ALBERTA, “WILD ROSE COUNTRY”

CALGARY, "HEART OF THE NEW WEST"

BY CLAY LARROY

Traveling can be a great way to meet new people and experience other cultures. New friends are waiting to meet you in places you have only dreamed of traveling. It can be a wonderful way to see all that the world has to offer. Travel can be a hobby and an adventure that will lead you to unexpected places.  Canada is a close locations to take vacations. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Things to do in Calgary

Activities

Skiing and snowboarding

You don't even have to leave Calgary's city limits to strap on your skis or snowboard. Canada Olympic Park is perfect for an evening on the slopes to practice your turns before you hit the big mountains. You can also bobsleigh, hurl yourself off the ski jump or try cross-country skiing. If the sight of the Rockies is too tempting, Banff and Lake Louise have world-class ski resorts with bucket loads of powder.

Websites: www.winsportcanada.ca/cop ; www.skibig3.com

Ice skating

Canada isn't renowned for its balmy winters, but cold weather means there are plenty of outdoor ice rinks. In downtown Calgary, you can skate at Olympic Plaza (originally the medal presentation site during the 1988 Winter Olympics) from mid-November to mid-March. For a more natural ice experience, glide on the frozen lagoons at Bowness and Prince's Island Parks. Apart from Olympic Plaza, outdoor rinks are typically open from December to February.

Website: www.calgary.ca/parks

Walking and cycling

Calgary has a whopping 700km (453 miles) of pathways for pedestrians and cyclists and 7,800 hectares (19,300 acres) of parkland. Walk, cycle or rollerblade along the banks of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, or hike the trails in Nose Hill Park, where you might spot deer or coyotes. Fish Creek Provincial Park is Canada's largest urban park and is home to a large variety of birds and mammals, including beavers, bald eagles and white-tailed deer.

Website: www.calgary.ca/parks ; www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/fishcreek

Fly fishing

Calgary's position on the Bow River means you don't have to travel far to fly fish. The river is considered one of the world's best spots for trout fishing. Anglers have a good chance of catching good-sized brown and rainbow trout in the Lower Bow River near Downtown, which is said to hold an astonishing 2,500 trout’s per mile. It's not uncommon to hook a 50cm-plus (20-inch) fish. Local guides can help you bag your trophy trout.

Tel: (403) 470 3474.
Website: www.bowriverflyfishing.com

Rafting and tubing

Come summer, Calgary experiences scorching hot days, and a wonderful way to cool off is to float on the water. For a super gentle trip, tubing on the Elbow River is relaxing and undemanding. A popular, four-hour float-rafting route is from Bowness Park to Calgary Zoo on the Bow River. You can hire floater rafts and tubes from a few operators in town.

Lazy Day Raft Rentals
Tel: (403) 258 0575.
Website: www.lazydayraftrentals.com

Calgary Outdoor Centre
Tel: (403) 220 5038.
Website: www.calgaryoutdoorcentre.ca

Watching ice hockey

Join in the roar of over 19,000 fans in the Saddledome (named for its saddle-shaped roof) as they cheer on their city's NHL ice-hockey team, the Calgary Flames. Games against arch rivals the Edmonton Oilers are especially fiery. The Saddledome is also home to Western Hockey League team the Calgary Hitmen as well as the Calgary Roughnecks professional lacrosse team. It doubles up as a major concert venue.

Tel: (403) 777 4646.
Websites: www.scotiabanksaddledome.com ; http://flames.nhl.com

Bull riding

You've watched the action at Stampede, wonder how hard it could really be and now you fancy a go. Look no further than Calgary's bull-riding school Fantasy Adventure Bull Riding, run by Australian cowboy Joe Messina on a working rodeo ranch just 15 minutes from Downtown. You'll meet the animals, practice on a mechanical simulator, then have the opportunity to strap onto a 900kg (2,000lb) bucking bull. Get this far and you're eligible to ride a live bull.

Tel: (403) 681 3577.
Website: www.fantasyadventurebullriding.com

Calgary Nightlife

Calgary's nightlife is better than you might expect of a cowboy and oil town in the middle of the Canadian prairie. Locals are friendly, festive and always ready to put away a big Alberta steak or a few drinks, especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. However, during the Stampede, Calgary transforms into a true party city.

Calgary's nightlife is best explored through its various neighborhoods. Downtown is a fine place for a drink during the day or early evening and the partying continues at bars and clubs dotted throughout the area. If you want your action more concentrated, stick to areas like Kensington (with a diverse range of cafés, bars, restaurants and clubs) or 17th Avenue SW (west of 4th Street), where the pubs have more character and the restaurants veer more towards the ethnic.

