Newmarket Outdoor Activities

The Kajama's white masts billow in the wind as its sharp prow cleaves the waters of Lake Ontario. The three-masted, gaff-rigged 164-foot schooner casts the same striking silhouette as it did 80 years ago during its first incarnation as a trade ship that sailed from Spain to Norway. Today, Great Lakes Schooner Company has restored the German-built schooner to its maiden-voyage splendour. Though they've preserved the boat's 1930s charm, they also retrofitted the Kajama for its daily tours with such amenities as a licensed bar and galley where cooks bring selections from their menu of pub fare to life.

Though it serves as the crown jewel of the fleet, the Kajama is flanked by four other large and small ships. Panoramic lake views and a retractable top-deck roof characterize the Obsession III, whereas the Challenge boasts two LCD TVs and a full-service bar. Tall Ship Cruises Toronto rents out their fleet for corporate cruises, charter tours, weddings, and pirate-school reunions, all of which launch from the scenic downtown harbourfront.

KiteAddict's team of PASA-certified instructors teach adventurers to safely master both sea and sky with kiteboarding, which combines wakeboarding and paragliding. The instructors—who also hold certifications in CPR and first aid—educate students on weather theory, kite anatomy, and safety with hands-on training before setting them loose upon the gentle tides. They also teach stand-up paddleboarding lessons, in which students serenely skim across aquatic surfaces. Come winter, these adventurous instructors don't rest. When their beloved lakes freeze over, they help guests harness their kiteboarding theories and tactics to catch some air above snowy slopes during kitesnowboarding lessons. The knowledgeable sportsmen also curate and sell kiteboarding equipment from Slingshot, Liquid Force, and Ozone.

At Paddleboard Addict, stand-up paddleboard enthusiasts and novices learn to glide over water in private lessons or group classes that hold no more than six students or three curious dolphins. The fast-growing sport not only provides unobstructed views of water life but also builds cores by offering a full-body workout. Paddleboard Addict provides students with a life vest, paddleboard, and paddle before setting out on flat water. The outfit also offers 10 per cent off paddleboard merchandise once beginners fall in love with the sport and decide to go get matching tattoos.

With backgrounds that include teaching yoga and running marathons, WSUP instructors Gudrun Hardes and Diana Turnbull share their love of being outside and on the water through stand-up paddleboarding lessons. Appropriate for all ages and fitness levels, the crisscrossing paddle motion lets boarders control their own pace for an up-tempo workout or a zen-like glide. For more adventurous boarders, Hardes and Turnbull lead on-the-water fitness classes, which include yoga and boot-camp workouts. WSUP's team also rents stand-up paddleboards for experienced riders, as well as guides sunrise and sunset paddles set to Disney sing-a-longs.

Tour de Green Belt weaves waves of participants through Rouge Park, a scenic stretch of Ontario's Greenbelt. Originally established as a fresh-air festival on wheels, the event has since amended its "Bikes Rule, Feet Drool" decree to include hikers and joggers, as well. Multiple cycling and running routes provide majestic views of the area's natural terrain, and designated stops along those routes encourage further exploration. At Bob Hunter Memorial Park, cyclists celebrate a Canadian environmental hero, and at a newly created wetland, racers can snag cups of water at rest stations or sip from marshy puddles just like the original marathon runners of old. Once across the finish line, participants gather to mingle and refuel on a freshly prepared lunch crafted from locally sourced foods.

The BlueMountain Activities team makes sure each guest can have fun out on the water, whether it's frozen solid or shimmering in the summer sun. During the winter, customers can rent ice-fishing huts and explore the snow-covered trails on snowshoes or snowmobiles either on their own or with guides skilled at warding off the forest's wild plows. Conversely, in the warmer months, BlueMountain rents out wave runners and party barges for sunlit cruises on the Georgian Bay.