Calgary, Alberta
The oil town that grew a skyline and kept its hat on
Calgary is Canada's energy capital, a young, rich, orderly city on the edge of the Rockies that has boomed and bust with the price of oil for a century. It is more interesting than its reputation, and knows it.
The North-West Mounted Police built Fort Calgary where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet in 1875, on Blackfoot land, and the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived in 1883 and decided where the town would be. Ranching came first — the Stampede, begun in 1912, is the ranching city celebrating itself — and then oil: Turner Valley in 1914, Leduc in 1947, and the head-office boom that followed made Calgary the corporate capital of the Canadian energy industry, whatever Edmonton thinks. The 1988 Winter Olympics gave it a saddle-shaped arena, a ski jump and a sense of arrival. It has grown fast and repeatedly, passing a million people around 2006 and heading past 1.5 million now, with each oil boom drawing a wave from Atlantic Canada and then from everywhere else, and each bust leaving empty towers and a debate about diversifying.
The rivers organise it. Downtown sits in the angle of the Bow and Elbow: a grid of glass towers, the Calgary Tower, the Stephen Avenue pedestrian mall and the +15 skywalk that links the buildings above the winter street. The Beltline, just south, is the dense apartment-and-bar district, and 17th Avenue is its main street. Kensington, across the Bow to the north-west, is the walkable village; Inglewood, east along the river, has the oldest commercial street and the vintage-and-brewery quarter. Beyond the inner city the map is suburbs — vast, planned, low-density, with quadrant addresses (NW, NE, SW, SE) that are the only way to find anything — laid out to the ring road and the foothills. The Rockies stand along the western horizon on any clear day, and Banff is roughly 90 minutes up the Trans-Canada.
The Stampede in July is ten days of rodeo, chuckwagon races, pancake breakfasts and the whole city in a cowboy hat, bankers included; it is corny, enormous and taken seriously. The Flames and the Saddledome — a new arena is under construction next door — are the winter passion, and the Stampeders play CFL football at McMahon Stadium. The cultural scene has grown with the money: the Glenbow museum after a long rebuild, Studio Bell's national music centre, a theatre district around Arts Commons and a summer folk festival on Prince's Island. The food is better than outsiders expect — Alberta beef, certainly, but also large Vietnamese, Filipino, Chinese and Punjabi communities in the north-east and a restaurant row along 17th Avenue. It is an outdoor city: river pathways, skiing an hour away, and a chinook wind that can lift the temperature by 20 degrees in an afternoon.
The hard parts are the economy's dependence on oil and gas, which sets the mood and the office vacancy rate, and the winter — long, dry, bright and cold, with January snaps below minus 30 and chinooks that give and take back. Transit is a two-line LRT and buses, good for the core and the university and inadequate for most of the sprawl, so a car is standard. Provincial politics are conservative and the city keeps up a running quarrel with Ottawa about pipelines. Housing was a bargain until recently; a wave of arrivals from Ontario and British Columbia has pushed prices up sharply, though it remains far cheaper than Vancouver or Toronto. What it offers is a clean, safe, sunny, well-run city with high wages, no provincial sales tax, the Rockies within reach and the plainest, friendliest big-city manners in Canada.
Where People Live
Downtown & Eau Claire
The towers, Stephen Avenue's restaurants and the +15 walkways, then Eau Claire and Prince's Island Park on the Bow, with the Peace Bridge across to the north bank.
The Beltline & 17th Avenue
Apartment blocks and the city's densest run of restaurants and bars along 17th — the 'Red Mile' when the Flames are in the playoffs. Where Calgary goes out.
Kensington
Across the Bow: cafés, bookshops and pubs on 10th Street and Kensington Road, a ten-minute walk from downtown and the closest thing to a village.
Inglewood & Ramsay
9th Avenue SE is the oldest commercial street — vintage shops, breweries, music rooms, the bird sanctuary on the river — with Ramsay's workshops and studios up the hill.
Mission & Cliff Bungalow
4th Street SW's restaurants along the Elbow River, Lindsay Park and the old Catholic mission; old money in the houses, young professionals in the flats.
Bridgeland & the East Village
Bridgeland's Italian-turned-brunch village on the north bank, and the East Village's new towers, Studio Bell and the Central Library, the building the city is proudest of.
