Visiting Calgary - Good Family Activities

[iamajai]

I'll be spending two weeks late June in Calgary with my wife and two preschoolers. What are some good family activities in and around town? Are there Children's Museums etc...? Any suggestions?

I moved from Calgary to the land of riots and diving in '94 and have lost touch with the city, although I'm still a holdout Flames fan.

[BCGirl]

Take 'em to the zoo. They just added the new penguin expansion a while ago. Haven't gone there myself yet, but I've heard that it's pretty cool. Kids would love it.

[#22]

Zoo, Heritage park, Butterfield Acres, Calaway park, Science Center

[nik-]

Chicken on the Way.

[iamajai]

Is the dinosaur exhibit still at the zoo? I remember seeing it as a kid myself.

[photon]

http://www.tyrrellmuseum.com/

Calgary Tower

http://www.calgarycornmaze.com/

http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pag...inds-Park.aspx
http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pag...ness-Park.aspx

Callaway Park has a good section for preschool age.

http://www.playtopia.ca/

http://www.calgaryschild.com/ is a good site with lots of info.

[Bill Bumface]

Heritage Park has added a bunch of stuff. If you go to Gasoline Alley (one new part of Heritage Park) remember to visit the secret basement. There are way more cars in the basement than anywhere else, but it is terribly marked and you could easily miss taking the unlabeled elevators down.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by iamajai

Is the dinosaur exhibit still at the zoo? I remember seeing it as a kid myself.

Yes, but it hasn't really been maintained very well over the years and it shows. the rest of the zoo is awesome though.

In addition to the things linked above, this place is a lot of fun for a few hours and inexpensive, but out in the suburbs pretty far: http://www.tommykplay.com/

[ken0042]

Not sure if that would be too early in the season, but my nephews really enjoyed the Corn Maze last year.

http://www.calgarycornmaze.com/

[photon]

Originally Posted by psicodude

In addition to the things linked above, this place is a lot of fun for a few hours and inexpensive, but out in the suburbs pretty far: http://www.tommykplay.com/

Wow neat, thanks!

[lazypucker]

Walk in the mall! The Bass Pro Shop at Cross Iron Mills is practically a zoo with all the stuffed animals...

[Buff]

Be sure to checkout the local hookers and blow.

[dhc-2]

In June try checking out the Okotoks Dawgs, if you enjoy baseball.

[J epworth]

Second the Okotoks Dawgs, great family event, the baseball stadium down there is one of the best in the country.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Go for a drive and hit Tyrell Museum. All kids love dinosaurs.

[Kerplunk]

I hear they have finally finished a new, red pedestrian bridge going into downtown; you could....ummm...walk across it. Parking might be an issue though.

I think the Zoo, Heritage Park, and the new Science Centre would be a good place to start.

[Cheese]

• Stand next to any road and count the number of 4x4s with gun racks in the back. Extra points are given if 4x4 has pet Rotweiller sitting beside driver with a Cowboy hat.
• Just like the Amazing Race, go downtown to a local eatery and gorge on the local delicacy, bull testicles. Whoever eats the most in one sitting gets $$$ reward.
• Another Amazing Race style event would be to send your family out on a scavenger type hunt. First person to come back with the following wins $$$. (undamaged Liberal election sign, Eastern ba$tard$ can freeze in the dark bumper sticker, I LOVE the Oilers/Eskimos anything, an old pancake left over from a Stampede street BBQ, Any CD of music except country and western.) Put a time limit of 2 days on this event.
• A pink Flames Jersey.
• A local baseball team
• HONK if you LOVE Jesus bumper sticker. (Cannot be a Jehovahs Witness version, they are on every street corner)
• Find an NDPer. Make sure you get a digital photo and signature/phone number of said supporter.
• Knock over a street person. (Calgarys version of pushing over Cows) extra points for females.
• Try to find a Green/Blue bin on garbage day.
• See if you can find an opposition parties bus where the wheels look like boobs.

There is so much more, just use your imagination!

[troutman]

Check out the activities at COP:

http://www.winsportcanada.ca/cop/index_cop.cfm

[Cowperson]

About 35 minutes southwest of the city, Millarville Farmers' Market on a Saturday morning starting June 16, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. is a great pit stop before heading to the mountains.

Believe it or not, the Millarville Races is a great family day on July 1, Canada Day. Some images below . . . .







Cowperson

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

Go for a drive and hit Tyrell Museum. All kids love dinosaurs.

If they're really young, they may not like it. My kids are used to hands-on-type museums like the Science Centre. Unless the Tyrell has changed at all in the past few years since I've been, your kids may be disappointed and bored at how, well, boring it is.