Member123

Well I can't say whether it is a pleasure yet or not as I have never been...so keep your hair on.

I was mistaken in thinking BE was a forum where we asked each other for help, but perhaps not, didn't realise certain topics were not allowed.

bazzz

Doesn't it just? Brings to mind something unsavoury involving grandmothers.

dbd33

I don't think any topic should be disallowed and, as I say, I like rodeos. Nonetheless, there's no moral justification for them and admitting to enjoying them is less and less acceptable, something like confessing to enjoying dog fighting or queer bashing.

Souvenir

Are they still doing those events at the Stampede?

rwin

If it was me, I'd drive from Regina to Calgary. Its about an 8 hour drive but you'll have a car when here. As for nothing to see - if your not looking for anything, you won't see anything. I've always though the prairies are just as impressive as the mountains. Its different but no less spectacular.

I wouldn't drive to the Stampede once here. I would get a place near the C-Train and take it to the Stampede. It will be crowded but probably still better than trying to find parking.

rwin

No. This is Calgary, not Mississippi.

dbd33

I haven't heard that Alberta is a dangerous place to be a dog.

Member123

Thanks Rwin.It's my parents freaking out about the boring prairies! I agree with you though that they are lovely in their own right.

Rob4BC

ScottishJim

Hi Alvic,
I would agree with others and pre book tickets for at least two days and we usually like to get an evening show too. The last night is one heck of a show with a real nice atmosphere. The evening fireworks display was spectacular to say the least.
The western Arts displays and shows are well worth a look. I'd love to be able to afford some of the western theme bronze statuettes which are awesome.

I don't know if your folks will be renting a car when in Alberta but if they do tell them to park in the Official car parks dotted around the area, they are very reasonably priced. The reason I am warning you is the last time we were at the Stampede in 2004 there was a good number of shady looking characters waving drivers down trying to get people to park in their home yards for $30. I can't remember what the official car parks were charging but I'm sure it was under 10 bucks.

If they are renting a car they could do what we did, we stayed in Canmore and drove into the stampede. That way they will get the experience of waking up with the mountains all around them and driving back to them in the evening. Just depends how they would be with the hours drive each way.

You've probably found this website already but just incase....
http://cs.calgarystampede.com/

Remember! They MUST get kitted out with the gear!!
Alot of folks wear the gear to work at their offices during the Stampede too.

Good luck and I hope they enjoy themselves.

Jim

rwin

Yes, definitely do an evening show. See the Chuckwagons. The grandstand show will be included. It was pretty good last year. And the fireworks every night are great.

Try to get seats in the middle of the grandstand though otherwise you'll be watching the show on the big screens. Last year we were sitting near the south end of the grandstand. It was okay for watching the Chuckwagons but no good for watching the show after.


And people in Calgary don't always dress like that. Just for 10 days during the stampede.

Although the pink shirts are still around. I saw a guy wearing one today.

Howard1944

Prairie Oysters, Yum, with ketchup.

Judy in Calgary

The TripAdvisor forum is a fabulous source of travel information. It has a Wiki section too. The following TripAdvisor Wikis are useful for someone who will be taking in the Stampede and the Canadian Rockies. I wrote all but one of them.

Calgary : Hotel Districts - Find out which areas of the city are the most convenient for different purposes, in this case taking in the Calgary Stampede.

Calgary Stampede : First Time Visitors - Authored by Country_Wife.

Banff National Park : Planning a Summer Trip - Relevant not just to Banff National Park but really to Western Canada. Checklist of all the logistical questions you need to consider when you plan a trip like this. Please read that article. Reading it can save a person from mistakes that are frustrating, time consuming and costly.

The Planning a Summer Trip article contains links to other TripAdvisor Wiki articles. The ones that I consider to be the most important are:

Banff National Park : Itineraries - Gives you sample itineraries if you have one day, five days, seven days, ten days, fourteen days and twenty one days. Some of the itineraries incorporate Calgary and Vancouver as well.

Banff National Park : Banff vs Canmore vs Lk Louise vs Jasper - You need a couple of bases from which to explore the Canadian Rockies. Deciding which mountain resort towns to use as your bases can be confusing. This article explains the pros and cons of each town.

Banff National Park : Scenic Views - List of the most scenic spots that are easy to access.

Banff National Park : Clothing - Very important. You need summer clothing as well as spring / autumn clothing, as it can get cold in the mountains, even in summer. I have experienced snow in the mountains in July. Things seem to have been warming up this century, as climate change has become more noticeable. But, even now, it's still possible to encounter a patch of cool weather in the mountains in summer -- and, for that matter, in Calgary too.

Banff National Park : National Park Entry Fees

Calgary : Departing for Overseas - Relevant if your parents will be flying from Calgary to the UK (or Ireland?) after their visit to the Rockies. Something that overseas travellers sometimes do not appreciate is the amount of time they need to allow between leaving the Rocky Mountains and taking off from Calgary Airport.

Hope that helps.

Judy in Calgary

If your parents take rwin's advice and drive from Regina to Calgary, it would be worth their while to stop in Drumheller and see the Royal Tyrrell Museum. It has an awesome collection of dinosaur skeletons.

Alberta_Rose

About travelling in on the C-train .... I remember last year when we went to see the parade (along with the rest of the city) we got on at the end of the line and by about the third stop there was no room to squeeze anybody else on. I recall seeing the frustration and disappointment on the faces of those folks standing on the platform as the transit police told them to stand back and let the train go! (So go early, and/or get on at the beginning of the line).

But I love the way everyone dresses up, and you get whole families sporting cowboy hats, jeans and neck-a-chieves

This year we went to the chuckwagon races and Grandstand show in the evening. I agree with Helen, it was fun but not something I'd want to do every year. I enjoy watching the highlights on TV actually ... you can get close-up repeats of some guy being tossed oin the air by an irate bull!

edit: apologies for the blurry funfair pic, but it gives a flavour of the event ..... I've just noticed there appears to be a ghost of a young boy in the foreground .....