The North-East
Marlborough, Forest Lawn and the airport-side suburbs: the international city — Vietnamese, Filipino, Punjabi, Chinese — and the best cheap eating in Alberta along 17th Avenue SE.
Must-see attractions
Scotiabank Saddledome
555 Saddledome Rise SE, Calgary, AB T2G 2W1
North Glenmore Park
7305 Crowchild Trail SW, Calgary, Alberta
Douglasbank Park
2191 Douglasbank Crescent SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 2J4
Heritage Pointe Golf Club
1 Heritage Pointe Dr, Heritage Pointe, AB T1S 4H1
Calgary Stampede Park
1410 Olympic Way SE, Calgary, AB T2G 2W1
Wonderland at the Bow
110 6 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0G2
Eat & drink
Blondies Cabaret
Restaurant — 736 10 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0A9
Cowboys Casino
Restaurant
Made by Marcus
Restaurant
Sugar Showroom
Restaurant
River Café, Prince's Island Park, Calgary
Restaurant — 25 Prince's Island Park, SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0R1
Restaurants & places to go
OEB
breakfast restaurants · . CalgaryðŸ“222 5 Ave SWðŸ“825 1 Ave NEðŸ“2207 4 St SW EdmontonðŸ“10174 100A StðŸ“10240 124 St VancouverðŸ“1137 Marinaside Cres… · eatoeb.com
GRETA Bar, Calgary
sports bars, sports bars, arcades, arcade games · gretabar.com
Mad Rose Pub
15 Royal Vista Place NW, Calgary, AB T3R 0P3 · madrose.pub
Vendome Calgary
deserts, sweets · vendomecafe.com
WinSport
bobsledding · 88 Canada Olympic Road SW, Calgary, AB T3B 5R5 · winsport.ca
The Dumpling Hero
lobster dumplings
Knoxvilles
calgary nightclubs, country music
Airports
Calgary International Airport (YYC) 9.4 km to the centre
2000 Airport Rd NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6W5 — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 15 airlines (WestJet, Air Canada, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines…) · direct flights to 59 destinations incl. Edmonton, London, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 15 airlines, 59 direct destinations
- WestJet WS (737-700, 737-800, 736, Dash 8-400) · 37 routes: Abbotsford, Brandon, Cancun, Chicago, Comox, Dallas-Fort Worth, Edmonton, Fort Mcmurray, Fort Saint John, Grande Prairie, Halifax, Hamilton, Kamloops, Kelowna, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Montreal, Nanaimo, New York, Orlando, Ottawa, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Prince George, Puerto Vallarta, Regina, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose Del Cabo, Saskatoon, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Waterloo, Windsor, Winnipeg
- Air Canada AC (A319, A320, CRJ, Dash 8-400, Dash 8-300, Embraer 190…) · 34 routes: Cancun, Castlegar*, Chicago*, Cranbrook*, Denver*, Edmonton*, Fort Mcmurray*, Frankfurt, Grande Prairie*, Houston*, Kamloops*, Kelowna*, Las Vegas, Lethbridge*, London, Los Angeles, Medicine Hat*, Montreal, Newark, Ottawa, Portland*, Puerto Vallarta, Red Deer Industrial, Regina*, San Francisco*, San Jose Del Cabo, Saskatoon*, Tokyo, Toronto, Vancouver, Varadero, Victoria*, Winnipeg*, Yellowknife*
- American Airlines AA (737, A319, 737-800, 767, M83, MD-80) · 8 routes: Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas, London*, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, San Diego
- Delta Air Lines DL (737-700, A319, A330-200, 736, 737-800, CRJ-700…) · 8 routes: Amsterdam*, Chicago*, Dallas-Fort Worth*, Las Vegas*, Los Angeles*, Minneapolis, New York*, Salt Lake City*
- Air Transat TS (330) · 7 routes: Amsterdam, Edmonton, Frankfurt, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Vancouver
- United Airlines UA (737-800, A320, 737-700, 737-900, CRJ, CRJ-700) · 5 routes: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Portland*, San Francisco*
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (737, 330) · 3 routes: Amsterdam, Edmonton*, Toronto*
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A330-300, 777-300ER) · 2 routes: Frankfurt*, London*
- US Airways US (A319, 737-800, M83, MD-80) · 2 routes: Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix
- Air North Charter - Canada 4N (737) · 1 route: Edmonton
- Alaska Airlines AS (Dash 8-400) · 1 route: Seattle*
- All Nippon Airways NH (767-300) · 1 route: Tokyo*
- British Airways BA (767) · 1 route: London
- Finnair AY (767) · 1 route: London*
- Iberia Airlines IB (767) · 1 route: London*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Cheadle Airport (TIL) 30 km to the centre
Cheadle, AB, CA — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Chestermere (Kirkby Field) Airport 21 km to the centre
Chestermere, AB, CA
Regional airports
Further out, but often the cheapest way in — the airports the low-cost carriers use. Each links to its own town's guide for getting from there into the city.
Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) 47 km to the centre
AB, CA — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 27 airlines (Sky Express, TAM Brazilian Airlines, Oceanair, American Airlines…) · direct flights to 49 destinations incl. Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Brasilia, Campinas… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Feeder airport · 47 km from Calgary · Sky Express, TAM Brazilian Airlines, Oceanair · Getting around Rio de Janeiro →
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 27 airlines, 49 direct destinations
- Sky Express G3 (737-800, 737-700) · 26 routes: Aracaju, Belem, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Campinas, Campo Grande, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Florianopolis, Fortaleza, Foz Do Iguacu, Goiania, Joao Pessoa, Maceio, Manaus, Natal, Navegantes, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador, Santo Domingo, Sao Luis, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Vitoria
- TAM Brazilian Airlines JJ (A320, 767-300, A319, A321, 747-400) · 25 routes: Belem, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Campinas, Curitiba, Dallas-Fort Worth, Florianopolis, Fortaleza, Foz Do Iguacu, Frankfurt*, Joao Pessoa, Maceio, Manaus, Miami, Natal, New York, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador, Santiago*, Sao Luis, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Vitoria
- Oceanair O6 (318, A320) · 8 routes: Brasilia, Florianopolis, Fortaleza, Joao Pessoa, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador, Sao Paulo
- American Airlines AA (767-300, 767) · 4 routes: Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, New York
- US Airways US (767-300, 762) · 4 routes: Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, New York
- Aerolineas Argentinas AR (737) · 2 routes: Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
- Air France AF (A330-200, 737-700, 777-300ER) · 2 routes: Curitiba*, Paris
- Avianca - Aerovias Nacionales de Colombia AV (A319, A320) · 2 routes: Bogota, Lima*
- Delta Air Lines DL (737-800, 767-400) · 2 routes: Atlanta, Santo Domingo*
- Emirates EK (777-300ER) · 2 routes: Buenos Aires, Dubai
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (737, 777) · 2 routes: Amsterdam, Curitiba*
- LAN Airlines LA (A320, A319) · 2 routes: Buenos Aires*, Santiago
- TAP Portugal TP (A330-200, A340-300) · 2 routes: Lisbon, Porto
- United Airlines UA (777) · 2 routes: Houston, Sao Paulo
- Alitalia AZ (330) · 1 route: Rome
- Azul AD (Embraer 195, Embraer 190) · 1 route: Campinas
- BQB Lineas Aereas 5Q (A319, ATR 72) · 1 route: Montevideo
- British Airways BA (777) · 1 route: London
- Changan Airlines 2Z (ATR 72) · 1 route: Ribeirao Preto
- Copa Airlines CM (737-800) · 1 route: Panama City
- Ethiopian Airlines ET (787-8) · 1 route: Sao Paulo
- Grupo TACA TA (A320) · 1 route: Lima*
- Iberia Airlines IB (A330-300, 342, 345, A340-600) · 1 route: Madrid
- Korean Air KE (767-400) · 1 route: Atlanta*
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (747-400) · 1 route: Frankfurt
- TAAG Angola Airlines DT (777-300ER) · 1 route: Luanda
- TAM Mercosur PZ (A320) · 1 route: Buenos Aires
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
S.S. Moyie Historical Paddlewheeler
Ferry terminal · 8.6 km from the centre · Heritage Park
Local transit
Calgary Transit
CTrain, bus · CTrain light rail and buses; the downtown CTrain zone is free. · Fares: My Fare app or ticket · Airport: Route 300 BRT from the airport to downtown
Lake Louise Ski Bus
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data
Luna Express
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data
Trains & rail
VIA Rail Canada
National rail
Coaches & shuttles
Banff Airporter → Banff, Alberta
Calgary airport to Banff via Canmore, hourly, about two hours. · Banff, Alberta guide →
Brewster Express → Banff, Alberta
Calgary airport and downtown hotels to Banff, continuing to Lake Louise. · Banff, Alberta guide →
Sunshine Coach → Banff, Alberta
