Calgary Tour Guide with Attractions and Travel Tips

The country of Canada is huge and has so many surprises in store for you that you cannot even begin to imagine! Calgary is one of the largest cities in Canada. So, before traveling to this big city, it is good to know how to plan a  Calgary tour guide 

Calgary is quite popular because it has about 1 million tourists every year due to the Stampede event. It also has one of the biggest economic hubs in Alberta and is just a few hours away from the mesmerising view of Banff National Park. Read here to learn more about the Calgary Tour Guide. 

Entertainment in Calgary Tour Guide

Here is the list of things you can do. This will also help you in planning the perfect Calgary tour guide. 

• Walking Tour

The perfect way to see any city’s insights, local life, and some highlights is by taking a walk. You can also meet a local guide to answer all your queries and give you some travel tips. You can simply walk the YYC run and get a free tour of the city. 

• Prince’s Island Park

The Prince Island park is situated near the Bow River and spread across fifty acres. Free events and festivals year-round, like Shakespeare in the Park and the Calgary Folk Music Festival, are celebrated here. You can also run, hike, ski, and enjoy a picnic in the flower gardens and plenty of space to relax. 

• Fish Creek Provincial Park

Fish Creek is also established alongside the Bow River. It is an excellent location for cycling, rollerblading, and walking. People visit this place to swim, fish, and enjoy the barbecues. One can also enjoy snowshoeing and skiing across the country.

• Nightlife of Kensington

The Northwest part of Calgary offers amazing nightlife. Kensington is a small place with trendy bars, shops, and restaurants – a great place to chill with family and friends.

• Brewery Hopping

If you are a big fan of craft beer or handmade beer, then Calgary has a lot in store for you. There are lots of small breweries, brewpubs, and craft beer markets. 

• Calgary Flames

Hockey is a religion in Canada. People love to play hockey, especially since one of the Canadian teams playing in the NHL is from Calgary. One-person ticket will be around CAD $35, but within this amount, you can treat yourself to a beer at the bar.

• Food Tour

You can enjoy the finest food in Calgary by taking a food tour with Alberta Food Tours. There are different expeditions that include the Calgary Farmers’ Market tour and a walk through the Inglewood neighbourhood. You can also enjoy poutine, cheeses, charcuterie, sweet treats, drinks, and much more. 

• Heritage Park Historical Village

You can visit a thriving museum, Heritage Park, which displays Western Canadian history from the eras of the 1860s to the 1950s. Here, you can enjoy the steam engine ride, learn to make old-fashioned ice cream, chat with actors dressed as prairie settlers, and much more. The ticket price is CAD$30 for one person.

• Wander Eau Claire Market

The Wander Eau Claire market is an indoor market with various restaurants, shops, and food courts. In the summer, they have swimming pools and a playground for kids. Balloon animals, live music, or puppet shows are all there to entertain you.

• Family of Man Sculptures

The Family of Man Sculptures is a compilation of ten aluminium cast sculptures weighing 1500 pounds each and standing 21 ft. tall. It’s quite a sight enclosed by skyscrapers and commercial buildings. These sculptures were dedicated to Calgary in the year 1969.

• Top of the Calgary Tower

The Calgary Tower was constructed in 1967. It is 191 metres high and celebrates Canada’s Centennial. It is the central attraction of Calgary with an amazing view of the Rocky Mountains. Furthermore, the observation deck is built with a glass floor and looks terrifying yet exhilarating. The ticket is CAD$18. 

Travel Costs in Calgary Tour Guide

To know how to plan a trip to Calgary effectively, you can check the charges for staying, food, and lodging and use the below-written travel tips before visiting Calgary.

• Hostel Costs

There are very few hostels in Calgary, and they usually have 4 to 6 beds in a room for CAD$45 every night, whereas a dorm with 8 or more beds will cost you CAD$40. 

If you choose to stay in a private hostel room, then the starting price is CAD $97 for two people for each night, and it goes up to CAD$135. In fact, during the Stampede event, prices increase by 50% and all the hostels are sold out as well. However, if you are camping outside the city, then you have to pay CAD$30 every night. RV plots cost approximately CAD $55 each night. 

• Budget Hotel Costs

The price for budget hotels started at CAD$85 and none of them were close to the city centre. To be closer to town, you have to pay exactly CAD$110 for each night. 

Budget hotels are listed on Airbnb in Calgary, with a starting price of CAD$45 to CAD$60 for a private room every night. However, for an entire apartment or home, you might have to pay CAD$85 to CAD$125 every night. 

• Yummy Food

The food and cuisine of Calgary offer an expansive range that includes lots of dishes belonging to different cultures! In Calgary, beef is one of the most loved foods. Bison meat is typically ordered with fresh berries in the summer. Canadian staple foods include beaver tails, fried dough, along with maple syrup, Canadian bacon, poutine, and ketchup chips. Here, food trucks serve the best and most tasty food. 

