Top Day Trips from Calgary

Day trips are a fun way to explore and a great complement to your next Calgary trip. Explore the National Parks and World Heritage Sites just beyond the city with the tips and tricks you need to beat the crowds and be home in time for dinner in Calgary.

Aspen Crossing, located in the small hamlet of Mossleigh Alberta, is just one hour from Calgary in the Canadian Badlands. Aspen Crossing is home to an authentic 1887 Pullman dining car that once belonged to Prime Minster John Diefenbaker and now operates from April to December. Champagne brunches, dinner theatre, and prairie tours are just some of the ways you can explore this private stretch of track, with each train excursion lasting approximately three hours.

Distance from Calgary: 1 hour (90 kilometres/60 miles)

Heighten your senses with the Banff Gondola and experience summit views everyone can access. With an outside rooftop deck and indoor interpretive centre, the gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain in Banff is just the start of the adventure. Take the boardwalk to the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station, a National Historic Site, or dine 7,486 feet in the air at Sky Bistro, with a distinctly Canadian menu and mountain views in every direction. Weekdays are the best time to avoid the lines and take in views of six mountain ranges in the Canadian Rockies.

Distance from Calgary: 1.5 hours (133 kilometres/83 miles)

One of the longest cave networks in Canada is right by the picturesque mountain town of Canmore. Rat’s Nest Cave is home to 7000-year-old animal bones, pictographs, and ancient cave formations. The expert guides at Canmore Cave Tours will make sure that everyone feels comfortable navigating the caves. The shortest tour is 4.5 hours total so make sure not to plan too much else that day.

Distance from Calgary: 1 hour (103 kilometers/64 miles)

The Lake Minnewanka Cruise is a one hour guided boat cruise on Lake Minnewanka that includes entertaining commentary on the history, geology, wildlife, and First Nation’s culture of the area. Boat rentals and guided fishing tours are also available if you are interested in setting out on your own Lake Minnewanka adventure. Daily operating hours and cruise offerings vary between May and October each year so be sure to check availability before you set out on this memorable road trip.

Distance from Calgary: 1.5 hours (132 kilometres/82 miles)

Once one of Canada’s largest ranching operations, Bar U Ranch National Historic Site, offers the authentic cowboy experience to every visitor. Costumed interpreters demonstrate ranching skills like cattle roping, saddle making, and blacksmithing. With over 35 historic structures to explore, guided walking and horse-drawn wagon tours, and authentic cowboy grub cooking in the ranch house, this must-see Alberta attraction is the perfect place to experience life on the ranch with the Canadian Rockies as your backdrop. Bar U Ranch National Historic Site is open daily from May to September.

Distance from Calgary: 1 hour (109 kilometres/67 miles)

Home to one of the world’s richest deposits of fossils, Dinosaur Provincial Park will transport you to another world. Views over the largest continuous stretch of Badlands at this UNESCO World Heritage Site make it a photographer’s dream day trip. Pack a picnic lunch, explore easy hiking trails, and get up close to a stunning collection of fossils in the Dinosaur Visitor Centre. Get an early start on your road trip to Dinosaur Provincial Park, pack a hat, sunscreen, comfortable footwear, and be sure to check Dinosaur Visitor Centre hours before hitting the road as they vary by season.

Distance from Calgary: 2.25 hours (219 kilometres/136 miles)

Take a road trip through the Crowsnest Pass and experience the beautiful scenery and stories of Southern Alberta at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre. Interactive exhibitions and displays tell the story of Canada’s deadliest rockslide that changed the landscape of the coal mining town of Frank in 1903. A 1.5 kilometre trail winds through the rocks of the Frank Slide, surrounded by the beautiful Canadian Rockies, for an outdoor adventure unlike anything you have ever seen. The Frank Slide Interpretive Centre is open all year which makes it a great day trip no matter what the season.

Distance from Calgary: 2.25 hours (216 kilometres/134 miles)

The Columbia Icefield Skywalk is perched high above the Sunwapta Valley with a stunning bird’s eye view of waterfalls, wildlife, and fossils below. The one kilometre glass walkway will take your breath away with a 918 foot drop below to the valley floor. This award winning attraction is safe and accessible for the whole family with an interpretive storytelling format to guide you through the natural wonders beyond. Book ahead to select a time slot for the experience between April and October each year. You can even pair your glacier adventure with a meal at the Altitude Restaurant, overlooking the Athabasca Glacier, for the ultimate Columbia Icefields experience. With stunning views along the Columbia Icefields, the Glacier Skywalk requires a very full day to explore.

Distance from Calgary: 3.5 hours (311 kilometres/193 miles)

One of the world’s oldest, largest, and best-preserved buffalo jumps, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, putting it in the same class of worldwide wonders as the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge. Indoor and outdoor exhibits explore the history of buffalo hunting culture and the work of archaeologists to preserve this incredible site. Allow one to two hours for the indoor exhibits and an additional 45 minutes for the interpretive outdoor hike that explores the buffalo jump. Hours of operation vary by season so be sure to check ahead before planning your road trip.

Distance from Calgary: 2 hours (183 kilometres/114 miles)

Of all the iconic locations in Canada, Lake Louise may be at the top of the list. One of the most photographed locations in the world, Lake Louise, with its emerald, green water and rugged peaks, is just two hours from Calgary. Canoe on the lake in the summer, enjoy ice skating and ice sculptures in the winter, and be sure to visit the famous Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for a traditional Afternoon Tea anytime of the year. The small hamlet of Lake Louise includes a small collection of shops and restaurants along with a visitor information centre. Beat the crowds and visit early in the morning or during the week for an uninterrupted view of the lake.

Distance from Calgary: 2 hours (183 kilometres/114 miles)

Discover how the fur trade helped shape the history of Canada at Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site. Book a hands-on experience demonstrating the Métis skills of the fur trade, explore the archaeological remains of four forts, take part in authentic indigenous games, drumming, dancing, and daily campfires, or spend the night with a variety of heritage camping accommodations. Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site is open May through September with free entry available to Parks Canada Discovery Pass holders.

Distance from Calgary: 2.5 hours (207 kilometres/129 miles)

The Royal Tyrrell Museum is an engaging experience for everyone in the family that explores the history of life on Earth. Home to one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaur skeletons, the Royal Tyrrell Museum is a world-renowned museum and research facility. Search for fossils, dig in a realistic quarry, cast your own fossil, or enjoy a scenic self-guided tour through the Canadian Badlands around the museum. Temperatures and weather patterns in the Canadian Badlands can vary by the day, so be sure to bring clothing suitable for a range of conditions, including good walking shoes for outdoor hikes. Check ahead for seasonal hours and allow two to three hours to explore all of the museum’s galleries.

Distance from Calgary: 1.5 hours (142 kilometres/88 miles)

With the prairies to the east and the Canadian Rockies to the west, Waterton Lakes National Park has stunning views in every direction. Sharing its border with the United States and British Columbia, Waterton Lakes National Park is a scenic two-and-a-half-hour drive from Calgary, with small town charm and endless photography opportunities. Perched on the bluff above Waterton, the Prince of Wales Hotel is a historic part of Waterton with a traditional Afternoon Tea, making it a must-visit part of your road trip. Waterton Lakes National Park is open year-round, though most facilities close in the winter months.

Distance from Calgary: 2.5 hours (258 kilometres/160 miles)