I think I’ll be spending twenty-four hours in Calgary this upcoming weekend, probably Sunday if I stick to my planned schedule. What should I see/do?
Important information: I’m a poor student (as in, I’m having coffee for lunch today because the $3.85 wraps on campus are too rich for my blood) travelling with an even poorer teacher. But we’d still like to take in something cultural* in the afternoon, and maybe go to a nice pub/restaurant in the evening. Any suggestions?
[sub]*Speaking as a disillusioned Saskatchewan resident, please, for the love of God, don’t suggest the Provincial Flax Harvesting Museum or anything like that. I need culture that I can’t experience by simply looking outside my window. [/sub]
Glenbow museum on 8th Avenue, downtown is a good start. Wandering about in the Devonian Gardens at (oh they changed the name!! Used to be Toronto Dominion Square) at 3rd street and 8th Avenue SW downtown.
I haven’t been to the Glenbow in years, www.glenbow.org , but I recall that they have some pretty cool permanent exhibits, as well as the new stuff every few months (I keep seeing things that are going to be there and thinking “Oooohh! I have to check that out” but I never do )
My personal favorite cheap eat in Calgary usually works out to be Vietnamese food, there’s a ton of great noodle shops in the city, particularly in the northeast. If you’re in the mood for pub fare, try the Ship and Anchor. www.shipandanchor.com . You’ll get a kick ass belly filling meal (usual pub grib, plus neat-o specials like wonton soup or souvlaki) for $5 - 7. Add on a happy hour pint, and that’s a pretty swell patio afternoon, in my books.
Is there anything else in particular that you’re looking for? I like to think of myself as “the girl who knows where things are” in this city, so let me know if you need anything. Sari cloth? Giant cleavers? custom printed traffic signs? Rebar tie wire? I’m telling you, I’m the girl to ask!
If you’re looking for Indian, go to the Taj Mahal on Macleod Trail SE. My friend’s dad owns the place, and I understand it’s prety darned good. If you like pasta, Chianti on 17th avenue and 14 street SW is a good bet. They didn’t used to be very expensive, either.
I haven’t lived in Calgary for a good long time, but I consider it to be my hometown.
Not the ship & anchor - its has been invaded by the suburbanites and all the colour is gone. The patio is filled with non smoking preppie children who think toques and mac caps are soooo alternative. I miss the old days when me & my tatooed freak friends scared those people away.
Actually - i just don’t want to share the pub I’ve been going to for the past 10 years or so.
Since you are up at the university, hop the LRT downtown to 3th street and 8th ave, walk down 4th street to 17th Avenue and go right, grab a vietnamese sub on 17th at a tiny hole in the wall for under 5 bucks, or grab bagels at bagels & buns (don’t ask for bacon or ham - kosher stuff only) check out the stores & galleries, grab a pint on saturday at the ship & anchor during the jam & here some local talent. Check out some of the eclectic stores on 17th & gallerys too.
Calgary Tower costs too much money - and it isn’t worth it anyway. Glenbow isn’t bad - http://www.glenbow.org/ - I live in the city & I’ve been there once a year since I was 10.
Been to the Taj Majal, great food. They changed the name of the TD building? Wow… been too long since I was last in Calgary for longer then 2 hours… Not really cultural but it’s nice to sit and people watch at Olympic Plaza… I don’t know if the fountains are up yet but they are nice…
I don’t know if it’s still there but there used to be a great noodle houe on 17th Ave SW called PONGO. If it’s still there, the Pot Stikers are killer!!! There was also a pizza joint called The Wicked Wedge. Mmmm tasty slices.
All this talk about Calgary is really making me want to move back even sooner ( I will be back in the fall…and CANT WAIT)
If you can get outside of town, the Royal Tyrell Museum has some big dinosaur bones rattling around. Very very cool. The nearby reptile museum is also neato. But that’s a ways out of town.
the zoo? I am actually new to calgary myself but i hear it’s pretty cool. but i park at the zoo lrt station and am contantly faced with a sign that says
<— train or zoo ---->
I almost always want to go to the zoo instead of the train to work
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