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Attractions
Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre
197 First St. S.W. (downtown), Calgary.
403-262-5071
Daily 9 am-6 pm. Museum open daily 11 am-5 pm.
The center's replica of the Temple of Heaven's Hall of Prayers was built by artisans brought from Beijing to duplicate the column details, decorative painting and layered tiles of the original. The facility also contains a museum, a library of Chinese-language books, a gift shop, a restaurant and an herb-and-acupuncture business.
Calgary Tower
101 Ninth Ave. S.W. (downtown), Calgary.
Daily 8 am-10 pm.
Restaurant patrons must pay the fee to ride to the top of the tower.
403-266-7171.
When the tower was built by Husky Oil in 1968, it was the tallest building in Calgary at 626 ft. Although it no longer holds that distinction, the view from the observation deck or the revolving restaurant, the Panorama Room, is worth a visit. On a clear day, the view of the Rocky Mountains to the west is fantastic. The torch on top of the tower was built for the 1988 Olympic, and is lit for special occasions such as Canada Day celebrations on July 1.
Canada Olympic Park
88 Canada Olympic Road S.W. (off the TransCanada Highway,
15 minutes west of downtown),
Calgary.
403-247-5452
Admission varies with activities and time of year.
Mid May-early September, the Hall of Fame is open 8 am-8 pm; guided tours hourly 9 am-8 pm. The rest of the year, the hours are shorter (usually 10 am-5 or 6 pm), and fewer tours are offered. Call for details.
This facility, built for the 1988 Olympics, now includes an Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum, city views from atop the ski jump tower, mountain-bike park, and skiing and bobsledding facilities in winter.
Fort Calgary Historic Park
Early May-early October daily 9 am-5 pm (Deane House restaurant open year-round).
750 Ninth Ave. S.E. (at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers)
Calgary.
403-290-1875.
A replica of the Northwest Mounted Police fort built on this site in 1875. In addition to living-history activities, the park has an interpretive center, and kids can enjoy a treasure hunt, try on period costumes and be fitted with leg and arm cuffs, just as convicts were in the 1800s.
Stephen Avenue Walk
Eighth Avenue from First Street S.E. to Fourth Street S.W. (downtown)
Calgary.
403-266-5300.
A city treasure, this street (a portion of Eighth Avenue S.W). is famous for its sandstone and terra cotta buildings, which date to the late 1800s and early 1900s. During the past several years, the buildings have undergone substantial restoration, and many of the structures now contain shops, galleries and restaurants. You can pick up a booklet for a self-guided tour at the new City Hall information kiosk on Macleod Trail S.E. at the end of Stephen Avenue.
Aero Space Museum of Calgary
Guided tours available. Daily 10 am-5 pm.
4629 McCall Way N.E., Calgary.
403-250-3752.
This museum explores the surprisingly varied contributions of western Canada to aviation and space travel.
Calgary Police Service Interpretive Centre
316 Seventh Ave. S.E., Second Floor (in the Calgary police building, downtown),
Calgary.
403-268-4566.
September-June Monday 9 am-4 pm, Wednesday 12:30-4 pm, Saturday noon-4 pm; July-August Monday-Friday 9:30 am-4 pm, Saturday noon-4 pm. Can$2 adults. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
This interactive facility is a great place for children to learn about police work through hands-on exhibits, video games and educational films.
Calgary Science Centre
701 11th St. S.W. (downtown),
Calgary.
403-268-8300.
September-June Monday-Thursday 10-4 , Friday-Sunday 10 -5 ; July-August daily 9-6.
This museum will interest even the most unscientific minds with its hands-on exhibits, demonstrations, live theater, multimedia productions and planetarium.
Glenbow Museum
130 Ninth Ave. S.E. (downtown)
Calgary
403-268-4100.
Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm.
Three floors of exhibits and displays about western history and heritage, plus an art gallery with ever-changing displays and traveling exhibits. A permanent exhibition depicts the history and culture of the Blackfoot people. The Museum Shop offers a good selection of books and gifts.
Museum of the Regiments
4520 Crowchild Trail S.W., Calgary.
403-974-2853.
Monday-Thursday 9:30 am-9 pm, Friday-Sunday 9:30 am-4 pm.
Largest military museum in western Canada. High-tech displays and exhibits detail Canada's military history, including the exploits of the Northwest Mounted Police. There is an extensive on Canada's role in the Boer War.
SpacePort
2000 Airport Road N.E. (on the upper level at the Calgary International Airport)
Calgary.
403-717-7678.
Daily 9 am-9 pm. Free (except for a few rides that require an admission fee).
