Canada’s Four Unique & Fun Sport Cities

For most of the world when they think of Canada and sports they think HOCKEY, but Canadian cities are home to a diversity of sports – both professional and amateur – from fishing to skiing, from hockey to basketball and from Formula 1 to rock climbing.

Spruce Meadows in Calgary is an amazing equestrian facility that is open to the public year-round.

Calgary

Perhaps the most unique sport city in Canada is Calgary, home of the Calgary Stampede which includes one of the world’s great rodeos, as well as the chuckwagon races.  It is also home to Spruce Meadows one of the world’s best show jumping facilities. While Calgary’s nickname is “Cowtown,” it probably should be “Horsecity.”  And yes, the city’s arena is shaped like a saddle, at least for now until they complete a new arena.

In addition, Calgary is home to Canada Olympic Park (WinSport) which includes a hill within the city limits that allows for skiing and boarding day and night. It also is home to extensive mountain bike trails and a zip line.  

On the University of Calgary’s campus is the Olympic Oval (the fastest ice in the world) where you can rent speed skates and pretend you are skating for a gold medal, or what Olympic teams from around the world practice.

Calgary also has a very active climbing community with several indoor climbing facilities that allow you to practice for the real thing, in the nearby Rocky Mountains.  

Few people know Calgary is home to one of North America’s best water skiing sites – Predator Bay adjacent to the Bow River at a secret location.  Speaking of the Bow River, it is one of the best fly-fishing rivers in the world.

And Calgary is home to three major hockey teams, Calgary Flames (NHL), Calgary Wranglers (AHL) and Calgary Hitman (WHL). As well the Calgary Roughnecks - the city’s professional lacrosse team. (Did you know lacrosse is Canada’s national sport not hockey.

Calgary fans are able to access Dolfwin sports betting markets that offer the latest odds on these different leagues, such as the NHL, which remains as popular as ever as a Canadian betting sport!

Toronto

Toronto is Canada’s best known sport city with teams in almost every professional sport in North America – Maple Leafs (hockey), Blue Jays (baseball), Argos (Canadian Football), Raptors (basketball), Toronto FC (soccer) and Sceptres (women’s hockey). It is also home to National Bank Open (tennis) and often hosts the RBC Canadian open (golf). 

If you are a sports fan and visiting Toronto a must see is the Hockey Hall of fame.

Toronto is home to the Rogers Centre, one of the most unique and unusual baseball stadiums around and is the proud home of the Toronto Blue Jays MLB franchise. It is one of the largest baseball stadiums in the entire world and offers a round. The stadium, originally called the SkyDome when it opened 30 years ago, as it was the first to have a retractable dome and a built-in hotel.

Montreal

Montreal is home to the NHL’s most storied team the Canadiens founded in 1909; they have won the Stanley Cup 24 times – more than any other franchise. Montreal is Canada’s motorsport city with the Montreal Grand Prix happening every spring. Over 350,000 fans attended the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve over the 2024 race weekend.

Vancouver

Vancouver’s claim to fame is that you can golf and ski on the same day.  Don’t be surprised if you are on public transit with a snowboarder and his board heading to Grouse Mountain. The city is home to numerous hiking and walking trails including the very popular 28 km sea wall that takes your around the famous Stanley Park and the city’s waterfront. It is also home to several beaches.

Last Word

If you are planning a trip to Canada and you are a sports fan, be sure to do your homework so you can attend one or more sporting events, or perhaps even try your hand at one or post activities like ice skating or maybe even curling.