It may be getting a little chilly in Calgary right now, but that’s no excuse to hibernate. There are plenty of fun activities to enjoy once the temperature drops. Here are five ways to enjoy winter in Calgary:
Snowshoe the city. Calgary is a beautiful city with plenty of parks, biking, and hiking trails. Once those parks and trails are blanketed in snow, what better way to explore than to strap on a pair of snowshoes and trek on through? Didn’t pack snowshoes? No worries – you can rent snowshoes from a couple of places in the city. Snowshoeing is of course great exercise, so you’ll be totally justified in heading to one of these cozy restaurants with a fireplace to chill out afterwards.
Head to Olympic Park to ski, snowboard, and more. To get a snow sports adrenalin fix, you don’t even need to leave the city. At Olympic Park there are ski slopes, snowboarding ramps, half-pipes, and runs, luge, bobsled, and skating, all of which are open to the public. There are also 2km of groomed cross-country ski-trails that are lit, so available night and day.
Go for a sleigh ride. From December 19th through January 3rd (check website for dates as rides don’t happen every day in that period), head to Horsin’ Around in the city’s southwest for a horse drawn sleigh ride complete with hot chocolate. If you’re in Calgary with a group, for $250 you can even arrange for your own private sleigh ride party complete with camp fire, hot chocolate, pony rides, tobogganing, and a petting zoo to hang out at.
Explore the Calgary Zoo lit up for the Holidays. Zoo Lights is back for its 18th year, bigger and better than ever. Explore the zoo lit by 1.5 million twinkling lights, with light displays, hot chocolate, and fire pits to warm yourself at. This popular annual event is a real treat, and an essential winter happening to check out when you’re in Calgary.
Ride the Polar Express. If you’re in the city with kids, then riding the Polar Express is an awesome way to embrace the Holiday spirit. On select days throughout December, climb aboard a train at Aspen Park and you’ll be taken on a ride filled with treats, accompanied by the soundtrack to the movie Polar Express. There will also be readings of the classic children’s book that inspired the movie, and plenty of carol singing too.
Thinking of planning a winter break in Calgary to explore some of these awesome activities? We’ve got fabulously stylish and comfortable suites throughout the city that are perfect for singles through to family groups. Contact us for more information.