In matters of high culture such as theatre or literature, critics often characterize Calgary as an oil-driven cowboy town, inferior to Edmonton (its provincial rival). But Calgary boasts a dynamic variety of theatre, opera and classical music, as well as hosting a renowned literary festival each October.

The city plans to cement its reputation for live music through the building of a new National Music Centre around the historic King Eddy Hotel, which closed in 2004 after decades as a renowned blues venue. Slated to open in 2014, the center will celebrate all Canadian music, housing a live music venue, performance hall and interactive exhibits.

You can find events and nightlife listings in Swerve, available with the Friday edition of the Calgary Herald (http://swervecalgary.com), in where magazine (www.where.ca/calgary) and in the free FFWD Weekly (www.ffwdweekly.com). You can buy tickets for most cultural performances through Ticketmaster Canada (tel: (403) 777 0000;www.ticketmaster.ca).

West

This swanky three-floor restaurant-cum-bar-cum-nightclub in Calgary's Scotia Centre is a stylish lunch and dinner spot which pulls in the after-work crowd, then entices them to stay late. At weekends, you can literally dance until dawn. Reminisce on 'Rewind Fridays' as music from the 1970s to 1990s blasts out, then cool off and enjoy the view on the usually heaving rooftop patio. Very much a place to see and be seen.

Address:

225 7th Avenue SW
Calgary, Canada

Telephone:  (403) 237 5556.

Website:  http://www.westrestaurantandbar.com

Flames Central

This giant sports bar is spread over three floors and promises to show any game, anytime, anywhere, as long as it's broadcast on satellite TV. The main bar, the vast 'virtual arena', seats 150, with a 9m (30ft) HD projection screen and 150 TVs. There are private lounges, a mezzanine area and a restaurant too. Expect the place to be packed on hockey nights, when shuttles carry fans to and from live games.

Address:

219 8th Avenue SW
Calgary,  Canada

Telephone:  (403) 935 2637.

Website:  http://www.flamescentral.com

Ranchman's

If you're in Calgary during Stampede, it's practically obligatory to party at Ranchman's, which plays non-stop live music from noon until the small hours throughout the festival. At other times of the year, you can still enjoy this true cowboy bar, whose walls are plastered with rodeo memorabilia. Tuck into steaks and ribs, then work it off in the dancehall (lessons available). Live bands play from Thursday to Saturday. You can even test your rodeo skills on a mechanical bull.

Address:

9615 MacLeod Trail South
Calgary, Canada

Telephone: (403) 253 1100.

Website: http://www.ranchmans.com

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com

I love Calgary. It's a great city. I enjoyed my time there, quite a bit. Shooting and filming in that cold could be very difficult, at times. When you're shooting nights, and it's 3 in the morning and minus 35 degrees, that's hard to work in. - Author: Colin Hanks

Live, Love and Travel to create memories that will last a lifetime!

ALBERTA, “WILD ROSE COUNTRY”

CALGARY, "HEART OF THE NEW WEST"

BY CLAY LARROY 

In the world of traveling, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced travelers alike. There are many websites, guides, books, videos, and other resources available. By writing this blog I hope that I am providing valuable information about the wonderful vacation destinations in Canada. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Calgary stands at the point where the vast Canadian prairie meets the jagged, snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Its young, glittering skyscrapers rise out of older suburban neighborhoods and seem oddly superimposed on this breathtakingly diverse western landscape, as though dropped from the sky onto the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers.

Accordingly, the land is never far from the minds of the people of Calgary. The oil that lies beneath it drives the city's vibrant economy; the distant mountains attract legions of skiers and snowboarders during the chilly winters; and, during balmy summers, cattle roam the flat expanse of grassland, marking this out as cowboy country.

As well as being the gateway to the Rocky Mountains, Calgary has grown into a tourist destination in its own right. Its cowboy reputation draws over a million visitors annually to Calgary Stampede, a raucous celebration of Western heritage, where the city transforms into a giant party town and every second person seems to be wearing a cowboy hat; even the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge couldn't resist during their 2011 visit.

Calgary isn't shy in putting itself forward and has beaten competing Canadian cities to host both the new National Sports Hall of Fame and the upcoming National Music Centre, which opens in 2014. A snazzy new, hands-on science center opened in October 2011.

