Calgary

Understand

History

Calgary was founded as Fort Brisebois by the Northwest Mounted Police (NWMP) in 1875. (The name was changed to Fort Calgary in 1876, named after Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull.) The NWMP was sent west to ensure that Canada would not have an American-style "Wild West". Grave concerns about this were raised after the Cypress Hills Massacre of natives by drunken wolf hunters in 1873. Calgary was one of several forts established in Western Canada by the NWMP to ensure a police presence before the arrival of settlers. In 1883, the railway reached Calgary. It started to grow in every direction and became an agricultural and business hub. In 1884, Calgary was incorporated as a town in what was then the North West Territories. By 1894, Calgary's population had grown to 3900 people and it was incorporated as a city. Alberta's first major oil and natural gas field was discovered in 1914 at Turner Valley, 60 km south of Calgary. Subsequent discoveries kept the oil and gas scene active in the Turner Valley area for the next 30 years. When the Turner Valley fields were depleted, the next major oil and gas find was at Leduc (near Edmonton) in 1947. By then, Calgary was already established as a centre of oil and gas business. During the 1950s, oil became big in Calgary and major American oil companies started heading to Calgary and opening offices. The boom extended into the next twenty years, bringing the city to 720,000 people in the metro area by 1985. The relatively low-key low-rise downtown became filled with a sea of skyscrapers, starting with the Calgary Tower and some other towers in the 1960s. By the 1980s, Calgary's luck turned, and a drop in oil prices sent the Calgary metro economy downward. Unemployment raged, vacancies surged, and growth was slow or even negative in some years. In 1988, Calgary hosted the Winter Olympics and brought world attention to Calgary. By the 1990s, it was on the rebound and began growing again. Calgary today has become a more cosmopolitan city of over one million inhabitants with genuine attempts to diversify its economy and expand its attractiveness to outside visitors. Onward!, the official motto of the city, was never more apt than in the wake of the major flooding the city experienced in June 2013. A year later, the casual visitor would have been hard-pressed to find any traces of the flood.

Climate

Calgary is sunny and rather dry, with wide seasonal and daily temperature ranges. Summers tend to be sunny and mild, daytime highs averaging about 24 °C (75 °F) in July/August, usually accompanied by short afternoon storms. June is normally the wettest month, although the Stampede in July is notorious for at least a few heavy showers, so be prepared if you plan to visit during this time. Hot weather greater than 30 °C (86 °F) is rare, occurring on average five times a year. Hot days like these can see overnight lows not going below 15 °C (59 °F). temperatures typically drop dramatically on wet days as well; there's always a couple days in the summer months where daytime highs fail to reach 19 °C (66 °F). Winter can also vary quite a bit. Temperatures can get extremely cold, below −20 °C (−4 °F), at times between November and March, while −30 °C (−22 °F) is possible (on average five times a year). Though average highs in January are about −2 °C (28 °F) based on a current 30-year average, there's nothing average with Calgary's weather. Because of the regular but unpredictable chinooks (warm Pacific winds), there's no guarantee of when the cold weather may strike. One of the coldest months in the last ten years was a March (about −6 °C (21 °F) for average high), while one January was very mild, +6 °C (43 °F) average high. Temperatures can swell into the 15 °C (59 °F) range one day, and drop back into the sub-zero (sub 32°F) range several days later. A typical chinook rolls in fast and is very windy. The warming effects will usually linger for several days to more than a week. In strong chinooks, you can see a chinook arch to the west: an arch of cloud with clear sky below. Calgary can be very dry in winter, with humidity as low as 20%, causing dry skin and making it challenging for contact lens wearers. Regardless of the time of year, temperatures usually drop quickly at night. Overnight lows at the height of summer peak at 12 °C (54 °F) for daily averages, while in winter they average about −13 °C (9 °F). Because of the higher elevation and dramatic temperature drops, snow can fall as late as June and as early as September. These unseasonable snowfalls usually result in chaos in the city, as they tend to be heavy and wet, with fallen trees being a major threat. Calgary's weather can be quite unpredictable and can vary dramatically from year-to-year. Check the forecast ahead of time, because it will usually give you a good idea of what you will need to prepare for. First-time visitors to Calgary should be careful to bring sunglasses (even in winter) as Calgary is the sunniest city in Canada, and the sun can make things quite hard on your eyes, especially in the winter as it reflects off of the snow. The sun is up between 5:30AM and 9:45PM in the summer, and between 8:30AM and 4:30PM in the winter.

