Travel to Calgary and the Canadian Rockies – Episode 749

Hear about travel to Calgary, Alberta, and vacations from Calgary as the Amateur Traveler talks to Jody Robbins from Travels with Baggage about the area she calls home.

Jody says, “What’s so special about Calgary is it is an excellent basecamp for adventures. We’re about an hour’s drive away from Banff National Park. This is really the crown jewel and the Parks Canada system. Banff National Park is Canada’s first National Park. If you’re a fan of dinosaurs, few people realize that an hour and a half drive from Calgary lies Dinosaur Provincial Park. None rival it when you compare the number of species found, and just the sheer number of dinosaur fossils that have been uncovered for the site.”

“If you’ve never been to the Canadian Rockies, it’s one of those bucket list adventures that you really do need to do. From the [Calgary] airport, it is probably a 40-minute drive to the Rockies. Banff is a little over an hour, Banff is quite touristy and for good reason. Locals tend to go to a place called Kananaskis. Kananaskis is about a 30-minute drive closer to Calgary than Banff is equally as beautiful with tons of hiking, also ski hills, lots of cross country tracks, some nice resorts, some nice camping options, some great glamping options in a teepee or a trappers tent.”

Jody is a snowboarder so her favorite season is in the winter, but many (including me) love the long days of summer. For those who visit in the winter, Jody describes an itinerary that can include wild ice skating, snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding, and a Nordic spa. 

For those who come in the warmer months, we talk about hikes, mountain biking, and a via ferrata. Banff National Park is beautiful in any season with its lakes that glacial color of blue and dramatic mountains. Jasper National Park is a bit further away but gets fewer crowds and is also spectacular.

Before you leave Calgary explore its neighborhoods, its history at Heritage Park, its zoo, or its biggest party of all the Calgary Stampede. Come for the ballet or come in the winter and enjoy the indoor walkways of Calgary’s +15 system.

When you are ready to see some dinosaurs you can head up to the  Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller or to Dinosaur Provincial Park. Both of these are across the fields and into the Canadian Badlands of Alberta. 

If you have extra time, explore the Cowboy Trail, Waterton Lakes National Park or Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump.

Vacations from Calgary can include wonderful old hotels or camping tents, hikes or spas, dinosaurs, or cowboys. All of that is waiting for you in Alberta.

subscribe: rss feed | Apple podcasts

right click here to download (mp3)

Show Notes

Jody Robbins | Travels with Baggage
Banff itinerary
Kananaskis Nordic Spa
Poperoy Kanaaskas Mountain Lodge
Kananaskis Outfitters
Snowshoe Tours in Kananaskis
Skating in Banff National Park
Ribbon Creek, Kovach and Terrace Loop
Banff Via Ferrata
Tunnel Mountain Trail – Alberta, Canada | AllTrails
Banff Centre
Johnston Canyon ice walk
Fairmont Banff Springs
What to do in Jasper
Banff Sunshine Meadows
Columbia Icefields
The Calgary Zoo
Heritage Park
Calgary Stampede
Alberta Ballet
+15 Calgary
Discover Calgary’ss 17th Ave SW
Inglewood, Calgary
Kensington, Calgary
Devonian Gardens (Calgary)
Royal Tyrrell Museum
Dinosaur Provincial Park
The Cowboy Trail
Heartland (Canadian TV series)
Waterton Lakes National Park
Fairmont Jasper National Park

Community

Support Amateur Traveler on Patreon

Please take our listener survey

Amateur Traveler Trips
Amateur Traveler trip to Turkey in September 2020