Things to Do in Alberta

Though the nearest mountain is almost 200 kilometres away, Canyon Ski Resort still manages to send skiers shushing down 164 metres of vertical slopes. Equipped with 6 lifts and 18 runs, the canyon skiing terrain allows adventurers to take the plunge on evocatively named green-, blue-, and black-diamond slopes including Powderhorn, Springbok, and Wine Skin. In addition to slopes, the resort hosts a terrain park and super pipe, as well as lights for night skiing. The resort sits directly between Edmonton and Calgary, and allows visitors to greet expansive views of the landscape while enjoying hot or cold beverages in one of many fireplaces.

Players duck behind the husks of one-storey huts, towers, and abandoned cars as they navigate a grassy labyrinth. Others dart between industrial concrete walls, firing at the enemy from behind padded barriers. On seven more outdoor fields, teams advance in tandem between towering spruce trees or over hills and valleys, seeking the refuge of wooden fortresses and the coziness of trenches. Whether competing on the Okotoks location's 80,000-square-foot outdoor field, the Calgary location's 28,000-square-foot indoor arena, or Millarville's 55 acres, visitors to Rampage City Paintball immerse themselves in a range of capture-the-flag scenarios. Experienced staff oversees each 15-minute game, and outfits players with Tippmann gear and protective bodysuits. They also supply gear upgrades such as semiautomatic Tippmann guns, goggles, and temporary-invisibility dust.

At Sherwood Bowl, families and friends join in friendly competition, sending balls down one of 16 lanes in games of five-pin bowling. Computerized scoring keeps the math easy while boosting the computer’s sense of superiority, and a snack bar keeps bowlers’ energy levels high. Adults can also maintain hops levels with a Big Rock beer, such as the Grasshopper or Traditional Ale. In between bouts of bowling, guests keep the competition going at pool tables or while away the hours at challenging arcade games. The alley also welcomes bowlers of all ages to join a league and compete, or drop in during regular Glow Bowl sessions to experience the game as the ancient Martians intended it.