Downtown/Eau Claire: Calgary

You can find the real energy of Calgary in the Downtown Core. Dominated by the oil and gas industry, the sky-scrapers here are predominantly filled with huge corporations, such as Encana, Apache, Shell, etc. On any given day, you're likely to see coffee shops and restaurants full of mover-and-shakers; everyone's trying to work a deal.

There are a lot of restaurants in the Core, but they can get very busy, especially at lunch-time. So, it's important to book reservations. Stephen Avenue is considered the pedestrian area of the Core. It will take you from City Hall past Olympic Plaza and among Calgary's best (and most expensive) shops, such as Holt Renfrew and Harry Rosen. From here, it's easy to find TD Square or Banker's Hall, which offer a wide variety of shops. On a cold winter day, you can escape into the Devonian Gardens.

Eau Claire Market and Prince's Island Park are great during the long summer days. You can stroll along the Bow River, or catch a show of Shakespeare in the Park. The River Cafe is one of Calgary's classiest restaurants. Eau Claire Market, itself, is probably worth skipping. But, this area of the city is very nice.

If you're wondering where the street traffic is, as many new-comers do, most of it is on the 2nd floor. Calgary has the world's largest indoor, climate-controlled walkway system. This is because of our winter climate, of course, but it's a convenient way to get from building to building. Most of the walkway is filled with shops and eateries, and there are maps to help you get around.


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