Edmonton Outdoor Activities

The windswept, coastal hillocks of the Old Course at St. Andrews and the seaside cliffs of Pebble Beach both come to life in the aboutGolf Simulators of The Golf Den. Showcasing massive, high-definition screens, the four simulators let golfers—armed with their own clubs or sawed-off curtain rods—play rounds at digital replicas of 40 of the world’s top courses. Players can also work on their swings in the practice modules, which feature systems of high-speed cameras that project the flight of each shot.

Before warping into digital Scotland for a round of 18, golfers can perfect their form with a lesson from one of The Golf Den’s CPGA-certified instructors. During lessons, the staff use V1 Video swing-analysis software to provide visual feedback for each shot, and FlightScope technology to track the ball’s trajectory. Guests in need of replacements for aging clubs or sand wedges that have taken jobs as firewood axes can browse The Golf Den’s inventory of Callaway clubs.

Since its inaugural season in 2006, the Edmonton Rush has steadily picked up wind, growing into a formidable club in the National Lacrosse League. After making its first playoff appearance in 2010, the team made it to the NLL finals in 2012, just barely missing out on earning the sport’s coveted netting-woven blazers. At the helm, hall-of-fame inductee, general manager, and head coach Derek Keenan continues to lead the team toward its first championship.

Paintball Action Games' 18,000-square-foot facility accommodates players aged 10 and older, who shield themselves in coveralls and goggles for indoor games in October through May. Participants race across the tournament field, dodging paintballs as they crouch behind inflatables and aim their semi-auto markers at unsuspecting opponents. In between bouts, a pro shop with certified techs helps visitors stock up on markers, apparel, and accessories such as the same pellets Michelangelo used to paint the Sistine Chapel. Meanwhile, the picnic area hosts guests after their contests, where they can grill up on a feast on barbecues.

With the Edmonton skyline stretched across the horizon, players scurry past tall pine trees and stone retaining walls as they conquer the nine-hole course at Sherwood Golf & Country Club. The 3,136-yard layout combines challenge and charm with a creek that intertwines throughout the course and a waterfall that sends water crashing earthward, creating a prime opportunity for a between-holes shower. Players that manage to keep their shots dry may not be out of trouble, as glimmering white silica-sand bunkers stand as stoic beaches around slick bentgrass greens. The par 36 design ends with back-to-back par 5s, the last measuring just 473 yards, giving golfers a chance to end their round with a birdie or golf-cart barrel roll before heading in to have a beer at the clubhouse.

The imaginative designers behind the Homes for the Holidays Tour join creative forces every year, bedazzling five local residences with eye-grabbing cheer from the inside out. All of the homes have sufficiently prepared for Santa’s arrival, boasting walls strung with holly, trees adorned with twinkling lights, and cabinets stocked with cookies and barrel-aged bourbon. Homeowners invite touring parties to explore their winter wonderlands and garner inspirations for their own holiday decorations. All proceeds from the Homes for Holidays Tour support all of the charitable foundations supported by the Junior League of Edmonton, including the Kids Help Phone.