Free Bus Transportation from Calgary and Canmore to Sunshine Village with the purchase of a lift ticket. (child ticket excluded) · Banff, Alberta guide →
Banff Airporter → Canmore, Alberta
Calgary airport to Canmore, about 90 minutes. · Canmore, Alberta guide →
Ebus → Edmonton, Alberta
Several daily departures via Red Deer. · Edmonton, Alberta guide →
Red Arrow → Edmonton, Alberta
Premium coach with wide seats and wifi, about three and a half hours. · Edmonton, Alberta guide →
Brewster Express → Lake Louise, Alberta
Calgary airport to Lake Louise via Banff, about three hours. · Lake Louise, Alberta guide →
Allied Airport Shuttle
Coach / shuttle operator
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
AirSprint
Fractional · Praetor 500, Citation CJ3+, Legacy 450 · Canada's fractional-ownership operator, based in Calgary.
Chartright Air Group
Charter, management · Light to large-cabin · Toronto-based charter and aircraft management.
London Air Services
Charter · Learjet, Challenger · Vancouver-based charter operator.
Skyservice
Charter, management, FBO · Managed fleet, Challenger, Global · Canada's largest business-aviation company: charter, management and FBOs in Toronto, Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver.
Air Charter Service
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
Tours & experiences
Calgary Walking Tour
Walking Tour
Living Here
Getting about
- Calgary Transit runs the CTrain LRT (Red and Blue lines, with the Green Line under construction) and a large bus network; the downtown stretch of the CTrain is free between City Hall and Downtown West, and the My Fare app or paper tickets cover the rest.
- Calgary International (YYC) is in the north-east, around 25 minutes from downtown; the route 300 airport bus goes downtown, or taxi and rideshare. There is no train to Edmonton or Banff — take the Red Arrow or Ebus coaches, or drive.
- The river pathway network is one of the largest urban systems in North America and the core is flat and cyclable; winters are dry enough that some ride all year. Downtown walks well in winter through the +15.
- A car is the default beyond the core; Deerfoot Trail is the north–south artery everyone complains about, and the mountain roads want winter tyres from October.
Health
- Foothills Medical Centre is the major hospital and trauma centre, with the Alberta Children's Hospital nearby; Peter Lougheed, Rockyview and the South Health Campus cover the quadrants. Alberta Health covers residents, and care is free at the point of use.
- Dial 911; Health Link 811 is the nurse advice line. Shoppers Drug Mart and the other pharmacies handle minor things, and walk-in clinics take patients without appointments.
- Visitors should carry travel insurance; non-residents are billed. The altitude (around 1,045 metres) and the dry air catch some people, and sun and dehydration are real even in winter.
Work & study
- The University of Calgary is the research university, in the north-west on the LRT; Mount Royal University, SAIT (the polytechnic) and the Alberta University of the Arts add to the student population.
- Oil and gas head offices are the core — most of Canada's energy companies are here — with a growing tech sector, finance, logistics around the airport and rail yards, agriculture services and, in Banff's shadow, tourism.
- Alberta has no provincial sales tax and among the lowest income taxes in Canada, which is much of the reason people move here; salaries track the oil price, and so does the mood.
Money & manners
- Canadian dollars; cards and tap everywhere. Tip 15–20% in restaurants; only the federal 5% GST is added at the register, which surprises visitors from other provinces.
- Calgarians are direct, friendly and informal — first names, handshakes, and a cowboy hat during Stampede that nobody thinks is odd. Volunteering is a civic habit and the 1988 Olympics are still mentioned.
- Winter runs November to March with sun most days and cold snaps to minus 30; a chinook can bring a January afternoon above freezing. Summer is short, bright and dry, with hail a genuine risk. Layers, always.