Active Stress Relief in Calgary

We would be lying if we told you that we didn’t enjoy meeting with friends over a glass of wine or a good meal. Whether it is at a restaurant or lounge or gathered over tapas and drinks in the comfort of our living room, getting together with friends over drinks and food after a long work day or week is a great way to catch up and unwind. However, when done too frequently, these get-togethers can interfere with our best-laid plans to eat better, drink less, and exercise more.

Here are some activities to keep you active while still allowing you to unwind and spend time with your friends. Seriously, you will have so much fun that you won’t even notice that you’re getting exercise.

Climb a hill. Spread across more than 11 square kilometers in the city’s northwest is Nose Hill Park, an expansive environmental area that boasts 60 km of hiking trails as well as numerous off-leash areas. Hike to the top and you’ll be rewarded with a 360-degree view of the city, including the Rocky Mountains, the Bow River Valley, and the plains to the east. Consider hiking Nose Hill in the evening and you’ll be treated to an amazing sunset. 

Hunt for treasure. Geocaching is real-world treasure hunting that uses GPS-enabled devices (like smartphones) to seek out caches (the treasure!) and complete challenges based on GPS coordinates and clues. Although geocaching is a worldwide community, Calgary has its own geocaching meetup group that holds regular events. Learn more about geocaching in Calgary here. You can also find out more about geocaching in general at here and search for challenges by location. 

Ziplining at COP. The ski jump that was build at Calgary Olympic Park for the 1988 Winter Olympics can no longer be used for ski jumping, but you and your friends can strap on a helmet and a harness and careen down the 500 meter zipline. With a 100-metre vertical drop and speeds reaching up to 120-140 km/h, is there a better way to relieve stress?

Shop till you drop. Calgary has some great shopping districts that are home to a variety of local businesses. Spend a weekend with friends checking out the latest and greatest in Kensington, and then hop the trails along the Bow River eastward and walk, bike, or blade until you reach Inglewood, home to an ever-expanding variety of unique independent boutiques.

Photo courtesy Calgary Area (Nose Hill Park)