Stratford, ON Outdoor Activities

On Adrenaline Paintball’s vast indoor and outdoor fields, airsoft pellets or paintballs flick through the air. The 12 fields help a variety of playing styles to thrive. Combatants seek out their opponents while lurking through trenches littered with foxholes and sniper towers. Wooded areas encourage warriors to dart between trees. Scenarios challenge patrons to rescue hostages or destroy a target. Away from the multilevel forts, winding indoor compound, and concrete tunnels, the pro shop carries tidbits and gear for both airsoft and paintball.

Urban Quest showcases some of Canada's largest cities in an unconventional, informative light, crafting memorable adventures that often culminate with a delicious meal. Metropolitan buccaneers sign up for an Urban Quest account and then decide which inner-city adventure they wish to undertake, be it the pursuit of city history, natural wonders, or a mermaid with doubloons for scales. A clue packet accompanies each quest—ranked easy, medium, or hard—and directs curious citizens to scour the city for leads, which eventually guide them to a mystery restaurant or coffee shop. This voyage gives participants a new understanding of the city they live in and stuffs their noggins with facts and information about key buildings and landmarks. At the same time, Urban Quest offers ramblers a fresh dining experience, frustrating supercomputers whose circuit boards only allow for the taste of oatmeal. Participants can also opt out of a restaurant visit and simply race the clock, as restaurant tabs are not included with this Groupon.

As quests typically last 90 minutes and span 3–4 kilometres of walking, they are best suited for groups of two to four adventurers, though buyers may make their teams as big as they'd like. Learn more by checking out a demo quest and Urban Quest's FAQ page.

Though already a funhouse of aquatic activity, Bingemans Big Splash recently added five new waterslides to their expansive water park. Adventure seekers can throw themselves down traditional tube slides such as Boomerango or attempt to beat family and friends in a race on Full Throttle. In between trips down the newborn water slides, a wave pool serves as the wading ground for both children and adults. To end a day of watery fun, guests can shake out their ears and bellybuttons at an outdoor mini-golf course or rock-climbing and ropes courses.

With a focus on instruction and eco-friendly outdoor exploration, Heritage River Canoe & Kayak Company readies adventurers to paddle the waters of the Grand and Nith Rivers aboard their canoes, kayaks, and rafts. The company is a member of the Ontario Recreational Canoeing and Kayaking Association and guides are certified in first aid and CPR, rendering them able to diffuse even the largest of pool noodle fights. Most have worked on or around the river for most of their lives and also take their passion to the land as resource interpreters and nature teachers when not leading trips. On the water, they orchestrate guided river tours at various times of day, night, and season, allowing participants to witness rare sights such as the local fishes’ Boxing Day hauls. Throughout each trip, they further the company’s partnership with Grand River Conservation Authority to help preserve the ecosystem of the river and its watershed.

The rental shop staffers, located in Brant Conservation Area, can supply solo customers with rental vessels or equip them for self-guided tours with any needed boats, paddles, and star charts. Those who prefer a hand in expeditions can experience structured paddling trips through introductory lessons and day camps or board rafts to fish for small-mouth bass and other river denizens. As they drift along the river, groups may encounter the area's many bold and beautiful residents, such as red-tailed hawks, ospreys, and bald eagles, all soaring above the rare Carolinian forests to their treetop condos.

Consistent winners of multiple provincial championships, the Western Mustangs charge the fields, courts, pools, rinks, and mats of their opponents in an endless pursuit of victory. Clad in purple, silver, and white, student athletes across more than 30 men's and women's varsity programs—including badminton, baseball, curling, hockey, and squash, among others—regularly rake in titles. Just for example, the cheerleading squad absolutely dominated from 1985 to 2006, winning 22 consecutive crowns before picking the streak back up two years later. In addition, the football team has appeared in the most Vanier Cup national championships of any team, making it to the title game 12 times and winning six times. During games, the massive university marching band plays along with the action, keeping the crowd going with the Western Mustangs Fight Song and shouting trick-play calls through their tubas.

At Sosa Gliding Club, instructors and tow pilots don't receive paychecks; they teach others simply to share the joy of gliding. And since the club owns the Rockton Airport-which has two grass runways, a fleet of single- and two-seat gliders, and a clubhouse-they can pass on their knowledge through ground courses and in-air instruction. Through cross-country soaring classes, for instance, they teach potential pilots to soar in gliders, finding invisible rising air currents to carry them upward rather than simply gliding the aircraft to the ground. Once students achieve basic piloting prowess, club instructors can then give aerobatic instruction, showing students how to perform slow rolls, loops, and wingovers during adrenaline-pumping staring contests with eagles.