Calgary | Recommended Attractions & Places to Avoid

We spent four days in Calgary before heading to Banff – some spots were lovely surprises, while others were total letdowns 😅 Recommended Spots ✅ Calgary Library With its innovative design, clean space, and huge book collection, it’s worth spending a whole day here if you have time. The top floor has quiet reading rooms, and there’s a dedicated kids’ play area downstairs 📚 ✅ Calgary Zoo We came from Washington, so we have high standards for zoos – but this one exceeded expectations! It’s right by the Ctrain Blue Line stop. We had a blast exploring all the sections; there are tons of animals, and you can get up close to some (like giraffes! 🦒). Even non-kids had a great time. ✅ Stephen Ave Walk & Devonian Gardens The walkway runs through the middle of the downtown mall, with restaurants lining both sides. The garden is on the mall’s top floor – lots of office workers gather here for lunch or after work. Honestly, the garden feels a bit like Amazon’s Sphere 🌿 ✅ +15 Walkways It’s not a "tourist attraction" – they’re covered walkways built to help locals avoid the cold. There are plenty of coffee shops and food courts inside. My favorite is Brookfield Center, which has amazing light, and the nearby Deville has great drinks ☕ ✅ Chinook Center A big mall in south Calgary, perfect for buying Canadian brands: Canada Goose, Moose Knuckles, Lululemon, Aritzia… With the exchange rate vs. the US dollar plus only 5% tax, it’s such a good deal 💰 Places to Avoid ⛔️ Studio Bell It’s super close to the library, but I don’t know much about Canadian music, so I wasn’t really interested. It felt a bit underwhelming 😐 ⛔️ Telus Spark Science Centre Everything here is designed for little kids. The Infinity Dome movies are also pretty disappointing – skip it unless you’re with small children 🚫 #CanadaTravel #Calgary #CalgaryLife #BanffNationalPark #BanffSurroundings