- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Calgary Tower
Category: Public Services & Government Landmarks & Historical Buildings Landmarks & Historical Buildings [Edit]
101 9 Ave SWCalgary, AB T2P 1J9
(403) 266-7171
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 9 pm
18 reviews for Calgary Tower
18 reviews in English
-
Review from Patricia M.
Edmonton, AB
10/6/2011
I have heard many mixed reviews about the Calgary Tower but we had a blast. There is not much to explain because all observation decks are the same but I want to mention that there was a disproportionate number of happy people at the tower. I don't know if Calgary is a city of happy people or if we came across many friendly tourists.
I loved the glass floor! It was hilarious sitting and watching people attempt to step on the floor. -
Review from Amanda F.
12/9/2011
Yeah ok, it's kind of neat I guess - but not neat enough to pay $20/person to go up! I swear that's what I paid when I went up but I went on-line to check out the admission prices and it says $15/person. Maybe they have dropped their prices which is probably a good idea!? After paying what I did and seeing what I did I felt disappointed. Although very neat, it was just not worth the price at the time. $30 bucks per couple + whatever you have to pay for parking?? Plus, I'm not too sure how you would spend more than an hour here if you are not visiting the restaurant. I guess it's nice to check these types of things out at least once a lifetime - but for me that was enough! It might be a really neat experience for the kiddies though.
-
Review from Crystal W.
Calgary, AB
10/7/2011
The view can be particularly amazing when the mountains are visible and the glass floor is cool. In my opinion, the fee is slightly overpriced considering there really isn't much to do up there but sight-see. It's nice to take visitors and a fun activity as part of a date. I will be honest and say that I do my best to round up coupons first!
-
Review from Daryl D.
Calgary, AB
3/13/2011
Rob & I went here on our very first date in 2008. I think we have only been here once again since then. It's nice to walk around and gaze out the windows at the views of Calgary, and it's especially fun to do so during Stampede Week since there's a clear view of the grounds.
We enjoy it is a relaxing, casual date, but we noticed both times we were there, that the restaurant and gift shop are always closed, despite being advertised as open.
Thankfully they have a gift shop of sorts at the bottom of the tower as you exit... -
Review from A C.
9/11/2011
Pretty much what you would expect from an observation deck. Go up, look around, back down. However, the glass floor was a pretty fun experience as you also get to taste a little vertigo. At least I did. Little expensive, but had a fun time.
-
Review from Wendy P.
11/18/2010
Towering above downtown, the Calgary Tower remains a prominent figure on the Calgary skyline. Even though it's shorter than most of the buildings that surround it, it's still a fun and touristy place to visit.
The most fun I've had at the Calgary Tower was during the Global Petroleum Show one year- or maybe it was Go Expo, I can't remember. Spartan Controls had rented out the entire tower to host their party. Wow what a venue for a private party. While I was standing in line for the elevator, I made friends with a girl in front of me that had a bird on her shoulder. No word of a lie, it was a parrot or a parakeet or something. I should also note that this was the same night as game 6 of round 7 of the Stanley Cup and my team was playing. We got TVs.
My favourite thing to do on an ordinary visit to the tower is to go stand out on the glass floor and look down. Be careful, when I say glass, I really mean some form of clear plastic or plexiglass or some other such material that you could jump up and down on and still be safe. The spot extends out from the tower a bit and it's frankly a bit creepy to be staring straight down like that. Get your camera out at this point, you can take some pretty fun shots.
If you're new to Calgary, this is a must do. Even if you're old to Calgary and haven't been, I still think it's a must do. It is our tower after all. -
Review from Kaeleigh E.
Calgary, AB
8/26/2010
The tower is fun. No it isn't the tallest building in Calgary, and no there's really nothing to do once you're up there other than look around, walk on the glass floor and peek at tacky tourist items.
I've lived in Calgary fro 2 years now and I've been up maybe 4 or 5 times. I enjoy it. On a clear day the view of the rockies is wonderful and I just like looking around from way up there.
I like to take my guests from out of town up the tower but I do usually have a 2 for 1 coupon though. -
Review from Stephen M.
10/24/2010
The observation deck is really worth checking out. I cant say I would go again, but I wouldnt have wanted to miss it while I was here. The glass floor you can walk out on gives an interesting view. The glass floor gives a weird optical illusion as well. It was really entertaining to watch all the people too afraid to walk out onto the glass.
I didnt try the restaurant, so I couldnt tell you if it was any good. -
Review from dinah g.
Calgary, AB
11/7/2009 2 photos
Look up way up and I'll call Rusty. If you are in your 30s or 40s you may recall this phrase from a popular CBC TV show called "The Friendly Giant". As a child I was an avid fan of the show as I was of the Calgary Tower.
But as an adult, it has become just another tower. It is a very expensive, very quick trip upwards to a 360 degree view of our fair city and The Rocky Mountains. Buts once you are up there, there really isn't much else to do. I think we shouldn't have to pay for the use of telescopes considering we just paid $18.15 to ride an uneventful trip up. $18.15 folks ! So crazy!
