A Tourist in Calgary: The Day I Almost Couldn't Leave

“So here’s the tea ☕️: After wrapping up Banff, I tacked on four full days in Calgary just to feel the city—and spoiler alert, I almost missed my flight back because I DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE. 😭 🏙️ City Vibes: First impressions? Streets are WIDE, malls are MASSIVE, architecture is EVERYWHERE, and the elevation is HIGH. Because of the hills, driving into downtown on the highway feels like you’re descending into a SimCity build—pure serotonin. 🌆 📍 Must-Stops: Crescent Heights Lookout Point – Go for sunset, stay ‘til the lights come on. 360° money shot. George C. King Bridge – Nighttime glow-up hits different Wonderland Sculpture – Giant wire head. Cool for a 30-second selfie . Central Library – Architectural fever dream inside. Ride escalators up, take the glass elevator down like a Bond villain. Bonus: Free EV chargers in the lot across the street. ⚡️ 🏠 House-Hunting Saga: Mission #2: Scope real estate. Ended up touring 10+ homes and plotting a permanent move. 😅 Pic 10: Brand-new single detached, $820k CAD—layout, size, finishes chef’s kiss. In Toronto this would be a $1.2M teardown. Pic 11: DREAM HOME ALERT—vaulted ceilings, lake views, walk-in closet upgrade, top-tier builder… $1.2-1.4M. Toronto equivalent? $3M+ easy. Plot twist: You literally put down $1,000 to reserve the lot, then 5% later, customize upgrades, and it’s yours in 11–12 months. Had to physically stop myself from Venmo-ing the deposit at dinner. 💸 🍽️ Food Scene (Underrated?): Everyone calls Calgary a “food desert” vs. Toronto, but my stomach disagrees: ZCREW Cafe – Brunch MVP. Tuna bowl = flavor blast, fried chicken waffle = crunchy heaven, drinks are IG-bait. ✅ Hanbo Korean Noodle – Soup slaps, but skip the dumplings (dry AF). ❌ Namo Cafe Bistro – Hashbrown-topped rice bowl. That’s it. That’s the tweet. ✅ Queens Breakfast Cocktails – Overpriced avocado toast with a side of meh. ❌ Moral of the story: Calgary hits different when you’re not just passing through. Currently re-evaluating life choices and browsing U-Haul quotes. 🚛💔 #YYZtoYYC #CalgaryCaughtMeSlippin #HouseHuntingInHeels #BanffWithdrawals #CanadaRoadtrip