Bored on a business trip? Been a tourist in Calgary one too many times? Well here are a few activities you may not have stumbled across before – and none of them include cowboys rope-tying calves in the dust!
Ride a luge: While many luge runs around the world are open only in winter, Calgary’s Skyline Luge track in the Olympic Park Complex is ready to offer you the experience of a lifetime all year round. Ok, so not exactly a luge in the typical sense – rather than lying flat you’re sitting up with a steering bar in your hands – the fact that you control the speed and thrill level means it’s great for both speedy thrill seekers and slow sightseers. Buy more than one pass, as you’ll be dying to go again as soon as you finish the first run.
Watch Show jumping: Well, the whole horse thing might not be that big of a surprise if you’re familiar with the Calgary Stampede, but at the Spruce Meadows arena, you can get up close with beautiful stallions, check out dog demonstrations, and enjoy the family-friendly grounds full of food kiosks and play areas.
Take a spin on a roller coaster: Go all retro and take your date to Calaway Park, Western Canada’s largest amusement park. You can get yourselves all queasy on the classic spinning, falling, twisting rides, or play for a giant stuffed animal at the classic fair games. Can anyone say awww?!
Go Deer-Spotting: Think central park is cool? Then you should definitely reserve a few hours to explore Fish Creek Provincial Park; one of the largest urban wildernesses in the world, with over 54 miles of trails for hiking, biking and running. You’ll forget you’re in the middle of a huge Canadian city as you spot wildlife and circle the creek. Stop for lunch in the main restaurant, housed in a beautiful heritage building.
Get lost in a corn maze and pan for gold: A short drive outside the city, you can rediscover your inner kid at the Calgary Corn Maze, open from late July to October every year. Admission is reasonable, on average $12 per person) and when you’re done with the maze there’s also the Friendly Fire (foam ball NERF gun fights), petting zoo, sliding hill, and Mining Sluice (panning semi-precious gemstones).