Pickering Outdoor Activities

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 best climbing gyms have a strong sense of community, and Toronto Climbing Academy's diverse group of beginner and expert climbers engender an encouraging atmosphere throughout the gym. With 11 distinct climbing areas, climbing walls that simulate real-world climbs, and scaling route difficulty, the vast academy accommodates climbing styles of all types. Inverted caves are a siren's call to skilled boulderers, while large holds and 120 extended routes challenge beginners and experts alike. Training tools such as a campus wall—a wall that works only the arms—supplement workouts between climbs. The gym's classes prepare novices for tougher routes with lessons in the fundamentals.

A former top-10 junior player and college team captain, Carolynna Gabriel heads up a team of certified tennis professionals as the founder of Wilmington Tennis. Her merry band of coaches specializes in training adults and children through structured lessons instead of throwing old plums at them in the parking lot. Adults can register for instructional court time or book a hitting partner to hone technique; children are assembled according to age for their group classes. Young players between the ages of 4 and 10 learn on scaled-down equipment, using smaller nets and smaller racquets.

The piercing clang of well-struck drives resonates across the grounds at Golden Ridge Golf, their echoes beckoning to clubbers to come groom their game at the multifaceted complex. Guests can smooth out rough-edged swings with a stint at the 300-yard driving range, where players can hit off of natural grass or faux-turf mats and take cover in sheltered hitting bays during rainstorms or pelican pranks. An 18-hole mini-golf course channels the charm of an old country town with a decorative wagon, general store facade, and putters that double as moustache combs. All of the grounds’ score-shaving resources are utilized to the fullest during Golf Academy clinics and lessons, which are overseen by CPGA-certified pro and former touring professional Gordie Burns.

Glowing monkeys scamper toward a neon waterfall, and a knight bearing a radiant yellow lance rides past a bright orange octopus emerging from the ocean. What appears to be a time-traveling session gone awry is really the evolving environment within Putting Edge’s indoor black-lit mini-golf course, which whisks players to deep seas, Aztec jungles, and medieval times. Since opening its original location in Canada, Putting Edge has now expanded to 17 North American locations, all of which invite guests onto its challenging 18-hole courses to seek victory over opponents and the forces that keep their teeth from not glowing as brightly as they could. Elsewhere, the facility houses private party rooms, concessions, and an arcade filled with gamer favorites such as air hockey.

Established more than 40 years ago, Goodwood Kartways covers more than 20 acres of rolling hills with a 0.75-kilometre professional racecourse geared toward first time drivers and advanced roadsters alike. Current owners and professional racers Daniel and Marco Di Leo continue Goodwood Kartways' legacy of mentoring racing stars with the rookie Arrive and Drive program. Participants race on a biweekly schedule, and consistently excelling drivers qualify for scholarships that grant them entry into competitions throughout Ontario and a kart with wheels dipped in gold. A pro shop equips drivers with all necessary parts and accoutrements, a dyno shop inspects engines and ensures their quality performance, and the garage examines and heals broken machinery. Boasting more than 15 years of experience and more than 35 Canadian National titles, Goodwood Kartways personnel supply abundant kart maintenance and aid through trackside support, private group events, storage facilities, and deep-tread massages for weary tires.