For a land-locked prairie city, you might be surprised how wet you can actually get in Calgary.

Canoeing/Kayaking

There are a number of places to go canoeing and kayaking right in Calgary city limits: the Glenmore Reservoir, Elbow River and the Bow River. Further west of the city – in Bragg Creek, Banff National Park and Kananaskis – you’ll find fantastic canoe and kayak country.

The Calgary Canoe Club is a good starting point for interested paddlers. Their boathouse is on the north shore of Calgary’s most-discernable body of water: the Glenmore Reservoir.

Rafting

Urban rafting is a right of passage in Calgary: every July and August the Bow and Elbow Rivers are jammed with rafters on all manner of floatation devices. Keep in mind though, no matter how tame the river might look, personal floatation devices or lifejackets are required by law.

Rowing

The Calgary Rowing Club offers a number of training opportunities in rowing from recreational to fully competitive, with learn-to-row sessions beginning in early May. They’re on the north shore of the Glenmore Reservoir.

Sailing

There are several ways to enjoy sailing in Calgary:

The City of Calgary operates the Glenmore Sailing School on the Glenmore Reservoir for youth and adults.

The Calgary Yacht Club can be found on the east side of Chestermere Lake – in neighbouring Chestermere – and offers affordable time-share leasing of boats.

Swimming

Calgary has eight outdoor pools open from mid-June until the Labour Day long weekend and 12 indoor pools open year round. Pools generally offer public swim times and a variety of water-based activities from aquacise to deep-water running.

The City of Calgary provides a map of its municipally run aquatic centres.