1. Start your walking tour of Calgary by orienting yourself at the Calgary Tower. Take the elevator 160 metres up to the observation deck, where you can step out onto the glass floor--if you dare. But don't just look down: the tower offers outstanding panoramic views of the prairies, the city and the Rocky Mountains.
2. Stop by the Tourism Calgary information centre at the base of the tower for plenty of ideas and maps. Then step out onto the pedestrian-only Stephen Avenue Walk for a stroll.
3. On a sunny afternoon, take a fresh-air break and wander around Prince's Island Park, in the Eau Claire area.
4. While you're on Stephen Avenue, stop in at the Glenbow Museum for outstanding exhibits, including Mavericks: An Incorrigible History of Alberta. You'll find tales of derring-do and even disaster, told through the voices of those who shaped the province.
5. Just one block north of Stephen Avenue on Centre Street is Art Central, an entire city block's worth of historic building devoted to studio and gallery space, with local art, jewelry, fashion, crafts and more. (There's an award-winning coffee shop, too.)
6. Still in the downtown core within walking distance is Cantos Music Foundation, where you'll find more than 200 exhibits of musical instruments through the centuries, including the piano that Elton John and Bernie Taupin used to write songs such as Tiny Dancer. Call first to book a tour, 403-543-5115 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 403-543-5115 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 403-543-5115 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
7. Kids will love the "accidentally educational" fun at the Telus World of Science and the Creative Kids Museum, handily located on 11th St. S.W., just a few minutes' walk from the 10th St. S.W. C-Train stop.
8. You can easily explore beyond downtown, too, by hopping the C-Train to the Calgary Zoo, just five minutes down the McKnight-Westwinds (Whitehorn) line. This family-friendly venue offers at least half a day's worth of wandering among the animals, from elephants, gorillas, hippos and giraffes to Canadian species such as moose and wolves.
9. It's best to take a vehicle out to Canada Olympic Park, on the western edge of the city, but it's well worth the trip if you're an adrenalin junkie. Slide down the Skyline zip line at speeds between 120 and 140 km/h for a seriously water cooler-worthy tale.
(There's a museum devoted to the Olympics and plenty of other activities here, too.)
10. Finally, back at the Calgary International Airport, check out Spaceport with the kids. The main area is free, with a viewing gallery of the planes outside and lots of kid-friendly exhibits, but it's worth purchasing tickets for the simulators (from a Formula 1 race car to an F-18 fighter jet) for the full experience.
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