Tourist information

Visit Calgary website

Getting there

By plane

1 Calgary International Airport (YYC IATA), ☏ +1 403-735-1200, infodesk@yyc.com. The airport is spacious and modern, with all the facilities (free Wi-Fi, shopping, banking, etc) that you would expect in a major airport. The domestic terminal has three lettered concourses (A, B and C), which are also labelled as meeting places, easy points of reference. The international terminal has Concourse D for international flights (non-US destinations) and Concourse E for U.S.-bound flights. All terminals and concourses are part of the same structure, and you can easily walk between them all landside or take the free YYC Link shuttle between the concourses. The airport is well-served by Canadian and international carriers. The airport has many "White Hat Volunteers" dressed in white cowboy hats and red vests who are friendly and happy to direct you and answer questions about the airport or the city.

Domestic airlines

Direct flights to Calgary within Canada include those from Charlottetown (5.5 hours), Edmonton (1 hour), Fredericton (5 hours), Halifax (5.5 hours), Jasper-Hinton (1.25 hours), Kelowna (1 hour), Moncton (5.25 hours), Montreal (4.5-4.75 hours), Ottawa (4.25 hours), Prince George (1.5 hours), Quebec City (4.5 hours), Regina (1.5-1.75 hours), Saskatoon (1.25 hours), St. John's (NL) (6.25 hours), Thunder Bay (3 hours), Toronto (4 hours), Vancouver (1 hour), Victoria (1.25 hours), Whitehorse (2.5 hours), Winnipeg (2 hours), and Yellowknife (2.25-2.5 hours). Major airlines in Canada serving Calgary include:

Air Canada, ☏ +1-514-393-3333, toll-free: +1-888-247-2262. Canada's largest airline with hubs in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. It operates across Canada and services international destinations. (updated Apr 2022) International destinations served by Air Canada include London-Heathrow and Newark. Air North, toll-free: +1-800-661-0407. A regional airline operating flights within and from the Yukon. (updated Apr 2022) Central Mountain Air, toll-free: +1-888-865-8585. They fly from their regional hub of Prince George. (updated Dec 2025) Flair Airlines, toll-free: +1-833-711-2333. A low-cost airline with flights across much of Canada. They also serve Puerto Vallarta. (updated Dec 2025) Jasper By Air, 530 8 Ave, SW, Calgary, ☏ +1 403-470-8000, toll-free: +1 888-276-6660, jasperbyair@gmail.com. A Calgary-based company offering daily scheduled flights to Calgary from Jasper-Hinton airport schedules. $210. (updated May 2022) Sunwing Airlines, toll-free: +1-877-786-9464. Low-cost airline that operates some flights within Canada throughout the year and specializes in seasonal flights to warmer, southern international vacation destinations in the winter. (updated Apr 2022) WestJet, toll-free: +1-877-952-0100. Canada's second largest airline services with hubs in Calgary and Toronto. It operates across Canada and services international destinations. (updated Apr 2022) International destinations served by WestJet include Los Angeles (3 hours), Houston (4.25-4.5 hours), San Francisco (2.75 hours), San Diego (3.25 hours), Palm Springs (3 hours), Phoenix (3 hours), Las Vegas (2.75 hours), Austin, Nashville, Orlando, Boston, New York (5 hours), Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Orange County (California), Seattle, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Honolulu, Kahului, Kailua-Kona, Punta Cana, Varadero, Belize City, Liberia (Costa Rica), Montego Bay, Nassau, Cancún, San José del Cabo, Huatulco, Ixtapa, Loreto (Baja California), Manzanillo, Mazatlan, Tulum, London, Paris, Dublin, Barcelona, Rome, Edinburgh, Reykjavík, Tokyo, and Seoul. Porter Airlines, Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport, Toronto, ☏ +1-888-619-8622. Daily 5:30AM to 2AM EST. Airline based in Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport known for perks such as Wi-Fi and alcohol on board at no extra cost. Direct flights from Calgary from Montréal–Trudeau, Ottawa, and Toronto-Pearson. (updated Oct 2024)

