Surprisingly, I have never been to Calgary! After spending an amazing couple of nights in this beautiful city, I can’t believe I haven’t gone sooner! Luckily some of my best friends already live in Calgary, so the choice of destination was easy!
I also considered this trip a trial run for traveling with only carry on luggage! With my Hawaii travels coming up, I’ve been nervous to see if I could actually make it with just carry-ons. I was able to fit all my outfits and necessities for a week of traveling into one carry-on suitcase! One week accomplished, next task fit three weeks! LOL (Will be posting about the carryon process very soon!)
WHERE TO STAY
I landed in Calgary just before lunchtime, which gave me a great half day to get settled and start my trip! I was so excited to partner with the Ramada Calgary Downtown. Not only was I surrounded by stunning glass buildings, but I was right in the heart of the city, which made city exploring and evening wine trips (lol) very convenient. My room had a gorgeous view of their outdoor heated pool and the most perfectly placed buildings. After a fairly long 5 hour flight, I was so happy to be greeted by the staff of the Ramada and the amazing view from my room.
The Ramada was the perfect place to host girls night! We enjoyed some rosé on the balcony of my room with the amazing view. After that we cozied up and watched the finale of Bachelor in Paradise. Hahaha
The Ramada was also the recording spot for Self Care Sunday with my good friend and podcast host, Kayley Reed. We recorded the podcast in our bathrobes drinking champagne! I have been a guest on Kayley’s podcast twice now, where we talked all business, life & the law of attraction. This time we chatted about relationship advice, our current relationships, and answered some questions from our audience! Click here to listen.
WHERE TO EAT
With a handful of suggestions of where to eat, I headed out with Kayley to first find a cafe where we could catch up with each other and do some work. We decided to go with one of the recommendations, Alforno Bakery & Cafe, which did not disappoint. First of all, it’s SO cute (v Instagrammable) and second, they had the best vanilla latte ever! I went back a few times! (It’s also where I picked up a really awesome print for the downstairs bathroom you might have seen in my stories, it’s by No More Sad Days and they sell them at this cafe!!)
If you’re looking for a place to grab a drink I would recommend checking out LuLu’s or the Fox on 6th! Both super cute places to have a glass of whatever you love with a great vibe on any night of the week. We also tried twice to go to the National!! So many of you on Instagram told me to check out National on 10th, the first time it was closed, the second time their rooftop was closed. Hahah maybe next time.
I love brussel sprouts, so I was so excited to order the brussel sprouts at 10 Foot Henry. For some reason, restaurants always make them taste so good. Lol. We also shared spaghetti, and it was also really good. The interior of this little spot is also so cute!! It’s also close to the Calgary tower so check that out while you’re there too!
SHOPPING
Shopppingggggg! My hotel was a few blocks away from the Core Shopping Centre and lucky for me Alberta only pays 4% in sales tax …….. Lol. You need to check out the top level of the Core and see the indoor garden. It’s like a jungle, it’s insane. I’m also a big fan of Holt Renfrew, it’s my weakness, so definitely check that out too if you’re looking for some higher end shopping.
I definitely recommend crossing the Peace Bridge over to Kensington. The Peace Bridge, is super cool to explore on an afternoon or evening walk. The bridge connects downtown Calgary to the Sunnyside community over the Bow River. A great place to take some picturesque photos! Kensington is so so cute and has really cute little shops and cafes. Peacock Boutique is a really cute, curated thrift store that I think you would loveeeee.
THE MOUNTAINS
Banff is just and hour and a half away from downtown Calgary, so this makes for a great day trip to visit the mountains! As a lot of you may know, I’m not the sporty type lol, but I had packed activewear and sneakers so I wasn’t going to let that suitcase space I used to go waste! I’m so happy we visited Lake Louise, the mountains were breathtaking and the water was so blue! Definitely a must-see for EVERY Canadian! Also, don’t forget to check out Banff for some cute shopping and Ice cream.
It was a little bit tricky trying to get into Lake Louise, parking is kind of a nightmare. Lol. I would recommend getting there reallllyyyy early to avoid the madness. What we ended up doing after looking for a parking spot forever, was to drive to the bottom lot and take the shuttle to Lake Louise. It was 4.00 / person and they do take card. Lol. Sadly we were way too late to see Moraine Lake, but if you are more organized than we were, definitely plan to see that too!! And get there early during the busy season! Lol
I would love love love to know any of your recommendations for visiting Calgary! Let me know in the comments! I cannot wait to head west again and I am already planning my next trip back.
Until next time, Calgary!
xx
Allie
This post was partnered with the Ramada Calgary Downtown