Calgary Canada Travel and Vacation Information

Calgary Stampede

Bareback Rider

Having the third most temperate climate in all of Canada, Calgary can still be rather chilly. That fits visitors just fine, with all there is to do - indoors and out.  Located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and bordered by the plains, Calgary is just a short drive from Banff National Park and Lake Louise Resort. But you don't have to leave Calgary to find something to do. Calgary is bustling with activity and all kinds of events. 

Calgary Info:

Land Area: 279 square miles
Elevation:  3,200 feet above sea level
Number of parks: 40+
Number of radio stations:  8 AM, 17 FM
Number of television stations:  6
Number of newspapers: 6 (Calgary Herald, Calgary Sun, FFWD, Globe and Mail, National Post, Dose)
Transportation: Calgary International Airport, Greyhound Bus Lines

Calgary Weather and Climate:

Average daily temperature: Low: -15 degrees Celsius/High: 23 degrees Celsius
Average annual rainfall: 15.7 inches

Distances to other Metropolitan Areas from Calgary (in miles):

Atlanta, GA — 1,886
Boston, MA — 1,816
Chicago, IL —  1,378
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX — 1,503
Houston, TX — 1,725
Las Vegas, NV — 1,026
Los Angeles, CA — 1,191
Memphis, TN — 1,609
Miami, FL — 2,456
Nashville, TN — 1,676
New Orleans, LA — 1,882
New York, NY — 2,009
Orlando, FL — 2,275
Philadelphia, PA — 1,977
Phoenix, AZ — 1,209
Rapid City, SD — 613
Salt Lake City, UT — 710
San Antonio, TX — 1,670
San Diego, CA — 1,264
San Jose, CA — 1,012
Washington, DC — 1,922

Calgary Safety Phone # and Major Hospitals:

Police/Fire/Ambulance: 911
Alberta Children's Hospital (403-229-7211)
Foothills Medical Centre (403-944-1110)
Peter Lougheed Centre (403-943-4555)
Rockyview General Hospital (403-943-3000)

Calgary Top Tourism Draws and Seasons:

Seasons:  all
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Zoo
The Calgary Science Center
The Glenbow Museum & Art Gallery
EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts
Devonian Gardens
Heritage Park Historical Village
Canada Olympic Park
Aero Space Museum
Race City Motorsport Park
Calgary Dragon Boat Fest
Calgary International Reggae Festival
Calgary Highland Games
Spruce Meadows
Calgary International Film Festival
International Children's Festival
Calgary Flames Hockey Club
Mainstreet Sunfest
Calgary Folk Music Festival
Global Fest
A Taste of Calgary
Calgary Hispanic Festival

Calgary Major Shopping Areas:

Chinook Centre
Deerfoot Outlet Mall
Market Mall
Willow Park Village
Calgary Eaton Centre
TD Square
Scotia Centre
Downtown
Inglewood BRZ

Calgary Major Dining Areas:

Downtown
17th Avenue
Calgary Northeast

Calgary Famous Landmarks & Historic Places:

Canadian Olympic Park
Fort Calgary Historic Site
The Pengrowth Saddledome
The Calgary Tower
Bar U Ranch National Historic Site of Canada

Calgary Famous Natives and Residents:

Elisha Cuthbert - TV actress
Todd MacFarlane - comic book creator/artist
Donald MacLaren - member of the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame
David Winnig - filmmaker
Ned Land - actor
Jann Arden - singer
Maxwell Bates - painter

Notable Moments in Calgary History:

1787 - David Thompson became the first European to visit the area.
1873 - John Glenn came the first recorded settler in the Calgary area.
1875 - Calgary became the site of the North West Mounted Police.
1876 - The city was officially named Fort Calgary.
1884 - Calgary was officially incorporated as a town.
1914 - Oil was discovered in Alberta, causing Calgary to be at the center of an economic boom.
1957 - The Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium opened.
1973 - The city's economy accelerated due to the Arab Oil Embargo.
1974 -1987- Calgary's famous skyscrapers were built.
1981 - The oil boom began to subside due to the National Energy Program.
1988 - Calgary hosted the XV Winter Olympics, helping complete the transition of raising the city out of its economic slump.

Interesting Facts about Calgary:

Calgary is the largest city in Alberta and has the third largest population in Canada.
Calgary is second in Canada for concentration of corporate headquarters offices.
The Chinook winds the rise off of the Pacific Ocean can cause temperatures to rise as much as 20 degrees in one day.
Calgary has the world's most extensive network of elevated indoor pedestrian bridges to connect the downtown skyscrapers.
Calgary is the youngest populated city in Canada with an average age of 34.

Calgary Population and Demographics:

Population — 1,037,100
White — 79%
Native American — 2.3%
Black — 1.5%
Asian — 11.5%
Population 18 and under — 27%
65 and over — 9%
Median age — 34.8 years
Average household size — 2.6
Median family income -- $65,488

Calgary Colleges and Universities:

University of Calgary
Mount Royal College
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Alberta College of Art and Design

Calgary Economy & Business — Notable Employers and Industries:

Petroleum Industry
Agriculture
Encana Corp
Petro-Canada
Suncor Energy
Canada Safeway Ltd
Comcare Health Services
Husky Energy
ENMAX Corporation

Calgary Hispanic Community Media and Churches

Calgary Hispanic Expo