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Written by Stephanie Scott
Summer brings with it sunshine, blue skies, and long, school-free days. While younger children are often easily appeased at playgrounds and splash parks, teens can be a harder - or pickier - species to amuse! Luckily, Calgary offers plenty of teen-friendly options that satisfy all sorts of interests. Discover something new in YYC with your teen this summer.
If the sun is shining…
- Go biking. Hit the trails at Weaselhead Flats or Fish Creek Provincial Park. Attempt the technical up-track Strawberry Shortcake or try a beginner trail in the Gromville network at the WinSport bike park.
- Refine your riding skills at a bike pump track. South Glenmore Park Bike Pump Track and Inglewood Bike Pump Track are two popular tracks in Calgary.
- Sunbathe and swim. Beat the heat at one of the city’s outdoor pools such as Highwood Outdoor Pool or Stanley Park Outdoor Pool, or lay out on the sandy beach at Sikome Lake in Fish Creek Provincial Park.
- Go hiking. Hike the Douglas Fir Trail in Edworthy Park or find a path at Nose Hill Park. Big Hill Springs Provincial Park also offers a beautiful, short trek nearby.
- Try go-karting. Ascend via the chairlift, and descend on an exhilarating track propelled by gravity at Downhill Karting at the Skyline Luge Calgary.
- Attend a festival. Live it up at one of the diverse summer festivals in the metro area such as the Calgary Stampede, GlobalFest, or the Calgary Fringe Festival.
- Have an Instagram-a-palooza. Check out the best Instagram-worthy spots in Calgary. Take the self-guided (DE)TOURS For Avid Instagrammers tour in the East Village, or visit the Heat Waves Mural at Deerfoot City.
- Hunt for the best Calgary milkshake. Compare Holy Shakes, Re:Grub, or Boogie’s Burgers for some of the best treats in town.
- Bring your own discs and play flying disc golf. Favorite local courses include Baker Park Disc Golf Course, Thorncliffe Disc Golf Course, and Lloyd Park Disc Golf Course.
- Get out on the water. The Glenmore Sailing School at the Glenmore Reservoir rents canoes, kayaks, and even sailboats.
- Head for Calaway Park. A classic Calgary summertime attraction, teens are unlikely to say no to a day at the amusement park.
- Get in some batting practice. The Cage Batting Range in Shouldice Athletic Park has well-maintained facilities and is reasonably priced.
If it’s a rainy day…
- Get creative at home. Create a vision board for next school year, or enjoy a family board game tournament.
- Book a spot at Activate. Get moving at this active gaming facility.
- Go indoor bowling. Reserve a lane at Splitsville Highfield or Chinook Bowladrome. You can even enjoy glow-in-the-dark bowling if you go at the right time!
- Immerse yourself in virtual reality. Test out sim racing at TracksVR, or play a virtual reality game at VRCORE.
- Pay a visit to The Rec Room. Play video games, ping pong, shuffleboard and more at this entertainment centre.
- Rock climb indoors. The Calgary Climbing Centre offers two unique ClimbParks for younger climbers at their Rocky Mountain and Hangar locations.
- Book a court at the UCalgary Racquet Centre. Purchase a day pass and choose from racquetball, handball, Pickleball, or squash.
- Solve an escape room. Located downtown, Escape60 has a fun collection of rooms to tackle.
- Drop by the Regal Cat Cafe. Grab a coffee and a cuddle from one of the adoptable cats in the cafe’s Kitty Kingdom.
- Get your adrenaline flowing at iFly. Indoor skydiving - what more is there to say?
- Reserve an indoor golf suite. Practice your game on a virtual course at LaunchPad Golf.
- Put on your skates. Lace up and go indoor roller skating at House of Skate.
Born in the prairies, Stephanie has lived in both Canada and the U.S. She is a mother, cancer survivor, cat lover, and avid traveller. Stephanie is the creator of the family travel blog, Next Family Getaway, nextfamilygetaway.com, where she shares trip ideas and travel advice for those travelling with kids. She loves to explore new places.
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