Calgary is Alberta's largest city and Canada's third-largest, and is near where the prairies end and the foothills begin. That makes it the eastern gateway to the Rocky Mountains and an important centre of trade and tourism for the western prairies. It is your best point of access for Banff and Jasper, and a worthwhile destination in its own right.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Calgary was founded as Fort Brisebois by the Northwest Mounted Police (NWMP) in 1875. (The name was changed to Fort Calgary in 1876, named after Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull.) The NWMP was sent west to ensure that Canada would not have an American-style "Wild West". Grave concerns about this were raised after the Cypress Hills Massacre of natives by drunken wolf hunters in 1873. Calgary was one of several forts established in Western Canada by the NWMP to ensure a police presence before the arrival of settlers. In 1883, the railway reached Calgary. It started to grow in every direction and became an agricultural and business hub.
It can be fairly easy to get to most destinations of interest by bus and/or light rail transit (LRT, trams). In the downtown core, 7th Avenue South is for public transit only. Calgary's public transit system was established in 1909. The first leg of Calgary's LRT (tram) system was completed in 1987 as part of preparation for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Today, the LRT lines are the backbone of Calgary Transit. Calgary's LRT is called the C-Train (or CTrain) and runs reliably, frequently, and is entirely accessible, with elevators at every station.
Individual listings can be found in Calgary's district articles The pamphlet titled "Calgary attractions" has discount coupons for 14 tourist attractions. Some coupons are modest such as $1 off Calgary Tower admission, but others can be substantial such as 50% off a second admission to Heritage Park Historical Village. The pamphlet is available at the Tourism Calgary airport kiosk (arrival level) or in the ground floor lobby of the Calgary Tower.(Jun 2016) Calgary Tower (in City Centre). The Calgary Tower may not be quite as impressive as the CN Tower in Toronto, but it still commands a great view over the city and its surroundings. On a clear day you can see the Rockies to the west.
In date order: Calgary Stampede, Stampede Park (in City Centre), ☏ +1 403-269-9822, toll-free: +1-800-661-1767. (July, 10 days). During Stampede Week, the whole city goes western! During "the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", there are events all around the city, but the highlights are the rodeo and chuckwagon races which boast the world's richest prizes, as well as a performance of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride. Over the years concerns have been raised about the treatment of animals at the event. 1 High Performance Rodeo (in City Centre).
Individual listings can be found in Calgary's district articles Calgary offers a wide variety of dining options. While Calgary doesn't have a single signature dish, residents are very proud of Alberta beef, and Calgarians are discerning customers of steakhouses. Speaking of beef, the popular Chinese-Canadian dish of ginger beef was invented in Calgary in the 1970s.
Individual listings can be found in Calgary's district articles Calgary is the original home of the Caesar cocktail, sometimes called Canada's national cocktail. There are many bars throughout the city, although the core is where the trendiest clubs are. There is also the ever-popular 17th Avenue SW (in City Centre), home to the Red Mile. CRAFT Beer Market. 100 local and international beers, including a one-of-a-kind weekly cask brew, and an extensive list of wine, cocktails and spirits. Three locations throughout Calgary. National. Restaurant & entertainment venue inspired by North American tastes, with games and events, extraordinary food, and select craft beers.
Although Calgary is generally a very safe place, walking at night should be avoided in the East Village and Victoria Park areas of downtown (generally speaking, this is the area adjacent to the Stampede Grounds and north to the Bow River). Calgary's 2011 murder rate of 1.1 murders per 100,000 inhabitants was, for example, roughly one-tenth the murder rate of Minneapolis and one-twentieth that of Memphis. Always keep your wits about you when the bars close, regardless of the area of town. Calgary drivers are typical drivers for a mid-sized western North American city. Culturally, Calgary is a mash-up of small town culture and big city living, and driving in Calgary is no exception.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Calgary typically sees ~21°C daytime highs and 16 rainy days.
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