Getting around

By transit

It can be fairly easy to get to most destinations of interest by bus and/or light rail transit (LRT, trams). In the downtown core, 7th Avenue South is for public transit only.

Calgary's public transit system was established in 1909. The first leg of Calgary's LRT (tram) system was completed in 1987 as part of preparation for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Today, the LRT lines are the backbone of Calgary Transit. Calgary's LRT is called the C-Train (or CTrain) and runs reliably, frequently, and is entirely accessible, with elevators at every station. In the downtown, you can ride the C-Train for free for 14 city blocks along the length of 7th Avenue. Information about the transit system is available on Calgary Transit's website, or by phoning their information line +1 403-262-1000 from 6AM–9PM, local time. Train times are displayed on large electronic signs at stations, using Calgary Transit's real-time information system. Next bus information can be obtained by calling Teleride at +1 403-974-4000, or texting 74000 with the bus stop number, which can be found on the bus stop sign. Both services now offer real-time information when available (e.g. the next bus). Calgary Transit offers a real-time bus information system that displays stop and schedule information on buses. The transit system is well set up for the extreme highs and lows of Calgary's climate, with many heated and sheltered waiting areas at stations and universal heating/air-conditioning aboard vehicles.

Fares

Buy your tickets on the Calgary Transit My Fare app, from ticket machines (at all LRT and select bus stations) or on board buses from the driver (exact change only). As of 2026, transit tickets ($4/adult, $2.65/youth 13-16, 12 and under free) permit 90 minutes of travel on trains and buses, with round trips allowed. Day passes ($12.65/adult, $9.25/youth) are also available at most convenience stores and on the app. Ticket machines at C-Train stations and platforms sell day passes and regular tickets. These machines accept coins (but not bills), credit cards, and debit cards. A monthly pass can also be purchased for unlimited usage within the pass's calendar month ($126/adult $86/youth), but is not cost justified unless you intend to travel daily, and especially not if you are more than half-way through the current month. The app and ticket machines allow you to purchase multiple tickets in one transaction but you must press the "Multiple" button before selecting the type of ticket. Single and day pass tickets bought on My Fare are usable for seven days after purchase, and should be activated just prior to boarding the bus or train; this way you can queue up several singles in your 'Ticket Wallet', but only have one in use at a time. You must validate your ticket at the readers on CTrain platforms or at the front door of the bus. Inspectors (usually "peace officers" employed by Calgary Transit) randomly check for valid tickets, transfers, or passes. There is a minimum $150 fine for transit riders unable to present proof of payment. There is no charge for travel on the C-Train in the downtown free-fare zone. An automated onboard announcement is made when trains enter and leave this zone.

See

Individual listings can be found in Calgary's district articles

The pamphlet titled "Calgary attractions" has discount coupons for 14 tourist attractions. Some coupons are modest such as $1 off Calgary Tower admission, but others can be substantial such as 50% off a second admission to Heritage Park Historical Village. The pamphlet is available at the Tourism Calgary airport kiosk (arrival level) or in the ground floor lobby of the Calgary Tower.(Jun 2016)

Landmarks

Calgary Tower (in City Centre). The Calgary Tower may not be quite as impressive as the CN Tower in Toronto, but it still commands a great view over the city and its surroundings. On a clear day you can see the Rockies to the west. It features a revolving gourmet restaurant, a bar, and an observation deck. The tower is best approached from 8th Avenue, as the 10th Avenue side is dominated by railway tracks, parking lots, & parkades. Stampede Park (in City Centre). The site of Calgary's world-famous exhibition and rodeo, the Calgary Stampede grounds are east of the Beltline in Victoria Park. Not only are the grounds the site of the excitement of every July's Calgary Stampede, they also house a conference and exhibition centre (the BMO Centre) and a casino.

