The Paddle Station

When the temperature climbs in summer, Calgarians head for the Bow River. You’ll see all manner of rafts, kayaks and canoes floating gently down the stream. The Paddle Station gives visitors the chance to cool off like the locals. Kayaks and multi-person rafts can be booked online and picked up at Shouldice Park, right on the banks of the Bow. After a quick instruction, renters don supplied lifejackets (required by law) and push off from shore. It takes between two and three hours to float from Shouldice Park in the city’s northwest to the endpoint at St. Patrick’s Island in the southeast. Your time on the river can be self-guided, or go with a guide. Either way, you’ll get a unique perspective while floating past the standing surf wave, downtown and Calgary’s East Village. The Paddle Station rents single kayaks, double kayaks, paddle boards and rafts that accommodate two to 12 people.