants in the country, is its highlight, as are the tiny shops selling Oriental artefacts, traditional foods, and Chinese medicines.

Stephen Avenue Walk
One of the city’s most famous boulevards, Stephen Avenue Walk, is now a National Historic District and a favourite visitor destination. Here, you’ll find charming independent boutiques, lively pubs and bars, and a good selection of fine dining outlets, all set in a traffic-free zone which allows for space to wander at will.

Calgary Zoo
Highly-regarded as a world-class animal facility, Calgary Zoo holds over 1,000 creatures from across the five continents, as well as the Prehistoric Park and the Botanical Garden. The zoo is a fun day out for couples and families alike, and is open every day of the year.

Eating and drinking and shopping nearby

Calgary is famous for its huge variety of world cuisines, on offer in everything from little local eateries to fine dining haunts in hotels such as the Hyatt Regency and the Sheraton, or in smart streets in the fashionable districts. The local all-time favourite is beef, found in steakhouses across the city, and the Mediterranean and Asian selections attest to the city as a hub for migrants from all over the world.

Vietnamese food here is authentic, delicious, and found in every Calgary neighbourhood, and Middle Eastern cuisine is also popular. All the usual fast-food offerings take care of the munchies during a day’s sightseeing, and for shopaholics, there’s a choice between quirky boutiques, modern shopping centres, farmers’ markets, and several amazing discount factory outlet malls.

Public transport

The most convenient public transport offering in Calgary is its efficient, fast, and modern C-Train light rail system, covering its downtown core and extending to suburban areas. C-Train travel in the heart of the city is free, and the trains run every 10 minutes between 04:00 and 01:00. Local buses also cover the entire city and are easy to use, with a concentration in the downtown area, but many routes only operate until around 21:00 or even just in rush hours.