North York Outdoor Activities

Business retreats don't usually involve go-kart races, but the entertainment emporium's Stoffel Drive headquarters rolls out corporate events that swap staid luncheons for velocity-filled tournaments. And the establishment welcomes more than just businesspeople. Guests of all ages and careers can join in all the activities and whip around the 1K outdoor track in Sutton, reaching speeds of up to 80 kph, a pace eclipsed only by a cheetah on a treadmill.

In a natural wharf provided by the Toronto Islands, Harbourfront Centre Sailing and Powerboating offers avenues to a world of unbroken horizons and wave-splashed winds. Along with education and licensing services and boat rentals, the knowledgeable navigators curate special events, such as a swashbuckling Tall Ships festival for Canada Day and annual voyages to prove the harbour is round.

Power- or sail-boaters with appropriate licensing and a completist's perspective on panoramas might pursue membership for multiple voyages. With rental options for all experience levels for power- or sail-boats and even yachts, Harbourfront Centre Sailing and Powerboating provides a sense of freedom otherwise accessible only to boat owners and their boats' wise-cracking GPS systems.

During all four seasons, The team at Toronto Adventures smuggle urbanites out of their condos and A-frames and into the area's nearby-yet-faraway outdoor streams, trails, and forests. In winter, the guides lead groups snowshoeing in the Humber Valley, and in warmer months, they glide teams over two rivers for kayaking and canoeing adventures. Paddlers cast gentle ripples over waters that harbour salmon and turtles while admiring shores that shelter deer, foxes, and blue heron.

Summer enthusiasts can also bask in the warm weather by sailing on Lake Ontario in keelboats, staring directly into the sun, or standing astride a paddleboard at Sunnyside Beach. For land lovers, guided hikes explore the Huber and Rouge valleys as well as the Bruce Trail.

Meet Market Adventures propels singles out of the grocery aisles or from behind the computer screen to help them interact with like-minded individuals during a slate of social events and getaways. Throughout Canada and the United States, participants embark on interactive outings such as pub-crawls, horseback riding, and sushi-making classes that encourage mingling and casual conversation. Clients can also head out on longer adventures to the Grand Canyon, the Costa Rican jungle, or to a dude ranch, which, in spite of its name, is not only for surfers.

In addition to attending in-person events, members can also take advantage of free online services such as online dating, personal matchmaking, and advice and articles from dating experts.

Now in its 60th year, Remax's expansive National Home Show is North America's largest yearly home and garden convention, attracting more than 800 exhibitors. Attractions include the environmentally efficient Dream Home—a 3,600-square-foot monument to "sustainable luxury"—and a slate of home savvy entertainers on the HGTV celebrity stage. Visitors trust their design sense to guide them from booth to domestically themed booth while running into famed home and garden savants such as interior design wizard Janette Ewen and master contractor and Builder Boss television host Jim Caruk. As an official charity of the benefit, the March of Dimes Canada will host pro wrestler Bret "Hitman" Hart at its booth to engage fans with an autograph session and share his method of getting stains out of upholstery with sofa-cushion sleeper holds.

Though the Toronto FC franchise is young, especially compared to European clubs, the Reds have found success in Canada, winning the Amway Canadian Championship four years in a row from 2009 through 2012. Toronto FC's staff and athletes set out to do more than just compete against rival MLS clubs; they help the sport grow. Players and coaches both can be found teaching young athletes the ins and outs of competitive play in grassroots events and programs. BMO Field, which the Reds share with the Canadian National teams, is the first soccer-specific stadium in Canada.