Top sights in Calgary to enjoy after the move

Calgary is Alberta’s largest city, the oil capital of Canada, as well as one of the country’s main financial centers. The city has a long and storied history as well as a funny nickname – Cowtown. Of course, the nickname is there to pay homage to the city’s history and it certainly does not represent the current state of affairs. If you’ve hired province to province movers to help you relocate to Alberta, you will have plenty of time to enjoy everything it has to offer. There is no shortage of top sights in Calgary to explore, from the plethora of amazing parks to the famous Calgary Stampede. In this article, we will detail the top 15 sights but there are many more to be discovered.

15 top sights in Calgary that you can enjoy after the move

Making this list has been somewhat difficult. There are so many attractions that we wanted to include. But the staff at Centennial Moving ultimately decided on these fifteen sights:

• The Calgary Stampede
• The Military Museums
• Fish Creek Provincial Park
• Rocky Mountaineer rail tour
• Calgary Tower
• Banff & Lake Louise
• Glenbow Museum
• Studio Bell
• The Hangar Flight Museum
• Devonian Gardens
• Spruce Meadows
• Calgary Zoo
• Heritage Park
• Prince’s Island Park
• Bowness Park

Calgary is famous for its national parks.

As you may notice, there are quite a few parks on our list. The reason for that is that Calgary is famous for having excellent national parks and the fact that these locations offer a great variety of activities. Whether you’re into hiking, sightseeing, or even skiing, these locations will allow you to make the most out of it. Furthermore, each park is distinct and unique. But if you are more into city entertainment, there is no shortage of it within the city proper. There are amazing restaurants all across the city, catering to every taste, as well as modern shopping malls and everything else you might expect from a big city.

That being said, Calgary is a big city with a heart and soul of a small one. It offers an entirely different feeling from Toronto, for example, something that all moving companies Toronto to Calgary can attest to. The city’s residents might enjoy all the luxuries of the modern age but they do not forget the times when Calgary earned the nickname “Cowtown”. With this in mind, the first thing you will want to visit is:

The Calgary Stampede

This event traces its roots all the way to the 1880s. It takes place in the summer (usually July) and lasts for ten whole days. The Calgary Stampede is otherwise known as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”. It includes all sorts of activities and entertainment, all centered around rodeo and cowboy activities. The Calgary Stampede attracts huge crowds, up to million people at times. Everyone dresses for the part, too, and you can see blue jeans and colorful Stetsons everywhere. If you are moving from Montreal to Calgary, this event might seem even more grandiose! There are all sorts of attractions such as rodeo competitions, concerts, stage shows, chuck wagon races, and so on.

The Calgary Stampede offers an authentic Rodeo experience.

The easiest way to get to the venue, Stampede Park, is to simply drive there. There is no shortage of parking spots, even when the crowds are the thickest. Of course, you can also utilize public transportation, which is more than decent in the city. If you don’t happen to catch the Stampede before you relocate, don’t worry. You will be able to enjoy the venue by attending a concert or simply taking a guided tour. But the real fun starts in July. The Calgary Stampede is definitely one of the top sights in Calgary, if not the very best!

The Military Museums

Calgary is very proud of its military heritage. Its military museums showcase the history of the Canadian Armed Forces, including the navy and air forces, as well as the main army. The museums offer a very interactive experience, allowing you to walk through authentic WWI trenches or steer a sheep from the safety of a wheelhouse. You will also have the opportunity to gaze upon tanks and read authentic books from the WWI era. Lastly, you can attend one of the various lectures or events that are being held throughout the year. Oh, and there is a gift shop as well.

If you have any interest in the military, The Military Museums is where you will get your “fix”. The whole experience is extremely educational, and the sights are amazing. There is something about looking at a massive vehicle that was used to shoot explosive charges at the enemy, after all.

Fish Creek Provincial Park

The first national park on our list is the Fish Creek Provincial Park. This is Canada’s second-largest urban park, featuring a 14-square-kilometer area far south of Calgary. This park offers exceptionally pleasant walking trails that go all along the creek and well into the forest areas. It provides an excellent opportunity to “connect to nature”. The park itself is a designated natural area, meaning that over two hundred different species call it home. There is no shortage of amazing sights within the park, that’s for sure.

There are even a few designated fishing spots!

But to enjoy the park to the fullest, you will want to be fully rested and have plenty of energy. A relocation usually saps much of your energy, unless you hire one of the top relocation services Canada has to offer. By having your movers do all of the work for you, you will be able to be fresh and ready for all of the top sights in Calgary!

Rocky Mountaineer rail tour

But if you want to experience amazing sights while being seated comfortably, the Rocky Mountaineer rail tour is right up your alley. This tour runs between Vancouver and Calgary and it cuts through the Rocky Mountains. This means that you will be able to view the amazing Three Sisters, an absolutely gorgeous grouping of mountain peaks, as well as see Lake Louise in all its glory. As far as unique sights go, this rail tour offers you the most comfortable way to experience them.

