Visiting Calgary

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

All the way to Banff for pizza and it's not Aardvark? wtf

Come on now. The only acceptable time to eat Aardvark's is 2am after a night out. It's awesome then. Any other time, it's vile. Their is a magical time window where it is edible. Might be the booze, too.

[spuzzum]

If time permits and the glacier highway is open, take your rental from Banff / Lake Louise and take the Glacier Highway: Alberta Highway 93:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Highway_93

It's an epic 2.5 - 3 hour drive up to Jasper and a full day with a few stops along the way. Compare it to the Great St. Bernard Pass in CH but longer and incredibly beautiful. Strongly suggest it!

As much as I love Calgary, the city itself can be seen fully in a day or two.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by spuzzum

If time permits and the glacier highway is open, take your rental from Banff / Lake Louise and take the Glacier Highway: Alberta Highway 93:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Highway_93

It's an epic 2.5 - 3 hour drive up to Jasper and a full day with a few stops along the way. Compare it to the Great St. Bernard Pass in CH but longer and incredibly beautiful. Strongly suggest it!

As much as I love Calgary, the city itself can be seen fully in a day or two.

This is such a sad attitude for a lot of people that live here. I've lived here 28 years and haven't fully seen everything there is to see.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

This is such a sad attitude for a lot of people that live here. I've lived here 28 years and haven't fully seen everything there is to see.

Not at all a sad attitude. If you are only going to be in Alberta for a short amount of time then a quick visit to Calgary is more than sufficient. I'd say three days would be enough to go to a couple hockey games, walk around downtown, the river, and parks, and check out a few interesting neighbourhoods for food and drinks. While it would take years to explore all of Calgary it really is just another city with the real attraction being the beautiful surrounding area.

I would recommend spending most of your time outside the city at places like Banff, Lake Louise, Kananaskis, Jasper, Waterton, and Drumheller.

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

I would recommend spending most of your time outside the city at places like Banff, Lake Louise, Kananaskis, Jasper, Waterton, and Drumheller.

And if you're going to be in Lake Louise, drive another 1/2 an hour and go see Emerald Lake and The Natural Bridge, just inside BC, near Field. I'd have suggested Takakkaw Falls, which is also in the same area, but you're coming too early in the season for that.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by Minnie

And if you're going to be in Lake Louise, drive another 1/2 an hour and go see Emerald Lake and The Natural Bridge, just inside BC, near Field. I'd have suggested Takakkaw Falls, which is also in the same area, but you're coming too early in the season for that.

I was sticking to things in Alberta but those are good ones. The Burgess Shale is another cool spot in the same area.

[Chr1s]

Wow Guys youre amazing! thanks for sharing all that ideas!

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I would say yes, but be prepared to be crushingly disappointed in our highways versus the Autobahn's of your country.

Thats a myth , for years now our Autobahn is full of construction sites , heavy damaged and in most parts too full.

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

I've never been dog sledding, but I hear it's amazing! Some tours run out near Engadine (though I imagine van transport from town is included)

Dog sledding sounds like a great experience

Originally Posted by Sliver

Don't miss Banff. Touristy, yes, but beautiful nonetheless. Make a reservation for fondue dinner at The Grizzly House. It's super fun and has a great rustic rocky-mountain authenticity and vibe that I think are lacking in some of the newer/chain restaurants in Banff.

Have a great trip and thanks for coming to Calgary!

Thanks man , ill check that , and yes this trip will be great =)

Originally Posted by lazypucker

If possible, you should time your visit to be at the same time as CalgaryBoy:

https://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=164636

Wanna do that as late as possible in the hockey season because of temperatures and dont think i can get full holidays 3 weeks earlier.
And so there are european fans in the dome for the whole month =)

Originally Posted by edslunch

For something different visit the Royal Terrell Museum in Drumheller, about a 90 minute drive northeast. It is one of world’s foremost Dinosaur museums/research centres. Very impressive if that’s your interest.

Wow, that looks great, thanks!

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Come on now. The only acceptable time to eat Aardvark's is 2am after a night out. It's awesome then. Any other time, it's vile. Their is a magical time window where it is edible. Might be the booze, too.

LMAO

[rotten42]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned visiting the basement at Chicken on the way.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Chr1s

Tickets :

I want to visit as many games as possible in March / End of March start of April there 2 posible options for me starting with Islanders - Ducks or CBJ - Vegas.
What is the best option to secure tickets for those games? Ticketmaster? Are there options to get something like a game package?

Depends on what you're looking for. Ticketmaster (which also includes resale tickets) will give you the best selection. Not really any "game packs" available. Stubhub is also a reliable option and there are some deals available depending on the game and when you buy. Calgarypuck is another resource. Avoid kijiji -- the last thing you want is to get scammed just to try and save a few bucks.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Chr1s

Thats a myth , for years now our Autobahn is full of construction sites , heavy damaged and in most parts too full.

