Calgary, AB
Our final stop on our tour of Alberta was the city of Calgary, where Emma and I would attend the world-famous Calgary Stampede. We stayed at pet-friendly Best Western Premier, which was decorated for the event. The day we were at the stampede, Rita stayed with Jessica, a pet-sitter from Rover.
Fort Calgary, located at the junction of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, marks the site of the first base of the North Western Mounted Police. It was recently renamed the Confluence Historic Parkland to represent the diverse history of the parcel of land. A replica of the fort is surrounded by an outdoor interpretative trail educating visitors on its development. The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, routing their train through the area in the 1880s, encouraged further growth of the small settlement into today’s city of Calgary.
Prince’s Island Park sits within the Bow River, and it made for a nice walk with some shady spots for such a hot day. Unfortunately for us, part of the park was closed for a music festival – there are a lot of events on in the city at this time of year. But we enjoyed the views of the river, the walk around the beaver pond and the unique sculptures. We then wandered through the newly developed Eau Claire Park to see the iconic (at least, within Calgary) Peace Bridge.
After all this walking about in the sun, we all needed a drink and some A/C. Luckily for us, Four Dogs Brewing Co. could provide just that. This tap room is in honour of the owner’s four rescue dogs, who all passed away within a few months of each other. The beers are named after dogs, the original four giving their names to the core beers always on tap. And of course there are dog treats and beds for their furry customers. They also sell fun merch which can be custom-created while you have a drink.
On Emma’s Calgary bucket list was to try some Alberta Steak, so off to Modern Steak’s patio on the popular Stephen Avenue we went. Rita was given a water bowl and attention from neighbouring diners, but she really just wanted a bite! I was able to have a simple but tasty tomato salad. Apparently the steak was delicious!
We all love a good pun, so post-dinner drinks were at One Night Stan’s, which is absolutely dog-loving! Rita was receiving pats from the cowboys all night long and even got a hotdog! This was a fun divery bar, complete with personalized Connect Four games.
Lazy Day Raft Rentals readily welcomes dogs and provides a perfect activity during the summer heat. The clue is in the name – these rafts float down the river with minimal effort from you! They offer raft rentals for 4-12 people, along with other options. The 4-person rafts were sold out for the day and time we wanted, so we opted for “bow-yaks”, which were like a blend of a kayak and a tube. We had one each and Rita settled comfortably in-between my legs. Lifejackets for humans and dogs were provided. Henry the dog even leads their informational video. It’s recommended to allow 2-4 hours to float down the river, and a map is provided with suitable stopping points. It took us 3 hours with one short stop.
This was such a relaxing activity, but be prepared to get a bit wet. We floated through countryside, and even had the cargo train run right past us along the river. Gradually, we entered more built-up areas, into the city, and at the end of the route we paddled under the Peace Bridge towards the Lazy Day crew waiting to help us ashore. Rita was very chilled out, although she was tempted to jump out when a duck swam past!
Images courtesy of Lazy Day Raft Rentals