Do

Events and festivals

In date order:

Calgary Stampede, Stampede Park (in City Centre), ☏ +1 403-269-9822, toll-free: +1-800-661-1767. (July, 10 days). During Stampede Week, the whole city goes western! During "the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", there are events all around the city, but the highlights are the rodeo and chuckwagon races which boast the world's richest prizes, as well as a performance of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride. Over the years concerns have been raised about the treatment of animals at the event. 1 High Performance Rodeo (in City Centre). (January, 3 weeks) This unconventional international festival of theatre, dance, music, comedy, visual art, and more has been gracing Calgary venues of all sorts for over 25 years. Calgary International Salsa Congress, Hyatt Regency Calgary, 700 Centre St SE (in City Centre), info@calgarysalsacongress.com. (March, 2 days) Weekend of all-night salsa parties and Latin dance performances featuring both world-class and local talent. Includes qualifiers for the World Latin Dance Cup. $50-80. Calgary Spoken Word Festival (various locations). (April, 2 weeks) Canada's largest spoken word festival takes place in bars, pubs, bookshops, and an intimate theatre setting. Poetry slams, workshops, and the Golden Beret Award. Calgary Expo (Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo), Stampede Park (in City Centre), info@calgaryexpo.com. (April, 3 days) Pop culture festival featuring fantasy, sci-fi, horror, gaming, comics, anime and manga. FunnyFest Calgary Comedy Festival (various locations), ☏ +1 403-228-7888, tickets@funnyfest.com. (Late May, early June; 11 days) A festival of comedy in halls, clubs, pubs, and bars across Calgary. Free to $25. Lilac Festival, 4 Street SW; between 13 Ave SW and Elbow Drive) (in City Centre), ☏ +1 403-453-7424. (June, 1 day) Annual street festival features over 500 vendors such as entertainment stages, street dancing, musical talent, artisan vendors, food, and other business stalls. Sled Island Festival (various locations), ☏ +1 403-229-2901, info@sledisland.com. (June, 4 days) Independent music and visual arts festival, which takes place at over 30 venues. Carifest, Shaw Millennium Park (in City Centre), ☏ +1 403-774-1300, admin@carifestcalgary.com. (June, 1 day) Calgary's annual festival celebrating the city's large West Indian population starts with a parade downtown to Shaw Millennium Park for the day's festivities. Free. Calgary Folk Music Festival, Prince's Island Park (in City Centre), ☏ +1 403-233-0904, info@calgaryfolkfest.com. (July, 4 days) An extremely broad definition of "folk music" is used for this well-established festival. In addition to seven different stages with dozens of international performers, there is an area with performances & activities for kids, a market, food, and lots more. Shakespeare by the Bow, Prince's Island Park (in City Centre). (July & August, 4 weeks) Shakespeare presented in an outdoor setting, an annual co-production of Mount Royal University and Theatre Calgary. Donations welcomed. Historic Calgary Week (various locations), ☏ +1 403-261-4667. (Late July & early August, 10 days) Learn about local history through talks, behind the scenes tours, and walks. Free, donations welcome. Calgary International Bluesfest (various locations). (late July & early August, 4 days) Calgary's got the blues! Many performers at a variety of venues. Calgary Fringe Festival (various locations), ☏ +1 403-451-9726, Info@calgaryfringe.ca. (August, 10 days) Calgary's festival of uncensored & unjuried theatre takes place at a variety of traditional and unconventional venues. GlobalFest, Elliston Park - 1827 68 St SE (in Southeast), ☏ +1 403-569-9679, contactus@globalfest.ca. 6-11:30PM. (August, 5 days) Fireworks competition and multi-cultural festival at Elliston Park. There is no parking at Elliston Park, but there is a shuttle bus from Marlborough Mall for $6. $20 per night, or $75 for 5 nights (early bird pricing also available). Taste of Calgary, Eau Claire Festival Plaza, 200 Barclay Parade SW (in City Centre), ☏ +1 403-293-2888, taste@tasteofcalgary.com. 11AM-9PM. (August, 4 days) Enjoy a wide variety of foods at Calgary's outdoor dining festival. Music at the Taste Stage. $1 per sampling ticket; each sample requires 2-5 tickets. Dragon Boat Race and Festival, North Glenmore Park (in Southwest; catch shuttle bus from Mount Royal University). (August, 2 days) Dozens of 20-person dragon boat crews race to the beat of their drummers on Glenmore Reservoir. Kids' activities, food, and entertainment are all available in the park. Free. Beakerhead (various locations), ☏ +1 587-351-7787, connect@beakerhead.com. (September, 5 days) Combines the arts/culture sectors with the science/technology sectors to encourage collaboration, innovation, and science education through interactive art exhibits, engineered installations, entertainment, and workshops. WordFest (various locations). (October, 7 days) Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival includes readings, panel discussions, performances, interviews. Festival des mots in French, some programming in Spanish. Marda Loop Justice Film Festival. (November).

