Alberta
Alberta's largest city sits on the Bow River, with the Rockies on the western horizon: a red pedestrian bridge, a downtown island park, a long urban provincial park, and a historic village.
Photo: The Bow River and downtown Calgary, with the Peace Bridge and the Rockies on the horizon, DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Calgary grew where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet, on the prairie just east of the Rockies. Downtown, the Peace Bridge and the Bow River Pathway lead to Prince's Island Park, an island of paths, gardens and a lagoon.
South of downtown, Fish Creek Provincial Park follows a valley of aspen and prairie through the suburbs. Heritage Park, on the Glenmore Reservoir, is a historical village; Studio Bell holds the National Music Centre, and the Calgary Tower looks out toward the mountains.
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
A downtown island park on the Bow River, with paths, gardens and a lagoon, listed as open 5 a.m.–11 p.m. Host to festivals in summer; skating on the lagoon is seasonal.
Season Official pages listed the park as open 5 a.m.–11 p.m. daily. The lagoon skating rink and crokicurl were listed as closed for the season when the page was read on 12 November 2026 (check before you go).
A riverside path through downtown, crossing the Bow on the red, helical Peace Bridge, a public pedestrian and cycle bridge.
Season The pathway and the pedestrian bridge are there year-round (check before you go).
A large urban provincial park in the south of the city, with trails through aspen woods, prairie and the creek valley. Parking lots and day-use facilities have posted seasonal hours; gates may be locked outside those times.
Season Official pages listed parking lots and day-use facilities as open 8 a.m.–10 p.m. from 1 April–30 September and 8 a.m.–8 p.m. from 1 October–31 March. Gates may be locked outside those times (check before you go).
A free migratory-bird sanctuary on the Bow River in Inglewood. Trails are listed as open from sunrise to sunset; no bicycles or dogs, except assistance dogs.
Season Official pages listed sanctuary trails as open from sunrise to sunset, with a 30-minute grace period. The Nature Centre was listed as open daily 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. from 1 May–31 October, and Wednesday–Sunday 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. from 1 November–30 April, closed on statutory holidays. Entrance is free (check before you go).
One of Canada's largest urban nature parks, a prairie upland in the north of the city with trails and views of the skyline and the Rockies. Official pages listed it as open 5 a.m.–11 p.m. daily.
Season Official pages listed the park as open 5 a.m.–11 p.m. daily (check before you go).
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
A lookout tower in the downtown core, with 360-degree views and a glass floor. Official pages listed hours as 10 a.m.–9 p.m. daily from September to May, with the last ride up at 8:30 p.m.; check current hours in summer and on holidays.
Season Official pages listed hours as 10 a.m.–9 p.m. daily from September to May, with the last ride up at 8:30 p.m., and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Check the official page for summer hours and holiday closures (check before you go).
A historical village on the Glenmore Reservoir. The village is seasonal, official pages listed it as closed for the season when they were read on 12 November 2026, with a posted reopening in May 2027. Gasoline Alley Museum is listed as open year-round, Tuesday–Sunday.
Season The Historical Village is seasonal. Official pages listed it as closed for the season when they were read on 12 November 2026, with a posted reopening in May 2027. Gasoline Alley Museum was listed as open Tuesday–Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., plus holiday Mondays, year-round (check before you go).
The home of the National Music Centre, in a tiled building with a skybridge, with exhibitions, instruments and performance spaces. Official pages listed it as open daily; check hours before you go.
Season Official pages listed the centre as open daily; hours may vary for holidays or private events (check before you go).
A large zoo next to the Bow River and the Stampede grounds. Hours and tickets are posted on the official site; check before you go.
Season Hours and tickets are posted on the official site and vary by season (check before you go).
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
One of Calgary's older neighbourhoods, just east of downtown along the Bow, with independent shops, cafés and the bird sanctuary at the far end.
Season The streets are there year-round; shop and café hours vary (check before you go).
A walkable neighbourhood of shops and cafés on the north bank of the Bow, a short walk from Prince's Island and the Peace Bridge.
Season The streets are there year-round; shop and café hours vary (check before you go).
A year-round indoor market of food stalls and vendors. Check official hours before you go.
Season A year-round indoor market; check official hours before you go.
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
Part of our Calgary and the Badlands guides.
Hoodoos, the Royal Tyrrell Museum and the badlands.
Canmoreabout 75 min · Guide ↗The Three Sisters, Grassi Lakes and the door to the Rockies.
Photo: The Bow River and downtown Calgary, with the Peace Bridge and the Rockies on the horizon, DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The Peace Bridge over the Bow River, with the Calgary skyline and rafts on the water, DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: An aspen trail in autumn colour at Fish Creek Provincial Park, Bernard Spragg. NZ, CC0
Photo: The historic Main Street at Heritage Park Historical Village in winter, Thank you for visiting my page, CC BY 2.0
Photo: The tiled facade and skybridge of Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, Daniel from Glasgow, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
