Going to Calgary & Banff

[Syzygy]

My wife and I are going to Calgary & Banff in early-Autumn. What are the “Must See” things to experience in both places?

We are going to Banff for the obvious natural beauty and tranquility. Any advice for things to pack to be best prepared for being in the great-outdoors of Banff?

Any favorites that you would recommend to check out in Calgary?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[SmilingGrump]

What do you mean by early Autumn? Some people have different ideas of when that is

If you haven't already booked a place to stay, Banff Springs is spectacular (pricey, but spectacular). It's a hotel you can literally get lost in and has tons of character and history to it. It's worth a visit even if you're not staying there.

There's lots to see in the Banff-Lake Louise area. Plenty of good hiking trails, lots of wildlife, great food, and many types of tours. If you happen to be there when the leaves are changing colour, be prepared to have your breath taken away!

As for Calgary, I'm not a great expert on what to do there. Residing now in the Edmonton area, we visit Calgary only to see friends who are unable to escape Calgary for the better city to the North (sorry, I just can't talk about Calgary without the Edmonton-Calgary rivalry kicking in).
Calgary does have a great zoo, actually one of the best I've been to behind San Diego, Pheonix and (of course) Animal Kingdom. There's also a lot of great hotels in the downtown area that have plenty of restaurants nearby. You may also be able to do some bobsledding (I'm not sure if the Olympic park there still offers that or not).

Hopefully a Calgarian will speak up and give you better insight into what to do in Alberta's second city

Again, if you give more specific dates I can give you a more accurate picture of what the weather will (most likely) be like.

 

[drag n' fly]

Lol I knew it was coming. First and foremost op you have made a smart decision to go to Calgary and Banff. Their is absolutlely nothing to do in Edmonton. There are so many must sees you need to let us know your interests. Heres a few. Moraine Lake...yes the one on the 20 dollar bill. Town of Banff and the Banff Springs Hotel. The hike to Larch Valley. Lake Louise and the Fairmont hotel there. Hike to the Lake Agnus Teahouse. The gondola in Banff. Columbia Icefields. The hotsprings in Banff. Radium is better. Kananaskis for true wild beauty. Lots of grizzlies roaming. Calgary has a lot to do maybe if you tell us what interests you that would help. P.s if your hiking have bear spray and bells. Follow park signs for area closures. Lots of animals feeding at that time of year preparing for winter.

What do you mean by early Autumn? Some people have different ideas of when that is

If you haven't already booked a place to stay, Banff Springs is spectacular (pricey, but spectacular). It's a hotel you can literally get lost in and has tons of character and history to it. It's worth a visit even if you're not staying there.

There's lots to see in the Banff-Lake Louise area. Plenty of good hiking trails, lots of wildlife, great food, and many types of tours. If you happen to be there when the leaves are changing colour, be prepared to have your breath taken away!

As for Calgary, I'm not a great expert on what to do there. Residing now in the Edmonton area, we visit Calgary only to see friends who are unable to escape Calgary for the better city to the North (sorry, I just can't talk about Calgary without the Edmonton-Calgary rivalry kicking in).
Calgary does have a great zoo, actually one of the best I've been to behind San Diego, Pheonix and (of course) Animal Kingdom. There's also a lot of great hotels in the downtown area that have plenty of restaurants nearby. You may also be able to do some bobsledding (I'm not sure if the Olympic park there still offers that or not).

Hopefully a Calgarian will speak up and give you better insight into what to do in Alberta's second city

Again, if you give more specific dates I can give you a more accurate picture of what the weather will (most likely) be like.

 

[PurpleEars]

First, I sure hope you are not taking about "early autumn" for 2011. It has already come and gone. Second, as much as there is a rivalry between the 2 metropolitan cities in Alberta, we are really a friendly bunch.

Banff - it is a lovely place. It depends on your interest and fitness levels, there are lots of good hiking trails both inside and outside of the Banff National Park. If hiking is your thing, I would recommend training up for at least a few months before your trip. You may want to consider the altitude factor, as people who live near sea levels can find it challenging to hike here or being physically active in general. DH and I hike at least once every two weeks in the summer. In my "off seasons" I tend to climb the stairs at work at lunch time to maintain some level of ability to hike.

I would consider bringing is hiking poles and a good pair of boots(or maybe you can rent them?) The poles offer more stability and they help you stay more upright, thus you can go further.

Also, as Drag n' fly pointed out, early autumn is the time when bears get ready for the winter. A number of trails will have restrictions on them that time of the year (e.g., hike in groups of 4, 1 person in each group must have bear spray, no dogs allowed) It is really for both our and their safety. There are some unique shops within Banff townsite, though I have to admit I haven't looked at them that carefully since I am not a big shopper. Also, if you want to stay a little bit less expensively, you may want to consider staying in Canmore (just outside of Banff National Park). I really don't know how much hotels/B&B/motels cost in that area since we are day trippers. Banff is just an hour's drive from our place so we perfer going home to our own bed at the end of the day. There is Sulfur Mountain in Banff where you can either ride the gondola ($$) or hike up (free, takes us less than 2 hours). There is the Cosmic Rays Observatory site on top of the mountain. There is a buffet restaurant up on Sulfur Mountain too, however, it is rather expensive!

Calgary - You can watch a CFL (football) or NHL (hockey) game if you are interested in sports. The Calgary Zoo is nice if you are into animals. There are a number of museums and art galleries downtown if you are into the art scene. There is also SPARK, which is our new Science Centre. The Canada Olympic Park will likely not be open for skiing in autumn, but there may be other activities you can do there. That's where the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame is located. One thing you may want to consider is that restaurant food can be expensive (depending on where you came from). The prices at some restaurants make Disney World look downright affordable! There are some reasonably priced option too, one of my favourites has pasta dishes for $7.99 3 days a week. I just want to point out the two ends of the cost spectrum so you are prepared.

Have fun planning!

 

[PurpleEars]

Oh and I just thought about this today for something special to do in Calgary - Spruce Meadows is where they have horse jumping tournaments. The athletes and horses are simply amazing. The Masters is usually on the beginning of September.

 

[henryk67]

A wee taster for you, we were there in july.

Lake Louise

Athabasca Glacier

Banff

 

[souris]

Soo jealous! I worked for two summers at the Columbia Icefield and loved every moment! It is breathtaking!! Here are my top suggestions...

1) Athabasca Glacier (take the walk up to the edge... if you like more active adventures, you can get a guided glacier walk... they leave from the Icefield information center. I would contact them ahead to reserve. There are also Snocoach tours.)

2) Drive the Icefield parkway from Banff to Jasper... most amazing drive!!! There are spectacular views... falls, glaciers, animals...

3) Banff Hoodoos... I think they are so cool!

4) Moraine Lake... it will make Lake Louise look boring! It is what was on the old 20$ bill

I did spend some days in Calgary, apart from shopping... there was not much for me. Then again, I did not spend much time there. Have a great time!!!

 

[monkey30]

Like others, the zoo is great even in the fall, lots of animals out and sometimes you can get that nice indian summer so it can get pretty warm!

Spark is neat, I have seen the advertisments for it, and a few friends have been raving about it. Out of everything though no one has mentioned the Calgary Tower, its neat to ride up. You get a decent view of some parts of the city (downtown has grown around it!) and I have always enjoyed it.

There are many places to just go walking around Calgary, Fish Creek Park is at the south end, Nose Hill is in the north. Edworthy Park on the west side. Lots to look at.

Have fun and enjoy!