chinook

I have been here nearly 4 months now, still adjusting and getting settled in.

I wonder if we could start a thread on top tips after the chaos of arrival.

Ones I was given and so far seem to serve me well were.

Join the AMA.
Get an annual Banff Parks pass, again from the AMA.
Sign up to the Aeroplan scheme and start collecting points, especially on your reccie trips and flight over.
Try out all the supermarkets and join their rewards schemes.
Check out all the notice boards in your community for things to do etc.
Read the local papers to explore the many things that are going on in the city.

Can anybody add to my list?

rwin

The farmer's market.

Alberta_Rose

I think I'm right .... just wanted to point out that the annual Parks pass mentioned above is not just for Banff, but for 27 participating national parks.

The AMA gives about $10 off to its members, but you can get it elsewhere.

Another tip, which surprised us when we came, was that mail is delivered to mailboxes (in many communities) which are not on your property, but maybe half a block away .... no more opening birthday cards in your PJ's!

dawnzocalgary

You're not allowed to go to the mail box in your PJ's???

I do, my neighbours must think i'm mad

Brownstar

Get the Heritage Park seasons pass

Getting There

We were just about to add "Go to Heritage Park" to this thread but you essentially beat us to it! Fabulous place.

Eamonn & Janet.

MrsDV

Season passes in general are very good value - for most attractions the cost of an annual pass seems to be about the cost of 2 -3 visits - if you have kids it's really worth it for the zoo and Butterfield Acres.

send out the calgary

1) Get Calgary Recreation account. calgary.ca I think the website is. This is so you can join many courses/activites supplied by city of calgary (i.e. swimming/dance classes/adult courses/LOADS OF CHILDRENS ACITIVIES) at a real discount price You can even book golf online! Otherwise YMCA has gym, swimming pool etc for reasonable prices.

2) Take advantage of free ice-skating facilities. (the children don't know they've been born!!!)

3) Co-op do good offers on Calaway Park season tickets. (amusement park)

4) Find your nearest Canadian Superstore...the special deals on electrical goods are BRILLIANT! Household goods are much cheaper too. We buy our meat and fish in bulk there with great savings. (Coupons, coupons...it's all about coupons!)

5) Telus World of Science Museum (children will spend hours enjoying themselves in there)

6) Coupons/Special deals that you get in the post. It may seem as junk mail, but I got my breadmaker and food processor for almost half price on special and got some good bargains in IKEA!

7) Stores with good special offers - Zellers, Canadian Tire, Co-op, Safeway, Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs. (good previous advice re store reward cards you can save lots with these). Don't be fooled by names of shops as all of these do electrical household goods at excellent prices (when on special)

Can you tell that YES, I have young 'uns and like to shop!!!

By the way I live in Downtown Calgary, so don't know much about any other areas of Calgary, but I'm sure some of these can be relevant to most areas.

send out the calgary

Yup, Calgary Farmers Market ROCKS!

Alberta_Rose

Well of course you can ..... but you might not want to below a certain temperature

rwin

Hopefully they find a new home before they have to be out in 2010. I've heard rumors that one potential location is the Stampede. That would be a great location.

Speaking of which - The Calgary Stampede (to add another answer to the thread title)

Steve_P

The Stampede grounds were eliminated a while ago.

They apparently would have to close the market during Stampede not a practical idea.

I am also not entirely sure the shoppers would pay $11 for parking to attend the market.

Flossie and Jim

There's another good farmers market plus flea market plus antiques market in the SE near Blackfoot Trail called Crossroads Market. www.crossroadsmarket.ca

Brownstar

Looks interesting, never been to that one

rwin

Thats too bad. I was hoping for that one. Do you know what other locations they're looking at?