rteach1

Hello. I'm on the verge of booking a 9-day tour in July that starts in Calgary and includes Waterton Park, Glacier National Park, Banf, Moraine Lake, Lake Louise,Jasper Park, Maligne Lake and Peyto Lake. My questions are:
1. Does this seem like a good itinerary? My wife and I are active semi-seniors (60 and 58). I should note that free time is built into the tour.
2. We were thinking of starting the tour on July 1st, Canada Day. Is everything shut down on Canada Day, or is Calgary more fun on that day? We'd probably fly in on June 30th. Are hotels more expensive and harder to book due to the holiday?
3. We are city-dwellers and are somewhat intrigued by the thought of attending the Stampede. On the other hand, does the presence of the Stampede so jack up hotel prices and crowd the city that it would be more of a detriment to going during that week (and make it more difficult to obtain flights)?
4. If we did go during Stampede week, would it make more sense to see the Stampede before or after the tour of the Rockies? Are the best attractions of the Stampede only on certain days? What are the best attractions?
5. Would the Hilton Garden Inn be convenient to the Stampede? If not, what moderately priced hotels would be convenient?
Thank you very much for your help. We have some flexibility as to which days we travel, so whether or not to include the Stampede is the main issue.
Regards,
rteach1

ltt

there will be no moderately priced hotel in calgary during the stampede. and, if you are considering it, you need to book NOW - which might already be too late. calgary is a blast to be in during the stampede but prices will be high and the crowds will be large. you need to decide personally if the fun of the event is worth the cost/crowds.

ShelliDawn

Canada Day is a holidy and many businesses will be closed, but most shops, restaurants etc. are open. There's lots of fun, free activities on Canada Day, mainly downtown on Prince's Island, that celebrate the day. There may be fireworks in the evening.

As ltt said, hotels are expensive during Stampede week and should be booked sooner than later. Also, tickets to the Stampede rodeo and/or chuckwagon races should also be bought asap.

The actual Stampede (rodeo, chuckwagaon races, exhibition on the Stampede grounds) are on every day. Throughout the week, the competitions are building up to the finals on the last Sunday. However, there are other activities that do not go every day.

See the Stamped website for more information. http://cs.calgarystampede.com/ Also, you can get more information by searching this forum for other threads about the Stampede.

Since the hotel you mentioned is by the airport (on the outskirts of a geographically very large city) it is not convenient to the Stampede, or much else other than the airport. Both the Stampede grounds and many of the non-grounds activities are downtown.

As for your questions about the Rockies tour, you should post them on your Candian Rockies thread.

rteach1

Thank you very much for your replies.

Gratefully,

rteach1

joodles

We did the Canadian Rockies tour a few years ago, and even though we've done alot of the world..we think it was one of our favorite vacations. We ended our trip with the stampede, and spent two full days and three nights there. We had to makereservations way in advance for rodeo tickets, and the big stampede show. We actually stayed at the hotel in the airport. We were at the fairgrounds allll day and evening both days...had so much fun! Loved the miniatur horses and donkeys, and the Native American dancing!

Eschew

City Slcikers wanting to expereince the wild west need not go to the Calgray Stempede during their peak tourist gouging season.

The Stampede is just a simple county fair with a second grade rodeo and chuck wagon race. It's hype and they spent millions on it. Take a weekend stay at a ranch and you will see more. Want to watch a good rodeo? Catch the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton or the National Rodeo Finals in Vegas.

Stay away from Calgary in July is my advise.

Better chocies are: Fort Edmonton Park in Edmonton and Heritage Park in Calgary. Go in the fall during the harvest and you will see what wild west pioneer life is like.
Check out their web pages.

Cruiseryyc

Well this "second grade rodeo" has the highest paid winnings of any rodeo in North America. Are there places that gouge tourists during the Stampede - yes unfortunately that's a fact of life. However, the OP asked specifically about coming to Calgary during the Stampede not about where else they might find western culture.

Dukey

Trust me, there are two great OUTDOOR rodeos..the Stampede and Frontier Days in Cheyenne...Calgary during the Stampede is wonderful fun...don't miss it!