Day trips from Calgary
Admire the ingenuity of the spiral tunnels along the Canadian Pacific Railway, learn Indigenous customs, or discover the best places to visit in the Rocky Mountain parks. Look no further, there’s plenty to do near Calgary!
Let these must-see destinations inspire your next outing!
A historic ranch dating back to 1882.
- Driving: 70 minutes
Bar U Ranch National Historic Site, AB
How to get there
- Drive: Just 1 hour and 10 minutes on the Deerfoot Trail/AB-2 south.
What to do
- Take a self-guided tour and step back into the late 1800s to learn about the Northwest Cattle Company.
- Sip on cowboy coffee at round up camp and learn to rope a replica steer.
- Take a wagon ride pulled by our famous Percheron horses through the ranch.
Historic fur trading post and original highway to the West.
- Driving: 2 hours
Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site, AB
How to get there
- Drive: Just over 2 hours via highway AB-2 north and AB-11 west.
What to do
- Catch a glimpse of the small herd of plains bison that came from Elk Island National Park, where most of the world’s purebred plains bison originate.
- Create your own beautiful Dream Catcher while learning about the traditions behind this Indigenous custom.
- Head for a walk on the David Thompson trail, following the banks of the North Saskatchewan River in the footsteps of the famous explorer.
- Stay awhile and camp near the historic river.
Brilliant for birders:
You may spot plenty of bird species here from mountain bluebirds, red-tailed hawks and northern harriers to bald eagles and sandhill cranes.
Canada’s first National Park.
- Drive:1.5 hours
- Transit:2 hours (approx.)
Banff National Park, AB
How to get there
- Drive: Around 1 hour and 30 minutes via Trans Canada highway AB-1 west.
- Transit: Check out various public transit option. Relax and let us do the driving.
What to do
- Day‑trippers must plan ahead before departing for their mountain adventure.
- Prime hiking season runs July through mid-September; be sure to consult the trail report prior to heading out.
- Rent a bike and ride the 22.5 km Banff Legacy Trail between Banff and Canmore, built for the park’s 125th anniversary to promote eco‑friendly exploration.
Western Canada’s oldest natural history museum.
- Driving: 1.5 hours
- Driving: 2 hours (approx.)
Banff Park Museum National Historic Site, AB
How to get there
- Drive: 1 hour and 30 minutes along highway AB1-west.
- Transit: Check out various public transit options. Relax and let us do the driving.
What to do
- Spend a few hours attending the ‘University of the Hills’, delving through some of its botanical and zoological specimens including stuffed bison, bears and elk.
- Younger visitors between 6-11 years old will love joining the Xplorers Club to earn a souvenir after tracking down the museum’s original curator, Norman Bethune Sanson, solving puzzles and playing games.
- Fascinating inside and out! Architecture fans are in for a treat with this museum's decorative cross-log construction which dates back to 1903 and showcases the 'railway pagoda' style that features plenty of Douglas Fir trees.
Parks Fact
Established in 1903, the museum’s collection began with eight mammals, 259 birds, a turtle and a variety of mineral and botanical specimens. The present collection now has over 5000 specimens!
The legendary Icefields Parkway (Hwy 93 North) is a scenic mountain drive between Banff and Jasper.
- Driving: 2 hours
Icefields Parkway in Banff and Jasper, AB
How to get there
- Drive: Just over 2 hours on highway AB-1 west.
What to do
- Drive the 232 km route that winds through some of the most dramatic landscapes in the Canadian Rockies. The parkway connects Lake Louise with the Jasper townsite.
- Explore many places along the Icefields Parkway, from scenic roadside viewpoints to short walks and day hikes.
Go farther
Located about 3.5 hours from Calgary, visit the Columbia Icefield. This is the largest mass of glacial ice in the Canadian Rockies. It feeds several large glaciers, including the Athabasca, the Columbia and the Saskatchewan.
Home of icy rivers and steamy hot springs.
- Driving: 2 hours
Kootenay National Park, BC
How to get there
- Drive: 2 hours following Trans Canada highway 1 west and BC 93 south at Castle Junction.
What to do
- Pack a picnic and enjoy a scenic drive along the famous highway 93 south. Download the Kootenay guided audio tour from the Parks Canada App.
- For a perfect post-hike or bike trip, soak those sore muscles in Radium Hot Springs surrounded by the beautiful rock cliffs of Sinclair Canyon.
- Enjoy impressive views on the short Marble Canyon trail to see the dramatic limestone and dolomite gorge eroded by the pounding waters of Tokumm Creek.
The highest point of the Trans Canada Highway.
- Driving: 2 hours
Kicking Horse Pass National Historic Site, BC
How to get there
- Drive: Just over 2 hours on highway AB-1 west.
What to do
- Cross the Kicking Horse Pass, the highest point on the Trans Canada Highway (1,627 metres) and stare down onto a spectacular mountain corridor in Yoho National Park.
- From the Spiral Tunnels viewpoint, watch a Canadian engineering phenomenon in action as trains disappear into one Rocky Mountain tunnel and emerge from another at a different elevation on the steep slopes.
Did you know?
The decision to construct the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885 through the Rockies rather than the more northerly Yellowhead pass greatly influenced the development of the West and opened up British Columbia to the rest of Canada by rail in the 19th century.
Pristine national park with 28 peaks soaring over 3,000 metres.
- Driving: 2.5 hours
Yoho National Park, BC
How to get there
- Drive: About 2 and a half hours on highway AB-1 west.
What to do
- Visit the charming mountain community of Field and stop by the Parks Canada visitor center to get local travel tips and tour the exhibits.
- Visit the Natural Bridge and admire the Kicking Horse River as it carves a path through ancient rock.
- Snap a selfie and #ShareTheChair at Takakkaw Falls and Yoho Lake and enjoy the view with a friend in those cozy bright red Adirondack chairs.
Explore the Canadian Rockies with a Parks Canada interpreter.
- Driving: 1.5 to 2.5 hours
Parks Canada guided hike in Banff, Yoho and Kootenay, AB, BC
How to get there
- Drive: Trans Canada highway 1 west, followed by the specific road leading to the chosen national park.
What to do
- Whether you’re new to hiking or an experienced adventurer, these small-group hikes connect you to the heart of the Rockies.
- Book a guided fossil tour of the Burgess Shale and explore the origins of life on earth at one of the world’s most famous fossil sites.
- Discover how mountains, lakes, and wildlife are connected. Learn about iconic species and the hidden relationships that sustain them.
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