That sounds like a wonderful trip! Thank you for the insight:)
For getting to Spruce: Stay downtown and take the c-train. There is a spruce shuttle that picks up at the c-train station in the south, it is free. No need for a car while in Calgary if you stay downtown, you can train from downtown to both spruce and the stampede. (or walk to Stampede)
Staying at the airport is a huge mistake if you want to go to spruce, it is pretty much as far away as you can get.
Fly fishing: The fishing on the bow in Calgary is better than any you’ll find in Banff. Call Bow River Troutfitters (downtown calgary) to arrange a guide for the day, you can start fishing literally right in downtown Calgary for high quality brown trout.
Renting a car is best once you leave Calgary and head to Banff. The town itself isn’t super exciting but the area is fabulous. Agree on Lake Louise for the day. Depending on fitness level of your family, hiking to the tea house is worthwhile as is paradise valley. Hiking up to the grand sentinel is excellent. Also for a less committing hike close to banff, Johnston Canyon is easily accessible.
Good list of Calgary restaurants above. Also nice: Brasserie Kensington, Blue Star diner
[QUOTE=masquerade;8013443]
Visit the Athabasca glacier! It’s the most easily accessible glacier in north America[/QUOTE]
Is that the one between Banff and Jasper? Columbia ice fields I think? If so, it’s way cool to go out on the glacier in these jeep type things with treads with a guide. Well worth it and not something you do every day.
Appreciate everything, especially the info about fishing!! Thanks!
[QUOTE=findeight;8014406]
Is that the one between Banff and Jasper? Columbia ice fields I think? If so, it’s way cool to go out on the glacier in these jeep type things with treads with a guide. Well worth it and not something you do every day.[/QUOTE]
Yes, that’s the one!
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Good list of Calgary restaurants above. Also nice: Brasserie Kensington, Blue Star diner[/QUOTE]
Nice catch; I love Brasserie. And Blue Star!
thanks for the info about hotels and airport. Will look into a hotel downtown (which hopefully will take Airmiles)… I am just about ready to book my flight… been saving and I have that covered.
I assume that the downtown hotels have shuttles to and from the airport?
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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!!!
Been checking hotels and trying to use my airmiles (I do wonder why I collect them as I can never use them!). The only options are the airport hotels, so no go. The Delta South looks nice, but no shuttle to that hotel!! It will be fun!
I may just cash my airmiles and use that to pay the hotel.
Anyway, food for thought! Thanks again.
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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
Model Milk is great and they have a good drink program, but it is a bit loud and hard to have conversations.
Farm is the nuts! Really great cheese and charcuterie
I really like Notable in the NW, great place for meat. They have a wood burning rotisserie. The Prime Rib is amazing, best in the city but only made a few days a week.
Charcut is also good for charcuterie, and they have duck fat fried poutine!!The pigs head mortadella is super. I usually do small plates there instead of mains.
If you want to get fancy, Q Haute is super good. It’s molecular influenced but honestly some of the best meals I’ve had in Calgary. Service is super. They have a tea program which is pretty unique as well.
There is also some amazing viet/thai places in Calgary. Pho Pasture is the best for Pho, Thai Sa On is great for thai and has an insane wine list.
I’d personally rent a car. Calgary is super sprawling esp N to S. Also it would be nice to work around the mountains on your own pace and schedule. Canmore is a really nice cheaper alternative to Banff, and closer as well to the city.
Def check out the Stampede. One day is probably enough but lots of neat things to see. I like to watch the heavy horse pulls and check out the other animal things. I actually have yet to watch any actual rodeo stuff!
I live near the Bow river in the NW and a really fun thing in the summer is renting a raft and floating down the river!! Its super cheap and tons of fun. If you google about rafting down the Bow, you will see where to go and where to avoid.