SpacePort is a perfect place to wait at the airport. Its displays and interactive exhibits include a quarter-scale model space shuttle on loan from NASA, a moon-rock exhibit, five flight and motion simulators, a "control tower" that lets you observe arriving and departing
jets on radar and a play area.
Nature
Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
2425 Ninth Ave. S.E.,
Calgary.
403-221-4500.
Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-4 pm. Free (donations requested
This 79-acre wildlife reserve has more than 250 species of birds and 300 species of plants, plus several kinds of mammals. Level walking trails wind through a forest along the Bow River and pass a peaceful lagoon. There is also a visitors' center.
Parks and Gardens
Devonian Gardens
This indoor garden on the fourth level of Toronto Dominion Square contains 20,000 individual plants (nearly 140 varieties) in 2.5 acres/1 hectare. With tree-lined plazas, waterfalls and fountains, it's a lovely place to stroll. Kids will enjoy feeding huge trout and cavorting on the playground. Daily 9 am-9 pm. Free. 317 Seventh Ave. S.W. (downtown), Calgary. Phone 403-221-3782. http://www.devonian.ualberta.ca.
Fish Creek Provincial Park
(Access from Bow Bottom Trail in the city's southeast quadrant).
403-297-5293.
Visitor Centre and Archeological Interpretive Centre are operated by the University of Calgary. Park open daily 8 am-6 pm, visitors centers open weekdays 8:15-noon and Saturday 1-4:30. Free.
This is Canada's largest urban park, stretching 6 miles through the city's southern reaches. Creekside pathways are suitable for cycling and walking. Wildlife is plentiful (deer, coyotes, even the occasional black bear). There are picnic sites and open spaces too.
Prince's Island Park
403-268-3888. Toll-free 800-661-1678.
This 50-acre/20-hectare island in the middle of the Bow River is connected to the city by several footbridges (the main one is at Eau Claire Market at the edge of downtown). Trails for walking or biking, a children's water park and lots of open play space. This is the site of several outdoor festivals, including the Calgary Folk Music Festival, CaribFest, Heritage Day celebrations and the Shakespeare in the Park theater series.
Calaway Park
245033 Range Road 33 (off the TransCanada Highway at the Springbank Road exit, 6 miles west of the Calgary city limits), Calgary.
403-240-3822.
Mid May-late June Friday 5-10 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-8 pm; late June-early September daily 10 am-8 pm; early September-mid October Saturday, Sunday and holidays 11 am-6 pm. Children's discounts available after 5 pm. Western Canada's largest amusement park, with 27 rides, live entertainment and plenty of food.
Heritage Park Historical Village
1900 Heritage Drive S.W. (on the east side of Glenmore Reservoir)
Calgary.
403-268-8500.
Mid May-mid September daily 9 -5 ; mid September-early October Saturday and Sunday 9 -5 . Admission in the summer includes free pancake breakfast 9-10 am.
There are more than 150 pre-1914 exhibits in this living-history village. Costumed staff help set the theme, and visitors can take a train tour and observe farm animals. Several restaurants and cafes are on the premises.
Calgary Zoo, Botanical Gardens and Prehistoric Park
1300 Zoo Road N.E. (on St. George's Island, east of downtown
Calgary Zoo stop on the light rail transit system),
Calgary.
403-232-9300. Toll-free 800-588-9993.
Daily 9 am-5 pm..
With its varied attractions, this complex is a top draw in Calgary. In addition to the usual complement of exotic animals, the zoo features a new Destination Africa Pavilion, a "habitat immersion experience" with an underwater hippo viewing area. The Prehistoric Park (open June-September) is a re-creation of Alberta during the dinosaur era, complete with life-size dinosaur statues.
Big Rock Brewery
5555 76th Ave. S.E.,
Calgary.
Phone 403-720-3239.
Tours take place at 1:30 pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, year-round. Reservations required, adults only
Alberta farmers grow some of the highest-quality malt barley in the world, and Calgary's best-known brewery does it proud, producing several excellent varieties. One-hour tours with a tasting at the end, give a look at the brewing process.
Elbow River Inn Casino
1919 Macleod Trail S. (across the street from the exhibition grounds for the Calgary Stampede), Calgary
403-266-4355. Toll-free 800-661-1463.
Daily 10 am-3 am, poker room open 24 hours.
Try your luck at bingo, blackjack, slot machines and roulette.
Frank Sisson's Silver Dollar Casino
1010 42nd Ave. S.E.
Calgary.
403-243-3000
In addition to the usual table games, slots and keno machines, there are three lounges with big-screen TVs, 40 bowling lanes and frequent live entertainment. Open daily, with slot machines available 10 am-3 am and the rest of the casino operating noon-1 am.
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