Car Rental Calgary

Negotiating Calgary by road is made extremely convenient thanks to its numbered streets and avenues, and network of highways that snake through the city - making it easy to travel from the central skyscrapers out to musical Inglewood and the wider Alberta province beyond.

Use Deerfoot Trail (Highway 2) to journey south from Calgary Airport to the city in approximately 20 minutes, exiting on to Memorial Drive to head into the central hub. Each avenue is numbered in the heart of Calgary, with the commercial centre sitting in pride of place between 6th and 9th.

Sitting above the central district, Eau Claire offers welcome respite from the busy streets. There are numerous parking lots here too, just a few minutes’ walk from the central buzz. Park up your car and stroll through Eau Claire Park, head to Peace Bridge or take the Bow River Pathway to tranquil Prince’s Island.

North of the river, you’ll find music venues, golf courses and the University of Calgary, all reached via the Crowchild Trail. Alternatively, you can delve into the forts, golf clubs and luscious creeks of the city’s suburban south using the Macleod Trail SE.

The Trans-Canada Highway cuts horizontally through the city, providing excellent links to the rest of the country from Banff National Park to the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan.

In the city, standard speed limits are set at 50km/h, but this typically drops to 30km/h in school zones. The province-wide speed limit on highways is 100km/h with any variations clearly signposted. Ensure you check signs for speed limits when undertaking any journey.

Set amid some of the most beautiful landscapes in Canada, Calgary is the star of southern Alberta. The city is upmarket and culturally rich – a cosmopolitan centre which fuses beautifully with the balance of nature. So get in your car and explore the highlights.

Experience ‘Cowtown’ Culture

Calgary has been fondly dubbed ‘Cowtown’ and ‘Stampede City’, as its rodeo heritage has traditionally been the life and soul of Calgary – and the annual Calgary Stampede is one of Canada’s best-known festivals. Expect agricultural exhibits and brightly coloured flags at this local spectacle of horse and bull riding.

You can also enrich your understanding of local culture at Heritage Park Historical Village. This beautifully preserved settlement showcases homesteads and buildings dating back to 1860. This is the province’s largest living history museum, featuring hundreds of exhibits spread across more than 120 acres of parkland.

Studio Bell, meanwhile, is home to the National Music Centre. Here you’ll find fascinating exhibitions, entertaining interactive displays and performances, and the opportunity to make music with 300 instruments spanning more than 400 years of music technology.

Attractions with personality

There are a wealth of other renowned attractions to discover in Calgary too. Calgary Zoo is one of the most popular, home to giant pandas, amur tigers and leading conservation projects. There’s a calendar packed with exciting events as well, from safari brunches to sleepovers.

Calgary even boasts a botanical garden housed inside a shopping centre. Devonian Gardens offers leafy retail therapy like you’ve never experienced before - from the fourth floor of the CORE shopping mall.

Art worth seeing

Spend an afternoon at the Esker Foundation Contemporary Art Museum, which has wowed visitors since 2012 with its seasonally curated displays. Contemporary Calgary is another venue that sits at the heart of the local arts scene, with a focus on shows and interactive exhibits.

From above, meanwhile, the city itself looks like a work of art. Head up the spine of Calgary Tower to dine in style against the backdrop of 360° panoramic views. Steady your nerves and step onto the glass-floored observation deck to enjoy the most thrilling vista of all.

Escape to nature

Of course, if you want to broaden your horizons into the glorious wilderness of Alberta, the great Canadian countryside always feels close in Calgary, owing to an emerald belt of luscious parks that enhance every neighbourhood.

If you only have an hour, find tranquillity at Prince’s Island Park. This urban sanctuary has charming duck ponds, great picnic spots and an outdoor theatre where festivals and performances regularly take to the stage.

Alternatively, venture out of town to the beauty of Banff for a spectacular insight into the wonder of Alberta. Just a 90-minute drive from Calgary, this charming resort town in the mountains offers hot springs, glistening lakes and more hiking trails than you can count - the perfect place to escape and unwind.

And, if you are interested in trying your hand at snow-sports, the Nakiska Ski Area and aptly-named Sunshine Village are also located within convenient reach.

Whether you’re staying in the city or exploring the beauty of the wider province, hit the road for a trip to remember with Hertz car rental in Calgary.