Cycling in Calgary & exploring on foot

Stuart Forster travels to Alberta and experiences cycling in Calgary as part of exploring the Canadian city by bicycle and on foot.

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Exploring Calgary, Alberta

Calgary is the most populous city in Alberta. Well over 1.3 million people live in the Canadian city. Yet walking and cycling are viable ways of exploring attractions in and around the downtown core.

I didn’t feel intimidated or overwhelmed by the size of the city. Beyond the skyscrapers of its compact downtown, Calgary is characterised by low-rise buildings. One of the best places to gain an understanding of that is Calgary Tower‘s observation deck.

The 191-metre landmark opened to the public on 30 June 1968. It remains an attraction well worth visiting to orientate in Calgary.

Cycling in Calgary

This isn’t one of those North American cities where you have to rely on a car to get about. Buses and trams, known locally as CTrains, are options for urban journeys.

Calgary is also crisscrossed by a 700-kilometre network of multi-use pathways. They are utilised by both cyclists and pedestrians. I spotted locals using the pathway both to commute and for leisure. That was while making my way to points of interest around the city.

I hired a bicycle to explore Calgary. E-bikes are available, but I opted for a regular bicycle and enjoyed using it to get around between tourism attractions. I found cycling in Calgary easy.

A year-round tourism destination

Having a bicycle meant I could cover a significant amount of ground while getting my daily exercise. Downtown Calgary is relatively flat, making it ideal for summertime cycling.

I followed the RiverWalk alongside the Bow River. The North West Mounted Police established Fort Brisebois, which became Fort Calgary, at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers in 1875. The story of the National Historic Site is told at the Confluence Cultural Centre, which also introduces Indigenous culture and tells of Calgary’s foundation.

After taking a look around there, I pedalled to Sien Lok Park, by the city’s Chinatown.

A cone-shaped memorial with bas-relief sculpting in the park records the role played by Chinese people in building Canada’s railways and their struggle to overcome hardships.

Prince’s Island Park‘s River Café is an option for refreshments. If you want to enjoy lunch by your bicycle, check out the picnic baskets offered by the café from May to September. The park is a good location for photographing the Calgary skyline.

The nearby Peace Bridge, designed by the award-winning Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, is an ideal spot for a selfie. The bridge spans the Bow River.

Crossing to the north bank of the waterway, I followed the Bow River Pathway to the Calgary Soldiers’ Monument on Memorial Drive. The monument stands as a reminder of the Canadians who fell in service overseas, including at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in northern France.

Calgary’s Stampede Park

Continuing along the river provided more fine views of Calgary’s skyline and the Shaganappi Point Golf Course, whose name prompted contemplation during my journey towards the Stampede Park.

Every July, well over a million visitors stream to the park. Rodeos, chuckwagon racing, music and grandstand shows provide entertainment during the Calgary Stampede.

Heading back to my hotel, I made a note of the location of Cowboys, the nightclub whose sign claims it’s the place for ‘the most fun you can have with your boots on’.

As an authentic souvenir of my time in Alberta, I bought a pair of cowboy boots at Lammle’s, a well-stocked Western wear store on 8th Avenue SW. Also known as Stephen Avenue Walk, the pedestrianised area is Calgary’s principal downtown shopping street.

Inglewood in Calgary

After freshening up, I strolled towards the city’s Inglewood district on foot.

My route took me through the East Village, the location of Studio Bell, Canada’s National Music Centre. I passed the Simmons Building, a former mattress factory that now hosts a Phil and Sebastian Coffee Roasters café and the Charbar grill restaurant.

The riverside Inglewood district was once known for its concentration of breweries. Cold Garden Beverage Company, High Line Brewing and Ol’ Beautiful Brewing Co. are among the craft breweries that have revived that tradition.

They count among a raft of places, including numerous dining spots and The Blues Can music venue, that make Inglewood a popular option on weekend evenings. Highly rated restaurants in Inglewood include Tori Bar, Mumbai Bites and Kups.

My visit coincided with the monthly Inglewood Night Market, meaning an opportunity to dine on tacos from a food truck between sampling brews in taprooms. Before departing Inglewood, I popped into Oak and Vine to pick up a selection of craft beers from Alberta to share with friends at home.

The Smithbilt hat factory, which was founded in 1919 and makes the iconic broad-brimmed hats worn by many of the Calgary Stampede’s participants, is also in this part of town.

Dusk darkened into night as I walked back to my hotel.

Walking and cycling in Calgary meant I saw a significant swathe of the city while keeping my carbon emissions to a minimum.

Map of Calgary

The map below shows downtown Calgary. You can zoom into the map to find places of interest in the city centre:

Travel to Calgary, Alberta

I flew with Air Transat direct from London Gatwick to Calgary International Airport.

Air Transat’s Option Plus provided priority check-in, with a dedicated counter and a supplementary checked baggage allowance. Additionally, Option Plus brought seat selection, priority boarding and perks for onboard comfort, including a comfort kit with a blanket and sleeping mask, plus headphones for in-flight entertainment.

Air Canada and WestJet operate direct flights between London Heathrow and Calgary.

Canadian Affair (tel. 0203 424 6316) has been arranging holidays in Canada since 1995.

Hotels in Calgary

Use the map below to find accommodation in Calgary, Alberta:

Things to do in Calgary

For more information about things to do in Calgary, see the Visit Calgary website.

For ideas about things to do in the surrounding region and further afield, check out the Travel Alberta and Destination Canada websites.

The Canadian Rockies

The Canadian Rockies are a 90-minute drive from Calgary. During winter, Calgary is an ideal gateway to reach the ski resorts such as Sunshine Village, Mount Norquay and Lake Louise Ski Resort.

If you are looking for inspiration for days out from Calgary, please read this post on day trips in Alberta.

Books about Calgary

Planning a trip to Calgary and the surrounding area? You can buy the following books from Amazon.co.uk:

111 Places in Calgary That You Must Not Miss by Jennifer Bain.

Fodor’s Canadian Rockies guidebook.

Lonely Planet’s guide to Banff, Jasper and Glacier National Parks.

The Penguin History of Canada by Robert Bothwell.

Further information

Thank you for visiting Go Eat Do and reading this post about walking and cycling in Calgary, Alberta. If you are planning a trip to the city, you may appreciate this introduction to Calgary.

Stuart Forster, the author of this post, was presented with the 2017 British Annual Canada Travel Award for Best Online Coverage.

Illustrating photographs are by Why Eye Photography.

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A version of this post was initially published on Go Eat Do on 4 June 2018.