This will be a first time visit to the area for my husband, young son and me. We are very excited and will be arriving in Calgary mid-day on Saturday, July 4th. We will spend Sunday at Sprue Meadows (North American Tournament) then head out to Banff for the next 6 days, 5 nights. I would love to hear about any recommendations for places to stay, things to do, favorites restaurants, etc. Should we rent a car for the week or cab it to Spruce Meadows and then shuttle to Banff? Any experiences with the Calgary Stampede? Is it pretty easy to get tickets/good seats for the Sunday afternoon class at Spruce Meadows if you get tickets early enough (they aren’t available for sale until early March)? Does anyone have fly fishing experience in Banff? I’m trying to set something up for my husband since he’s indulging my horse show fix while on vacation! Thank you so much and I appreciate your time and input!!
I was going to tell you that you should stay downtown but since you are coming in during Stampede every single last hotel room will be booked. If you want to stay downtown you need to book RIGHT NOW and you need to be prepared to pay a lot for that room!
If that doesn’t sound as fun, you should stay in the south by Spruce. There are only chain hotels down there so just pick something that looks reasonable to you.
Either way, you are definitely going to want to rent a car. Cab from the airport (far NE of the city) to downtown is probably $50 and at least another $50-75 to get from downtown to Spruce (far south). I guess you can take transit to Spruce from downtown but honestly it’ll be at least a half hour on a train, then another 10-15 on a shuttle bus, with a huge crowd of people doing the same, likely in the heat, with no a/c… just rent a car, ok?
Plus, if you have a rental car, you can actually do stuff in Banff other than walk up and down Main Street. You can drive out into the mountains, you can go to Canmore or Lake Louise, etc. Even getting around Banff is a bit tricky without a car because it’s weirdly spread out. I can hardly find enough in Banff proper to amuse myself for a day, much less 5 days without a car!
Stampede is great - go for a day if you can. Get evening tickets to the chuckwagon races and rodeo, which includes the grandstand show and fireworks. Start early, make a day of it! It’s right next to downtown so definitely walk/transit/cab there (parking is a nightmare).
There are fly fishing outfitters in Canmore/Banff. That’s probably the best way to get an all inclusive guided day where your hubby can go to all the best spots. I don’t fish so won’t try to recommend one!
Missed the Spruce seating question. Yeah, you can still get good seats. Alternatively you can get there early in the morning (because you’re driving your rental, right?) and lay a blanket on the grass on the rush seating area. Then you can come and go from that spot all day. There is no shade there though, so if you want shade you’ll need to pay for a seat.
I will be coming in Sept.for the Masters w/e. Flying in and will probably stay at a hotel by the airport (Best Western takes my Airmiles points!) and figure out how to use transit and shuttle to get to Spruce. I do NOT want to rent a car since I will not be going out town, just to Spruce!
Arriving Friday and returning home Monday… I have a SIL in Calgary, but totally useless and my husband already said not to bother asking her anything… so I will ask here!
I visited Calgary/Banff years ago, went to the Stampede (won’t ever go again). Loved the mountains!
Perfect time of year to visit Calgary area!
Spruce: I’ve never bought tickets. I tend to get there early and put a blanket/lawn chairs out where you want to sit on the grass banks. It’s an unspoken rule that no one will move or take them. True you wont have any cover if the weather acts up which is quite possible at Spruce! lol I’m sure someone else can help with ticket questions.
Stampede is awesome! Expensive but fun! Huge range of livestock to carnival rides to the rodeo. I have no issue with the rodeo ( animals are treated very well etc). I would say its worth the money for the day or evening. Also lots of pancake breakfast around town which is very much tradition! 
and the parade as well.
Transport: You should be able to do a c-train( subway) pretty close to Spruce and then cab it. Getting a cab out of Spruce may take some work or a walk maybe. I would say rent a car to the mountains so you can do the scenic drives around the park or go hiking.
Things to do:
Timberline tours in Lake Louise are awesome trail rides with beautiful views!
Retaurants - I can find some for you in Banff ( drawing a blank right this second).
Fly fishing: No experience but I did a search and found lots of companies so you should be able to find something
Loads of outdoors stuff to do around Calgary.
Hope that helps!
P.
