Known as the Heart of the New West, Calgary is an energetic city located just three hours by car from Edmonton and less than an hour away from the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Surrounded by the rolling foothills, expansive prairies and dramatic badlands of the Canadian West; a visit to Calgary is a sure bet for stunning views and a great mix of city slicker chic with a country and western twist!
Founded as a fort in 1875 for the North West Mounted Police, Calgary quickly became a busy trading hub and is now known as a thriving business centre with one of the youngest and best-educated workforces in the country.
A visit to this innovative city will amaze you with gleaming glass and steel skyscrapers that simply seem to merge successfully with historic, sandstone buildings.
As site of the 1988 Winter Olympics, Calgary has always embraced an active lifestyle. During your visit catch a Calgary Flames NHL hockey game, fly down the luge (bobsled) track or experience our Calgary Stampede for a taste of rodeo!
Boasting an array of restaurants, art galleries, museums, theatres, specialty shops and more! What are you waiting for? Calgary is just waiting to give you a New West welcome!
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Additional Information
GETTING HERE
Calgary International Airport is a hub for regional, domestic and international carriers. Each week more than 200 scheduled flights operate between Calgary and major U.S. cities and 25 flights to major international destinations. Located only 20 minutes from the city centre, the airport is close to the Queen Elizabeth II Highway, the major commuter highway linking Calgary and Edmonton. The drive from Edmonton to Calgary is approximately 3 hours by car. There are many transportation options available from the airport including airport shuttle, vehicle rentals, private transfers and taxi services. Please see our Transportation section for further information.
GETTING AROUND
Calgary's LRT (Light Rail Transit) system (or the C-Train) is comprised of two lines: north-south, reaching from Somerset/Brindlewood through downtown to Dalhousie in the north and eventually to Crowfoot. The second line is east-west and starts at McKnight-Westwinds and ends at 10 Street SW (downtown). The downtown area is known as a free-fare zone where you can hop on and off free of charge. Similar to Edmonton, Calgary also has street numbers rather than names with streets running north and south and avenues running east and west, but with one difference; Calgary is divided into four quadrants, NE, NW, SE and SW. The dividing line between east and west is Centre Street in the north and roughly Macleod Trail in the south. Addresses proceed outwards from the center of the city.
WHAT TO DO
Calgary is a fun, energetic city with many highlights to take in during your visit. Our list below highlights just some of them:
- Visit Calgary Tower and stand 160 metres (525 feet) above the ground on an all-glass platform!
- Take in a city tour and discover Calgary's legendary western roots
- Check out Canada Olympic Park (host of the 1988 Winter Olympics)
- Take a walk down Stephen Avenue Walk and view historic sandstone architecture
- Step back in time at Heritage Park Historical Village
- Visit the Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden and Prehistoric Park
- Discover Alberta's history at the Glenbow Museum
- Enjoy a spectacular performance at Jubilations Dinner Theatre
DINING AND NIGHTLIFE
Southern Alberta is without doubt, prime cattle country and you'll find tender, mouth watering steak at many of Calgary's fine restaurants. With a diverse, multicultural population, Calgary also benefits from a wide range of internal cuisine from Moroccan to Vietnamese. For after dark, Calgary has an energetic night scene with many dance clubs, martini lounges, pubs and live-music venues. For something a little different, take in one of the casinos or catch a Calgary Flames hockey game!
SHOPPING
Calgary offers many opportunities for shopping including a multi-block downtown shopping complex that is connected by an indoor walkway system, boasting over a 1000 shops and facilities. For more speciality and unique stores, head to Kensington Village (north of downtown), Inglewood District and Uptown 17th Avenue.