Places to visit

Individual listings can be found in Calgary's district articles Calaway Park, (in Northwest) (Hwy 1 (Trans-Canada Hwy) exit 169, just west of Calgary's city limits). Western Canada's largest amusement park, roughly 15 minutes west of Calgary. Gate admission pays for all rides; games, food cost extra. Harvie Passage (in Southeast). The area around Calgary Bow River Weir was remade into a Class II and III white water park for paddlers. Harvie Passage is meant only for experienced canoe and kayak paddlers; all others should portage around it. Free.

Shopping

Individual listings can be found in Calgary's district articles 17th Avenue (in City Centre). 17 Avenue S between 14 Street SW and Macleod Trail SE is Calgary's best-known urban business street and a major venue for boutique shopping, bars, pubs and restaurants. Downtown (in City Centre). Includes Stephen (8th) Avenue pedestrian walk, Barclay Parade, and The Core Shopping Centre which contains approximately 160 retailers on four levels. Kensington Village (in Northwest). Centred on 10 Street NW and Kensington Road NW, Kensington is home to art galleries, fashion retailers, and antiques. Inglewood (in Southeast) Centred on 9 Avenue SE, east of the Elbow River, Inglewood is an urban shopping area and historic district that highlights are the coffee shops, art galleries, trendy clothiers, and upscale furniture shops. Chinook Centre (in Southwest). Calgary's largest indoor mall and one of the best shopping experiences in the city for variety and amount of retail shops. CrossIron Mills (in Northeast). This large indoor mall is in the neighbouring hamlet of Balzac, north of Calgary. Similar in format to other "mills" malls, it has many well-known stores and outlets as the first new enclosed mall to be built in the Calgary area in a generation. Market Mall (in Northwest). Calgary's second largest indoor mall. Southcentre Mall (in Southwest). Calgary's third largest indoor mall. Calgary is also home to numerous farmers' markets such as the Calgary Farmers Market and Crossroads Market, both located in the Southeast.

Eat

Individual listings can be found in Calgary's district articles Calgary offers a wide variety of dining options. While Calgary doesn't have a single signature dish, residents are very proud of Alberta beef, and Calgarians are discerning customers of steakhouses. Speaking of beef, the popular Chinese-Canadian dish of ginger beef was invented in Calgary in the 1970s. Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut (also called Cococo), winner of international awards for chocolate-making, is based in Calgary, with many stores in the city. Calgary is also home to a very culturally diverse population, with a very wide selection of international restaurants, especially from East and Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean from Italy through Lebanon. Calgary is, however, generally lacking in decent Mexican food, and the inland location means that a good meal of seafood is sometimes hard to find. The highest density of restaurants are located along 17th Avenue (Beltline), 4th Street (Mission), or Stephen (8th) Avenue - all located in the City Centre district. Restaurants in the downtown area are very busy between noon and 1PM on weekdays due to the lunch crowd of office workers; if you can, try to stagger your lunch to start around 11:15 or 1:30. You'll face much shorter lineups. Buffets are often only prepared once for lunchtime, and visiting a buffet after 12:15 or so will typically be a depressing dining experience. Calgary is also the city of founding for major Canadian restaurant chains Hy's, JOEY, Jugo Juice, Edo Japan, CRAFT Beer Market, OPA! of Greece, Smitty's, Original Joe's, and Moxies. (The original Calgary Hy's Steakhouse closed in 2006.) Calgary's most abundant ethnic specialty is Vietnamese. Most neighbourhoods have at least one Vietnamese noodle shop or Vietnamese sub (banh mi) joint.

