Things to do in  Calgary

The Calgary Stampede is a grand celebration of Canada’s Western heritage that has been attracting visitors every year since 1923. Visit to experience small-town fun in a big way. The Stampede includes rodeo events, chuckwagon races, blacksmithing competitions, a midway, 300 performers on five stages, and First Nations cultural events.

Standing sentinel over the city’s downtown since 1968, Calgary Tower features an observation deck with a glass floor and a revolving restaurant 627 feet (191 meters) above ground. Both afford 360-degree views across the city to the snow-capped Rocky Mountains in the distance.

In 1875, the North West Mounted Police built a wooden fort—and it became the birthplace of Calgary. Visit Fort Calgary today to learn more about the city's formative years from 1875 to 1914 through interactive exhibits, replica barracks, guided tours, and an interpretive center.

Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, is a state-of-the-art cultural center in Calgary. Spanning 160,000 square feet (14,865 square meters), the architecturally notable center includes a museum, performance hall, live music venue, recording studios, radio station, classrooms, and media center.

Winding through the front ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the glacial blue waters of the Kananaskis River offer exhilarating white water rafting adventures. Considered one of the most scenic rivers in Alberta, the Kananaskis also affords mountain views and the chance to spy wolves, elk, eagle, and black and grizzly bears.

Calaway Park, the largest outdoor amusement park in Western Canada, features 32 family-friendly rides and attractions, as well as live entertainment, from stage shows to street performers. Two dozen games, a 3D theater, and a splash park with 15 water features round out the fun.

The largest cultural museum in Western Canada, Glenbow Museum showcases the history and culture of indigenous Canadians—particularly the Blackfoot Confederacy, whose traditional land Calgary occupies. The museum's impressive collection spans artifacts, artworks, archives, documents, and fun interactive exhibits. Please note: The Glenbow Museum is currently closed for renovations, but you can see exhibits curated by the museum at its satellite gallery, Glenbow at The Edison, in downtown Calgary.

TELUS Spark encourages curious museum-goers of all ages to explore topics of science, engineering, technology, math, and art through a series of interactive exhibits and hands-on experiences. The center’s Dome Theatre hosts live planetarium shows and documentary-style movies on a huge screen.

The collection of historic civilian and military aircraft on display at the Hangar Flight Museum highlights the history of Canadian aviation and the stories of the men and women who designed and flew these engineering marvels.

Heritage Park in Calgary, Alberta, is an open-air historical and learning museum that gives visitors the chance to experience what life was like on the Canadian Prairies from 1860 to 1950. Costumed interpreters and many hands-on, interactive exhibits help you go deeper into your fun-filled encounter with the living past.

Possibly the city’s most popular attraction, the Calgary Zoo has been caring for animals and animal lovers since 1929. Surrounded by botanical gardens with a rain forest and butterfly enclosure, Canada’s second largest zoo is home to more than 1,000 critters representing dozens of species from all corners of the globe.

Calgary’s Heritage Park Historical Village stretches out across 127 acres (51 hectares), creating an experience that immerses you in Canada’s past. As a living museum, the park features a working steam train, a 19th-century paddle wheeler, and horse-drawn wagons. From the sights to the sounds to the treats on offer, every effort has been made to help visitors experience life in a centuries-old Canadian town.

The historic Atlas Coal Mine, located in the Alberta Badlands offers visitors a glimpse into the region's coal mining history. The old wooden structures stand out starkly against the wide blue sky and the red soil of the region, while Atlas Coal Mine are a testament to the industry that once thrived in this area.

Located in downtown Calgary in front of The Bow building, the Wonderland Sculpture is a 39-foot (12-meter) tall sculpture in the shape of a young girl’s head. Created by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa out of painted stainless steel, the striking statue is meant to represent the hopes and dreams of the youth of the province.

A legacy of the 1988 Winter Games,WinSport, Canada's Olympic Park, has hosted Olympic events in ski jumping, bobsled, and luge. These days, its professional-standard facilities are mostly used for recreational purposes, with visitors flocking here not only to ski, snowboard, and bobsled but also to try other activities, such as ziplining.