My last trip was about 6 years ago and I would drive from Frankfurt to Hanover (and back). While there was construction and volume I found the driving completely amazing compared to here.

[Huntingwhale]

The autobahn is super cool. But it is also super crappy when

a) there is heavy construction and only 1 lane open. A 20 minutes trip turns into 3+ hours. I have yet to be stuck in on a highway in Alberta for 3+ hours

b) there are a million semis on the highway. Way more then here. Germans do not transport via rail in Germany. It's all done on the roads.

c) Only designated sections are no speed limits. It's not a free for all like most people think.

Having said that, nothing compares to a smooth car ride at 200+ km/h on the Autobahn. It can be nerve wracking if you have never experienced it, but there is nothing like it!

[Wormius]

It's a little cliche, but if you're in the city, Heritage Park is a neat place if you haven't been there before. Gives you a bit of history of Calgary/Alberta.

In Banff - lots of hiking, canoeing, hot springs, etc. Beavertails. Get a Beavertail. Also recommend to stop in Canmore for poutine at La Belle Patate, if it has reopened.

Also, if you're renting a car, I think a fun drive is to go into Kananaskis and the drive the Smith-Dorrien road to Canmore, and then HWY1 to Banff.

[Fuzz]

I found the Autobahn in East Germany was much more enjoyable to drive on. Far fewer vehicles. In the west it was tough to find a spot to get the crappy rental up to 185. But I did.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Wormius

It's a little cliche, but if you're in the city, Heritage Park is a neat place if you haven't been there before. Gives you a bit of history of Calgary/Alberta.

In Banff - lots of hiking, canoeing, hot springs, etc. Beavertails. Get a Beavertail. Also recommend to stop in Canmore for poutine at La Belle Patate, if it has reopened.

Also, if you're renting a car, I think a fun drive is to go into Kananaskis and the drive the Smith-Dorrien road to Canmore, and then HWY1 to Banff.

I do not suggest canoeing in March.

[flamesforcup]

If your trip is western Canada i would recomend Vancouver and surrounding area as well. Vancouver is one of the most beautiful citys in the world.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by flamesforcup

If your trip is western Canada i would recomend Vancouver and surrounding area as well. Vancouver is one of the most beautiful citys in the world.

... if you can see it through the rain in March.

[Chr1s]

A trip to Vancouver is planned aswell.

As it looks for now:

Arriving in CGY 28th March and stay in Calgary and Surroundings till the 1. of April visit the Games vs CBJ and OIL.
The day after the Oilers Game we´ll travel to Banff and stay the mountains for 3 Days on April 3rd we travel back to CGY and visit the Arizona Game
Next Day we fly to Vancouver and stay there for 2-3 Days.

After that im still planning.

If someone of you is interested i would love to meet some of you guys at the dome and dont go alone to the games.

Thanks for all your help so far , i try to get as much of these things done, but i realized how short two weeks can be =)

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Chr1s

A trip to Vancouver is planned aswell.

As it looks for now:

Arriving in CGY 28th March and stay in Calgary and Surroundings till the 1. of April visit the Games vs CBJ and OIL.
The day after the Oilers Game we´ll travel to Banff and stay the mountains for 3 Days on April 3rd we travel back to CGY and visit the Arizona Game
Next Day we fly to Vancouver and stay there for 2-3 Days.

After that im still planning.

If someone of you is interested i would love to meet some of you guys at the dome and dont go alone to the games.

Thanks for all your help so far , i try to get as much of these things done, but i realized how short two weeks can be =)

Hope you have a good trip! I'm interested in what you will do, as I have a friend visiting in February and it will be her first time in Canada so I've been looking for things to do that she would enjoy. Some good suggestions in this thread, and if I think of something cool I'll update it here!

[Chr1s]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Hope you have a good trip! I'm interested in what you will do, as I have a friend visiting in February and it will be her first time in Canada so I've been looking for things to do that she would enjoy. Some good suggestions in this thread, and if I think of something cool I'll update it here!

Thanks man!


Most important stuff is in the books , i got tickets for the last four Games of the regular season! Im so excited right now!

I watched like 9 Games of the first 15 , when CGY is not playing in the west its like 3-4 AM when the game starts for me , so im tired @ work and sacrifice some stuff to be able watching those games.

Cant imagine that great feeling being actually there in the Dome.
So i´ve put money aside for that event for 3 years now and i just start to realize that its actually going to happen.

Only downside, im pretty nervous about every game right now, i dont want to watch games wich are not important because we miss the playoffs anyways. So i hope for some clutch games for a wildcardspot or something like this

and i have the best girlfriend in the world! She only said to me:
ok chris, plan that whole trip , i pay my part, im doing that with you.

[Chr1s]

Booked my flights,
arriving march 28 , trip ends on april 12.

When will be the frist playoff match? isnt it like the first wednesday after the regular season?