There is but one small “catch”. Due to the tremendous popularity of the rail tour, it can be difficult to get a ticket for the time of your choosing. Ideally, you will want to plan your trip well in advance. This is doubly true if you want to experience the tour in the GoldLeaf dome car.

Calgary Tower

Back in the city itself, the Calgary Tower’s viewing platform with a glass floor offers an unrivaled view of the city. To be perfectly honest, you may want to start your sightseeing from the tallest structure in the city. The view is absolutely stunning, made even more beautiful at night due to the careful tower illumination.

The Calgary Tower offers the best view of the city!

Banff & Lake Louise

Moving on, if you are looking for a weekend getaway, there is no better place in Calgary than Banff. While not technically in the city, Banff and Lake Louise are considered to be top sights in Calgary. If you had your car movers Canada relocate your vehicle for you, you can drive to Banff within 90 minutes. Meaning that you can experience the sights even without committing to a full weekend. But that would be a real shame, as there is so much to experience within the area. And the route itself provides truly gorgeous sights as well.

When you make it to the town of Banff, your adventure will truly begin. You will have the opportunity to explore to your heart’s content, being greeted with one amazing sight after another. Just make sure to pay Lake Louise a visit as well. People from all around the world come there to take a selfie! The magnificent turquoise waters and snowcapped mountains make for a one-in-a-kind experience.

Glenbow Museum

But if nature is not your “cup of tea”, you may want to give the Glenbow Museum a chance. This museum will take you back in time, showing you how the fur traders of old earned their keep, as well as educate you on the Metis uprisings and the development of the oil industry. This might even prompt you to consider the benefits of warehouse Canada solutions! Furthermore, the museum hosts temporary exhibitions from all across the globe and offers guided tours and educational programs.

Studio Bell

If you want to combine top sights with amazing sounds, Studio Bell is the place to go. The state-of-the-art facility traces its roots to 1987 and houses a large number of music-related exhibits. The Canadian Music Hall of Fame is there, as is the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. All in all, there are more than two thousand artifacts related to music, including some of the rarest instruments on the planet. There is even a recording studio that used to belong to the Rolling Stones!

Studio Bell has some authentic Rolling Stones memorabilia!

The Hangar Flight Museum

For those that are interested in Canadian aviation (and, really, pretty much everyone else) the Hangar Flight Museum offers an unforgettable experience. The museum focuses on the history of Western Canada’s aviation and has 24 helicopters and planes. What started as a small museum opened by Canadian WWII pilots grew to become one of the top sights in Calgary!

Devonian Gardens

The Core Shopping Center in Calgary holds a “secret”. On its 4th level, visitors can find a veritable floral paradise. Devonian Gardens cover around one hectare and feature more than five hundred trees, as well as several fish ponds, fountains, and even a 900 sq. ft. living wall!

Devonian Gardens, with their 10,000 plants under a glass ceiling roof, definitely make for one of the top sights in Calgary. There is also a children’s playing area for the little ones.

Spruce Meadows

If you enjoyed the Calgary Stampede, you will definitely want to pay Spruce Meadows a visit as well. This venue offers tours of the stables, as well as the opportunity to watch champions while they train. But simply strolling the gorgeous grounds is a sight of its own. Still, you will definitely want to visit Spruce Meadows during an equestrian tournament. Tournaments usually happen in the spring but there are indoor competitions during the other three seasons as well.

Watch champions as they train!

Calgary Zoo

If you are looking for some old-fashioned family fun, The Calgary Zoo is the perfect place for it. It is one of the most popular attractions in the city, with more than 1,000 animals divided between over 270 or so species. The best time to visit is the spring, of course, but the Calgary Zoo is a sight to behold in any season. You will enjoy visiting the Destination Afrida, Canadian Wilds, and Land of Lemurs sections. Oh, and there are pandas, too!

Heritage Park

The Heritage Park is much more than your average, run-of-the-mill park. It is in fact a village from the pioneering period, featuring historical buildings from several time periods. Some of the unique sights you will have access to include the fur-trading fort from 1860, and taking a ride on an old steam engine. Apart from those, you can also take part in a scenic crouse across the Glenmore Reservoir and visit the Gasoline Alley Museum. The latter will allow for interactive experiences with vintage vehicles and is definitely one of the top sights in Calgary!

Prince’s Island Park

We did mention that Calgary is famous for its parks. The Prince’s Island Park is special in the way that it is set on an island. Furthermore, the proximity to Eau Claire Market (one of the other top sights in Calgary) makes it even more popular. The park offers excellent biking and walking areas and hosts a number of concerts throughout the summer.

Bowness Park

The last in our list of top sights in Calgary is Bowness Park. This park offers a unique experience in the winter, also known as “ice biking”. Other winter activities include cross-country skiing, hockey, as well as curling. Bowness Park is also one of the best picnic and barbecue spots in Calgary, meaning that you can enjoy the park throughout any season. Calgary takes great care of its parks, after all, and they are there to provide you with amazing sights all year long.