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OT: Visiting Calgary (General City / Area Discussion)

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All of you, I can’t thank you enough for responding. My wife who daily says I check the forums too much has been glued to your responses making an itinerary. She didn’t believe me how asking could generate genuine responses on things to do. As we do some research I’m sure I’ll be reaching out again before the 25th comes
 
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AmeriHab said:
All of you, I can’t thank you enough for responding. My wife who daily says I check the forums too much has been glued to your responses making an itinerary. She didn’t believe me how asking could generate genuine responses on things to do. As we do some research I’m sure I’ll be reaching out again before the 25th comes
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Do make some time to spend in downtown Canmore. It really is a nice little town without all the tourists of Banff!

Oh, I was also going to suggest seeing Lake Minnewanka, but forgot there's an underwater town in there so if you two scuba dive, that could be something interesting to check out too
This Canadian Lake Hides an Underwater Ghost Town | Travel | Smithsonian
 
Canmore has more than enough tourists - fewer during the week but plenty enough.

If it's your first time, and you're already staying there I recommend you just stay in Banff - you'll need the park pass around $20 CDN per day for two of you. Totally worth it.

You'll easily burn a day in the Banff townsite just wandering around, quite possibly two or three.

Check out Lake Louise as well it's a little less busy with tourists.

All kinds of hiking trails around, check out Best Trails near Banff, Alberta, Canada | AllTrails for ideas.

Definitely want to head up the gondola. Great views from there.

Moraine Lake is beautiful and a great photo opportunity, get there early early in the morning if you want some time alone.

If it's a honeymoon, definitely consider the afternoon tea at the Fairmont Banff Springs, it'll earn you husband points.

There's literally no shortage of places to eat - and as my grandma used to say, never go to a restaurant that's empty at dinnertime.

PS: The Glamorgan Bakery (in Calgary) is much better than the Invermere Bakery; change my mind.
 
Our trip is winding down, but we’ve had an incredible few days here. We covered quite a bit of what some had recommended. In Canmore we ate at the grizzly pub, grabbed brews at the Canmore brewery, and really enjoyed Drake’s for dinner.

Lake Louis, Peyto Lake didn’t seem real with the colors and even went in the water at Lake Bow (sp?) when we were driving back toward banff/canmore. Unfortunately didn’t catch Lake Moraine. Hiked Sulphur up, gondola down, and hiked Tunnel Mnt. Checking out Cave and Basin in Banff weren’t comparable to the other parts of the park but were not upset we checked it out. I really liked the Grassi trail (I think this was the name) in Canmore to the waterfall. Walked the town quite a bit as well and walked Banff. Even got to check out the town hall to pay a parking ticket which most definitely is a tourist trap but what can you do.
As a guy who enjoys a Bloody Mary in the morning, I learned of the substitute in a Caesar which wasn’t shabby at all.
We’ve been looking for earlier live music in Canmore but everything starts much later and we’re more early to bed early to rise people.

Thanks again Calgary Board for the suggestions, and wish you guys a great upcoming season, would be very ok with the Flames winning. Hope you guys wish for a successful Habs tank as we need a reset and new GM.
 
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AmeriHab said:
Our trip is winding down, but we’ve had an incredible few days here. We covered quite a bit of what some had recommended. In Canmore we ate at the grizzly pub, grabbed brews at the Canmore brewery, and really enjoyed Drake’s for dinner.

Lake Louis, Peyto Lake didn’t seem real with the colors and even went in the water at Lake Bow (sp?) when we were driving back toward banff/canmore. Unfortunately didn’t catch Lake Moraine. Hiked Sulphur up, gondola down, and hiked Tunnel Mnt. Checking out Cave and Basin in Banff weren’t comparable to the other parts of the park but were not upset we checked it out. I really liked the Grassi trail (I think this was the name) in Canmore to the waterfall. Walked the town quite a bit as well and walked Banff. Even got to check out the town hall to pay a parking ticket which most definitely is a tourist trap but what can you do.
As a guy who enjoys a Bloody Mary in the morning, I learned of the substitute in a Caesar which wasn’t shabby at all.
We’ve been looking for earlier live music in Canmore but everything starts much later and we’re more early to bed early to rise people.