Stay at the downtown Best Western! Food is better downtown and the transit will be easier to Spruce (one train rather than two with a transfer between). You’ll go through downtown from the northeast anyways, so might as well sleep in an extra half hour!
I’m a huge foodie, so if anyone needs restaurant recommendations let me know.
I also have an imperceptible bias towards the urban centre rather than suburbia…
North American in July has very limited free seating that is covered,… The Masters in September has none!! But as said above they always have free uncovered on the grass!
For both of these shows I do what Polydor suggested and go over every morning and put a blanket down and it will NOT get taken or sat on! It’s an unspoken rule at Spruce and everyone accepts it 
if you do decide to pay for a covered Grandstand seat, I believe seats in the West Grandstand are about $25 (bench seats) … Parking is about $5 per person but I walk in from home and it’s $0! There’s also the free shuttle from the Ctrain stations however you slice it, it’s a cheap day out and be prepared, when the suns out the crowds will be out… Calgarians LOVE Spruce Meadows and you’ll be in awe at the crowds in the thousand that are there (in September there’ll be over 80,000 of us!!!)
stampede is a must visit… Along with eating at the many free breakfast that take place around the city! Get your rodeo and or chuck wagon tickets in advance though and that will also get you into the grounds (otherwise getting into the stampede grounds is expensive)!
Book hotel now… And hire a car but take the train down to the stampede as parking will be expensive and the Ctrain takes you right to the enterance. There’s lots of chain hotels in the South… Near Spruce is Wingate, Super 8 calgary Shawnessy, and Delta calgary south
Falseimpression… The Delta South might still be a part of the Best a Western Group! If so, I’d stay there as they are a quick 10 min drive to a Spruce!
Taking transit sit from the airport will take you about 2 hrs as there’s nothing direct! You’d need to take a bus, then train to downtown then chg to a train to the South then the Spruce shuttle!!!
[QUOTE=gumbogrl;8012170]
This will be a first time visit to the area for my husband, young son and me. We are very excited and will be arriving in Calgary mid-day on Saturday, July 4th. We will spend Sunday at Sprue Meadows (North American Tournament) then head out to Banff for the next 6 days, 5 nights. I would love to hear about any recommendations for places to stay, things to do, favorites restaurants, etc. Should we rent a car for the week or cab it to Spruce Meadows and then shuttle to Banff? Any experiences with the Calgary Stampede? Is it pretty easy to get tickets/good seats for the Sunday afternoon class at Spruce Meadows if you get tickets early enough (they aren’t available for sale until early March)? Does anyone have fly fishing experience in Banff? I’m trying to set something up for my husband since he’s indulging my horse show fix while on vacation! Thank you so much and I appreciate your time and input!![/QUOTE]
PM ME! I have tons of recommendations for Banff, my family has some hotels there.
Also, that was the time that I was there this past summer and it was AMAZING. The show, the weather, everything. You’ll love it. I’m hoping to be up there that same week again this year, too.
You MUST do Lake Louise. Google it, tea on the veranda at the Chateau Lake Louise hotel is a must and a very recognizable vista. IIRC it’s one of the old “railroad hotels” and something to see even if it was not in that setting, believe it’s operated by a chain now. Lots of breathtaking side trips, always liked Moraine Lake and also the drive up to Jasper, if you don’t hit any moose.
IMO it’s as pretty as the the Alps and much easier to enjoy.
Def do Lake Louise and if you have time I highly recommend a chair lift to hike the ski hill… They have resident Grizzlies and your chances of seeing her and her cubs wandering below the lift are very good
Lots of rangers around to keep you away, but as usual be alert! She’s amazing to see if you’re lucky… She hibernates in the Rock Garden, which is an amazing ski run on the back side in the winter
I also recommend Emerald Lake. Has a nice around two hour hike on very easy terrain. Usually tourists stay right by the hotel but it is much quieter on the trail.
Hey! I’ll also be in Calgary at the same time, for my first visit! I’m taking the train in to Edmonton, hopefully meeting up with my brother for the day (he’s in Grande Prairie), then heading to Calgary. I’ll be renting a car for sure as I’ll be driving quite a bit.
