Spring in Calgary can be sunny, snowy, rainy, or slushy – sometimes all in one day – so it’s good to be prepared for anything! These outdoor and indoor family-friendly activities will help you plan a fun spring weekend or spring break in Calgary.
FREE Fun
1. Hike the Douglas Fir Trail in Edworthy Park, then visit one (or all) of the many playgrounds, grab ice cream at Angel’s Cafe, and/or have a fire at a picnic area. 2.2 km round trip to the lookout, 60 metres elevation gain (5 km round trip to Cedar Crescent SW). For more information, read this story: Three family hikes in NW Calgary.
2. Bike to a bakery (or ice cream shop)! Need inspiration? Try one of these 10 family friendly bike routes in Calgary. They are mostly flat, almost completely on city pathways, and include super snack spots!
3. Look for the Medicine Wheel, geocaches, and prairie crocuses (Anemone patens) at Nose Hill Park. Fuzzy prairie crocuses usually emerge right after the snow melts. Read Three Family Hikes in NW Calgary for more information.
4. Visit an Early Learning Centre at a Calgary Public Library near you. These awesome play spaces are FREE to enjoy!
5. Check out a Calgary Parks Event at a park near you. Activities include loose parts play (cardboard, tape, etc.), games, nature walks, and more!
6. Take a nature walk at Inglewood Bird Sanctuary and Nature Centre. Bring binoculars and a camera! (Note: no dogs or bikes permitted.)
7. Explore Fish Creek Provincial Park’s Artisan Garden, ice falls (weather permitting), and caves, then have tea at Bow Valley Ranche or ice cream at Annie’s Cafe (open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 am – 5 pm).
8. Play Pokemon Go. Prince’s Island Park and University Research Park are great places to play as they have a high concentration of PokeStops (virtual supply stations). Can you catch ’em all?
9. Sample tasty treats at a Farmer’s Market. Calgary Farmer’s Market (Thursday-Sunday) and Crossroads Market (Friday-Sunday) are open year round!
10. Discover YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre. Try on a police uniform, sit in a police car, learn Street Smarts, and learn about forensic science at this state of the art facility. Open Fridays & Saturdays 10 am – 4 pm. Admission by donation.
11. Glenbow Museum admission is now free thanks to the family of J.R. Shaw! While the museum undergoes renovations, you can see exhibits at the satellite location: Glenbow at The Edison (opening April 9, 2022).
Attractions
12. Up your biking skills at B-Line Indoor Bike Park. 60,000 square feet of fun with features for all levels! Bring your own bike and helmet or rent onsite.
13. Take the plane lover in your family to the Hangar Flight Museum, home to 27 rare military and civilian aircraft. Read more in my story: Hanging out at the Hangar Flight Museum.
14. Check out the amazing RESCUE Exhibition at Telus Spark (until May 15, 2022), play in the Creative Kids Museum (recommended for kids up to 8 years old), watch a movie at the Dome Theatre, then go down the 19 metre / 63 foot long slide in the Brainasium outdoor play area.
15. Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre is where you can play, hear, and celebrate music. Check the calendar for live performances or behind the scenes tours!
16. Celebrate Sports at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. This sports museum pays tribute to Canada’s top athletes and has some fun hands-on (or feet-on) exhibits. Try the rowing machine, virtual wheelchair racing, shadow boxing, virtual ski jumping and more.
17. Climb, play, and learn at Granary Road Active Learning Park. Re-opens for the season on April 29, 2022 (the market is open year-round). Check their website for updates & read about our fun time in this story: Granary Road Active Learning Park.
18. Visit the animals at The Calgary Zoo! Spring is a great time to visit the zoo as it isn’t too busy. For Easter Fun, don’t miss the Easter Eggstravaganza from April 15-18, 2022, 9 am – 5 pm. The Animatronic Dinosaurs return to the Prehistoric Park on April 15, 2022!
19. Go back in time – ride a steam train, learn to make butter, and visit a historical village – at Heritage Park (Historical Village and Midway opening for the season on May 21, 2022). Staff in olden days clothes bring history to life at Canada’s largest historical park.
20. Ride the world’s longest (1.8 km) luge track, Skyline Luge, at Winsport! (Opens in May) You control the speed and direction to go as fast as you like.
Spring Events in Calgary
21. March 26, 2022: Celebrate Calgary Unplugged for Earth Hour at St Patrick’s Island with a dance party, games, and crafts! Music and lights will be bike powered. 🙂 Details on Facebook.
22. April 9 & 10, 2022, 10 am – 4 pm: Aggie Days at the Calgary Stampede features real farm animals, stock dog demos (April 9), and an extreme cowboy race (April 10). FREE!
23. April 16-17, April 23-24, April 30-May 1, May 7-8, 2022: Butterfield Acres Baby Days welcomes baby animals to the farm. Help bottle feed babies, get photos with them, see the Easter Bunny, or watch a milking or shearing demonstration!
24. May 7-8, 14-15, 2022: Day Out with Thomas at Heritage Park is your chance to get a photo with Thomas the Tank Engine and Sir Topham Hatt, do some crafts, enjoy live music and face painting, and of course go on a train ride!
25. Bow Habitat Station has special hands-on Investigation Stations one day each month (free with admission) and cool fish hatchery tours (daily, extra charge). Explore Pearce Estate Park’s wetlands trail after!
With all these fun things to do in Calgary this spring, which will you try first?
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