3 Day Calgary Itinerary – Adventure in the City to the Mountains

If you have a weekend or 3 days to work with and you're looking to do an easy trip to a beautiful west coast city in Canada that has that perfect balance of drop dead scenery, adventure, culture, and culinary, then look no further than Calgary.

This is an adventurous 3 day Calgary itinerary that has you based in the city and allows you to explore the best of Calgary, Canmore, and Banff.

3 Day Calgary Itinerary

With the eastern face of the Rockies as its backdrop, the history of the 1988 Winter Olympics in its wake, and the rowdy rodeo events of the Calgary stampede, there's actually a lot you can see and do from a city that some nickname “Cowtown”.

If you have a weekend or long weekend to spare and thinking about exploring a new Canadian city, this is a perfect 3 day Calgary itinerary that's packed with a ton of adventure and answers the call of the mountains. While based in the city, you'll see what this Alberta cosmopolitan has to offer while also heading to the allure of the Rocky Mountains with visits to Canmore to Banff.

Map of Calgary Itinerary

Here's a map of all the places we visited in this 3 day Calgary itinerary. I've found over the years that having something like this with you on-the-go is extremely valuable when paired with a well-planned itinerary.

Maps are a bit of staple when it comes to our itineraries including our 2 week Greek island hopping, 2 days in Istanbul, 2 days in Hong Kong, and 2 weeks in French Polynesia.

TIP: Open this map in a new tab and create a copy. From there, you'll be able to access this map on desktop, mobile, and in the Google Maps app. Note that you'll need data to be able to see all the pins on the app.

Day 1: Exploring the City

Whether you've arrived in Calgary the previous night or you're taking an early morning flight, you're going to hit the ground running!

First things first, make sure you have your rental car picked up from the airport because you're going to be doing a ton of driving

Your first stop is the WinSport Canada Olympic Park.

It may seem like a distant memory but the 1988 Winter Olympics were held in Calgary.  For a place that's over 30 years old, it's definitely kept well.  In the summer, ski jumping, bobsleigh, and the ski hill itself are closed for the season but what makes this a great destination are the activities that are available.

Start off by spending some time learning the history of the events that happened here and also the sights of the ski jumping platforms and bobsledding track

Something that you have to do while you're here is the Downhill Karting at Skyline Luge which features a unique wheeled gravity ride that takes you 1.8 kilometres of twists and turns that drop in over 100 meters of elevation.  

Operated by the same company that runs the downhill karting in Queenstown, New Zealand, you start off with the gondola and make your way up the mountain. With your helmet on and after a quick lesson, your group will line up together on the starting line. Once ready, you're given the green light to go and you let gravity do the rest.

Steering around wide sweeping corners and evading others on the track, you'll find this so much fun that you'll be yelling wildly as you pass (or get passed) around the 50+ twists and turns.

Other activities you can look into doing while you're here are mini golf, free fall bungee, monster zipline, summer bobsleigh, and mountain biking in the summer. Many of these activities require advanced planning so make sure to make reservations in advance.

Before you go, make sure to drive your car up to the top of the hill where you can get a different vantage point of the ski jumping towers and also the city down below.

Your next stop is the Calgary Farmers' Market which will be perfect timing to refuel and re-energize.

Open all-year round, this market features a wide variety of food stalls, fresh produce, and also many crafty boutique shops. Spend your time browsing around and eventually picking up a few yummy dishes and drinks.

There are plenty of tables to eat indoors and also picnic benches outside.

Next, head into the Calgary downtown core where you'll get to see up-close a real slice of the city and daily life.

I recommend that you start off around Calgary Tower. You can go up to get panoramic views of the city but personally, I'd skip it if you've been up to places like CN Tower, and Top of the Rock.

From there, make your way to Stephen Avenue Walk, a pedestrian street that's lined with shops, restaurants, and busy office buildings.

After peeking into a few stores and perhaps grabbing a latté on the way, it's time to start your urban sculpture hunt!

Something that'll really surprise you about the downtown district is just how many examples of public art there are scattered throughout. These are a few standout ones you'll find which I recommend that you check out as you roam from Stephen Avenue Walk to Olympic Plaza.

