Take Advantage of the C-Train When You Tour Calgary

The light rail transit system (known as C-Train) in Calgary, Alberta, is one of the best modes of transportation to use when you're visiting the city. Originally constructed in 1981, the C-Train consists of two routes, Route 201 and 202. These two courses will take you to every fabulous attraction the city has to offer. If you need to change trains during your day of touring, be sure to do so at the Seventh Avenue Free Fare Zone, where you won't have to get a new ticket to hop on a different train. Costs for fare vary, so check out the transit website to know how much money you'll need for a day or weekend pass.

Chinook Centre

If you're in the mood to do some shopping, then be sure to check out the Chinook Centre, which is Calgary's largest mall. It's located just three blocks from the Chinook train station on the South Line (Route 201), and there's even a free bus that provides visitors with transportation from the train stop to the mall and back.

Upon entering the Chinook Centre, you will be welcome by a plethora of entertaining options that are sure to fit any shopper's taste. With more than 200 retail stores (including The Gap, Banana Republic, Eddie Bauer, The Bay, Zellars and Sears), numerous restaurants, a food court with a merry-go-round, intriguing sculptures and suspended flying machines, this mall is sure to please.

Stampede Park & Casino

If you get off on Victoria Park/Stampede station, you will be at the entrance of the Stampede Park Grounds. Though the park is best known for hosting exhilarating rodeo activities at the annual Stampede event, its top-notch facilities are used for other things throughout the year, including thoroughbred and harness races, trade shows, concerts and conventions. While you're here, take a tour of the grounds and be sure to check out the Grain Academy in Roundup Centre, where you can see the inner workings of Calgary's agricultural industry.

After you tour the large park, stop by the Stampede Casino. Here, you will find an impressive array of table games and slot machines, as well as a restaurant, café and lounge. While you're playing, keep your lucky position by having one of the waiters or waitresses bring your favorite alcoholic beverage straight to your table.

Olympic Park

The Olympic Plaza/ City Hall station is where you must exit from to get to Olympic Park. Originally constructed for the 1988 Winter Olympics, this famous Canadian park remains a vital asset to the recreational life of Calgary. It serves as a training facility for athletes and boasts ski and snowboarding slopes, winter bobsleigh rides, a park with mountain biking trails, summer luge rides and year-round zipline rides that are available to the public. While you're here, be sure to check out the Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum, which features video footage of that year's events, as well as uniforms, athletic equipment, photos and other memorabilia. Bus tours of the facility are available, as well.

Calgary's Arts District

Located just three blocks from the Olympic Plaza, Calgary's Arts District is home to a variety of performance venues and is a must-see attraction. The streets are lined with trendy shops, restaurants and art galleries that are ready for you to browse through. You can visit the EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, which is a venue that is so extensive and impressive, it takes up an entire city block and houses four different theatres. Or, you can check out the Glenbow Museum, where you can get a comprehensive view of the country's growth and culture, and the TELUS Convention Centre, which is one of Calgary's premiere event facilities that has more than 88,000 square feet of exhibition and banquet hall/meeting space.

Calgary Tower

The city's defining landmark, Calgary Tower, is located on the 1st St SW/Centre St C-train station. Just walk a block up the street to Ninth Avenue, where this impressive structure stands, and you can get a spectacular panoramic view of the city from the highest peak of the tower, which is 626 feet above the ground. From the top, you can see the vistas of the city, the plains and even the Rockies, which are off to the west. If you want, you can grab a meal while you're on top of the world. Try the ritzy Panorama Dining Room or the more casual Tops Bar & Grill. There's also a gift shop in the tower, in case you want to get a souvenir.

Stephen Avenue

Perhaps the most vibrant street in Calgary, Stephen Avenue is located in the centre of downtown, just a block from Calgary Tower. Here, many of the city's best restaurants, shops and clubs can be found. You can stroll along this strip taking in the ambiance, peruse through boutique shops and malls connected to the street or just admire the beautifully refurbished 19th century buildings that line this famous boulevard. No matter what you do, you're sure to be entertained for hours with all the exciting activity that takes place here.

Calgary Zoo and Botanical Gardens

You may have to change trains to get to the zoo, as the Zoo station stop is off Route 202 instead of 201, but it will be well worth your while because the Calgary Zoo has been one of the city's most popular tourist attractions since its conception in 1929. It's located on St. George's Island and hosts a number of natural habitats for its wide selection of animals. Spending a large amount of time and money to protect and breed endangered species, the zoo has collaborated with several others to have the same policies instilled in their programs and protect more animals.

The zoo's botanical gardens are also a beautiful sight for visitors to see, as they boast countless species of gorgeous plant life. Additionally, the grounds house the butterfly garden and a conservatory with rainforest and dessert environments.