For Apna News readers in Surrey planning a trip east, Calgary is an easy first stop in Alberta. It is a city where a downtown tower, a river pathway, a historic village and lively neighbourhood streets sit close together, so a first visit can cover a lot without long drives between sights. Use this guide to plan a first day or two, and check the official pages linked at the end before you travel, since details can change.
Start with the view from Calgary Tower
Begin downtown at the Calgary Tower, a landmark in the city skyline. Tourism Calgary describes the 191 metre high observation deck and its 360-degree view of the city, the mountains and the prairies. The tower also has a glass floor experience, and it is open every day except Christmas, so it works as a first stop in almost any season.
Walk Stephen Avenue and the Bow River pathways
Stephen Avenue, also known as 8th Avenue, runs from 11th Street SW to 1 Street SE in downtown Calgary. The City of Calgary calls it the main downtown high street and cultural corridor, and Tourism Calgary calls it a world-famous pedestrian mall. It is a good place for a slow walk, a meal and a look at historic buildings, and it sits in the centre of the downtown area, close to the tower.
From downtown, join the Bow River pathways. The City of Calgary describes its self-guided pathway routes as some of the best walking, rollerblading and cycling routes in Calgary. In Kensington, a stroll from Poppy Plaza along the Bow River gives views of the skyline, and in Inglewood the flat, paved Bow River pathway runs along the eastern edge of the neighbourhood. A river walk is a simple way to move between sights and to see the city at a relaxed pace.
Step back in time at Heritage Park Historical Village
Heritage Park Historical Village, at 1900 Heritage Drive SW, is described by Tourism Calgary as Canada’s largest living history museum. It is a registered charity, and visitors can ride a steam train, pan for gold, visit a bustling prairie town, learn about Western Canada’s energy past, browse shops, try Midway food, take an antique midway ride or a wagon ride, and meet farm animals. The village also covers Indigenous culture, and costumed interpreters bring its stories to life.
Meet animals at the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo
The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo is one of Calgary’s favourite family destinations, with more than 4,000 animals and over 100 species. Penguin Plunge is a highlight for many visitors, while Wild Canada features bighorn sheep, caribou, a polar bear, otters, a moose, a Canada lynx, bison and a muskox. The Savannah area includes hippos, giraffes, meerkats, lions and lemurs, and the Rainforest area includes chameleons, crocodiles and gorillas.
Inglewood, Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood
Inglewood is Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood and one of its most historic, just minutes from downtown. Tourism Calgary says it has a small-town feel, a bustling main street and brick heritage buildings. Its main street, 9 Avenue SE, is Calgary’s original downtown. Inglewood sits across the Elbow River from The Confluence and along the Bow River, and it is accessible through the city’s popular pathway system.
Look for Smithbilt Hats, maker of the city’s signature white cowboy hat since 1919. Nearby, the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary has had more than 270 bird species recorded since 1929. Pearce Estate Park and Harvie Passage, a purpose-built whitewater channel, are close by, and Bow Habitat Station is a hands-on environmental education centre focused on Alberta’s fish and aquatic ecosystems. The Esker Foundation, a free contemporary art gallery, is another reason to linger.
Kensington, north of downtown
Kensington, just north of downtown, is one of Calgary’s top destinations for shopping and dining. Tourism Calgary notes more than 25 restaurants within a few blocks, along with quirky shops, buzzing patios and unexpected public art. The Plaza Theatre is an independent cinema in a converted mechanics shop from the 1920s, and the Hexagon Board Game Cafe has over 1,000 board games. Riley Park has a wading pool, a rock garden and a massive playground, and Poppy Plaza is a good spot for a riverside stroll and a picnic.
Long-running shops add to the area’s character. Higher Ground has been a staple since 1982, and Hot Wax has been selling vinyl since 1978. Together, Inglewood and Kensington show two different sides of Calgary: one rooted in the city’s earliest streets, the other lively with shops, food and public art.
A simple plan for a first visit
Start downtown, then walk Stephen Avenue and the Bow River pathways. Spend a half day at Heritage Park or the zoo, depending on who is travelling with you, and save an afternoon for Inglewood or Kensington. That mix gives you a skyline view, a river walk, history, wildlife and two neighbourhoods, without trying to see everything at once. Leave time to return to a place you liked, because a first trip is often about finding the spots you want to explore properly next time.
(Source: Tourism Calgary / City of Calgary, November 2026)