Many have likened the Calgary of today to a Canadian Dallas, a comparison that is not without merit. Like Dallas, Calgary is a confident, often brash cowboy town that grew wealthy on oil, where they play country and western music in noisy taverns and eat thick and juicy steaks in the restaurants. As an image, however, this captures only a small part of what the city and its people are actually like.

Calgary is also a city of diverse and vibrant neighborhoods, where its citizens relax in cafés, stroll the scenic streets or take in the opera, although they are just as likely to head off to the great outdoors. Beyond the city, the stunning summits and aquamarine lakes of the Rockies, in particular Banff National Park, are not to be missed, while visitors can delve into dinosaur history in Alberta's Badlands.

Today Calgary is known as the New West, a casual, oil-rich, vibrant city growing faster than its infrastructure can keep pace with its expanding cultural life as new blood follows its prosperity. Technology and production industries have grown immensely as oil and gas production has increased, propelling this one-time one-horse cowboy town into a radically evolving 21st-century city.

 Calgary is not resting on its laurels however. Ongoing reinvestment in its buildings and services suggests it clearly aims to keep one step ahead of its rivals. A light rail line extension is under construction, with others in the pipeline, and glitzy skyscrapers continue to go up - the latest is a Norman Foster-designed behemoth nicknamed The Bow. This is now the city's tallest tower and is expected to be completed in 2012, coinciding with Calgary Stampede's centenary celebrations.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com

 I love touring Canada, and our Calgary fans are among the roughest and toughest.

 - Author: Tommy Lee

Experience life by traveling with friends and family!

ALBERTA, “WILD ROSE COUNTRY”

 

BY CLAY LARROY

When you choose to travel, whether it is for business or pleasure, it is important to plan your trip well before hand. Here are some tips to help you. Don't be afraid to cash in your airline miles. Many travelers let their miles accumulate and never bother using them. Reap the rewards of your traveling and spend the miles you've earned! Miles have expiration dates, so be sure to use them before they expire. Travelling is a great way to use your airline miles.  When you need to plan a vacation contact me!

Look at the article below for a mesmerizing viewpoint on Alberta.

Alberta - Province of Canada

 By Janis Maddox

Alberta is one of the three Prairie Provinces in Canada. Of the three, Alberta is the highest populated and most rapidly developing province. One of the ten provinces in Canada, Alberta was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. In size, the province is as big as Texas or France, and as of 2009, there were approximately 3.7 million people in Alberta. This province is economically advanced because of the presence of petroleum reserves. The healthcare system in this province is one the most sophisticated and advanced, and a well educated population and growing economy contributes to this factor. Edmonton is the capital city and is located in the center of the province. Edmonton located in close proximity to many of the western Canada's refineries and oil fields.

Climate And Weather Conditions

Alberta is a landlocked province and experiences cold winters and warm summers. The climate in Alberta is largely dry and continental in character. The province is located in the Western part of Canada and hence is exposed to the cold arctic winds that blow from the north. The temperature also differs largely as the province extends from north to south.

People And Economy

The rapidly growing Alberta economy attracts immigrants from all over the world, especially Europe and parts of Asia, and also people from the other provinces. Most of the population in Alberta is concentrated around the Calgary-Edmonton corridor, as most of the northern part of the province is covered by dense forest. The southern half of the region in covered by short and mixed grass, typical prairie vegetation. English is the mother tongue of most of the native speakers, followed by Chinese, German, and French amongst other languages. The burgeoning economy in Alberta revolves round the petroleum industry and to some extent, technology and agriculture sector. Alberta is the largest producer of crude oil, natural gas, synthetic crude, and other gas products in the country. The other major industries include telecom and forestry. The province's GDP as recorded in 2007, was far higher than the GDPs of other provinces.

Tourism

Besides the oil reserves, Alberta is well known for its tourist attractions. It is an ideal destination for hiking, skiing, and camping. Also, shopping points, sporting events and competitions of international acclaim, and outdoor festivals make this province a favorite destination for tourists. The province is an eclectic mix of both natural and man-made attractions. The most noted ones include the Banff and Jasper National Parks, Rocky Mountains, ski resorts, etc.

The onset of summer brings in a number of festivals to this province. The most popular is the Edmonton Fringe Festival, which is the second largest in the world after Edinburgh's. Calgary Stampede is a much visited festival and is related to cattle ranching. The folk music festivals in the province are equally popular, and the largest of these festivals in Canada are organized in Calgary and Edmonton. Carifest is second biggest Caribbean festival in the country after Caribana is hosted by Toronto.

Alberta has a parliamentary democracy and the legislative assembly comprises of 83 members. Local school boards and municipal governments also operate in the province. The provincial government is led by the Progressive Conservative Partyand the premier heads the state government.