Thanks again Calgary Board for the suggestions, and wish you guys a great upcoming season, would be very ok with the Flames winning. Hope you guys wish for a successful Habs tank as we need a reset and new GM.
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Glad you enjoyed your time here! I was actually wondering what you guys ended up doing the other day too.
 
AmeriHab said:
Our trip is winding down, but we’ve had an incredible few days here. We covered quite a bit of what some had recommended. In Canmore we ate at the grizzly pub, grabbed brews at the Canmore brewery, and really enjoyed Drake’s for dinner.

Lake Louis, Peyto Lake didn’t seem real with the colors and even went in the water at Lake Bow (sp?) when we were driving back toward banff/canmore. Unfortunately didn’t catch Lake Moraine. Hiked Sulphur up, gondola down, and hiked Tunnel Mnt. Checking out Cave and Basin in Banff weren’t comparable to the other parts of the park but were not upset we checked it out. I really liked the Grassi trail (I think this was the name) in Canmore to the waterfall. Walked the town quite a bit as well and walked Banff. Even got to check out the town hall to pay a parking ticket which most definitely is a tourist trap but what can you do.
As a guy who enjoys a Bloody Mary in the morning, I learned of the substitute in a Caesar which wasn’t shabby at all.
We’ve been looking for earlier live music in Canmore but everything starts much later and we’re more early to bed early to rise people.

Thanks again Calgary Board for the suggestions, and wish you guys a great upcoming season, would be very ok with the Flames winning. Hope you guys wish for a successful Habs tank as we need a reset and new GM.
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There are a few other Canadian things possibly worth trying as well. Ketchup chips and coffee crisp.

Glad you enjoyed your time! :)
 
Hey guys,

My fiancé and soon to be wife in December got hooked on the few hockey games that she watched with me last season, and wants to go to a game in Calgary when we are married. My response: Hell yeah! So, to coordinate this with our school schedule in Idaho, we are planning on going to the game that would be on President's Day (a really odd holiday in USA), February 18th against the Coyotes.

Wanted to know on some things that we could do in downtown Calgary while we wait for the game to start. We would be driving Friday over there, would probably hang out with my grandma on Saturday in Lethbridge, and then do some things on Sunday and Monday (game is on Monday). The next morning we would be driving back to Idaho for school again.

I'm also looking to score some really good tickets at a decent price, so if you know anyone I could talk to in the near future or even right now, let me know!

Thanks,
Braeden
 
If you want some decent BBQ, check out The Palomino. It's a really convenient location because it's right on the C-Train line so after you're done, you just walk across the street and hop onto the Sommerset/Bridlewood train for 2 stops and you're at the dome in about 5 minutes. I used to think it was a sketchy ass sleaze bar, but my friend discovered it's actually a really decent, popular restaurant so we ended up trying it a few months ago and was pleasantly surprised.

The Calgary Tower and Glenbow Museum are within a couple blocks of that same area if either of those interest you, or you can go over to TD Square/The Core for a bit of shopping. That's also on the C-Train line so you'll get to the dome very quickly when you need to.

Coincidentally, there's a good chance I'll end up in Idaho the same time you'll be in Calgary haha
 
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Unlimited Chequing said:
If you want some decent BBQ, check out The Palomino. It's a really convenient location because it's right on the C-Train line so after you're done, you just walk across the street and hop onto the Sommerset/Bridlewood train for 2 stops and you're at the dome in about 5 minutes. I used to think it was a sketchy ass sleaze bar, but my friend discovered it's actually a really decent, popular restaurant so we ended up trying it a few months ago and was pleasantly surprised.

The Calgary Tower and Glenbow Museum are within a couple blocks of that same area if either of those interest you, or you can go over to TD Square/The Core for a bit of shopping. That's also on the C-Train line so you'll get to the dome very quickly when you need to.

Coincidentally, there's a good chance I'll end up in Idaho the same time you'll be in Calgary haha
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Why the hell are you up at 2am? It's way past your bedtime.
 