Maybe it would be worth it if you had the dough to pay the exuberant prices for the revolving restaurant upstairs, of even if the elevator itself had a glass door. But nope!
The only interesting element of the upper tower is a glass floor about 2 metres by 1 meter wide, that could use a changing as all the scratches eliminate any freefalling illusion that it should give away.
Calgary Towers needs to some sort of spicing up on its city landmarks, to reiterate what I wrote about the Calgary Stampede, to keep up with modern times and to appeal to those of us that have visited these attractions when we were children.
My opinion is the CT most appeal is from the viewing it from the sidewalk below. So Folks just look up! Look way up! -
Review from Lesli K.
Calgary, AB
10/9/2008 1 photo
A mere 626 feet, the Calgary Tower used to be the tallest structure downtown, but now it looks like a little kid on a basketball court!
It's still a neat adventure to go up the elevator to the glass bottomed observation deck (525 feet above the street). You can walk around the whole perimeter of the Calgary Tower to view Calgary from all angles.
If it's really windy, the Tower might sway back and forth up to 7.5 inches and can withstand winds up to 161 km/hr, after that I don't know what happens.. -
Review from Moez T.
Calgary, AB
11/14/2009
My first visit to Calgary Tower came shortly after moving to Calgary. Actually, it might not be my first visit, but since my first visit may have happened when I was really young, I'm going to pretend this was my first visit. I was looking forward to it, and it didn't disappoint, but it did surprise me a little.
The base of the tower is nothing fantastic. You pay, ride an elevator, and go to the top. But the base isn't why people are here. Once you arrive at the observation deck, you know you've arrived. You can feel it as the building moves from side to side due to the wind (at that height, there is always wind).
The view is about what one would expect, very beautiful and an interesting look at the city. But what was surprising was the size of the city. Calgary has grown so much, both inside the core and outwards, that the view from Calgary Tower doesn't seem as high as you would expect. It's no longer this grand view towering over the city, as several buildings cropping up are approaching the Calgary Tower's height. It's still nice, and worth it, but I think in 10 years the appeal will all but disappear. I think then, there will be buildings in Calgary taller than Calgary Tower. -
Review from Sarah B.
7/20/2010
Great place to take a new Calgarian, visitor, or born and bred Calgarian who probably hasn't been up the tower since they were a child. The new glass floor is great to hang out on and take pictures.
It's $14 (or close to) per person, so try and find a "bogo" coupon somewhere. The SUTP books always have a coupon, or you can probably find one here: http://www.calgaryattr... -
Review from Chad W.
Calgary, AB
10/31/2008
The Calgary Tower is one of the most recognizable structures of the Calgary skyline, it's peak reaching 190 metres into the sky. Of course, if you haven't been up there, you should definitely check it out. They offer a glass floor on their observation deck that is pretty freaky to stand on and a revolving restaurant that offers not-overly tasty, but overly-expensive food.
However, if you've been here once, you definitely don't need to go back. The place rarely changes their format. And walking around that observation deck gets old in about twenty minutes.
For more astounding views without shelling out a ton of money to the Calgary Tower, you can simply go up to West Hills and Signal Hill near Sarcee Trail to get THE BEST VIEWS of downtown for free. And at least you can still smoke outside. No smoking in Calgary Tower. What a surprise. -
Review from SplitSecond A.
9/29/2011
awesome, thats all i got to say
-
Review from Joey N.
Calgary, AB
2/1/2011
As a Calgarian I regret to say that Calgary Tower is nothing special. The restaurant up there is overpriced for the quality that it provided. Going up for the view is still alright, seeing the Rockies and the Saddledome, but I don't recommend the restaurant.
-
Review from Sapna G.
Calgary, AB
10/2/2009 2 photos
Why does every city have a tower? Moreover, why does every city have a tower with a revolving restaurant and an observation deck?
The Calgary Tower marks the 3rd tower that I have been up in the last 6 months. The Calgary tower - Check. The CN tower in Toronto - Check. The John Hancock tower in Chicago - Check.
Obviously, the Calgary tower is the shortest of the three, but the premise of it is pretty much the same. Go up the tower, have a drink in the restaurant, enjoy the sights on the observation deck, take the elevator back down.
My favourite restaurant of the three was the one in the John Hancock tower. Similarly, my favourite view of the three was also the one from the John Hancock tower.
Of the three towers I've enjoyed, Calgary comes in at A-OK. It's not the best, but it's not the worst. It does the job, the food is decent and the view is nice. It's worth doing once this lifetime and then you're set until next time. -
Review from T C.
Lloydminster, AB
12/24/2008 4 photos
I remember a long time ago when the name was Husky Tower. I also remember the time when I spotted my car being towed away while I was on the observation deck.
There is a gift shop and telescopes at the top.
I have relatives who live outside Canada who got a terrific blast at the tower. -
Review from Monica L.
12/1/2008
I appreciated the fact that I could go to the top and locate all the places I wanted to go in town that day. And I could see with my own eyes Calgary's poor city planning attributed to its tall buildings that had been plonked down in random places. Anyway, who am I to judge? It was a nice view, and I liked feeling my heart skip a beat when I stood on the glass floor above the street.