Alberta is a landlocked province and experiences cold winters and warm summers. The climate in Alberta is largely dry and continental in character.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Janis_Maddox/596816

 Canada's the best country in the world.

Justin Bieber
 

Live Life and Travel to create marvelous memories!

ALBERTA, “WILD ROSE COUNTRY”

by Clay Larroy

Regardless of whether you are traveling to a nearby location for the weekend or taking a week-long destination vacation, you are always going to benefit from some tips and ideas on how to make the whole process, more fun and less stressful. Take time each day to alleviate stress while traveling or vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot of stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another one is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will make it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Things to see and do in Alberta

Alpine diving

Horseshoe Lake, Patricia Lake and Lake Annette are three of the more popular alpine diving locations. Divers should be experienced and employ the 'buddy' system as the water is cold and often cloudy. The local Rangers Station supplies permits, maps and other information.

Ancient fossils

You can study dinosaur remains on the banks of the Red Deer River, on the 48km (30-mile) Dinosaur Trail near Drumheller. Also near downtown Drumheller is the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, with hands-on exhibitions and one of the world's largest collections of dinosaur remains.

Banff Summer Arts Festival

Alberta's biggest showcase of the arts (with dance, theatre, film, music and art) takes place over four months annually, all amidst the stunning backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.

Calgary Stampede

Canada's biggest rodeo is billed as the 'Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth'; it is held over 10 days in July each year (www.calgarystampede.com) and attracts many competitors and spectators with stage shows, parades, concerts, rodeo and agricultural exhibits.

Calgary Tower

Calgary's most recognizable feature, the 191m (626ft) Calgary Tower, offers panoramic views of the city, local towns and the Rocky Mountains. Sky 360, the rotating restaurant at the top, is a popular treat (www.sky360.ca).

Cowboy country

The heritage of ranching is alive and well in the town of Cochrane, west of Calgary. Country-and-western-themed shops pepper the downtown area and genuine cowboys still live and work in the region.

Historic site

You'll find Alberta's oldest surviving structure, the historic log cabin of Father Lacombe, in the town of St Albert, 30km (19 miles) northwest of downtown Edmonton. At one time it was the center of a thriving French-speaking Métis settlement (people of mixed native and European heritage).

Jasper National Park

Jasper National Park was established in 1907 and is the largest of Canada's Rocky Mountains parks, spanning 10,878 sq kilometres (4200 sq miles). The spectacular scenery is characterized by glaciers, rugged mountains, forests and meadows carpeted with alpine flowers. The park protects a range of fragile mountain ecosystems - elk, moose, bear, bighorn sheep and mule deer are regular sights - and is home to the threatened woodland caribou. Maligne Lake, 48km (30 miles) southeast of Jasper is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and its crystal clear waters are popular for boating and fishing.

Lovely lakes

Alberta boasts characteristic Canadian views: stunning lake scenery in Waterton Lakes National Park, joined to Glacier National Park in Montana to form the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park; and Banff National Park in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.

National parks

The great outdoors is the main attraction in the southern part of the Rockies; Banff and Jasper national parks are obvious starting points.

Native heritage

The name sounds horrific but the prairie views are unparalleled at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, west of Lethbridge. This cliff-top is an ancient jump site, used for 10,000 years to drive buffalo to their deaths, thus providing native people with food, shelter and clothing.

On the slopes

Skiing, both cross-country and downhill, is a major pastime in the Rockies in the winter. Snowboarding is also very popular.

Scenic drive

The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), running through Banff and Jasper national parks, affords magnificent views of the lakes, forests and the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield. It also provides access to wilderness trails in the area.

West Edmonton Mall

North America's largest entertainment centre and mall, the West Edmonton Mall (www.wem.ca), boasts theatres, restaurants, nightclubs, miniature golf course, ice rink, swimming pool, water park and amusement park, skateboard park, aquariums and bungee jump.

Winter sports

There are myriad ways to enjoy the wonderful mountain scenery, including dog sledding (trekking along mountain trails with teams of huskies under the supervision of experienced guides), ski-joring (being pulled along on skis by teams of huskies), wildlife tracking, snowmobiling and snowshoeing.

Wonderful wildlife

Elk Island National Park (www.pc.gc.ca/elkisland), which traces its roots to 1906, is home to over 44 different kinds of animals (including elk, moose, coyote and beaver), as well as massive herds of plains bison.

