At long last: spring break. For those of us in school, this is a long awaited relief from the perils of second semester. If you’re stuck in Calgary (like me) during this break, here are 10 things to do to make the most of your free time, that you won’t need your parents for.
1. Take a Walk in Eau Claire Park
After 18 months of construction and years of planning, the new Eau Claire Park was completed in September 2018. The new renovations include designated pedestrian and bicycle paths, more seats and benches, and the new Delta Garden at the south end of the Peace Bridge, which features local art incorporated into green space (including these brass survey monuments, inscribed with words from Calgarians and visitors). However, despite its completion nearly 7 months ago, many of us have not had the opportunity to enjoy it, due to the awful weather this year. Now that the weather is improved, take advantage of the sunshine, and enjoy the new space!
2. Go to a Museum
Feeling classy? Calgary has many impressive museums most of us have never even stepped foot inside. The Glenbow, Calgary’s quintessential art and history museum, currently has a new exhibit featuring 37 haute couture dresses by French designer Christian Dior, running until June 1. Calgary’s The Military Museum, located near Marda Loop, is Western Canada’s largest military history, heritage, art, research, and educational museum. For science and fun, Telus Spark, near the Calgary Zoo, boasts daily science activities, demos and many, many interactive exhibits, for people of all ages. Finally, Studio Bell in Downtown East Village has exhibits on Canadian music history and hands-on instrument areas for music-lovers.
3. Get Ice Cream!
It’s finally warm enough outside to have ice cream, so treat yourself! Visit two of Calgary’s classics with new looks: Village Ice Cream renovated their Victoria Park location this February, and Amato Gelato in West Hillhurst, in celebration of its 15th anniversary, re-opened this March with a new Italian dessert bar concept. As well, some new ice cream shops worthy of checking out: Berlingo in Mission (from the chef behind Yann Haute Patisserie), and Sweet Haven Ice Cream (from the team behind Po-ke).
4. Take Part in An Earth Day Event
Calgary Unplugged is a family-friendly Earth Hour event, organized by the City of Calgary, that will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Confluence Plaza on St. Patrick’s Island on March 30. Admission is free, and people of all ages are welcome. Educators will be onsite to share information about water usage and other energy-saving tips; there will be a free hot chocolate, a DJ, fire pits, and Earth Hour related activities and games. There will also be an Earth Hour Bicycle Brewery Tour and walk to Cabin and Ol’ Beautiful microbreweries. As well, the City will also be turning off all lights in a few notable buildings across the city, including the Calgary Municipal Building and all fire stations.
5. Go for a Ghost Tour at Heritage Park
Even though Halloween is far away, you can discover Heritage Park’s dark side with a guided tour through the streets of the Historical Village. On this tour, you can learn about ghosts and the scary history behind some of the buildings. There are 2 types of tours: family tours, which are appropriate for all ages, and adult tours, which contain “mature content.” The tickets for the family tour are $19.95, and the tickets for the adult tour are $22.95. Tours run until April 10th, and more info can be found here.
6. Go Geocaching
This little-known activity is a bit like treasure hunting. For those of you who don’t know what it is: in geocaching, participants use a GPS receiver (most people use their phones now) and written clues to seek “geocaches,” which are containers hidden at specific locations all across the world. There are over 10 million people around the world who participate, and more than 2.5 million geocaches in over 180 countries, which includes over 160,000 in Canada. The game itself is administered by Geocaching.com, and all official geocache locations can be found through their database. Participants hunt for geocaches near them by using a GPS map and coordinates, as well as some clues given by the hider (this info is found on geocaching.com). Geocaches can be tucked in bushes, stuffed under rocks, sitting in trees, and inside buildings. A geocache is typically a small waterproof container containing a logbook; when found, a geocacher (seeker) signs the log with their name and dates, in order to prove that they found the cache. The cache is then placed back exactly where the person found it. Often, containers also contain little “treasures,” such as stickers and small jewelry; in this case, the general rule is: “take an item, leave an item.”
Geocaching is a lot of fun, especially with some friends or family. There are TONS of geocaches in Calgary (just look on the website for ones near you), and using your phone’s GPS makes finding their locations simple (but not easy). Take advantage of your free time, and go treasure hunting!
7. Play a Game in VR at a VR Arcade
This is exactly what it sounds like: virtual reality gaming experiences. Using a headset for the eyes, headphones for the ears and two controllers, you are placed inside a game, where you can interact with characters, objects and other players. Some venues in Calgary include Ctrl V (Glenmore & Centre), VRkade (Deerfoot Meadows), Level 1 (16 Ave NE), and VR Arena (near Sunridge).
8. Visit the Zoo
The Calgary Zoo is home to nearly 1000 different animals from over 100 unique species. After a long wait, the giant pandas finally arrived at the zoo last May; if you haven’t seen them yet, they’re worth checking out (you can also see them via a live stream here). As well, five new King penguins joined the Penguin Plunge exhibit this year, and will be participating the daily Penguin Walks (which allow visitors to see the penguins walking up close!). Enjoy the warm weather by taking a walk, and seeing some animals at the same time!
9. Go to a Farmer’s Market
Although the seasonal farmers markets don’t open until late May, many farmer’s markets carry fresh produce and locally made foods/goods year-round. Contrary to what some might think, farmer’s markets have a lot more than just groceries; local fast food, bakers, artisan crafts, and second-hand antiques can all be found here. These are a great place to get lunch, are always lots of fun to browse, and you can feel good knowing that you are supporting locals. The two biggest ones in Calgary are Calgary Farmer’s Market, and Crossroads Market.
