Day Two of our trip to Calgary was Sunday, so we spent the day worshipping at church, then dinner with family. It was restful and wonderful.
Day Three was spent at the Telus Spark Science Center! This is a recent addition to Calgary, as they closed the old Science Center in lieu of having a brand new HUGE, state-of-the-art center, including a new Dome Theater (more on that later). It is located in the NE of Calgary, right beside the zoo (more on that later, too)! Just a heads up, you have to pay to park as it prevents C-Train passengers from taking up the parking lot from the patrons. Makes sense, right?
Isn't it a beautiful building? It's got a kind of "futuristic" quality about it. Oh, and another tip - if you live in North America, and you have passes to YOUR local Science Center, that pass is good at every Science Center in North America! So, chances are you could get in here for free! Bonus! Otherwise, this is more on the pricey side for a Science Center, I found. You can view more info on their website, in case you are planning a visit in the near future:
So, once inside, there is a lot to do. I love how each Science Center I have been to offers different things to explore. There are a lot of interactive exhibits at this one. The first stop we made was directly to your right when you walk it - it was kind of a huge play room with play structures, etc. If I were to visit again, I would leave this until last. As my friend, Diana, stated, this spot would work better as a "reward" after going through the rest of the center first. Our kids loved the little climbing wall...
There are some exhibits for the older kids, as well, though not as many. This one was a magnetic one.
I guess you find fun wherever you can ;)
But, hey, even the adults found things to occupy their time. Assembling pipelines? Super fun!
The little ones found lots to do - I think they could have stayed longer, if they hadn't pooped out!
I think, for our girls, the biggest hit was the fashion designing exhibit. There were several dress forms and loads of fabric scraps to drape and pin on in lots of ways! The girls were so pleased with their creations. Thankfully there were some sofas for us tired moms and dads to relax on while watching the kids create :)
Okay, the coolest part of the whole thing was the HD Digital Dome Theater. We happened to get free passes to a show with our admission, but they also offer movies that you can pay to see without ever paying admission to the Science Center - completely separate. This theater is similar to an Imax, except that this screen stretches from the ground, up, and over your head to the back of the theater - and around the sides. It's the shape of a dome! Your seats recline almost completely back, and the movie happens all around you. Here is a short video we took inside the theater before the movie started. I hope you can get a sense of how the screen was. UNREAL! I loved it...just loved it. Totally worth checking out!
Later that day we went swimming at the hotel that our friends were staying at. We had the pool to ourselves and enjoyed every minute.
If your hotel doesn't have a swimming pool, there are many indoor and outdoor swimming pools in the Calgary area, and the prices are totally reasonable. One of our favorites is also in the NE area - The Village Square Leisure Center. It was recently renovated and has a wave pool and water slide. Way too much fun, and a nice alternative to outdoor swimming if the weather doesn't cooperate :)
I hope you'll stay tuned for more vacation fun and some tips on visiting Calgary! Coming soon, I promise!
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