Sylvan Lake comes alive over the summer. You can flock to the beach and shores of Sylvan Lake for a day or weekend of adventure and thrills, pure relaxation, or a bit of both.
Town of Sylvan Lake
On the water, you can relax by paddling, floating, and swimming, or speed things up with watersports and boat rentals. Off the water, you can explore up and down Lakeshore Drive for good eats, patio dining, and local shopping. There are also some notable dates in Sylvan Lake for local festivals, markets, and more. Make the most of your trip to the summer village of Sylvan Lake this summer with these activities and events!
Swimming
The shallow waters of the Sylvan Lake beach area make it one of the most popular swimming lakes in Alberta. The water is not as brisk as many other beaches in Alberta can be, there is a huge amount of space for frolicking and swimming, and even more room for your floaties.
Visit Sylvan Lake
When: best in July and August
Where: Lakeshore Drive, Sylvan Lake
How much: free, may need to pay for parking
Hop on the Aqua Splash Park
Yes, this is a gigantic inflatable waterpark, outside, and on the waters of Sylvan Lake!
The Aqua Splash is the first of its kind in Alberta. The structure offers hours of fun for all ages with exciting features like a 15 ft. slide, a launch bag, and an oversized trampoline.
When: opening date of July 1, 2022
Where: Lakeshore Drive, Sylvan Lake
How much: $40
Celebrate 1913 Days
This June, Sylvan Lake welcomes back its annual 1913 Days, a celebration of Sylvan’s history and its modern culture. You’ll find several activities over the weekend for all ages: a parade, roller disco, outdoor screenings of Back to the Future, dance parties, a scavenger hunt, a car show, and wagon rides.
When: June
Where: Downtown Sylvan Lake
How much: free
Picnics on the Beach
The sandy beach part of Sylvan is not that wide, but it is all surrounded by green parks, grassy fields, and picnic sites. You can park a blanket for the day (arrive as early as possible!), set up a small grill or snack on cold picnic items for the day. Or if you know you’ll have a large group, you can book sheltered sites in advance. If you’re staying for the weekend, you can stock up on supplies at their weekly Friday Farmers’ Market.
Visit Sylvan Lake
When: year-round
Where: Sheltered sites located in Centennial Park on Lakeshore Drive
How much: $89.77 to $157.85 for sheltered sites, either 4- or 8-hours
Lazy Floating or Paddling
Explore the beach area or the nearby shores of Sylvan Lake with a slow and easy paddle. You can bring your own non-motorized boats to the docks and beach, and paddle for hours. Keep in mind the wind and thunderstorms which can roll in during July and August and bring plenty of water! You can launch from either the far west end of Lakeshore Drive, or head to a more remote part of the lake to find a launch at Sunhaven Recreation Area.
Sunsport Recreation can assist you with rentals for your day of paddling with either their kayaks, paddleboards, or paddleboats.
When: best in July and August, Sunsport open 7 days a week
Where: Sunsport Recreation – 5100 Lakeshore Dr, Sylvan Lake
How much: from $20 per half-hour
Motorized Watersports
Speed things up a bit this summer with rentable motorized boats from Sunsport Recreation! They offer speed boats, premium boat rentals, and sea doo rentals, among some slower nonmotorized boats too. With a speed boat, you can tow wakeboarders or tubers and see the entire lake in a day.
When: 7 days a week in summer
Where: Sunsport Recreation – 5100 Lakeshore Dr, Sylvan Lake
How much: $149 & up per hour
Dining along Lakeshore Drive
Lucky for beachgoers and weekend visitors to Sylvan, a lot of the great local dining is within walking distance of the beach, with several along Lakeshore Drive. Many of these places also offer to-go dining so you can take your local eats to the local beach!
Watch the Sailboat Races
Notice all the sails out on the water of Sylvan each Wednesday? These are the club’s weekly summer races, which you can watch from the beach shores, docks, or shoreline trails. Afterwards, you can socialize with the racers and club members, learn about the sport, and inquire about your own sailing.
When: Various dates over summer
Where: Sylvan Lake Sailing Club
How much: free to watch from the shores
Go-Karts and Mini Golf
Lakeside Go-Karts & Mini Golf offer a wide range of activities for classic family fun including go-karts, kiddie-karts, bumper cars, and mini golf. This is an inexpensive way to escape some of the beach crowds for a few hours and entertain all ages of your group.
Where: 5342 Lakeshore Dr., Sylvan Lake
Shop the Farmers’ Market
Start your weekend at the Lake right with the Sylvan Lake Farmers’ Market. You can find all your weekend essentials for food and beach fun among the local artisans and producers. Several food trucks will be on site as well for your Friday night dinner plans.
When: Every Friday, May 16 to September 26, 2025
Where: 5104 Lakeshore Drive, Sylvan Lake
How much: free to attend
Grab a Group for a Day on a Pontoon
There are two outfits in Sylvan Lake that offer pontoon boat rentals: Sunsport and The Launch. The pontoons are a unique way to enjoy a celebration or event, or just a day on the water.
Where: The Launch – 5220 Lakeshore Drive
Sunsport Recreation – 5100 Lakeshore Dr, Sylvan Lake
How much: $299 & up
Pick a Campsite for the Week/Weekend
You won’t find any more camping available at Sylvan’s Jarvis Bay Campground for summer 2022, but there are plenty of other camping areas to choose from! If you’re excited for golf this summer, combine it with a Sylvan trip via the Lakewood Golf Resort, who host an RV park. The nearby Gull Lake and Aspen Beach Provincial Park also have campsites available for summer; these are a 25-minute drive from Sylvan Lake and give you the chance to explore both beaches.
Enjoy a Cabin or Cottage Stay
There are numerous cabins, cottages, and lakeside homes available in Sylvan Lake. You’ll find most of them on VRBO and Air BnB with a variety of amenities like Wi-Fi and TVs, or perks like views of the lake.
Hike or Bike the Jarvis Bay Loop
Escape the crows of the beach village area and enjoy a quiet bike ride or walk through the Sylvan’s natural areas. The Jarvis Bay loop is an easy 5km loop through the trees with parts of it running alongside the lake. Other parts border the campground, so you’re near washrooms most of the walk or bike ride.
Where: Jarvis Bay PP Campground
How much: Free
Go for a Guided Fishing Trip
The guides at Adventure Ice Fishing spent most of their lives on the waters of Sylvan Lake and will share as much as they have time to on the best fishing in the lake. You can book either a half- or full-day trip (they’ll supply the equipment) or ask about making your trip custom.
When: year-round
Contact: (403) 392-4406
How much: $375 & up
Axe-Throwing for a Rainy Day
Rain got you bummed on your beach vacation? The Wood Shed is open in Sylvan for axe-throwing, a thrilling and stress-relieving activity all in one. Even if there isn’t rain keeping you inside, you can easily make time for this local activity. This is perfect for larger groups, a birthday, or any celebration.
When: year-round
Where: 56 Cuendet Ind. Wy, Sylvan Lake
How much: contact for group and party prices