Things to Do in Kamloops

Heritage Ranch immerses visitors in its idyllic woodlands crisscrossed by old dirt trails over which horses pull carriages, wagons, and sleighs that look as though they've rolled straight out of history. Under the tree canopies, couples can devote their time on the ranch to one another with romantic date night packages that combine carriage & sleigh rides with dinner and wine at Westlake Grille. The sound of laughter from children and families can be heard during trail rides as they wend through the property's 217 acres of parkland—equivalent to one clydesdale football field—and camps keep the good times coming during the summer.

Surrounded by rolling mountains and the shimmering waters of Okanagan Lake, packs of go-karts spend their days chasing each other around Westside Superkarts’ challenging track. Under new management, Westside allows adult karts to navigate four hairpin and four banked turns at various speeds—basic single and double karts can hit 35 kph, performance karts are capable of 60 kph, and Extreme Elite karts reach velocities of up to 75 kph. Kiddie karts putter around a separate track, offering their young operators important driving tips, such as how to pass politely. After the races are finished, drivers may receive a personalized print-out or e-mail of their lap times, view them through a smart phone app, and have them posted to Facebook.

4Cats Art Studio founder Joey Simon and her son Jet developed their fun and educational art program in 2005 while transposing the techniques they learned in a library's collection of art history books onto blank canvases. Since then, their process of teaching students about an artist's method and then allowing them to practice it on their own has expanded throughout North America. The studio draws its name from Els Quatre Gats, or The Four Cats, a café in Barcelona where Pablo Picasso often showcased his work and shared intellectual musings with cats.

Much like the legendary brush wielder, students between the ages of 2–15 expand their creative abilities at 4Cats Art Studio, first discussing famous artists and then using their techniques to create original pieces. Each 60-minute class begins with a history lesson on a famous artist such as Frida Kahlo or Paul Klee, followed by a creative project using the featured artist's techniques. After learning about Frida's life and love of animals, students create their own colourful self-portraits. Likewise, classes on Klee integrate music and colour-mixing techniques to teach students how to truly capture the emotions of a trumpet.

At Urban Links, golfers up their games with hands-on training sessions with certified instructors and access to an indoor facility with the latest in golf training technology. Golfers can cure their slice-, shank-, or narcolepsy-prone swings inside hitting bays that feature TrackMan swing-analysis software, which uses motion sensors and video playback to break down swinging motions. Urban Links’ resident aces also enlist TrackMan technology to help players find out the club specifications that best fit their swing and body type. Along with lessons and club-fitting sessions, golfers can take advantage of the equipment and develop secret handshakes with cyborg Greg Normans during independent practice sessions in the hitting bays.