If you are looking for a new place to call home, Calgary is the perfect city! This Alberta real estate hub has plenty of things to offer, including excellent schools and universities. To learn more about this wonderful city, keep reading below.
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Area Information | Things To Do | Day Trips
About Calgary, AB
Calgary is the third most populous city in Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers and has a population of over 1.3 million. Calgary’s economy relies on oil production, which was first found there in 1902. The fossil fuel industry still plays an important role to this day but additional contributors include financial services, transportation and logistics, food processing, and retail trade industries among its major employers.
Calgary is a great place to settle if you love to spend time outdoors. Eighty percent of Calgary’s land area consists of green space with many parks for residents to enjoy. There are also plenty of cultural attractions around town, including museums like Glenbow Museum or theatre productions available at Theatre Calgary. More local favourites in Calgary include the Calgary Zoo, which has over 150 species of animals and the iconic Saddledome where everyone can see a live hockey game. Calgary is one of the sunniest cities in Canada with more than 240 sunny days per year. Residents enjoy all four seasons and especially love winter because Calgary has some of the most beautiful snow-capped mountains on its outskirts.
Education is highly valued and the city offers a number of different schooling options. There are more than 210 schools in Calgary that provide K-12 programs which include French immersion, academic focus, and the arts. The city offers two universities: University of Calgary and Mount Royal University that offer undergraduate programs in addition to post-secondary education opportunities in research and graduate work.
One of the most important considerations for anyone buying a property in Calgary is location. Calgary has some very distinct areas that can offer different lifestyles and amenities to suit your needs, from the Westside with its wide open spaces, to downtown where you’ll find city life and plenty of green space near rivers, to Chinatown which offers a completely different culture and cuisine. The average price for homes in Calgary currently sits at $439,267, and the majority of homes in the area are single-family dwellings.
Calgary Transportation
Calgary is a very walkable city, meaning that you can get to many of the attractions and neighbourhoods on foot. The C Train (or Calgary Transit) also provides excellent service throughout the downtown core and out into parts of northwest Calgary. Bicycles are available throughout the city if you want to explore the city on two wheels. Although, if you have your own car, there is an extensive network of highways, making it easy to get around Alberta’s largest metropolitan area with relative ease. The nearest airport is Calgary International Airport, offering flights to locations all over the world.
Distance to Nearby Cities
- 647 km (402 miles) to Surrey
- 281km (175 miles) to Edmonton
- 656 km (407 miles) to Burnaby
- 662km (411 miles) to Vancouver
Things To Do in Calgary, AB
Calgary is well-known for its outdoor activities and natural beauty. A day of skiing at Sunshine Village can be followed by an evening in Calgary’s lively downtown, or vice versa! Here are some of the best ways to spend the day in Calgary:
- Heritage Park Historical Village
- Heritage Park Historical Village is a living history museum that allows visitors to experience life as it was in Western Canada from 1885 onward. It’s also home to over 12 buildings with more than 30 historical exhibits showcasing Alberta’s early forestry and petroleum industries.
- The Calgary Zoo
- The Calgary Zoo is one of Canada’s largest and most popular zoological parks, with over 75 acres to explore. Along the way you’ll see elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, and other exotic animals from all around the world!
- Calgary Stampede
- The Calgary Stampede is a ten-day rodeo and festival held every July. It’s one of Canada’s most iconic festivals, with world-class athletes competing for prize money in various timed events like calf roping, steer wrestling, and barrel racing!
- Prince’s Island Park
- Prince’s Island Park is a 25 Acre central park at the edge of Calgary’s downtown, with an expansive network of pathways for walking and running. It also has some beautiful waterfalls in the summer!
- Glenbow Museum
- The Glenbow Museum, Canada’s only museum dedicated solely to the art of Western civilization and contemporary art from North America. It features over 30 permanent galleries including a Canadian History Hall with a recreated prairie town in 1909 Alberta!
- Bow River
- The Bow River is Calgary’s primary river, running through the middle of town. It offers a great place to walk or run and fish for trout in season! In addition, it has some beautiful parks along its banks: Prince’s Island Park, Eau Claire Plaza/Rimrocks Ledge, and Fish Creek Provincial Park are all along the river.
- Calgary Tower
- The Calgary Tower, once the tallest free-standing structure in Western Canada, is a terrific place to see all of downtown. It features an observation deck with panoramic views from up 110 stories!
- Studio Bell
- The newest addition to Calgary’s downtown, Studio Bell is a national Canadian landmark. It was designed by famed Montreal-based architect Moshe Safdie and houses the National Music Centre of Canada with three performance spaces for concerts, dance performances, and other events.
- Wonderland Sculpture Park
- Wonderland Sculpture Park is a private sculpture park with its own wildlife sanctuary in the middle of it. It features over 20 acres of open fields, gardens, and forest to explore!
- Bowness Park
- Bowness Park is the largest park in Calgary, spanning more than 400 acres. It offers everything from bicycle and kayak rentals to a playground with a water park!
- Stephen Avenue Walk
- Stephen Avenue Walk is Calgary’s downtown pedestrian mall lined with restaurants, shops, and hotels. It features the iconic façade of the historic Hudson Bay Company store!
Calgary Day Trips
There are several day trips from Calgary that give you a chance to explore the Canadian Rockies. Whether you have only a few hours or a whole weekend, there is plenty to see around Calgary.
- The Canadian Badlands
- The Canadian Badlands is a great day trip from Calgary. The badlands are home to many fossils and dinosaur bones, as well as the unique scenery of buttes made out of striated rock! Drumheller is the unofficial capital of the badlands, and a great day trip from Calgary. It features an impressive collection of dinosaur skeletons on display at its Royal Tyrrell Museum, Canada’s largest dinosaur museum!
- Banff National Park
- Banff National Park is a beautiful national park in Alberta, Canada. The name Banff comes from the Scottish Gaelic word for “bare mountain” and it’s famous for its long list of natural wonders! The iconic and picturesque spot is a must-see for any traveller to the area. Bears, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep are present in this beautiful park, for a unique experience you are sure to remember.
- Mossleigh
- Mossleigh is a small town in Alberta, Canada. This charming little place has seen significant growth recently and it’s getting more popular with locals and tourists alike! Mossleigh features an impressive agricultural scene of grain fields that are some of the best for growing in the province. Only an hour away from Calgary, there is very little light pollution in Mossleigh so it’s an excellent spot to try and catch the northern lights.
- Kananaskis
- Kananaskis is one of the most popular destinations in this province. This natural beauty has it all: river rapids for thrill seekers looking to get their adrenaline pumping, awe-inspiring mountain peaks and glacier valleys, and crystal blue lakes ripe with trout fishing opportunities. Kananaskis is only an hour drive from Calgary, and it’s an excellent place for a weekend getaway if you want to stay longer.
