While you will want to make the most of your car hire, there are many things to see and do in Calgary itself. If you visit in July then you have to see the annual Calgary Stampede rodeo. 

The Calgary Zoo, Fort Calgary historic park and the National Sports' Hall of Fame are also worth visiting, as is the Glenbow Museum, which is dedicated to local history and Telus Spark, which is the new Science Centre. There is also a new skyscraper, 'The Bow', under construction and a National Music Centre due to open in 2014.

You can fly to Calgary International Airport (YYC) from several UK airports, including London Heathrow (LHR), Manchester (MAN) and Glasgow (GLA) and picking up your car hire at the airport means that you can get going on your trip straightaway and can return the car when you are ready to leave. The weather in Calgary is mainly dry but the winter months can see cold temperatures and snow.

While Calgary is an easy place to drive around, your Calgary car hire will come into its own if you venture beyond the city.

If you are a keen skier then Banff National Park, Jasper and Lake Louise are worth a visit in the skiing season. During the summer they are still worth visiting for the opportunities to explore the breath taking mountain landscapes on foot.

Other places to visit include Dinosaur Provincial Park, which is about two hours east of Calgary and the Canada Olympic Park from the 1988 Winter Olympics.