Big fan of the Plus 15 for getting around downtown Calgary especially when its cold and slippery…read moreoutside. I wish there were more activity across the network as it can feel quite empty in the outskirts of the network and would be better if more retail businesses were thriving. Alas the decline of North American downtowns everywhere in recent years has been sad to see. The busiest parts are around the CORE shopping center, Brookfield place (beautiful atrium), Bankers Hall (love Sunterra which is the closest thing to a compact fresh market/deli/bakery), and Fifth Avenue place.

FASCINATING SKYWALK CONNECTING PARTS OF DOWNTOWN CALGARY…read more During our short stay in Calgary, we explored the +15 Skywalk, an immaculate and well-maintained network of indoor walkways connecting downtown office buildings. Named for its skybridges that are 15 feet above street level, the Skywalk has more than 80 skybridges linking over 100 downtown buildings making it one of the largest pedestrian skywalk systems in the world. Highlights of the Skywalk include the CORE Shopping Centre and the Devonian Gardens. The Glenbow Museum is also part of the Skywalk's cultural venues but it was closed for refurbishment during our visit. Note: confirm the different closing times for different parts of the Skywalk

I visited The Bow with a coworker for a business meeting and the building is absolutely beautiful…read morefrom the entrance to the interior. I was at awe with how beautiful everything was and spotless too. There is also a Tim Horton's located on the second floor. The security team there is also very professional. I envy the people that work in The Bow but I'll settle with visiting every now and then for my business meetings.

What a gorgeous building you have to admit...... The size the shape, the way it curves towards the…read moreCalgary Tower, and wonderland I think it's one of the coolest modern sculptures I've ever seen. Here's some shots of my kids walking up to it. Also who could have a problem with the building with a sense of humour like this to decorate this way for Christmas, I think it's just gorgeous.

Stephen Avenue Walk forms a part of 8th Ave South, bounded by 4th St SW to the west & 1st Street SE…read moreat its east end. This walk is where we found Calgary's finest restaurants, pubs, bars & cafes. This pedestrian mall offers us walking access to downtown Calgary's main attractions, including Banker's Hall, the CORE Shopping Centre, the Telus Convention Centre, the Glenbow Museum, Arts Commons & Olympic Plaza. There are several Canadian curio stores here. During the Stampede the Avenue is filled with outdoor patios, magnificent hanging flower baskets, live music, performers, festivals, food trucks & vendors. We enjoyed our pancake breakfast here and also watching the Clydesdales fill the Avenue.

OK PEDESTRIAN PROMENADE…read more Stephen Ave Walk is a pedestrian promenade that extends a few blocks along 8th Ave in downtown Calgary near the Calgary Tower. We later learned that the Walk was named after George Stephen, the first president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. We found Stephen Ave Walk a bit underwhelming. It reminded us of Pearl Street Mall, a similar open air pedestrian promenade of shops and restaurants in Boulder Colorado. But while Pearl Street has a buzzy hip vibe, Stephen Ave Walk seemed tired and struggling. There were some noticeably empty storefronts and only a few interesting shops such as Patagonia and Filson. Many of the eateries on Stephen Ave Walk appeared to be bars and casual dining. We had read that Stephens Ave was a mecca for downtown art. We saw two pieces - the Conversation, two large Botero-like bronze statues of businessmen and Trees, a group of multistory tall metal palm trees near the CORE shopping center in the Plus 15 Skywalk.

626 ft & 7.685 in or 191 meters high. 360 degrees panoramic clear glass view of the city and Rocky…read moreMountains. Step on the clear glass and experience birds eye view of the city. Spot worth visiting in downtown Calgary. Self guided, go at your own pace. Lots of reading and valuable info. Spend as much time as you'd like indoors. There is a washroom. Feel free to check for lower admission rates via free sign up online through Calgary Attractions Pass.

