Help showing off Calgary

[Slava]

I've got a friend in town for a brief time next week and I need to tour them around a little bit. Probably for about 4-5 hours max sort of thing. Anyone have any ideas for this? I'm kind of at a loss! They're going from here to Banff and west, so they won't miss the mountains.

[powderjunkie]

Peace Bridge (despite annoying guardrail construction).
River Cafe patio.
Maybe climb the stairs at McHugh Bluff. Could book end with Kensington or maybe East Village area.

[Fuzz]

I hear Lake Bonavista is nice this time of year.

[mikephoen]

We might need more info about this friend. For example, an old buddy from University I might take to a few of the good craft breweries. But for a female friend, a trip to the zoo or a walk around Fish Creek Park might be better.

[Redliner]

Chicken on the way.

[Wormius]

Inglewood along the river pathway to Eau Claire. Maybe hit up Library or Devonian Gardens, get some amazing Vietnamese subs at Trung Nguyen or Thi Thi.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Redliner

The basement at Chicken on the way.

You’re welcome

[FurnaceFace]

I did a similar thing last year with a couple of Finns. We did most of this:
Eau Claire area, bridge and island
Walk down Stephen’s Ave. With the Finns we stopped at Lammle’s as the western gear is different. (They both bought hats)
Olympic Plaza and city hall.
The library
The Calgary Tower (good for tourists even though we might think it lame.)
Lunch at Bank and Baron. (I think all the old bank stuff is different and they have done the place up well)

Outside of downtown Scotsman’s Hill has a good view of downtown.
Zoo, COP, Fort, Heritage Park depending on what might interest the person.

[Locke]

Yeah, I was going to say ask FurnaceFace and Aeneas, they've shown lots of people around the city.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Peace Bridge, park surrounding it, downtown architecture (Steven Ave, big giant head, etc), Calgary Tower, if ingerested the Stampede grounds, Olympic grounds. Be sure to hop on the c-train even if only a stop in the free zone. Have a beer from around the world (name escapes me Bill or Bob or something), a trek through plus 15.

These are things that are mostly unique to Calgary that you might write off as no bug deal, and maybe they aren't a big deal, but they're different from most places so it'll stick in their memory.

I saw from experience as someone who has visited like 3 times and never lived there.

Oh, and if you can arrange a walk down the Red Mile after a playoff game, 110% would reccomend!

[albertGQ]

Bring him to VSC on Monday to watch you play ball hockey.

You’d be showing off yourself more than calgary. But I guarantee you, he will be impressed

[Slava]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Bring him to VSC on Monday to watch you play ball hockey.

You’d be showing off yourself more than calgary. But I guarantee you, he will be impressed

Haha, that's the worst idea in the thread! (Worse than Chicken on the Way!).

"How come everyone else is running and stick handling while ypu just stood there trying to catch your breath?"

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Slava

I've got a friend in town for a brief time next week and I need to tour them around a little bit. Probably for about 4-5 hours max sort of thing. Anyone have any ideas for this? I'm kind of at a loss! They're going from here to Banff and west, so they won't miss the mountains.

Do you have bikes? A friend and I ran a bike tour business out of the Calgary Youth Hostel one summer. Started at the hostel, rode along the Elbow River pathway through the east end of downtown, past Lindsey Park, through Stanley Park and Sandy Beach, over the dam, around the south side of the Reservoir, ate a bag lunch at Weaselhead, then through North Glenmore Park, down 14th street to the Bow, and then back along the path to the hostel. You could stop for a beer at Marda Loop Brewing, the patio of 1600 at Glenmore Landing, or somewhere along the Riverwalk.

The travellers we took on the tour were astonished by the pathway system, and how they could be downtown at 9 am, riding over the dam with its views of the mountains at 9:30, and walking in the natural area of Weaselhead at 10:00.

Of course the whole thing would be weather-dependent, so you’d need a Plan B.

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Of course the whole thing would be weather-dependent, so you’d need a Plan B.

It's June-July so it'll rain or hail for ten minutes, as long as they find an overpass to hide under it's safe.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Are they sports fans? After recently learning about the awesome tours put on by White Hat Winner Rick Tulsie of the Flames of the Saddledome, I'm definitely adding that to the agenda for out of towners...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1667615424668909570

Could easily team this up with a East Village / 17th Ave / 4th St jaunt afterwards....

[Calgary14]

I would rent electric bikes and do Fish Creek Park, best time of year for that

Other options - Saskatoon Berry Farm or Granary Road, but Granary Road is a bit overrated IMO

[Cappy]

Start at east village. Grab a coffee. Walk into st Patrick’s island park. Over bridge to inglewood. Stop at a brewery. Walk back and end on tree rooftop at Simmons. Great day

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I hear Lake Bonavista is nice this time of year.

This isn't a bad idea. You could watch all of us lake residents through the chain link fence.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

This isn't a bad idea. You could watch all of us lake residents through the chain link fence.

Sounds like you haven't asked yourself the real question though. Is the fence there to keep them out, or you in?

[Sliver]

Hopefully both.