My plans so far are to go to Spruce (trying to decide if it would be totally great to go on Canada Day, or should I do Canada Day in the city?). The Stampede of course. My coworker in Calgary suggested the Airdrie rodeo - many of the same competitors as the Stampede but WAY cheaper to get in AND you can sit much closer for a better view. The Airdrie rodeo is on June 27 to July 1 so a bit too early for you, but there are more in July in various Alberta cities (here’s a link: http://www.rodeocanada.com/rodeo_schedule.htm)
I’m also hoping to head over to Banff (probably just a day trip from Calgary), and looking into visiting the Badlands to see the dinosaur fossils (approx 2 hours from Calgary).
I took the train out to Vancouver a couple years ago, and we passed through Jasper National Park which is stunning. That’s north of Banff so you may have time to work your way up there too.
Luckily for me I am able to stay at a coworker’s house while in Calgary so that helps a lot with not having to book a hotel room.
I’m also interested to see any restaurant and other activity suggestions.
Solarflare…there’s no Calgary to Edmonton train! Just a heads up or are you meaning that you’re driving?
calagry has some world class restaurants, check out:
rouge; alloy; notables
http://globalnews.ca/news/1176266/calgary-top-10-restaurants-of-2014/
Visit the Athabasca glacier! It’s the most easily accessible glacier in north America
Here is my restaurant list. These are just the ones at the top of my mind right now. If there’s something else you are interested in (global cuisines, different price points etc) let me know - happy to recommend more awesome Calgary restaurants!
Some restaurants take reservations and some don’t. I really do recommend making a reservation even at the last minute because sometimes the waits can be quite long. ESPECIALLY those of you who are coming during Stampede, which is quite a wild time downtown!
Downtown
- Anju (Modern Korean small plates)
- Model Milk (Contemporary Farm to Table)
- Market (Farm to Table)
- Farm (Farm to Table (duh))
- Taste (small plates)
- Una (thin crust pizza)
- Ox & Angela (Authentic (for Canada) Spanish Tapas)
- Hapa Izakaya (Japanese Small Plates)
- Trib (Best steak in Calgary)
Southerly (closer to Spruce)
- Alloy (modern)
- Starbelly (modern)
- Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant (traditional regional)
- The Lake House
[QUOTE=eclipse;8013439]
Solarflare…there’s no Calgary to Edmonton train! Just a heads up or are you meaning that you’re driving?
calagry has some world class restaurants, check out:
rouge; alloy; notables
http://globalnews.ca/news/1176266/calgary-top-10-restaurants-of-2014/[/QUOTE]
Yeah, that didn’t quite come out right. I’m taking the train to Edmonton, getting off, renting a car, and staying a night in Edmonton while (hopefully) my brother drives in from Grande Prairie to visit. Then I will drive myself down to Calgary.
I hear though that years ago the VIA Canadian DID go to Calgary. I still find it strange that a major city like Calgary doesn’t have any passenger train stop!?!
Many thanks for the info!!
Thank you, everyone, for all of this wonderful and helpful information! I’m so excited to do more research for what sounds to be an exciting adventure to Canada! I appreciate it!
[QUOTE=SolarFlare;8013758]
Yeah, that didn’t quite come out right. I’m taking the train to Edmonton, getting off, renting a car, and staying a night in Edmonton while (hopefully) my brother drives in from Grande Prairie to visit. Then I will drive myself down to Calgary.
I hear though that years ago the VIA Canadian DID go to Calgary. I still find it strange that a major city like Calgary doesn’t have any passenger train stop!?![/QUOTE]
yowzers now that’s a long train trip!!! LOL
So jealous! My family did that trip several years ago. We went to the Sunday class at the North American, spent some time in Banff, and did a couple days at the Calgary Stampede. Spruce Meadows is obviously amazing, but The Stampede was so much fun, too! It is so much more than just the rodeo… Tim McGraw was playing in one tent and Big and Rich in another. They had a huge building full of farm animals and agricultural education. The guys should be able to find plenty to do.
Banff is adorable, but my favorite part was taking a 3 hour trail ride. We went through the mountains, crossed a river just below a waterfall, and even rode along the edge of the golf course for a bit. It was less riding (just walking, and in western saddles) and more about seeing the natural beauty. Such a wonderful memory!
