Things to do in Calgary

Calgary is the arrival point for the Rockies, not a stop on the way to them: Banff sits 128 km west on Highway 1, about 1 h 30 in normal traffic.

Most visitors land at Calgary International (YYC) and either pick up a rental car at the terminal or book one of the shuttle and coach services that run direct to Banff, which removes the need for a car in the mountains altogether.

Calgary itself is a plains city on the edge of the foothills, well outside any national park boundary, so no Parks Canada pass is needed to drive around it. If your dates land in July, check the Calgary Stampede first: accommodation and rental cars along the Banff corridor get scarce and noticeably more expensive for its ten-day run.