Stuck on a layover at Calgary International Airport (YYC)? As the main hub for Air Canada, the airport is the fourth busiest in Canada. It is located rouhly 11 miles from downtown Calgary which makes the city an accessible destination for those on a long layover. If you’re trying to figure out if you can leave the airport during your layover, click here for useful tips.

If you’re stuck in the airport, you’ll find that there are plenty of services and activities to keep you occupied until your connecting flight. There’s a Spaceport for kids to learn about space flight located in the Mezzanine & Destinations Food Court as well as a Flippers arcades with video games and a golf machine open 24 hours in all Concourses and Departures Level East. The airport also provides shopping options (listed here by location), dining options (listed here by location), shoe shine luggage wrap in Departures Level East, a UPS Store and a medical clinic on the Mezzanine Level, Plus 15.

As for health and beauty, the airport offers Cut & Jet Hair Salon, a full-service salon in the Mezzanine & Destinations Food Court and OraOxygen Wellness Spa with oxygen and spa treatments in the Departures Level East & West. There are Shiatsu Plus automated massage chairs in the Arrivals Level (pre and post security) and the Departures Level post-security. The airport also is planning a Wellness Centre coming soon.

The airport offers two complimentary lounges with business facilities and refreshments. The Servisair Chinook Lounge is open to passengers departing from Concourse D and the Rocky Mountain Lounge is open to passengers departing from Concourse C (U.S. departures). There is also Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge for select passengers available for those passengers traveling through Concourse A.

The airport offers free Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) throughout the terminals. Link to the “YYC.Free.Public.WiFi” network when you are at the airport and if you need assistance, contact BoldStreet at 1-866-353-3537.

There is a coat and luggage storage service available for passengers and airport staff on the arrivals level of the at the information booth. It is open from 6a.m. to 11p.m. (except Christmas and New Years when it closes at 6p.m. Cost varies from $1.00 to $5.00 per item. Click here for more information.

If you have an overnight layover, there’s a number of hotels near the airport. The Radisson Hotel Calgary is 10 minutes from the airport and has full facilities. To find hotels based on pricing or location, this website is helpful in directing you to the right accommodation.

If you plan on leaving the airport, taxis are located at the Arrivals level. Fares are determined based on meter rates, and approximate fare to downtown is $40-$45. Allied Downtown Shuttle Service provides regular shuttle buses between designated stops in downtown and at the airport. Shuttles depart the airport every half hour at Bus Bay #8. To purchase tickets, visit the Allied Shuttle counter on the arrivals level near gate “C” or reserve tickets online. There are also car rentals and public buses.

LayoverGuide.com’s Suggestions Of Things To Do On A Calgary Layover:

Calgary Tours
If you have limited time in Calgary, a tour might be your best bet to see the sights. There’s many tours to choose from including City Taxi Tour by Dawson,Calgary City Tour and many more tour options are listed here.

Calgary Tower
Want to get a great birds-eye view of Calgary? If so, the Calgary Tower is a must see. Standing 627 feet high in downtown Calgary, the tower has a revolving restaurant, Sky 360, observation deck and at the base is an information center and Internet café.

Heritage Park
A great place to unwind and learn about the history of Calgary, Heritage Park has a steam train, antique midway, a skating rink and more.

Calgary Zoo
The Calgary Zoo, which includes a botanical garden and prehistoric park are a great stop for those with kids. With over 1,000 animals, the park and zoo-nique playgrounds will keep you very busy.

None of these interest you? Click here for more options!

Have a suggestion or advice for Calgary layovers? Leave a comment below!

Stuck on a layover at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)? As Canada’s largest and busiest airport, you’ll find plenty to do on your layover wait. The airport is also located 17 miles from downtown Toronto, which makes the city accessible for those on a long layover. If you’re trying to figure out if you can leave the airport during your layover, click here for useful tips.

If you’re stuck inside the airport, you can find a lot of shops and services to keep you entertained. There’s shopping (duty free and regular) in both terminals and you can find duty free shopping specials here. For restaurants & bars, listed by terminal click here.

In addition, there’s also many services including 10 Minute Manicure, Interfaith chapel, pay phones, currency exchange, nursing station, shoe shine, listed by location here. Wireless Internet is available throughout the airport. You can use your credit card or an account with their many roaming partners. For more information or help in connecting, click here.

If you’re tired and looking to unwind, the airport also has a spa – the Vaccaro Spa & Salon – where you can get hair and nail treatments as well as massages and facials. It is located in Terminal 3 on the main floor of the Sheraton Starwood Hotel and you can drop in for an appointment or call (416) 834-6853. For a listing of their services and pricing, click here.

The airport also offers five Plaza Premium Lounges located in both terminals. The lounges are equipped with flat screen TVs, Internet access, coffee, hot food entrees and alcoholic beverages. Rates apply to a 3-hour period and are $30 for adults before 11AM, $35 for adults after 11AM, $25 for children ages 4-11 and children under three are free. For a map of lounge location, click here.