Drink

Individual listings can be found in Calgary's district articles Calgary is the original home of the Caesar cocktail, sometimes called Canada's national cocktail. There are many bars throughout the city, although the core is where the trendiest clubs are. There is also the ever-popular 17th Avenue SW (in City Centre), home to the Red Mile.

CRAFT Beer Market. 100 local and international beers, including a one-of-a-kind weekly cask brew, and an extensive list of wine, cocktails and spirits. Three locations throughout Calgary. National. Restaurant & entertainment venue inspired by North American tastes, with games and events, extraordinary food, and select craft beers. Three locations throughout Calgary. Ranchman's Cookhouse and Dance Hall (in Southwest). Year-round destination for all things Western: line dancing, country music, and more. Very popular during Stampede Week. Calgary has a large selection of craft breweries and craft distilleries located throughout the city.

Wild Rose Brewery. A Calgary-based brewery founded in 1996. Popular beers include their IPA and their Velvet Fog wheat ale. (updated Jun 2019) Bridgeland Distillery, 77 Edmonton Trail NE, Calgary. A Calgary-based distillery showcasing Tradition, Innovation and Terroir: Brandy and Whisky Makers. Guided Tours on Friday-Saturday-Sunday. Book tour online (updated May 2023)

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in Calgary's district articles Accommodations are mainly located in the City Centre, Motel Village in the Northwest near 16 Avenue NW and Crowchild Trail, and in the Northeast near the Calgary International Airport and along Barlow Trail. There are hostels located in the City Centre. There are several campgrounds near Calgary, but only one is inside the city limits.

