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City known for:
  • The Calgary Stampede
  • The Calgary Flames
  • The Bow River

Alberta’s biggest city with an even bigger personality.

As the gateway to the Canadian Rockies and home of the iconic Calgary Stampede, no city is a better launchpad for your Wild Side than Calgary. The city’s downtown and inner city have everything you’d expect from a big city: shopping, fine dining, museums and endless entertainment options. The surrounding neighbourhoods each have a unique identity, with boutiques, breweries and a bevy of public art. Two glacier-fed rivers wind through it all.

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Calgary highlights

Aerial shot of the Calgary Downtown and surrounding areas with the Rocky Mountains in the distant background on a sunny evening.

Your basecamp for adventure

You’re a road trip away from some of Canada’s most breathtaking natural wonders. The Canadian Rockies start a short drive west of Calgary, and the Canadian Badlands lie just to the east.

Chuckwagon racer rounding a corner with stands in background during a Derby.

Home of the Calgary Stampede

This 10-day festival happens every July. Grounded in Calgary’s western roots, it offers something for everyone, from the world’s largest outdoor rodeo to live music and free pancakes across the city.

Family biking in the winter at St. Patrick's Island Park in Calgary

Endless paths and bikeways

Calgary has North America’s largest urban pathway and bikeway network. Grab a set of wheels and explore the city’s neighbourhoods, public art, cafes and parks.

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Family walks down a street in Heritage Park with a horse drawn carriage on the road.
View of the Calgary Stampede Park being lit by red fireworks at night
Couple shopping for cowboy boots at Lammles at the Calgary Stampede
Family at mandrill enclosure at Calgary Zoo.
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A man and woman at the top of a run at WinSport in Calgary, with the tower displaying Olympic rings in the background.
A family explore exhibits at the Telus Spark.
Couple having dinner at Sky 360 restaurant with views of the city skyline from the Calgary Tower.

Calgary Tower

Get a 360° view of downtown Calgary 191 m (646 ft) from the ground in this iconic landmark.

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Family at Heritage Park with amusement rides behind them

Heritage Park

Experience the historic West firsthand at this living museum.

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Two skiers head down a hill with trees and a chairlift in the background.

WinSport

Enjoy family-friendly skiing and snowboarding at this 1988 Winter Olympics venue.

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Stories from the city

A Métis knowledge keeper sits outside a historical cabin in the snow, smiling widely and wearing traditional snowshoes.
7 min read Authentic Indigenous Winter Experiences in Alberta

What are some of the best things to do in winter in Alberta? Turn to Indigenous tour providers and businesses for authentic experiences that blend culture and nature.

A woman and a sled dog on a sunny winter day in Spray Lakes in Alberta's Kananaskis Country.
8 min read Why Winter in Alberta is Good for Your Health

Alberta’s crisp, bright winter and electric blue skies invite you outdoors to feel more alive, explore freely and discover the clarity you can’t find hunkered indoors.

A skier rips down a slope at Lake Louise Ski Resort under a blue sky with the snow-capped Rockies in the background.
9 min read The Ultimate Guide to Downhill Skiing in Alberta

Find the best Alberta ski resorts in the Canadian Rockies, where deep snow, epic views and a welcoming vibe make every winter trip memorable.

A smiling father stands next to a cargo bike holding his two young kids with Calgary’s downtown skyline in the background.
6 min read How to Explore Alberta by Bike with Kids

From urban paths in Calgary and Edmonton to mountain views in Canmore, here’s how to bike Alberta with young kids.

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Downtown Calgary at sunrise lit by winter lights.

Did you know?

Calgary is famous for Chinook winds, a sudden warm breeze that can raise winter temperatures by 20°C (68°F) in just a few hours.

Learn why an Alberta winter is good for your health

Upcoming events

Suggested itineraries

A dry winter highway in the Canadian Rockies is viewed through the front window of a vehicle.
5 days
Explore the Rockies & Calgary in Winter

Take a winter road trip to explore the Canadian Rockies, including a helicopter ride, backcountry snowshoeing, a food tour, and more in Banff and beyond.

Two travellers stand in an eroded landscape, surrounded by sand-coloured rock formations in the Canadian Badlands.
3 days
Alberta's Canadian Badlands: Road Trip from Calgary

Start from Calgary and travel back to prehistoric times to the Dinosaur Capital of the World: Drumheller, Alberta. Explore some of the best Alberta's Canadian Badlands have to offer during this two or three day road trip.

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Nearby cities to explore

A group of people dog sledding in Spray Lakes, Kananaskis.
Canmore & Kananaskis
Dinosaur skeleton in the Royal Tyrrell Museum
Drumheller
An idyllic winter moment on Banff Avenue at dusk, with shops lining either side of a street that seems to lead toward a mountain.
Banff & Lake Louise
Skaters twirl on a frozen lake.
Red Deer