If you’re looking for a hotel room during your layover, in addition to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel located in Terminal 3, their are many local hotels nearby. In addition, hotel courtesy boards – listings of selected hotels with direct reservation telephone access – are located on the Arrivals Level of Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.

If you’re looking to explore, and want to store your luggage, the Travel Store can store your bags and coats for short terms. For more information, contact the Travel Store at one of the following locations: Terminal 1, Level 3: (416) 776-1313, Terminal 1, Level 3: (416) 776-2247, Terminal 3, Departures Level: (905) 612-6677

If you’re leaving the airport on your layover, taxis are available at the Arrivals Level of each terminal. Taxi rates are pre-determined based on the distance and time to your destination. For more info on rates, click here. The LINK train provides free transportation between Terminal 1, Terminal 3, the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, the Reduced Rate Parking Lot at Viscount Station, and the employee parking lot. The following public transportation options are also available to locations in the area including Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), GO Transit, Mississauga Transit, Brampton Transit, and the Pacific Western Airport Express.

LayoverGuide.com’s Suggestions Of Things To Do On A Toronto Layover:

Toronto Tour
If you have a limited amount of time during your layover and want to see a number of sights, a tour of Toronto might be your best bet. There are many options to choose from including Toronto Hippo Tours, Toronto Tours, Segway Toronto and if you have a long layover (at least a day) you can look into Zoom Tours Toronto to Niagara Falls.

CN Tower
Located on Front Street in Toronto, the CN Tower is the main point of interest in the Toronto skyline and is the world’s tallest building. Check out the observation deck (it’s great around sunset) and the Restaurant 360. For tips and admission offers, click here.

Steam Whistle Brewery
Opened in March 2000, Steam Whistle Brewery is one of Toronto’s top tourist attractions. To check out the tours that the brewery offers, click here.

St. Lawrence Market
With over 120 merchants, the St. Lawrence Market is located in the heart of Old Town Toronto at Front and Jarvis Streets. The market is open from 8AM to 6PM on Tues – Thurs, 8AM to 7PM on Fri and 5AM to 5PM on Sat. For a list of merchants by location, click here.

Kensington Market
Located west of downtown Toronto, by Spadina Avenue, Dundas Street, Bathurst Street and College Street, the Kensington Market has lots to do. There’s lots of great vintage shops, independent designers, furniture and other retail, as well as plenty of restaurant options.

If none of these sounds interesting, try Harbourfront Centre, Second City comedy club, or Casa Loma.

Have a suggestion or advice for Toronto layovers? Leave a comment below!

Stuck on a layover at the Vancouver International Airport (YVR)? The airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, which is roughly 8 miles from Vancouver’s city center, making the city an accessible destination for those on a long layover. If you’re trying to figure out if you can leave the airport during your layover, click here for useful tips.

If you’re stuck in the airport during your layover, you’ll find plenty of activities and services to help keep you occupied on your wait. The airport offers lots of shopping and duty free (listed here by airport location) including an Olympic store with 2010 official licensed merchandise, florist and Lottery Ticket center. There’s also food and beverage (listed here by location and type), banking and currency exchange, and interfaith chapel, postal services as well as dry-cleaning, laundry and alteration services.

The airport also offers a spa – the Absolute Spa and Hair Salon at YVR. There are four locations in the airport – three in the domestic terminal and one in the U.S. Terminal, as well in the airport hotel (more info on this in the following paragraph). There are specialized treatments for anti-fatigue and jet lag. For anything from a shave (for men), haircut and coloring to full spa services, you can drop-in for an appointment or make one in advance (1-877-684-2772 or info@absolutespa.com). You can check out packages and deals here.

There’s also the Plaza Premium Lounge located after security between piers A and B where there are showers, food and beverage buffet and business facilities. All passengers, regardless of ticket class, can use the lounge on a pay-per-use basis. For FAQ to the lounge, click here.

If you’re looking for some rest on your layover, you can visit the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel and check in to a room, or spend some time unwinding in their spa that features over 130 treatments. The hotel was listed as one of the World’s Best Business hotels by Travel & Leisure and has been regularly appearing on Condé Nast Traveler’s Top 100 Gold List. For packages and special offers, click here.

If you’re planning on leaving the airport, and are looking to ditch your bags, there is short-term baggage storage located at the CDS Ltd. Baggage Services in the International Terminal before security on Level 2. Rates range from $3.50 to $7.00 per item, based on a 24-hour period.

There are a number of transportation options if you’re looking to leave the airport. Taxis are located outside arrivals and the approximate fare to Vancouver’s city center is between $28-$32. You can also hire sedans or limousines for these pre-determined rates, reserve a rental car from these companies, take a long-distance bus from the airport to Whistler, Victoria and Washington State (click here for more info) or take a courtesy shuttle to one of these locations.

