Are you a new permanent resident or citizen in Canada? If so, you may have heard about the Canoo app, which is an app that gives you and up to four children free entry to some of Canada’s most popular attractions, including many across Alberta.
We wrote this blog post to guide you through everything you need to know about the Canoo App, including eligibility requirements, explaining how to sign up for and navigate using the app, as well as the process for ‘checking in’ at the attractions.
And of course, the Canoo app isn’t just for Alberta. In fact, on our recent 2 week roadtrip across Eastern Canada, we used the app to gain entry to over 13 sites and saved over $300 in entry fees in the process!
Without further ado, here are our top 10 must visit attractions that are available via the Canoo app in Alberta!
1. National Parks (Multiple across Alberta)
Alberta boasts some of the most beautiful national parks in all of Canada (and arguably, the world). Banff National Park is the most visited national park in the whole of Canada, and it’s not difficult to see why once you spend some time there. It has spectacular mountains, turquoise blue lakes and abundant wildlife at almost every corner.
However, while Banff National Park is the most visited, there are 4 other National Parks to explore in Alberta! (Jasper, Waterton, Wood Buffalo and Elk Island).
Jasper National Park is one of our personal favourites as it is just as spectacular as Banff National Park, but a lot less crowded. One of the best hikes we’ve done in Canada was the Valley of the 5 Lakes hike, which is a great hike to do with kids. And a trip down to Watertown Lakes National Park is a lovely drive through Alberta’s prairies, and offers one of the most iconic views in Canada – the Prince of Wales hotel that overlooks the lake.
It’s also worth mentioning that while not located in Alberta, British Columbia parks Yoho, Glacier, Kootenay and Mt Revelstoke National Parks are all with a 5 hour drive of Calgary and make for a great weekend break or longer road trip and are equally stunning!
When you visit these parks, simply present your Canoo app at the kiosk, and they’ll provide a day pass for each eligible person in your vehicle (note that any additional adults not covered under the app will still need to pay). If you plan to stay longer than a day, be sure to let them know so that they can adjust your park pass expiry date.
Website: https://parks.canada.ca/
2. Heritage Park Historic Village (Calgary)
Are you curious to explore how Calgary looked like a century ago? Heritage Park Historic Village offers you a unique opportunity to step back in time and walk the streets of a replica 1910 pioneer town. The town is complete with a main street lined with charming old stores, such as a post office, school, police station and candy store. There is also an old fashioned fairground with turn of the century rides, including a Ferris wheel, carousel and dangler swings.
In the summer months you can take a ride on an old fashioned steam train, or board the SS Moyie, the park’s paddlewheel ferry, and enjoy the views of Glenmore Reservoir. Costumed interpreters are on hand to tell fascinating stories of the past throughout the park and there are plenty of activities available to keep kids entertained.
The park also has a small museum called Gasoline Alley that houses an array of vintage vehicles and petroleum memorabilia – and is open all year round, so perfect if it’s a rainy day or for an off season visit.
Tickets to enter are regularly priced at $29.95 for adults and $19.95 for 3+ year old’s, so a family of four would usually cost close to $100, so this is one of the best value entries you will get from downloading and using the Canoo App in Alberta.
Website: https://heritagepark.ca/
3. Royal Tyrrell Museum (Drumheller)
The Royal Tyrrell Museum is a world-class museum (arguably it’s one of the best dinosaur museums in the world) and houses one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs. In fact there are around 130,000 fossils on display, including many complete and fully assembled dinosaur skeletons, including the mighty T-rex!
The museum has been designed with children in mind, but it is a large museum, so its best to visit when you have at least half a day to make sure you can see it all. There is a great outdoor play area which our kids loved, plus the staff give short kid focused presentations, where they explain some of the more complex topics (when we were there it was the ‘big bang’) in a way that kids can understand.
While you’re in Drumheller, it’s definitely worth venturing around the area. It’s great fun exploring the unique formations known as the “hoodoos” and if you have time, pay a visit to the breathtaking Horseshoe Canyon, which you can even hike down to the bottom of if you are so inclined! Another great value use of the Canoo App!
Website: https://tyrrellmuseum.com/
4. Royal Alberta Museum (Edmonton)
A visit to the Royal Alberta Museum is a great opportunity to learn about Alberta’s cultural and natural heritage. The museum boasts a vast collection of over 2 million objects spread across two floors. The top floor, dedicated to natural history, has a wealth of information on volcanoes, an extensive gem and mineral collection, dinosaur bones, and lifelike animal scenes depicting creatures in their natural habitats.
On the lower floor, visitors can explore human history, tracing the journey from prehistoric times to the contemporary era, as well as a really interesting Indigenous Gallery. There is also a ‘bug gallery’ which has loads of creepy crawlies from stick insects to cockroaches and even tarantulas!
While you are visiting, why not pop in to the Alberta Art Gallery as well? It is just a short 2 minute walk away and has some amazing exhibits (when we visited there was an Andy Warhol and Bansky exhibition that our kids enjoyed).
Website: https://royalalbertamuseum.ca/
5. Studio Bell Home of the National Music Centre (Calgary)
The Studio Bell is home to the National Music Centre and is a must-visit for anyone with a passion for music and its history. This relatively new museum, completed in 2016, has five floors to explore. You’ll encounter interactive displays, iconic musical instruments, and you can even try your hand at playing a variety of instruments or record your own songs in the state-of-the-art recording studios.
However the highlight for the kids was going to a ‘concert’ on the main stage, where the band played their way through the history of Canadian music, performing covers from the likes of Justin Bieber, Bryan Adams and Shawn Mendes!
