As Canadians, we wait with bated breath for the seasons to change. And hallelujah - summer is officially upon us! While skiing and snowmen are a definite upside to those dreary winter months, summer is that one time of year where the family can get together and make the most of that lovely sunshine and time off. Here are some ideas to help appreciate the outdoors while the heat is on.
1. Skip the massive air-conditioned theatres and hit the drive-in. You can watch a movie under the stars and enjoy the fresh air. Visit driveinmovie.com/Canada to find one near you.
2. Hit up a ski resort, like Mont Tremblant or Lake Louise, which are teeming with summer activities like waterparks, golf and spa treatments, but not line-ups.
3. Make the park your gym. Convince your booty camp instructor to take get creative and try out those monkey bars you so excelled at as a kid.
4. Nothing screams summer like S’mores, so make the graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate treat over the BBQ or stove, or find a restaurant near you that serves it for dessert – Characters in Edmonton, Murray Street in Ottawa and Harbour Sixty Steakhouse in Toronto all provide this gooey option.
5. Act like a kid heading off to sleepover camp and stay at Toronto’s Drake Hotel. Camp Drake offers a packed gourmet picnic lunch and two cruiser bikes or Tuesday’s cheap movie night, where for $5 you get admission, a sloppy joe, a beer and popcorn.
6. Party like it’s 1999 and buy yourself tickets to Lilith Fair, the Sarah McLachlan-founded all-female music festival. Though plagued by some dropouts, as of now it's set to go in all of its feminine glory.
7. Missed out on that whole Lost phenomenon? Rainy days (or sunny ones when you're feeling lazy), get caught up with a TV show that totally passed you by. Suggestions: Mad Men, The Wire, Band of Brothers, Friday Night Lights.
8. Vancouver Urban Spaces Initiative likes to throw a good dance party. This not-for-profit is committed to utilizing unexpected spaces to showcase music and art. Drink, dance and eat all day long on July 24th and 31st's “Courtyard Special”, and August 15th's “New Brighton Special”.
9. “TV sucks, ride your bike.” Those harsh words are the motto of the Bloomfield Bicycle Company, located in Ontario's Prince Edward County. Take their advice and participate in a club ride or take a tour of the surrounding area.
10. To celebrate 100 years of existence, Girl Guides of Canada is hosting a 10-day “Guiding Mosaic” camp for 2,300 girls from Canada and around the world at Guelph Lake Conservation from July 8-17th. Self-esteem and leadership workshops are rounded out with activities that include yoga, sports, rock climbing, zip-lining – and veterinarian workshops at the University of Guelph. Find more information at girlguides.ca.
11. Take your towel and hit a public pool. Seriously. It’s a lot more fun than you remember.
12. Next week, from July 16 to 18th, Yellowknife, NWT, hosts the 30th anniversary of Folk on the Rocks, the now-famed festival that this year features Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Basia Bulat, Buffy Sainte-Marie and many others. If you've been looking for a excuse to visit Canada's north, you may have just found it.
13. Charlottetown, PEI, might be mistaken for Broadway during its annual summer musical theatre festival, running this year from June 17 to September 25. Catch hot shows in this charming town.
14. While the kids are at camp, act like you are too and head to Manitoba, where they take their fishing seriously. Catch some monsters in one of the 100,000 lakes, or get competitive with the Master Angler Program for the really, really big fish.
15. Take this break from the young ones to act like a university student on summer vacation by making a vodka watermelon. Cut a hole in your watermelon and fill it with as much vodka as will fit until is absorbs, wait a day, and do it again until your bottle is all gone. Serve to a responsible number of people and let the giggles begin.
Summer is great and all, but but there are also times when you want nothing more than to get the heck out of the heat. Here are some of the best cool summer activities across the country:
1. Head to Quittinirpaaq National Park of Canada in Nunavut. It is absolutely beautiful in July and August, one of the most popular times to hike there. But beware, hikers should be very experienced, seeing as the weather can change on a dime and can go from sunny to snowy. Polar bears also call the park home and there are plenty of glacier crossings.
2.This summer, go skiing. Yup, with real snow. The Whistler Blackcomb Resort in BC has summer glacier snow sports throughout the summer, on top of all their regular summer activities.
3. Does the idea of turning on the oven in your house make you sweat just thinking about it? Break out your crockpot, which will not change the temperature in your kitchen in the slightest, and it makes for an easy dinner to boot!
3. Be practical, smart and safe. Stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, cover your head and make an effort to only exercise early in the morning or later in the day.
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