SKIP CALGARY TOWER TOURIST TRAP…read more During our recent trip to Calgary, we looked forward to visiting the Calgary Tower. But after checking out the Calgary Tower, we chose to skip its pricey $25 CAD observation deck and glass floor. We also decided against going to the tower's revolving restaurant that had very mixed reviews. Instead, we dropped by Major Tom where we enjoyed a panoramic view of the city with a delicious lunch. Major Tom is an attractive restaurant with a hip retro chic vibe - located on the 40th floor of a modern office tower, it is a few blocks from Calgary Tower just off Stephen Ave Walk. The sky-high corner restaurant features floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of Calgary Tower and downtown Calgary (ask for a window table facing the Calgary Tower on your Open Table reservation). We came during lunch and found it was popular with the downtown office crowd. This would also be a nice spot to enjoy the glittering evening skyline while sipping fun cocktails that pay homage to David Bowie Space Oddity.

This place is very cool. Visited Calgary & Banff for a week from California and wasn't sure what to…read moredo on our last day. We debated between here and the kids museum. Decided to go here as it was the more unique option. It did not disappoint. My 3 and 5 year old loved the ride and I loved that we didn't have to pay extra for them. I think I enjoyed the rides as much as them. They weren't as nauseating as modern rides, imo. They were also unique twists on them - particularly the carousel. The horses go forward/back, instead of up/down. According to a little plaque on the ride, it's only one of two in the world that do this. How cool?! It was also nice to stroll around and look at various historical homes and such. Prices were also great! The ice cream is a must! Probably amongst one of the best ice creams I've had in my life. I really enjoyed the coffee/choco cookie flavor I got. Lunch at the Asian place was not bad, but not that great either. My biggest complaint would be the train. I have one of those strollers that folds up really small. I forgot to bring my backpack for it, so they wouldn't let us on, claiming that it was "too big". Only umbrella strollers are allowed. However, if I had it in the backpack, they would've allowed it. It would've easily fit between or under my legs, so the claim that it was "too big" is BS. There was plenty of parking. We came on a Monday in early August and there were pretty much no lines for anything. However, it's a huge place and we spent literally all day (from open to close) there.

What can I say, I was wowed by my family's visit here this summer. I hadn't been here before and…read morewhile we only made it to about half of the park we really enjoyed what we did and saw. From the paddle wheel boat to the train, the amusement park rides to the playground, the Gasoline Alley Museum to the absolutely excellent and earnest musical entertainment performed at the Opera House, our stay here was great! I loved talking to the interpreters at the pharmacy among other highlights. I will definitely want to return here in the future to take in areas we didn't have time to visit. Parking was reasonable (be sure to pay!) and ample.

The ruins are great, I've taken a lot of pictures there, including my Grad photos, and I felt like…read morea princess at them. It's a great area with the river, lots of walking areas, and food options around. Beautiful all year long. There can be a fair amount of garbage there, but that's the city's fault. Great place!

This was ok venue to visit for some history of the Calgary area and the founding of the city.   It…read moreis a smallish museum with a variety of artifacts and such and we were given about a 30 minute talk by one of the staffers, Nicole.  The stop was on our tour group itinerary and otherwise this place would not have made my personal to-see list.

Fort Calgary National Historic Site of Canada is a square-shaped wooden fort on the west bank of…read morethe Elbow River at its junction with the Bow River. It is on the same site as the original fort, the present structure is a reconstruction on a 40-acre park. In 1875, it was Fort Brisebois by the North West Mounted Police. Then the fort included men's quarters, a guard room, stables and storage facilities surrounded by a palisade of vertical logs. The setting is a flat parcel of land which slopes gently towards the river & supports several large trees. Official recognition refers to the parcel of land that is approximately 12 hectares surrounding the location of Fort Calgary.

This is a Calgary historical land mark I can't believe that it was not listed on yelp yet. The…read moreKing Edward (King Eddy) Hotel was built in phases between 1905 and 1910 on 9th Avenue southeast and is one of Calgary's oldest bars. Later the Eddy became a blues bar. Today the Eddy is a part of the new National Music Centre that opened in 2016. Assembled by putting the old King Eddy Hotel back together one brick at a time slowly assembling Calgary's original " home of the blues" The King Edward hotel having provided entertainment for over 100 years is still is business with live music events happening all the time. The building is rentable for any occasion even the new roof top patio space where you have a great view of the Calgary stampede fire works.

This venue closed for restoration and reopened in July of 2018 and is part of Studio Bell, as part…read moreof their focus on music history. Inside is a nice but fairly simple bar and music venue. A good selection of beer means there is something for everyone. To the side, is a portable music studio display. Staff are hospitable. Would I return? Yes Would I recommend? Yes