• Galleria Trees – These are easy to spot right at the intersection of 8 Ave SW and 3 St SW and part of Stephen Avenue Walk. LED lights bring these towering trees to life at night.
• Wonderland – Created by Spanish artist, Jaume Plensa, this giant wire sculpture of a young girl's head stands impressively at 12 metres high and is easy to spot as you wander through Calgary. You can even walk inside the sculpture.
• The Conversation – Two businessmen have an important conversation on Stephen Avenue.
• Sadko and Kabuki – Red and yellow painted bronze sculptures by Sorel Etrog that stands in front of Bow Valley Square.
• Famous Five – In Olympic Park you'll find this sculpture of 5 important women in Canada that challenged British Canadian law to include women as “person'.
• NEW Van Gogh Monumental – Unveiled in late 2020, this can be found at the corner of 10th Ave and 1st St SE featuring portions of Van Gogh's body, a common feature to Bruno Catalano's work.

Beyond these sculptures, you'll stumble upon many other graffiti and public art works as you meander through.

Before you leave downtown, make sure to drive by Calgary's stampede area and take a look at the Saddledome. This is where the NHL team, Calgary Flames play, and is a major venue for other events throughout the year. Notice how the stadium is built to look like a horse's saddle.

Drive up to the affluent neighbourhood around McHugh Bluff. Perched on an outcrop that overlooks downtown Calgary, this is easily one of the best spots for a view of Calgary and Bow River that runs right north of it.

The bluff has an elevated view that follows Crescent Rd. NW. For an easy walk, you can park on the street and walk along its sidewalk or if you're looking for a bit more exercise, you can make your way to the Lookout Point and take the wooden stairs down and back up for views of varying heights.

You can't visit Calgary and not see the Peace Bridge. Spanning the Bow River, this was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. This is the same architect that designed the Milwaukee Art Museum, the atrium of Brookfield Place in Toronto, and the architectural wonders of Valencia.

This bridge is a pedestrian walkway with a designated cycling path through the middle.

While it reminds me of a DNA helix, the locals have nicknamed this “Finger Trap Bridge” because from afar, it's similar to a finger trap puzzle.

End off your first day in Calgary by having an extraordinary meal at Pigeonhole.  A reservation is a must!

I first discovered this restaurant reading the Air Canada EnRoute magazine when it was touted as one of the best new restaurants of 2015.

It sure didn't disappoint with each dish that came through in rapid succession tapas style.  The highlight of your meal will no doubt the charred cabbage.  The name itself doesn't quite do it justice but wow were our minds blown when we had it.  Somehow one of my least favourite vegetables turned into this explosion of flavours, erupting from the pan-charred wedges, and healthy dose of grated mimolette cheese on top.

Day 2: Caving in Canmore

After a day in Calgary, it's time to head west to an area known as Canmore in Alberta. Nestled in the Rockies, this former coal-mining town is open of my favourites because it's a bit off-the-beaten-path. Surrounded by craggy summits, lakes, trails, canyons, and an underground labyrinth, there's a ton to do here.

A secret of Canmore's is the extensive cave systems that sits under Grotto Mountain. There's one particular cave that you can visit and it's the Rat's Nest Cave. While a provincial historic site, its caretaker is Canmore Cave Tours which operate adventure caving experiences inside.

The tour that you want to pick is the Adventure Cave Tour, a 4 hour tour underground, making it their longest tour they offer. This allows you to see all of the main highlights of Rat's Nest Cave including a couple of fun maneuvers.

The experience starts off at their main office where you'll be introduced to your guide and fitted with the gear that you'll need. They provide coveralls, kneepads, gloves, helmet, headlamp, harness, and safety lanyard. The helmet and headlamp stay on and the rest goes into a waterproof backpack they provide.

This is just the beginning though because you then drive your own car and follow your guide to the parking lot and trailhead to the cave.

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The hike up to the cave is remarkable and there are a few openings along the way with beautiful vistas of the mountains.

Right outside the cave, they have a temporary shelter set up where you'll be able to suit up with your technical gear you brought in with you.

From there, the caving experience begins as your guide takes you through a series of walk, crawl, squeeze and repels through a cave. There are times in the cave where it'll look like there's no way you can get through a passage but with a simple twist and push through, you manage to find a way.

