Last month my family embarked on our third-annual summer getaway to Calgary. We spent a fun-filled few days taking in the best C-Town has to offer, and it proved to be our best road trip to date!

Today I’m sharing allllllll the details, including my thoughts on our Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel stay and our favourite family-friendly attractions.

Where We Stayed: Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel

In my opinion, there’s travelling with kids and there’s travelling successfully with kids. You can take your kids anywhere but making it a super enjoyable experience requires a bit of preparation… and a handful of patience.

Fortunately for us, Emmett and Elle are the sweetest, happiest children – as long as they aren’t overtired. So, searching for a hotel that offers suites with multiple rooms is essential for us.

That’s why I was so pleased to partner with Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel to return to their property. We stayed there last year and loved that they offer family suites with a bedroom, bathroom and separate living area furnished with a pullout couch and dining table.

Once again, this layout proved to be SO ideal. We put Elle down to sleep in her own space, allowing Aaron and me to hang out, pop some bubbly and order room service in the comfort of the separate living room. Plus, the hotel had a crib on-hand for Emmett – so there was no need to bring our own pack ’n play.

Staying in a suite also gave us access to the Sheraton Club Lounge, which we used quite a bit. The lounge has snacks and beverages available all day – and also offers evening hors d’oeuvres and a deluxe continental breakfast in the morning. Yay for snacks!

Here’s a Look at What We Did While in Calgary…

Played (Non-Stop) at the Waterpark

OKAY – seriously though, how ahhh-mazing is this waterpark?!

When it comes to the pool, the Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel has the full package: two 250-foot waterslides, a kiddie pool, swimming pool, two-tier hot tub and sauna – complete with a large selection of lifejackets for little ones.

Not going to lie, when we did our Calgary trip last year I had a blast – but was also quite pregnant and so nauseous that I watched Aaron and Elle enjoy the waterslides from the sidelines.

I have to give Aaron credit and am so grateful – this trip he was happy to chill in the kiddie pool with Emmett and let me run wild and free with Elle on the waterslides. At one point she looked up at me and said, “You’re so fun Mum,” and it pretty much melted my heart.

Strolled Down 17th Ave

We had a fabulous afternoon strolling down 17th avenue, a walkable retail and entertainment district known for its cute boutiques and lively dining options.

No matter where we travel, Aaron and I are alllllll about food and drink. So – surprise, surprise –  our first stop was the patio at Ricardo’s Hideaway, a restaurant that caught our attention from the sidewalk with its Caribbean vibes.

I jumped straight to the drink list where tiki was on the menu. Verdict: awesome.

Elle’s favourite stop, without a doubt, was Ollia Macarons & Tea. I’m a huge macaron fan and Ollia is up there with the best I’ve had – including Europe. Elle clearly agrees!

While the focus was on eats, we also did a bit of shopping. My weakness, forever and always, is West Elm. We don’t have on in Edmonton and their home decor items are gorg.

For dinner we stopped by Una Pizza + Wine on the recommendation of my father-in-law. I’m team thin-crust, and Una delivered some tasty, thin pie. Poor Emmett clearly wanted to get in on it but #noteeth

Enjoyed Breakfast in Bed at Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel

While my days of sleeping in ‘til 10 are on a temporary hiatus (two kids tend to have that effect), I discovered something even better than a long lie in: breakfast in bed with your toddler.

I was feeling a bit tired our third morning in Calgary and opted to reach for the room service menu… and everything sounded SO good.

All it took was a quick phone call and 20 minutes later, the most elaborate, delicious breakfast was wheeled into our room. I asked Elle if she wanted to have a breakfast picnic and – as you can see – she was SO game!

Room service breakfast for the win!

Got Wild at the Calgary Zoo

If you’ve never been to the Calgary Zoo before, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Last summer we drove up from Edmonton in collaboration with Tourism Calgary to check out the new Panda Passage exhibit, and Aaron insisted we return this year!

The Calgary Zoo really is a world-class facility, with over 100 species of animals – from flamingos to giraffes, penguins and hippos – and you can easily spend a whole day exploring the grounds.

Plus, want to know what made our zoo day even better? It was included as part of our stay at the Sheraton Cavalier Calgary; they offer a Calgary Zoo Package that includes passes for a family of four and two pairs of plush panda ears, on top of all the other great hotel amenities.

Said Hello to the Giant Pandas

Okay, so yes, there are pandas at the Calgary Zoo – but can we take a moment to appreciate these gigantic pandas in the lobby at Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel? Elle was seriously enchanted.

Played All Day at Calaway Park

So I think my favourite part of our Calgary trip was the day we spent at Calaway Park.

I hadn’t been since I was a teenager and, in my mind, I thought it was going to be like Edmonton’s annual K-Days fair, with big, wild rides geared towards teenagers and thrill seekers. However, I was wrong – and am happy to report that Calaway Park is incredibly family-friendly.

There are 32 rides and Elle was able to go on a large share of them, which she loved. The park also has games, a 3D theatre and tons of fair food which made for a great day.

I can’t speak to how it is on weekends but we went on a Tuesday with ideal, +25 degree weather, and literally walked onto every ride. #best

Added bonus? Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel offers a Calaway Park Family Fun Hotel Package. It’s perfect if you’re looking to spend a day at the theme park, as it includes four one-day tickets and two plush Ty® Buzby bumblebees (a nod to the park’s newest ride, Bumble Blast!) in addition to your hotel stay.

Hunted for Bees

Speaking of bumblebees (or, in Elle’s words, ‘buzzybees”), Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel has a super fun challenge on right now.

They’ve hidden seven stuffed bees throughout the main level of the hotels for kids (or adults – you do you) to hunt for. Find them all, fill out a ballot from the front desk and you’re entered to win a Calaway Park package!

Fun, right?!

Stopped at the Starlite Diner Car

Okay, I love kitsch and for years I’ve looked longingly out my window as Aaron breezed past the Starlite Diner Car in Bowden (he’s the ‘get-to-our-destination-as-quickly-as-possible’ type).

Well, when you have kids, stops aren’t just nice – they’re essential – and I’m thrilled to say we finally ate there! I just wanted to take the opportunity to say that if you’ve ever considered stopping: stop! The food was delicious and Starlite has a fun extraterrestrial theme that’s so bad, it’s good.

Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel Giveaway

We had SO much fun that I’d love to spread the love. Check out this Instagram post for an amazing contest – I’m giving away a one-night stay in a Family Suite to one of my lucky followers.

Thanks again to Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel for hosting my family. This trip was one for the books!

Xo Holly Hunka

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