Floating Down The Elbow and Bow Rivers in Calgary

Due to the Centro Motel's location south of Motel Village, and on the other side of Shouldice Park, we commonly see Calgarians flocking to the Bow river in the summer to indulge in a uniquely Calgarian pastime. From Late Spring to Late Summer, floating down the Bow and Elbow Rivers is one of the best ways to spend a hot day in Calgary. If you're interested in trying it yourself, here's what you need to know.

 

Tubing on the Elbow
Starting after May long weekend, Perhaps the prime thing to do on a hot, sunny day off is to join the crowd floating down the Elbow River. This distinctly Calgary summer diversion is simply not to be missed and is surprisingly easy to arrange. From late May through to the end of August, Calgarians drift down this shallow, safe, gently-flowing river on almost anything that floats. Inflatable beds, large pool toys and more sophisticated inflatable boats hardly need to be navigated at all by their reclining passengers soaking up the rays. Easy breezy. Canadian Tire is the best bet for a variety of floating vessels to fit all budgets. Or, if you ant to rent one for an afternoon, the closest rental to the Cento Motel is the aptly named Sports Rental. The popular launch spot in the city is off Sandy Beach, just below the Glenmore Reservoir, then just go with the flow to Stanley Park, or if the current allows, a bit further on to the Talisman Centre. The most complex planning involved is arranging transport to the launch spot and from the landing point; having use of two cars is ideal. However, if you're going to launch at the Day Rec area in Shouldice park, then Transit will get you back to your car pretty easily. Life jackets are required by law, although the Elbow River is extremely safe and is not to be confused with the larger, faster Bow River, on which tubing is not really a good idea.

Floating down the Bow River

I've covered this more extensively in another article, so I'll just give you the cliff notes. Navigation on the Bow is necessary, don't try to float down it on anything that isn't river-worthy. Pool toys won't cut it. Bring and wear lifejackets, and be careful when going under bridges, as the pylons will pull you into them if you're not careful. Do. Not. Go. Over. The Weir. You will die (maybe).

The Centro Motel is Calgary’s first Boutique Motel. Located in the Montgomery neighbourhood, just south of Calgary’s Motel Village and now on a completely unintuitive, yet direct, path from the airport. The Centro offers stylish, trendy rooms at competitive prices. Also, our parking lot is just massive. For more information on booking, rooms and rates, check out the home page, or Contact Us.