Love the outdoors? Really revel in it? Consider Calgary for your next getaway. You won’t need to take out a bank loan to get there.
One reason: The city is home base for discount airline WestJet, Canada’s version of Southwest Airlines. According to OAG, WestJet offers nonstop flights from Las Vegas to Calgary, Phoenix to Calgary, and Los Angeles to Calgary.
Calgary is a backpacker’s haven. That’s part of the allure. Many of the free or inexpensive things to do here reside outdoors.
Bring your binoculars to Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
Bird watching isn’t for nerds. You’ve got to be in decent shape to endure it, and be in awe of the natural world to enjoy it. In Inglewood, see if you can spot the Morning Warbler or the Western-Wood Pewee. If you’re lucky you might even get a fleeting glimpse of the Hair Woodpecker. This 26-hectare nature reserve is home to 270 species of birds, and 21 species of mammals. Butterflies really are free here – all 27 species of them.
Inglewood isn’t remote. It’s just five kilometers east of downtown Calgary, on the Bow River. Admission is by donation.
Picnic, bike or hike Canada’s largest urban parks
The Calgary area harbors 80 sq. kilometers of parkland and public green space – as well as the longest paved urban parkway system in North America. The terrain is made for biking. Check out Fish Creek Provincial Park, Canada’s largest urban park or Nose Hill Park, in the north central part of the city and a prime example of the prairie grasslands that dominate the area.
Fish the Bow River
This close-in adventure can be yours for the price of a fishing license, which you can get at most hardware stores. Rainbow Trout is what anglers are after up here, and the river south of town is where you’ll find them – big 16 to 30 inchers. That’s because this part of the Bow contains higher nutrient levels. That means more insects. And where there are bugs there are fish. Take along ample insect repellant.
Exercise your artsy side
For a change of pace, ditch the insect repellant and enjoy an evening of live music, exhibitions, and art during First Thursday at Art Central. Make your way to the corner of Centre Street and 7th Avenue downtown. That’s where you’ll find studios, galleries and such – as well as a restaurant and café. This aggregation aims to be “axis of the visual arts scene in Calgary,” where artists and aficionados rub shoulders.
Explore China Town
Every great city has one, and Calgary’s no exception. The sights, sounds and ambience of the place are seductive. If you find yourself in town between August 6 and 7, head to North Glenmore Park for the Calgary Dragon Boat Race & Festival. This is no mere neighborhood gathering. The event attracts some 750 competitors each year.
Check out up-to-date cheap flights to Calgary and plan your trip north today.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: abdallahh)