Czarchuk said:
Hey guys,

My fiancé and soon to be wife in December got hooked on the few hockey games that she watched with me last season, and wants to go to a game in Calgary when we are married. My response: Hell yeah! So, to coordinate this with our school schedule in Idaho, we are planning on going to the game that would be on President's Day (a really odd holiday in USA), February 18th against the Coyotes.

Wanted to know on some things that we could do in downtown Calgary while we wait for the game to start. We would be driving Friday over there, would probably hang out with my grandma on Saturday in Lethbridge, and then do some things on Sunday and Monday (game is on Monday). The next morning we would be driving back to Idaho for school again.

I'm also looking to score some really good tickets at a decent price, so if you know anyone I could talk to in the near future or even right now, let me know!

Thanks,
Braeden
Click to expand...

Hey man, nice to have you back in AB, if only for a bit.

Time for my unofficial, official title to shine :laugh:

So the game on Feb 18 is a little matinee/afternoon game, which is good to know; because the things you can do beforehand will definitely be affected somewhat. Keeping in mind, it'll be the dead of February and you could see anything between -30 and +5, you may want to account for the weather being horrid (I.E, not really a day to be doing door-to-door shopping). Feb 18 will be a holiday in Alberta as well, I believe that's the third Monday in February, so it'll be family day.

That could work for or against you. A lot of places might be closed, in Calgary, there are a number of stores/places that actually don't regularly even open on Monday (in some of the cool areas), and now you're kind of adding in the Stat on top of it.

Stuff like the Glenbow will probably be closed (not for sure, but I think they don't open on Monday's and add in the stat), so you won't be able to live your Dougie life to the fullest. Here we circle back to a major flaw in the prairies, if you're not eating or drinking, there's not a tonne to do in downtown Calgary. There's pretty much shopping, drinking and eating out of downtown; it's really not a NY thing where you can find something to do in the middle of the afternoon everyday.

What I'd recommend is check what'll be opens beforehand (like start your planning in early Feb/late Jan). Things like Studio Bell opened last year and the year before for Family Day, but you should check before you get there and the door's closed.

My recommendation would be something like:

1) Relaxing/Hipster Morning:

Go grab some breakfast somewhere neat out of downtown/inner city. There are OEB's everywhere now, including one in the core, start your day off right.
Get in the car, go check out Studio Bell; it's like a 2 hour endeavor +, so, make sure you're keeping track of the time (like, if you guys wake up at 11; not sure you have time for something like that).
After Studio Bell, head down 9th, right into Inglewood, grab some lunch at the Nash (very reasonable lunch menu's for an expensive eatery for dinner), Scarpetta's or WOP; you won't go wrong with any of those.
After lunch, pop back into the car, go park at the Dome, because the game will be starting:

2) Relaxing/Historic Morning:

Start your day off by going into one of the older neighborhoods in Calgary and swing by Red's In Ramsay for breakfast. Enjoy the hipster waitresses that have either too many piercings or tattoos.
Head down to Fort Calgary, there will be a lot of kids there that day, but it could be a nice little chilly morning/afternoon for you and your fiancee/wife.
Follow the last two steps from the one before.

3) Shopping/Downtown Seeing.

Grab some breakfast at somewhere like OEB or at your hotel to start off right
In downtown, swing by the Core, check out the shopping on Stephen Ave and in the CORE shopping centre. You can spend hours doing this, so watch the time.
Go to the Calgary Tower (make reservations) and grab some lunch. Lunch is expensive there, but if 360 is open, you'll really enjoy it, very cool.
If you want to skip that, downtown has some good restaurants. For something hipster/fun try the Wednesday room, for Steak go to Hy's or Charcut. For something really good, try Two Penny. If you're up for Italian, check out Cucina... there's plenty of choices.
Jump on the train, go down like 2-3 stops and be at the Saddledome for your matinee.

There are some mixing matching you can do, I tried keeping you near the Saddledome the best I could.
 
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Im flying in this March for the Leafs game on the 4th. I need info on a nice, affordable, hotel close to the arena. I tried the Mega Thread about tourists but it wouldn't open. Any help is appreciated.
 
Unfortunately nice hotels in the downtown area, which is where the Saddledome is located, are expensive. Give us a maximum price per night that you are willing to pay.
 
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