It's that time of year to get outside and enjoy winter and all the fun activities it has to offer us here in Calgary. Whether you decide to go ice skating, tubi
Calgary winters are long — the cities that thrive in them are the ones that go outside anyway, and Calgary does it better than almost anywhere. Skating on a frozen lagoon, tubing down an Olympic hill, hot chocolate after: here's how we'd spend a Calgary winter, using the places locals actually go.
Lace Up: Outdoor Skating
Outdoor rinks are the heart of a Calgary winter, and there's a good one within reach of nearly every quadrant. The lagoon at Bowness Park is the classic — a long, winding sheet of ice along the park's southern edge, with gas fire pits to warm up beside and washrooms open year-round at the food counter. Downtown, Olympic Plaza puts you on skates beneath the Calgary Tower and the skyline, steps from the CTrain. Prince's Island Lagoon offers one of the most picturesque skates in the city once it freezes solid, while Carburn Park in the southeast trades skyline views for starry skies and quiet. Neighbourhood rinks like Thomson Family Park and Big Marlborough Park — complete with bleachers and a fire pit — round out the list. All of these are weather-dependent, so check the City's rink listings before you load the skates into the car.
Ski, Board, Bobsleigh, Tube
Canada Olympic Park is the rare thing most cities can only envy: a legacy Olympic venue inside city limits. On a single hill you can ski, snowboard, ride a bobsleigh, or — our pick for families — spend an afternoon tubing. It's minutes from the city's west side, which means a spontaneous after-school run down the hill is genuinely possible.
Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing
When fresh snow blankets the city, Calgary's park system becomes a trail network. Fish Creek Provincial Park is the standout — a free winter destination where you can cross-country ski, snowshoe, or simply hike, with the west end offering the best conditions. Kids love tracking animal prints in the snow and spotting winter birds. Edworthy Park, straddling the Bow River between its southwest and northwest entrances, adds picnic areas, playgrounds, and an off-leash area where the four-legged member of the family can burn off winter energy too.
Tobogganing — On the Right Hills
Sledding is a Calgary birthright, but it's worth knowing that the City designates specific hills for tobogganing — favourites include Confederation Park, St. Andrew's Heights, Royal Oak, and the dry pond at Big Marlborough Park — and prohibits it in other City-maintained parks. The designated list can change, so check the City's current lineup before you go. And helmets on: the hills that are the most fun are also the fastest.
Sleigh Rides and Sweet Endings
For an old-fashioned winter afternoon, Horsin' Around, just east of the city, offers horse-drawn sleigh rides through the snow along with pony rides and a petting farm — a reliable hit with the under-ten crowd. Back in town, two annual traditions bookend the season: the YYC Hot Chocolate Fest, where cafés and chocolatiers across the city compete for the best cup in support of Calgary Meals on Wheels, and the Glow downtown winter light festival, which fills the core with interactive light installations, art, and food trucks. Check each event's current dates before planning around them.
Winter Is Part of the Address
One thing we tell everyone relocating to Calgary: don't fear the winter — plan for it. The communities that feel best in January are the ones near a rink, a hill, or a river pathway, and nearly every Calgary neighbourhood has at least one. Browse our community guides and you'll notice how often the winter amenities are the ones residents mention first. Chinooks will hand you the occasional spring day in February; the rest of the season, this list will keep you happily outdoors.
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