Hi everyone! Long time no chitchat here on the blog…welcome back! What a better way to kick start up my blog then with a super fun weekend get away I had with Tourism Calgary the other weekend! December has been such a busy month as it usually is, but starting it out with a mini get away to Calgary was the perfect way to kick start the month!
When Tourism Calgary reached out to me I was thrilled. Travel is something I truly love to do and everything they stood for really matched with me. They proposed a super fun way to learn line dancing and two stepping at Ranchman’s while also getting to try all the amazing food places Calgary.
Our adventure began by hitting the highway and after our 3-hour road trip, we arrived safe and sound at the Residence Inn downtown Calgary. The hotel opened in March of 2019 and meets all expectations of modern and chic! The staff were very welcoming upon arrival and our suite was sparkling clean and so adorable! We stayed in the large queen suite, which is basically a similar layout to a trendy apartment; the views from our 19th floor were perfect of downtown Calgary at night.
Shortly after checking in we cabbed on over to Ranchman’s to start our evening of line dancing and two stepping! We lucked out and on this particular evening it was customer appreciation night. This meant we got to try so many fun food and drink options from tacos and margaritas to poutine and vodka sodas! Upon arrival, Darlene and Carolyn greeted us from Keepin’ It Country Line Dance who welcomed us to their table for the evening and we got to know their friends and other members of the group! I particularly loved the atmosphere of being with my new friends of Keepin It Country because they all shared little reasons as to why they joined the club and how it felt like family to them. Ranchman’s teaches two stepping lessons every Friday night, which I’m really looking forward to the next time I’m in town! The overall vibe of Ranchman’s was so fun, the music was straight out of a Foot Loose dream and the décor was down right country! The staff at this establishment were super friendly and welcoming and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
The next day with some help of trusty Advil and a cold glass of water, Ranchman’s knows how to have a good time, we were ready for the day two adventures! This day for us was more about seeing what Calgary had to offer food and drink wise, we ventured to a few different restaurants near and far and got to experience what everyone raves about! Firstly, the continental breakfast at the Residence Inn was AMAZING! We had everything from waffles to eggs and hash browns; there was so much to choose from and I thought it was neat how they also have daily features! Throughout the day we stopped in at the Stable and got some grub paired with wine to tie us over for the fan favourite UNA! Quick note, UNA doesn’t take reservations, so I’d advise arriving 20 minutes early to secure a table by the time your group gets there, although it is 110% worth the wait. The entire vibe of the restaurant is super trendy and moody, the lighting is low, the music is good and you can sit right where they whip up your fresh pizzas! Also note, the bathroom plays Harry Potter audiobooks, which I thought was unreal. For food, we tried the kale Caesar salad and the Prosciutto pizza, which were both absolutely delicious and for drinks we had the lambrusco and the achaval ferrer malbec. Shortly after UNA we went to the infamous Made By Marcus for dessert, all I can say is Mmmm it’s so good! After we ate our body weight in food we decided to take a 30 minute wind down before heading to National on 10th. I wish Edmonton had a place like National every location has a different feature, and this particular one we went to had a bowling alley inside of the venue which is so neat!
Sunday morning was bitter sweet as we were sad to leave our mini vacation, but also excited to visit the Calgary Zoo on our way out of the city! You may think we were crazy for going to the zoo in the winter, but honestly I highly recommend it. Majority of the animals are still out and about. As long as you are dressed for the weather it’s amazing because you beat all the crowds and get a better look and experience with the animals. The Calgary Zoo has so many interesting animals and even more interesting facts about them. I loved learning about the hippos and pandas as I’ve personally never seen them before- the hippos are so much larger than I thought and the pandas are much more sleepy.
All in all this weekend was truly amazing, it was so exciting to visit Calgary from a different perspective and have experiences I wouldn’t have had before! From the line dancing at Ranchman’s to visiting the Giraffes to having the best pizza ever, I am so grateful for this opportunity. Major thank-you to Tourism Calgary, Ranchman’s, Keepin It Country, and the Residence Inn for the most smooth sailing weekend getaway before the craziness of the holiday’s starts! If you’re ever in town I would 100% recommend visiting Ranchman’s especially if its a Friday night so you can try out their two stepping lessons! I will link their website here so you can visit it the next time you’re in Calgary. https://www.ranchmans.com/
For more videos and photos from our weekend visit my Instagram page and click the highlight “Calgary” to see all of our adventures! https://www.instagram.com/allurebychelsea/?hl=en
Thanks so much for visiting my blog, until next time!
Xo, Chels.
Tourism Calgary: https://www.visitcalgary.com/
Keepin It Country: http://www.calgarylinedance.com/
Residence Inn Downtown Calgary: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yycbl-residence-inn-calgary-downtown-beltline-district/?scid=bb1a189a-fec3-4d19-a255-54ba596febe2