Wood Buffalo National Park

Vast expanses of boreal plains are yours to discover at Wood Buffalo National Park (www.pc.gc.ca/woodbuffalo) (Canada's largest national park, bigger than Switzerland), granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1983. It provides the perfect habitat for many rare species of wildlife, including the world's largest free-roaming bison herd.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

”Canada has great natural resources, and its people have the spirit
 and ability to develop them.” 
-Charles E. Wilson

Live Life and Travel to create marvelous memories!

ALBERTA, “WILD ROSE COUNTRY”

by Clay Larroy

Traveling can be an important part of your life, whether for business or for pleasure. Take time each day to alleviate stress while traveling or vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot of stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another one is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will make it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Alberta is a nature-lover's paradise, enriched by wide-open spaces and stunning sunsets. In terms of nature, the province is renowned for the glorious peaks of the Rocky Mountains and the beauty of its parks, epitomized by Canada's first national park, Banff.

Alberta also has vast plains, but it is the mountainous Rockies where you'll find your jaw continually dropping. Whether driving along the Icefields Parkway or hiking through a forested park, you'll be amazed by this alpine wilderness of woodland, mountains and lakes. If anything exemplifies 'picture-postcard', it is this.

Even in Alberta's cities there is plenty of green space, including Canada's largest living history museum, Fort Edmonton Park. Albertans love to hark back to the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897, but it was the discovery of oil south of Edmonton in 1947 that assured the city of its future, making it one of Canada's fastest-growing metropolitan areas.

Edmonton's love affair with the past reaches its apogee in the annual Capital EX fair each July, when amid other attractions (fairground rides, rock concerts and so on) Edmontonians relive the Gold Rush days with events like gold-panning contests. Most people consider Alberta's true 'gold' to be its stunning scenery, however. And that makes Alberta one very rich province, indeed.

Region Attractions in Alberta

Jasper National Park

Jasper National Park was established in 1907 and is the largest of Canada's Rocky Mountains parks, spanning 10,878 sq kilometres (4200 sq miles). The spectacular scenery is characterised by glaciers, rugged mountains, forests and meadows carpeted with alpine flowers. The park protects a range of fragile mountain ecosystems - elk, moose, bear, bighorn sheep and mule deer are regular sights - and is home to the threatened woodland caribou. Maligne Lake, 48km (30 miles) southeast of Jasper is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and its crystal clear waters are popular for boating and fishing.

Website http://www.jaspernationalpark.com 

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/ 

“Always in Alberta there is a fresh wind blowing.”

— Nellie L. McClung

Travel to experience life and create spectacular memories!

ALBERTA, “WILD ROSE COUNTRY

 

BY CLAY LARROY

After working and studying hard all year long families across the United States will be taking long awaited vacations. Family vacations and travel can be the most rewarding experience. Families that take vacations together build memories that will last a lifetime. Family vacations are so important, as it gives us a way to connect with each other in a stress-free relaxed environment. When you need to plan a trip contact me!

Overview of Alberta

Tourism in Alberta is centered on the famous Rocky Mountains which flank its western border with British Columbia, offering a host of alpine attractions. The north is a sparsely inhabited wilderness of forests, lakes, and rivers; the provincial capital of Edmonton is central; while on the border with Saskatchewan in the east, the atmosphere takes on a Wild West feel in the prairies and Badlands.

Even in the cities and towns, visitors to Alberta can be sure that nature is never far away. Albertans love the outdoors, and urban environments are interspersed with plenty of lush river parks and greenbelts. In fact, Edmonton has more parkland per capita than any other North American city. An important aspect of Alberta's heritage is its aboriginal culture. Home to 43 First Nations, this heritage has been preserved in 14 reserves and educational attractions, ranging from the world's largest tepee to native interpretive trails and exquisite handmade crafts.

The natural beauty of this Canadian province is world-renowned, so it's no surprise to discover that it is home to five of Canada's 14 World Heritage Sites: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Banff-Jasper National Parks, the enormous Wood Buffalo National Park, and Dinosaur Provincial Park.

Climate for Alberta

Alberta has a dry continental climate, with four distinct seasons including hot summers and very cold, snowy winters. Summer runs between June and August, when days are warm and evenings are cool.

Winters, between December and February, are cold with heavy snowfalls, particularly in the Rockies. The provinces large and extends over multiple terrains, making the climate highly variable from area to area.in such cases tipping is not necessary.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“I would like to especially acknowledge my home community of Calgary, and the people of central Alberta who made my dream of freedom a reality.”

— Amanda Lindhout

Travel  have fun and create wonderful memories for your family!