Always remember, especially for international flights, to leave plenty of time for customs and immigration, and pad your return time to the airport for airport security.

LayoverGuide.com’s Suggestions Of Things To Do On A Vancouver Layover:

Vancouver Tour
If you’re in Vancouver for a short period of time and want to see as many sights as possible, try taking a Vancouver Tour. There’s the Vancouver Trolley Company hop-on hop-off tour, the double-decker Big Bus and Vancouver City Highlights Tour.

The Peak of Vancouver at Grease Mountain
As one of Vancouver’s most visited sights, the Peak of Vancouver at Grease Mountain is just a 15 minutes drive from downtown. Here you can get into the snow with a number of activities including skiing & snowboarding, ice skating, sleigh rides. There’s also a skyride and Vancouver’s only zipline. The activities differ by season, however – summer activites are listed here, winter activities here. For tickets and passes click here.

Capilano Suspension Bridge
Just minutes from downtown you’ll find the Capilano Suspension Bridge. A thrilling experience, the bridge is suspended 230 feet above the Capilano River. There are many great family activities – you can visit the park, Treetops Adventure, take a rainforest tour, and much more.

Metropolis at Metrotown
Looking for some shopping? Metropolis at Metrotown is British Columbia’s largest shopping destination with nearly 500 stores. It also has a little of everything – some of Vancouver’s best restaurants, theatres and courtyards.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
A replica of a 15th century Chinese garden, the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden offers a peaceful visit through asymmetrical rocks and plants, stunning architecture, and ponds. For special offers, click here.

None of these interest you? Try the VanDusen Botanical Gardens, Vancouver TheatreSports League or Science World British Columbia.

Have a suggestion or advice for Vancouver layovers? Leave a comment below!

Stuck on a Montreal layover? The Montreal- Trudeau Airport is located roughly 12 miles from downtown Montreal which makes the city an accessible destination for those stuck on a long layover. If you’re trying to determine whether you can leave the airport during your Montreal layover, click here for useful tips.

The Montreal airport offers duty free shopping in the International and Transborder areas, boutiques throughout the airport, restaurants in the Domestic, International, Transborder and Public Areas, services including spas, foreign exchange, and shoeshine services, and the First Class Lounge which is open from 4AM – 11PM.

If you’re looking for a nearby hotel to spend your Montreal layover, the airport offers shuttles to a number of nearby hotels. You can find the list of hotels with shuttle service here . For a comprehensive list of Montreal’s hotels, click here.

If you have the time to leave the airport and take a look around Montreal during your layover, you have a number of transportation options. VIA Rail Canada offers lots of inner-city connections and the airport offers a free minibus service for the short distance to the station. There’s also regional shuttles from the airport, with different destinations. The Orleans Express travels to the cities of Trois-Rivieres, Ste-Foy and Quebec. Greyhound (1-800-661-8747) also offers a bus shuttle service between Montreal-Trudeau and Ottawa/Gatineau. In addition, there are taxis that can take you to downtown Montreal for a fixed fare of $38.00. They accept credit cards. You can call for reservations at (514) 394-7377.

Layover Guide’s Suggestions Of Things To Do On A Montreal Layover:

Notre-Dame Basilica
The Notre-Dame Basilica was built in 1656 and is Montreal’s oldest Catholic church. It is known for its intricately designed high alter, choirs stalls and reredos with statues made out of pine, organs and pulpit. The church also features stained glass recalling the history of the city.

Lachine Rapids Jet Boat Tours
Lachine Rapids Boat Tours offer high-powered jet boat tours. The boats, carrying up to 50 passengers, take you on an adventurous ride through the St. Lawrence River’s rapids, in downtown Montreal. Guides on board talk about Montreal’s history and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Prices for the speed boating are $25 for adults, $20 for youth (13-18) and $18 for children.

Old Montreal (Vieux-Montreal)
Vieux-Montreal is a beautiful area of “old town.” Here you can take a Caleche (horse-drawn) carriage ride, visit the art galleries, museums, shops and try French food.

Biosphere
Dedicated to raising environmental and ecological awareness, the Biosphere is the world’s largest geodesic dome. As a structure from Expo ’67, it offers four levels of exploration.

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Musee des Beaux-Arts)
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is considered to be one of Canada’s most famous museums. It displays international contemporary and Canadian exhibits. There are two buildings, linked with underground galleries.

Jean-Talon Market
The Jean-Talon Market is an open air market and flea market is located in Little Italy, and sells fresh food and even live fowl since 1934. Lots of stores surround the market including bakeries, health food stores, cheese shops, and more.

For additional things to do in Montreal, check out the Montreal Calendar which lists all the events of things to do and see, and their contact information.

Have a suggestion for a Montreal layover? Leave a comment below!