Nine must-do highlights of Calgary, Canada
The winner
Calgary’s noteworthy skyline.
Reflecting its wealth as an oil and gas hub, Calgary’s modern skyscrapers, including the 1960s Calgary Tower, form a noteworthy skyline. But the most inventive construction is the central branch of the Calgary Public Library. Opened in 2018, this award-winning building houses its collection (and more) over five levels of bookie paradise.
Calgary’s library is a magnet for bookworms.
The exterior, a series of modular hexagons, is remarkable enough, but the modern interior raises the bar: public spaces follow an ellipse-shaped layout and include an airy reading room with a reinterpreted “dome”, a kids’ area and waist-high bookshelves. Don’t miss the “bookscalator” and the short story dispenser. It’s a magnet for community members and bookworms. See calgarylibrary.ca
The hotel
The Westley delivers on its tagline “Vintage Vibes. Modern Times”. Opened in 2021, this charming Hilton Tapestry Collection hotel occupies a smartly converted low-rise 1970s office building; thick concrete walls mean no noise and a fabulous night’s sleep. The interior design follows a chic mid-century theme with pink and mustard hues and brass trims, and geometric details in the carpets and tiles. Great beds and stylish furniture seal the deal. The location is handy to the Bow River and Kensington, a hip neighbourhood. See thewestleyhotel.com
The museum
Located in downtown’s East Village, Studio Bell is home to the National Music Centre where the interactive installations cover all things relating to Canada’s music scene and beyond: Canadian Halls of Fame, Randy Bachman’s “American Woman” guitar and Elton John’s songwriting piano. But it’s the building’s extraordinary design that hits the right note – it replicates the interior of an instrument – so even if music isn’t your thing, the architecture is worth going for alone. See studiobell.ca
The restaurant
Sky-high at Major Tom.
The wow factor of any visit to Major Tom starts with an ear-popping elevator ride that delivers you to the 40th Floor. On entry? Floor-to-ceiling windows provide expansive city and sunset vistas, and the mid-century style decor creates a stylish ambience. That’s before you’ve taken your seat in one of several discrete areas; low-slung chairs and tables creatively divide an otherwise expansive space. The cuisine? Expect a fresh take on Calgarian standards (Angus steak) plus their own dishes (tots with smoked sturgeon with red pickled onions, and scallop crudo with honeydew melon, basil and jalapeno). There’s an excellent wine and cocktail list, too. See majortombar.ca
The neighbourhood
Located east of Downtown and the Elbow River, Inglewood, Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood, has an attractive strip of locally owned boutiques, shops and cafes. Indigenous-focused Moonstone Creation sells beautiful gifts. The Next Page, a gorgeous Harry Potteresque bookshop has floating ladders, antique typewriters and great book titles. And Neighbour Coffee serves great coffee and sandwiches. Don’t miss Smithbilt, home to the Western hat where you can select ready-made headwear off the rack or have a custom fitting. For footwear, head to Alberta Boot Company in the city centre.
The tour
It’s impossible to stick to one tour here; these two are “must dos”. Covering everything from the Eau Claire waterfront to Calgary’s downtown, Calgary Walks & Bus Tours does fabulous one-hour trips providing historic and cultural context to city sites, as well as the best viewpoints and local secrets, from public art to Calgary’s Plus 15 network (see below). Foodies, however, should get their teeth (and bellies) into local culture and community with Alberta Food Tours. You can munch your way through various locales, including the hip neighbourhood of Kensington, or local farmers’ markets. See calgarywbtours.com and albertafoodtours.ca
The Stampede
Calgary is famous for the Calgary Stampede, a multi-day extravaganza with rodeo and chuckwagon races, show rides, dance performances and cultural events celebrating Alberta’s First Nations, Western cowboys and cowgirls and the wider community. But if you’ve wanted to learn about this fascinating spectacle outside of official show dates, on-the-ground experiences or information have been limited. That is about to change: opening around May, 2024, the newly constructed Sam Centre will showcase the stories of the people and cultures behind the Stampede through interactive exhibits and storytelling. samcentre.calgarystampede.com
The cocktail
According to Calgarians, “any time of day is a good time” for a Caesar cocktail, a drink invented in the 1960s, which is a blend of clamato (clam and tomato juice), Worcestershire sauce and a spirit. One of Calgary’s favourite places to indulge in this concoction is The Beltliner, a classic diner with a “Caesar Bar”. The menu’s “Build it up” section lists pepperoni sticks, sausage, bacon, cheese skewers, olives and even a cupcake (yes, really). These so-called garnishes (a meal unto themselves) hang off the glass for the ultimate hangover cure. See thebeltliner.com
The family outing
Heritage Park – Canada’s largest living history experience.
Known as Canada’s largest living history experience, the 51-hectare Heritage Park is a family-focused option where you step into Western Canadian history of the 1860s to 1930s and mingle with costumed folk such as fur traders, railway staff and prairie town locals. Crowd favourites include a steam train and a vintage motor museum with original gas pumps. Signage explains the park sites, but taking a one-hour guided tour for $C10 ($11.20) is the best way to get your head around the period. See heritagepark.ca
One more thing
Calgary’s Plus 15 network is a series of 86 enclosed bridges and walkways (with shops and cafes) that link about 16 kilometres downtown, meaning you can explore the city while avoiding freezing winter temperatures. Look for the “+15″ signs at street level. See calgaryplus15.com
The writer was a guest of Tourism Calgary.
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