Along the way, your guide will point out unique geological features inside the cave, examples of local fossils found, and the cave's history. Eventually you'll reach the largest room in the cave known as the Grand Gallery and also the Grotto and its crystal clear pool with stalactites and stalagmites.

The whole time you'll manage your way through with the beam of your headlamp, the echo of your caving-mates, and sometimes even pure silence.

By the end of it, you'll come out with your jumpsuits completely plastered with dust and physically exhausted.

Without a doubt, this will be the highlight of your 3 day Calgary itinerary. There aren't many places in the world where you get to do something like this. You'll come out of it amazed at what you saw and even more impressed that you somehow made it through all of those obstacles.

You'll be pretty exhausted at this point after you return back to the Canmore Cave Tours to drop off your gear and you say goodbyes.

Before you grab dinner though, you'll have to muster a bit more energy to see another highlight of Canmore.

Grassi Lakes is part of the Kananaskis Country park system and made up of two picturesque turquoise lakes – one upper and one lower. From the Upper Grassi Lake, you get postcard worthy shots of the mountains, Canmore, and Bow Valley.

There are a network if hike trails here and if you had a full day, I'd recommend doing the complete Grassi Lakes Trail but since you'll only have time to catch the view from Upper Grassi Lake, I recommend taking the shortcut that isn't so obvious from Google Maps but trust me, it's there.

To wrap up the day, head into downtown Canmore and have dinner at Rocky Mountain Flat Bread Company.

Without reservations, there might be a wait so try to do this before you leave for Calgary. That said, a short wait wouldn't be the worst thing in the world because you'll be able to explore a bit of the town.

Their flatbread pizzas made in a traditional wood burning oven are hearty, locally sourced, artisanal pieces of thin crust goodness.

Before you head home, grab an ice cream at Old Schol Bus Ice Cream in town.

Day 3: Banff Canyons, Lakes, and Horses

For your final full day based in Calgary, you'll be starting off with something that's so iconic to what the city is best known for – the Stampede. This love affair of horses and cowboys is something you need to experience in person.

During our trip, we visited Griffin Valley Ranch located in Rocky View County however as of Spring 2020, they closed their doors so instead, I have a couple of recommendations for horseback trail riding that will suit equally well for this itinerary.

Depending on interest and skill level, here are the best ones:

• 2-Hour Horseback Ride in Kananaskis with Burger Lunch [9:30AM, 1PM] – This is a rustic Alberta mountain adventure operated by Boundary Ranch. You'll travel high above the Kananaskis Valley that ends with a delicious BBQ lunch. No previous riding experience is required.
• Covered Wagon or Horseback Ride in Banff with Western Cookout [4PM, 5PM] – Saddle up along the Bow River in Banff like days gone by. This is an afternoon experience that includes a BBQ meal. For this experience you can either ride a horse or you can be in the comfort of a wagon.
• 1-Hour Horseback Trail Ride in Kananaskis [9:45AM, 11AM, 1:30PM. 3PM and 4:15PM] – If you want to spend more time in Banff, choose this horseback riding experience suitable for beginners and children over 6.
• 1-Hour Bow River Ride [11AM, 1PM, 2PM, 3PM]- Similar to the above except you'll be riding on the trails of the Bow River or Spray River in Banff National Park.

After your epic ride through some of Alberta's beautiful backcountry, hit the road again and make your way into Banff National Park.

While driving westbound along the main Trans-Canada Highway, you'll eventually reach the East Banff gate. To your left is a pass-through lane which you can take if you purchased a ticket online already. If not, you can go to the manned kiosks on the right to purchase your day pass. This will allow you explore right away.

With your passes proudly displayed on your dash, exit onto the scenic Bow Valley Parkway (Hwy-1A). There are so many stops along the way that you can take but where I recommend that you invest your time on is Johnston Canyon.

Before that though, you're probably hungry so an awesome trick to solve two problems is to make reservations at the Blackswift Bistro which is the restaurant that's part of Johnston Canyon Lodge and Bungalows. This property is literally right next to the trailhead. While you won't be staying here, this is a great spot to refuel, has dedicated parking, and lets you in if Highway 1A is closed.