Website: https://www.studiobell.ca/
6. TELUS Spark (Calgary)
The TELUS Spark is hands down one of the best indoor attractions available for kids via the Canoo App. This excellent science center offers lots of interactive exhibits, and kids can expect a hands-on approach to science throughout the center. Whether it’s gazing at the stars in the planetarium, experimenting with robotics, or experiencing virtual reality for the first time, there are so many different things to do!
One of the biggest draws though is the dome theatre, which is a huge HD digital dome screen, that envelopes the entire theatre’s circumference, so a completely different experience to a regular cinema. There are four different shows playing throughout the day, so check to see which one you are interested in as there are often large lineups to get in (its free though). It is one of the largest of its kind in North America, so definitely worth a try!
The TELUS Spark also hosts a variety of events and programs that cater to different interests and age groups. From workshops and lectures to live demonstrations and science-themed festivals, its worth checking what is happening at the time of your visit.
Website: https://www.sparkscience.ca/
7. Fort Calgary (Calgary)
If you have an interest in history and want to learn about the birthplace of Calgary, then a visit to Fort Calgary is well worth your time. We wrote a more detailed blog post about our day out here: Our Visit to Fort Calgary.
This reconstructed fort provides lots of information on the city’s early days, and explains how the site served as a pivotal outpost during the fur trade era. Inside the building, you’ll find exhibits explaining the region’s Indigenous history, the arrival of settlers, and the formation of present-day Calgary.
Also, the fort’s location right on the banks of the Bow River makes it a perfect spot for a relaxing picnic and spending some leisurely time by the water, especially on a beautiful day.
Website: https://www.fortcalgary.com/
8. Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village (Edmonton)
This might not be an obvious choice for many people, but Alberta actually has a long history of welcoming Ukrainian settlers when they first arrived in Canada, and the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village helps to celebrate the life and culture of the Ukrainian settlers who shaped the region.
In fact, some of the buildings (including a grain elevator) are original and have been transported here from all over Alberta. The staff do a great job of dressing up in traditional costumes to help children imagine what it would have been like back in the day. I for one had no idea that there was such a large Ukrainian settlement in Alberta until we visited. (we subsequently learned lots about Ukrainian peoples immigration to Alberta during our visit to Pier 21 on our trip to Halifax Nova Scotia).
You can even sample some of Ukraine’s amazing food. I’m not a huge fan of borsht (which is a beetroot soup) but we are all huge fans of perogies! There was even a modern twist, very fitting for Canada – perogy poutine!
Website: https://ukrainianvillage.ca/
9. Bar U Ranch (Calgary)
What better way to spend a summers day than by embracing the cowboy spirit in Cow Town? At Bar U Ranch you can explore the ranch’s historic buildings, take a guided tour, a scenic horseback ride, or just admire the impressive roping demonstrations by the resident cowboys. We wrote a more detailed blog post about our day out here: Our Visit to Bar U Ranch Historic Site, near Calgary.
While you are in the area its a great idea to extend your adventure along the Cowboy Trail and visit Bragg Creek, Cochrane, or Longview (where you’ll find the best beef jerky around)! It’s also close by to the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
10. Reynolds-Alberta Museum (Wetaskiwin, near Edmonton)
The Reynolds-Alberta Museum is a museum located in Wetaskiwin, near Edmonton, that is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history of transportation, aviation, agriculture, and industry in Alberta. Our visit back in 2023 was (unexpectedly) one of our best experiences using the Canoo App, which we wrote more about here: A Visit to the Reynold-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.
It might not look much when you first arrive, but this museum is full of vintage automobiles, aircraft, tractors, and other artefacts. There is a huge aviation hanger where they have one of the biggest collection of historic planes in Canada! Our kids loved that they could climb inside some of the aircraft, including a helicopter and a wood-frame two-seater airplane!
Website: https://reynoldsmuseum.ca/
Bonus: Calgary Stampede (Calgary)
This bonus event was a fantastic reason to download the Canoo app and subscribe to the promotional emails, as there was a special release of 1000 tickets exclusively for the Calgary Stampede in 2023! These limited-time offers always sell out fast, so it’s key to act quickly and secure your tickets. I remember a similar opportunity in 2022 to book tickets for the Banff gondola, but unfortunately, we missed out on that one.
The Calgary Stampede is undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Calgary if you are visiting in early July. It’s the biggest outdoor show on earth and the whole family will have a great time. You can watch chuck wagon races and rodeo shows, spend hours at the huge midway, watch various shows (like a dog show), live music, and the grand show finale! The food scene is really fun too, with all sorts of traditional and crazy options from food trucks all around (think poutine, Kool-Aid chicken burgers, or pigs’ ears on a stick!).
Even if the Calgary Stampede isn’t available for free through the Canoo app, I highly recommend considering a visit if you have the opportunity. It’s an unforgettable event that truly showcases the spirit and energy of Calgary.
Website: https://www.calgarystampede.com/
Canoo App in Alberta Summary
This is our top ten list of the must see free attractions available via the Canoo App in Alberta, but the list above is really just the tip of the iceberg. I highly recommend downloading the app and exploring the countless options available for you to discover on your own.
Having this app inspired us to try things that we probably wouldn’t have if it wasn’t free. It also provided us some great value at the TELUS Spark and Heritage Park as we visited both on multiple occasions. Part of the reason we decided to take out 2 week road trip across Eastern Canada was in part down to the value we knew we would get from the free entry to multiple attractions over there.
Hopefully you get as much out of the Canoo App as we did. We’d love to hear some of the places that you visited in the comments below!
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