I never thought I’d say this, but I am officially tired of my old friend Netflix. And I know I’m not alone. We all want excitement and to try something new! So why not take advantage of Calgary's winter offerings? We've found five low cost, outdoor, and romantic date ideas that will get you out of the house, and put some romance back in your lives.
Tubing
Let your inner child loose and have some old fashioned fun together. Canada Olympic Park's tube park has proven itself a popular activity. That goes for both couples and families. This 2-hour activity will also suit your budget. Tickets are $20 in the day and $25 at night.
Buy your tickets online through Winsport. These book in advance and help schedule your arrival. You can enter the park ten minutes before your scheduled ticket time.
Find out more about the tube park.
Snowshoeing
Wine & chocolate just taste a little bit better after a day of fresh air and adventure. Snowshoeing is a great way to get outside while building up a bit of a sweat. Nose Hill is the fourth largest urban park in Canada! That makes it a seriously handy location to snowshoe in the inner city.
If you are in the mood for "more exotic" trails, try West Bragg Creek Recreational Area. There are many picturesque snowshoe trails for all experience levels. Keep trail etiquette in mind and avoid stepping on the cross country ski tracks while you're there.
No snowshoes? No problem! You can find low cost snowshoe rentals at Norseman, University of Calgary and Sports Rent. Rentals run between $10 and $15.
Cross Country Skiing
There are 5 maintained ski trails in the city:
- Shaganappi Golf Course
- Confederation Golf Course
- Maple Ridge Golf Course
- Bowness Park
- South Glenmore Park
Find the one closest to you. Better yet, try that something new by venturing to a course you've never been!
Bragg Creek also has phenomenal cross country skiing. It is maintained by volunteers and runs on donations. If you enjoy your time there, share the love and drop a couple of bucks in the donations bin by the warm-up hut.
You can rent cross country ski packages at Norseman, University of Calgary or Sports Rent for around $20 for a day.
Outdoor Skating
Skating is a fun and free outdoor activity that is almost better the worse you are!
There is a 1,600m skating trail in Bowness that runs alongside the Bow River. There's another ice trail at North Glenmore Park with 750m of connected tracks surrounding a skating rink.
After the skate, take advantage of the ambiance. Bring a picnic to share at one of the fire pits! Talk about romance :)
You might find an evening skate at a community rink more intimate. Calgary has loads of outdoor skating rinks. Most of these have nighttime lighting, too. Bring along your favourite hot beverage to stay warm (and if you add Baileys, we promise not to say anything!)
Skate rentals are available at the University of Calgary and Sports Rent for $10-$15.
The City Lights
This free, out-of-the-house date idea has romance written all over it. Watch the twinkling lights of Calgary's downtown skyline together. Since Calgary is in a valley it’s easy pickings for pretty city views.
Every night's a light show when you watch The Douglas Coupland Light Exhibit. This is 160 square feet of LED Lighting on the side of the Telus Sky Scraper. It's considered one of Calgary's largest outdoor piece of artwork. Worth a watch!
You can get a great view of the tower from Evamy Ridge (less than a kilometre away from the store).
More Date Ideas?
Drop a comment and share what you've enjoyed this winter! We'd love more ideas on how to pump up the excitement over this non ordinary winter.