The city of Calgary offers modern attractions like an active shopping, dining, and nightlife scene. While there’s plenty of entertainment and activity in Calgary, the city’s location means you can also easily get to numerous attractions, like national parks and major festivals. You don’t have to worry about booking your flight — these popular destinations are just a short drive away.

Distance to Popular Cities

If you’re thinking of planning a road trip across Canada, there are a few major cities that you can reach from Calgary by spending a day or two on the road:

• Calgary to Edmonton Distance: 281 km
• Calgary to Regina Distance: 669 km
• Calgary to Vancouver Distance: 972 km
• Calgary to Winnipeg Distance: 1,327 km

Distance to National Parks from Calgary

Visit one of Canada’s numerous national parks to reconnect with nature. Several parks are within driving distance of Calgary, making for an easy weekend getaway or week-long trip.

• Banff National Park became Canada's first national park in the 1880s. Banff is known for its stunning blue lakes surrounded by the Rocky Mountains and is a 127 km drive from Calgary, so you can expect to arrive at the park in about an hour and a half.
• Elk Island National Park is in Fort Saskatchewan, about 35 minutes east of Edmonton. The park is home to bison and elk, plus more than 250 species of birds, meaning you’ll have plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife. The park is just over 300 km from Calgary, so the drive will take a little over three hours.
• Jasper National Park offers fantastic sightseeing and wildlife viewing. There are also plenty of activities, including skiing and snowboarding, motorcycle and photography tours, dogsledding tours, and more. The park is 230 km from Calgary, so expect a drive of about three and a half hours.
• Waterton Lakes National Park is known for its scenic views of the Rocky Mountains and the Alberta prairies. It’s a great area for hiking and sightseeing. Located 259 km from Calgary, you’ll drive about two and a half hours to reach this park.

Distance to Attractions

If you’re more interested in a short day trip, there are plenty of options just outside of Calgary.

• See the beautiful Alberta countryside by train at Aspen Crossing. Located in Mossleigh, about one hour from Calgary, Aspen Crossing features a variety of train excursions for both adults and families. You can also enjoy a meal aboard the Pullman dining car used by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker both during his campaign and after his election.
• Take a cruise on Lake Minnewanka and enjoy picturesque views of the surrounding Rocky Mountains. There are a variety of tours available. Adults can book a beer voyage, where they can enjoy local craft beers and an interpretive tour. There’s also a Junior Explorer Cruise for the whole family and a premium cruise that allows you to learn even more about the local flora and fauna. Lake Minnewanka is just a one-and-a-half hour drive from Calgary.
• Get an authentic cowboy experience at the Bar U Ranch National Historic Site. Costumed performers demonstrate different ranching skills, from blacksmithing to cattle roping, and they’ll even help you learn how to rope. You can also take a horse-drawn wagon tour of the area and finish the day with authentic cowboy fare at the ranch house. Bar U is just about one hour from Calgary.
• Step out onto the Columbia Icefield Skywalk, just a three-and-a-half hour drive from Calgary. Perched 918 feet above the Sunwapta Valley, this glass walkway offers breathtaking views of several mountains, waterfalls, and even fossils. It’s only open from April to October each year, so make sure you plan ahead.

Distance to Popular Events

Canada hosts numerous memorable events each year, from must-see festivals to major competitions, many of which are within driving distance of Calgary.

• The Calgary Stampede attracts millions of visitors in July each year and is one of Canada's most iconic events. Combining live music, rodeo events, agriculture competitions, and more, the Calgary Stampede offers more than a week of entertainment. Best of all, it’s located right within Calgary, so you’re guaranteed to have a short drive.
• K-Days is a 10-day festival held annually in Edmonton each July. It features a fantastic concert lineup and events for kids, like obstacle courses. There’s also a new foods competition, talent search, design challenge, and midway full of games, so this is a festival the whole family can enjoy in just a short three-hour drive away.
• The Celebration of Light brings together an air show, food trucks, and a fireworks competition with teams from around the globe. Held in Vancouver each July, the festival is 970 km from Calgary, so it's a longer drive that will take about 10 hours and 40 minutes
• The Just for Laughs festival features top comedians, comedy musicians, and improv troupes from around the world. It began in Montreal in 1983 but expanded to include Vancouver in 2016. While there is a touring version of the show with multiple dates and stops across Canada, the 10-day Vancouver festival is worth the drive. You may see top performers such as Brett Goldstein, Nicole Byer, Bill Burr, or Wanda Sykes.

Make Calgary Your Home

Calgary’s location means popular events, festivals, towns, and national parks are all a short drive away. Plus, Calgary itself has a lot to offer, making it an amazing place to live for the whole family.

With several Brookfield Residential master-planned communities in the area, you have plenty of options for living in Calgary. When you’re ready to find your new home, explore our communities and contact us to learn more. We’ll be expecting you!