Season guide · Calgary · Canada
Calgary in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Cszmurlo assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
Crisp, dry September days and golden larches in the Rockies, cooling quickly towards November. Expect highs up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around -8°C (18°F), with about 21 rainy days across September–November. September is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- -8°C (18°F) to 18°C (64°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 21
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 18°C (64°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 8 | 12.5 h | 3/5 |
| October | 12°C (54°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 6 | 10.6 h | 2/5 |
| November | 4°C (39°F) | -8°C (18°F) | 7 | 8.8 h | 1/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 11°C (52°F) against a yearly 11°C (52°F), and 21 of the year's roughly 100 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: Calgary International Film Festival (usually late September)
Good choices for autumn
Historic site · Beltline and 17th Avenue
Lougheed House
A sandstone mansion built in 1891 for Senator James Lougheed, now a museum of Alberta's early history with restored rooms and exhibitions.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Museum · East Village
Studio Bell, National Music Centre
Allow time for the interactive rooms on the upper floors; children and adults spend longer there than they expect.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
- Art
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Architecture · East Village
Calgary Central Library
Designed by Snøhetta and opened in 2018, the library wraps the CTrain line inside its wooden archway entrance and rises through a timber-lined atrium.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Photo spot
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Museum · Northeast Calgary
TELUS Spark Science Centre
Combine with the zoo, a short drive away, for a full family day.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Garden · Downtown
Devonian Gardens
An indoor botanical garden on the top level of the CORE Shopping Centre, under a long glass roof, with tropical plants, a living wall, fish ponds and a children's play area.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in autumn
- Lake Louise and Moraine Lake (About 2 hours by car) — The turquoise glacial lakes beneath Victoria Glacier and the Valley of the Ten Peaks are the most photographed places in the Rockies.
- Drumheller and the Royal Tyrrell Museum (About 1 hour 45 minutes by car) — Drumheller lies in the Badlands of the Red Deer River valley, with hoodoo rock formations and the Royal Tyrrell Museum, one of the world's leading palaeontology museums with dozens of dinosaur skeletons.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Calgary?
Yes: September is among the best months. Crisp, dry September days and golden larches in the Rockies, cooling quickly towards November.
+What is the weather like in Calgary in autumn?
Highs of up to 18°C (64°F) and lows around -8°C (18°F), with about 21 rainy days over the season.