What you need to know before you book your airfare and tickets
If you want to try a new destination for your ski trip this winter, book yourself a cheap flight to Calgary in Canada. Situated at the foot of the Rockies, there are some excellent slopes within easy reach of this cosmopolitan city. Put on your skis at Canada Olympic Park where the Olympic Games were held in 1988. The park also holds an Olympic museum and an Olympic Hall of Fame where you can learn more about the event. Alternatively, drive to nearby Banff National Park if you want to ski in three of the world's best skiing resorts. There are three resorts here, Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Mount Norquay. All three offer trails for all levels of skiing expertise. If you decide to visit Calgary in the summer, make sure you don't miss out on the Calgary Stampede. It's a big yearly festival held in July with lots of road shows and rodeos. All of Calgary dresses up in genuine cowboy gear to attend all that's happening around town. And for all you sweettooths out there, pretty much every restaurant serves yummy pancake breakfasts during the festival. Calgary is a very nice place to shop, dine and lounge as well. Regardless of what the season is. There are some great shops, cafes and bars in the downtown area as well as in some outer neighbourhoods. Start at Eau Claire which is connected to Prince's island in the downtown area. This massive complex boasts loads of eateries and quaint shops and in the summer it's a great place to listen to concerts or go to other events that are organised here. Shoppers should check out what's on offer in Sunridge mall downtown which has a good range of clothing stores as well as two department stores. If all the walking around has made you crave some caffeine, find out what the baristas at Kawa espresso bar can brew up for you. Apparently it's the best. If you've always wondered what a typical Canadian dish tastes like, check out the creations of the chef at Wildwood Calgary restaurant. They serve dishes such as Arctic Char and Whiskey fennel sausage. A nice bonus is that there is a bar downstairs where you can have a home made brewsky. Sounds delish to me.