Travel Tips on Saving Money: Calgary Tour Guide

Calgary may not be an expensive place like Toronto or Vancouver, but it’s not cheap either. If you know how to plan a Calgary tour guide and save some money, you can enjoy the free activities; otherwise, things will be costly. You can take the following steps to perform cost-cutting:

• • It is good for you to find a Couchsurfing host so that you can stay for free. This will help you save money, and if you join with a local, you can get better travel tips.
  • You can try to cover all the nearby places by taking walking tours. It is good for you to walk the YYC. Or you can book a ‘greeter’ from Calgary. These are normally local volunteers who help you walk around the city. 
  • Stampede is one of the renowned festivals in Calgary, but it is quite expensive. During this event, the price of everything rises, which can make you spend more on your tour. But if you are there to enjoy the Stampede, make sure to take advantage of the city’s famous pancakes.
  • It is good for you to discover and look for all the free Calgary street festivals. You can check the dates on Calgary’s website.
  • You can enjoy outdoor activities like walking, biking, relaxing in parks, and many more. You can save a lot of money if you just enjoy the natural beauty of Calgary.
  • In Calgary, tap water is safe to drink thus, make sure to use reusable water bottles to save money. 

How to Travel Around Calgary?

There are several ways which you can use to commute around the city and enjoy each and every corner. Here are the best ways to know how to plan a trip to Calgary and enjoy the travel. 

• Taxi

Taxis are quite expensive here, with the base price around CAD$3.80 and an additional CAD$1.66 for every kilometre afterwards. Since prices add up quickly, it is better to avoid them while planning a Calgary tour guide.

• Car Rental

The cost of booking a car rental starts at CAD$35 per day or booking it for multiple days. However, it is better to book one when you are leaving the city to explore more of the outskirts nearby. Also, you have to pay for parking during your day trip. 

• Ride-Sharing

Apart from booking taxis or rental rides, you can also use Uber to move around Calgary. Here, Uber is cheaper in price, but as a tourist, it might cost you above your dedicated budget. 

• Bicycle

Most of the places in Calgary are approachable via bicycle paths. It has around 850 kilometres of cycling pathways. Also, all the major streets are designed with bike lanes. 

In Calgary, a public bike-sharing programme helps tourists rent e-bikes to go around the city and enjoy the local sights. This program’s name is Lime Bike. You have to download the application and search for a bike and use it for CAD$1. After that, you will be charged CAD$0.30 for every minute, which means a half an hour journey will cost you CAD$10. 

• Public Transportation

Public transport in Calgary is well-developed and planned so that you can go anywhere in the city. You can use cash and buy a ticket on the bus or purchase them from supermarkets, drug stores, and shops. The prices start at CAD$3.50 for one way, or you can directly pay CAD$11 for a daily pass. However, a one-way fare is eligible only for ninety minutes. 

You can also use LRT (Light Rail Transit) lines, known as C-Train. There are two LRT lines in Calgary. You can buy the tickets using cash or credit at any C-Train station. The prices are the same as for the bus rides. 

Right Time to Visit Calgary

Calgary is not really overcrowded with tourists compared to other popular cities like Toronto and Vancouver, except in July due to the Stampede festival. Visiting Calgary in the summer and spring is the best time. You can plan your trip from May to September as these are the preferable months to visit. During this time, the average minimum temperature is 23°C and sometimes it is 30°C or more.

Furthermore, it is possible for you to see snow in the month of September. Just don’t be surprised! In Calgary, winters are harsh and the average temperature reaches -11°C to -14°C. But this is the best time for Calgarynians to enjoy all the snow sports. Here, people hit the slopes near Kananaskis and Banff whenever they are free. If you are into snow sports, embrace these cold winters and make some memories for a lifetime!

Wrap Up

We hope now you have a clear picture on how to plan a trip to Calgary. It is a beautiful city with so much in store. Don’t wait and book your tickets! Flying in thein summer is the perfect time to experience the Stampede event.

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Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

Q1. How many days should you spend in Calgary?

Ans. You can spend almost two days in Calgary or a maximum of three to enjoy the city completely. With three days in hand, you can enjoy every site, occasion, event, and historical site in the city.

Q2. What is the best time to visit Calgary?

Ans. The best time to visit Calgary is from June to August. Most of the events of this place take place between these months. Furthermore, November to March is also a good time to visit Calgary for skiing.

Q3. Is Calgary expensive to travel to?

Ans. You have to spend around CA$169 or $131 every day while you are on vacation in Calgary. It is the daily average price based on the expenses of other visitors. Here, on average, tourists spend CA$34 on meals each day, and CA$14 on transportation.

Q4. What is the hottest month in Calgary?

Ans. July is the hottest month in Calgary, Canada.

Q5. What languages are spoken in Calgary?

Ans. English and French are the most spoken languages in Calgary, Canada. Make sure you know both English and the basics of the French language while planning your trip to Calgary.

Q6. How do people dress for the Calgary Stampede?

Ans. For dressing for the Calgary Stampede, short dresses are ideal so that you can show off your tall cowboy-inspired boots. You can wear low-heel ankle boots, which are quite comfortable to wear.