Summer camps of all kinds abound for children, but there are also lots of ways that adults can amuse or improve themselves this summer in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Sometimes daily life in the summertime can feel a little more relaxed, so it can be a good time to try something new, or brush up your skills on something you haven’t tried for a while. Whether out on the water, in a classroom or community centre, there is an array of options.
Paddle NIagara offers lessons and rentals for stand up paddle boards, with some special twists, such as yoga on the water, and Friday Night Lights, which is a group outing with paddles that light up. Owner Tim Bala says “we have an inflatable island that the stand up paddleboards attach to for yoga on the water, it’s quite a sight. And the Friday night lights paddle is pretty to watch from shore, even if you’re not paddling.” For more information or to book an activity, visit paddleniagara.com
For those who prefer your yoga mat on solid ground, there’s always Goat Yoga at Small Talk Winery every weekend. Baby goats add some whimsical fun to the poses, and the winery offers cider tasting. Find the schedule at foxdenyoga.com
Kayaking along the Niagara River is popular in the summer, and Niagara Kayak Rentals will provide a guided paddle and full briefing on river currents and basic paddle strokes. For locals, there’s a social paddle once a month, where you can bring your own kayak and join other kayak enthusiasts for a potluck dinner and group paddle. Kayaks are also available to rent. Tour guide Lucas Marsala says the goal is “to create a local paddling community” and let local kayakers meet each other in a fun social setting.Watch for the next social paddle date on the Niagara Kayak Rentals Facebook page. Other rentals can be booked 7 days a week at niagarakayak.com.
Special interest courses offered by Niagara College span a wide range of topics. Rebecca Nicholls, Manager of Community Employment Programs at the NC says “people are drawn to trying out courses in the summertime, when their schedules are more flexible.” NC offers more than 90 general interest courses online, which Nicholls says are “affordable, fun, fast and convenient.” Examples include nature or travel photography, various writing courses, and practical courses like resume writing. Classroom courses cover everything from languages to excel skills. Nicholls says the most popular summertime offerings are the motorcycle training courses, which range from introductory to advanced. Details are all available at the NC website, https://www.niagaracollege.ca/parttimestudies/registration/
And of course the Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Centre has many activities to choose from, such as language groups including French, Italian, German and Spanish, painting, dancing, or bridge. The monthly schedule is at https://www.notl.org/content/community-centre