Stay safe

Although Calgary is generally a very safe place, walking at night should be avoided in the East Village and Victoria Park areas of downtown (generally speaking, this is the area adjacent to the Stampede Grounds and north to the Bow River). Calgary's 2011 murder rate of 1.1 murders per 100,000 inhabitants was, for example, roughly one-tenth the murder rate of Minneapolis and one-twentieth that of Memphis. Always keep your wits about you when the bars close, regardless of the area of town. Calgary drivers are typical drivers for a mid-sized western North American city. Culturally, Calgary is a mash-up of small town culture and big city living, and driving in Calgary is no exception. If you come from a small town in rural North America, the drivers would be considerably more aggressive than you are used to. If you are from a larger busier urban area, or are from Europe for instance, Calgary drivers can be considered quite timid and under-skilled. A driver from New York, London or even Montreal and Toronto would consider the Calgary driver to lack confidence more than anything. Calgarians are generally quite aware of pedestrians and usually give pedestrians right of way, as required by law. Calgarians are generally safe and cautious (some consider overly cautious) drivers, though. Calgary freeways are nowhere near as congested and confusing as L.A. freeways or the 401 in Toronto, but Deerfoot Trail is to be avoided if you're not comfortable with 100 km/h freeway driving, and even by experts at rush hour (accidents occur on a daily basis). A second freeway, Stoney Trail, now exists on the northwest, west, north, and east sides of the city providing an alternate, less hectic route. Be aware of lengthy wait times at the emergency rooms of the city's hospitals. It may take 1 to 2 hours or more to see an emergency doctor. There is a web page where Alberta Health tracks the current wait times for Calgary emergency departments. Serious emergencies are triaged and see medical attention immediately. Panhandlers are a sight in Calgary's downtown core. The majority of them just need to be told 'No' but some can be persistent. Panhandlers have also been found at signalized intersections, holding a cap or hand out to drivers stopped at red lights. Take care when crossing LRT (tram) tracks, as the trains are quiet. There are no electrified rails. There are usually bells and barriers at pedestrian crossings; heed them. Boaters on the Bow River should note the Calgary White Water Park (Harvie Passage) just downstream of the Calgary Zoo; heed the warning signs. People have perished here, the strongest swimmers among them. Winter driving always requires caution. The key to winter driving is to slow down, as the main hazard in winter is slippery roads due to snow, ice, or slush. Remember, your vehicle – whether it's a compact car or an SUV – relies on four surfaces, each the size of the palm of your hand, to grip the road. When you drive faster, or drive on a slippery surface, that means less traction. So the solution for slippery roads is to slow down to give your car a better grip on the road surface. (Winter tires help too: If renting a car in winter, request winter tires, because not all rental cars have winter tires equipped.) In the worst winter driving conditions, you may see drivers on 100 km/h roads drop down to 60 km/h for safety. By slowing down and significantly increasing your following distance, you can safely navigate through most winter road conditions. Winter road conditions are available online from Alberta Transportation and the Alberta Motor Association. Although Calgary doesn't get a lot of heavy snow, temperatures below freezing can allow ice to form on many roads. The most dangerous condition is when the ice is a clear sheet which resembles the road, called "black ice". Black ice is most commonly seen on bridge decks and other elevated roadways such as on- and off-ramps, where the road surface cools more quickly and so is more prone to freezing. Black ice most dangerous times to drive in these conditions are the two or three days immediately following the first major snowfall of the year. Black ice can also form after a period of warmer weather, such as in late fall, early spring, or after a winter chinook, when melting snow can turn to ice overnight. Freezing rain is not often seen in the Calgary area, but sometimes happens in late fall or early spring, when an evening shower is followed by overnight lows that drop below freezing, covering the roads with ice. Weather in Calgary is unpredictable from fall through spring. It is always best to dress in layers and come prepared for extremes, even within the same day.

Medical information

For emergencies, call 911 811 Health Link, ☏ 811, toll-free: +1-866-408-5465. 24 hours / 7 days a week. Registered nurses provide telephone advice and information about health symptoms and concerns. Health Link nurses help find appropriate services and health information. (updated Jun 2023)

Hospitals

All hospitals operate 24-hour emergency departments.

Go next

Banff and Lake Louise. Nearby, well-known winter ski areas and mountain summer escapes. Brooks. 2 hours east of Calgary; 50 kilometres away from the 73 km2 Dinosaur Provincial Park, one of Alberta's 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, boasts one of the best dinosaur fossil beds in the world. Cardston. The Remington Carriage Museum houses the largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles in North America with over 250 carriages, wagons and sleighs. Diamond Valley. Turner Valley Gas Plant National and Provincial Historic Site is a pioneering natural gas plant 45 minutes (by car) south of Calgary, where the Dingman No. 1 well's centennial was celebrated on May 14, 2014. See how natural gas from Canada's largest gas field was processed prior to WWII. Drumheller. 90 minutes east of Calgary. The world famous Royal Tyrrell Museum houses many palaeontological specimens. Edmonton. The nearest urban, metropolitan centre to the North is host to North America's largest mall and has a vibrant cultural scene. It is a 3-hour drive north of Calgary on Highway 2. Fort Macleod. A 90 minute drive south of Calgary. Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, one of Alberta's 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is 18 km NW of Fort Macleod with an excellent interpretive centre open year round. Jasper. A well-known mountain destination about 4 hours drive northwest of Calgary. Kananaskis Country and Canmore. Mountain destinations about an hour car travel away. Okotoks, suburban town south of Calgary. Red Deer. A city with its own list of attractions, halfway between Edmonton and Calgary. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. A 3-hour drive south of Calgary.

More pictures of Calgary

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.