Johnston Canyon is composed of two main waterfalls – upper and lower. Much of the trail follows the steeply carved limestone bedrock and fast-running Johnston Creek.

As you walk further in, the first waterfall you encounter is the Lower Falls, roughly around 30 minutes inn. There's an iconic tunnel that you can walk to which brings you mere metres from the falls.

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For the Upper Falls, you'll have a bit of work ahead of you. Taking roughly around 1 hour with a good amount of elevation gain through the forest, you'll eventually see where the water you saw earlier came from. Dropping a dramatic 40 metres below to a deep turquoise pool, you'll be able to see it from a viewing platform at the base of the falls and another at an overhang in the gorge.

While this trail is quite touristy, it certainly doesn't diminish the beauty of this part of the national park.

If you find that you have a lot of extra time, you can go further in (extra hour) to see the Ink Pots which are a set of emerald pools that bubble and swirl like a witches' cauldron.

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With a few hours of sunlight to spare, you still have time to drive up to iconic Lake Louise and Chateau Lake Louise.  There's something majestic about the glistening emerald water and imposing Victoria Glacier that provides the backdrop.

Grab a seat, watch the last few canoes head back to the boathouse as the sun begins to set.

To round out the night, make our way over to the town of Banff which has a welcoming ski-town vibe.  We had a quick stroll along the main street and then head over to The Juniper Bistro for dinner which will seem off-the-beaten path but is quite superb.

Where to stay in Calgary

In this weekend in Calgary itinerary, you'll want to stay in the city for the entire trip. With that, there are a number of hotel recommendations to get you started on where to stay in Calgary.

Quick Calgary travel guide

Here are a few need-to-knows when it comes to a trip to Calgary that also spans Canmore and Banff.

Money – The local currency in Calgary is the Canadian Dollar or CAD. It's best to avoid money changers at the airport and in the city. Instead, rely on exchanging for CAD in your home country or use the ATMs in Canada. If you're using an ATM, just make sure to keep an eye out for machines that charge its own fee.

When is the best time? – Calgary experiences extremely cold winters and since this is a summer itinerary, the recommendation is to come between June and August. This is when the weather is the most pleasant. That said, this is also high-season. For a good balance of climate and crowds, consider coming in late May or in September after Labour Day.

Getting here – Calgary International Airport (YYC) is the primary hub for flights into the city and is not far from the downtown core (17 minutes drive). Calgary is also easily reached by car and can be perfectly paired if you're coming from Vancouver or interior BC (i.e. Kelowna) as you're crossing the Rocky Mountains or coming south from Edmonton.

How do I get around? – Due to the distances between sights, lack of tourist-friendly transportation in the city and into the Rocky Mountains, your best bet is to rent a car. This way, you'll have maximum flexibility to get to where you need to go. Make sure to use this trick to save a lot of money. If you'd rather use ride share, I recommend using Uber. If it's your first time using Uber, make sure to use code willt1234ue.

Where should I stay? – The above “Where to stay in Calgary” section is a good place to start. Overall, I recommend tapping into Booking.com because they have an awesome inventory of properties including B&Bs.

Do I need travel insurance? – As always, travel insurance is highly recommended.  My philosophy is that you want to make sure you’re covered in case the unknown happens.  With the amount of travel that I do, I always get basic travel insurance that’s good for multiple trips and lasts the full year.  World Nomads is the best balance of coverage and price for anyone looking for travel insurance. Make sure to read my full review of why and a breakdown of how they work. For a more broader look at travel insurance, make sure to read this.

Bottom Line

Calgary doesn't always get the best reputation but as a first-time visitor, I was really surprised with everything the city has to offer. Yes, they're best known for one of Canada's biggest festivals, the Calgary Stampede, but come here in the summer and you'll enjoy an incredibly walkable and friendly city, award-winning restaurants that'll surprise you, a fresh take on street art, and great green spaces.

While I know some of you will say that this 3 day Calgary itinerary really only includes 1 full day in the city itself, I think it's perfectly reasonable to answer the call of the Rocky Mountains. The hope was to show that you can absolutely see the gems of Canmore and Banff in a weekend without having to change hotels.

Come to Calgary and do this adventure-driven trip. You won't regret it!