This place is so badass that I can't even begin to understand why they're not run off their feet…read morewith climbers every single day. Seriously. How aren't more people taking advantage of this?? Now I'll be upfront with you. I don't love The Exercise. I find it boring and typically don't like having to use my muscles for any reason, let alone sweating in public. So naturally I would have assumed that adding a harness and unflattering footwear into the mix would kill the experience before it even began, but no. NO! I looooove Ground Zero and, as it turns out, I looooove rock climbing (indoors). It's also stupid cheap ($12 for a full-day pass), so you don't have to break the bank to find out if you even like it. The owner has usually been the one on-site whenever I've visited and he totally fits the part. You can tell he must be pretty hardcore when he's not 'in the office' but he's able to make that enthusiasm work even when he has to deal with n00bs like me. He'll get you set up, teach you everything you need to know, make sure you're not going to plummet to your death because of your own stupidity, and then he leaves you to do your own thing. The big walls are a blast, the slanted ones make me question if my arms originally belonged to a six-year-old girl, and the bouldering sections are a great challenge if you can't cope with the heights. Important: choose who you come with wisely. They will be the ones holding your ropes. And staring starting at the awkward crotch-bunch that happens once you're harnessed up. So...there's that.

People collect all manner of things from baseball cards to miniature glass cats. I like to collect…read morelife experiences. I strive to try one new thing per season. For example, last winter, I learned to ski. This summer, my goal was to learn how to rock climb. For my birthday, my boyfriend surprised me by taking me to Ground Zero, an indoor rock climbing gym. I was excited, but sceptical that I could do it, being an avid couch potato and all. Ground Zero had a really cool atmosphere, that's the best word to describe it. They had a lounge area with a lot of great reading material on climbing, you could even enjoy a coffee while you sit and read. Other than the lounge and the main desk the place is virtually empty, save for some crash mats. After we got suited up in our gear, which was minimal and easy to put on, we were given a crash course in climbing. The rundown was thorough, but short, so we could get to climbing as soon as possible. Naturally, I made my boyfriend go first. When it came to my turn, I was nervous, but hey, the walls don't look that high. Until you get about half way up, then you feel like you're halfway to the moon. I'd be lying if I said I didn't poop my pants a little. If you're not in the best shape ever, like me, climbing can be tough. It's sweaty and exhausting work. You hit your breaking point, where you think, I can't physically go any further. Or I can't reach, I can't do it. But you have the staff there and a partner to shout their support to you. When you take a chance, push yourself, reach out, grab that final hold and pull yourself up, it's like seeing the face of God. It's so exhilarating, you feel so proud that you were able to push yourself and make it. It's one of the most amazing feelings I've ever known, I felt like I could so anything. Whether you love rock climbing or you've never been, I recommend Ground Zero. It's a great workout, it's exciting, fun and there is a very helpful and supportive staff behind you the whole way.

Combination coffee/shop and indoor rock climbing facility that opened a decade ago in and old…read moreservice station - the rock climbing is in the service bays and the doors are open when the weather is warmer. Standard coffee and espresso based drinks - they use Java Blend. They do have a small selection of baked goods and sandwiches. Coffee is average. Cool environment - open and airy - minimalist decor. Worth a visit while in the Gottingen Street area.

Popped in here to grab a coffee and Earl Grey latte before heading back up the hill for the Citadel…read moreGhost Tour one very cold fall evening. The atmosphere in Seven Bays was bumping! The staff were friendly and informative sharing with us the idea of their rock climbing coffee shop. There is TONS of seating here - I can see this being a great University hangout for homework or getting together to study with friends. They have a loyalty program, so if you're going to be a regular, be sure and sign up. I loved the HUGE glass window walls from the outside - really lit up and pretty at night! Oh and as a Mom, two thumbs way up for having a changeable in the washroom. Rock on Seven Bays Bouldering, Climb and Coffee on! PS They do have a few free parking spots out front to the left of the Big Bay doors where the bouldering takes place.

As their web site says "Climb Nova Scotia (CNS) is a non-profit, volunteer based group dedicated to…read morepromoting and facilitating climbing throughout Nova Scotia". If you are interested in climbing then you need to check out CNS. They keep their web page completely up to date with the latest news on events and climbing locations around Nova Scotia. They regularly hold events that will give even the newest climber the opportunity to join in climbing activities outdoors. I highly recommend the regular once a week Monday night bouldering!

The Pilates Reformer class introduced me to new exercises. The instructor was excellent.read more

Another PS for Studio In Essence:…read more After my very first pole dancing class, I feel it may be worthy to provide a little feedback on what my experience entailed! As previously stated, I'm less of a minx, and more of a mouse, so my nerves were a little on edge prior to the class. I know the studio for its playful energy and great instructors, and so with a few gal pals, decided why not. The class is absolutely not intimidating. Our instructor, Christy, was sweet, smiling and eased us in with fun stretches and conditioning exercises. There were lots of giggles and great body moving. The entry level pole class seems to be about building the proper muscle to support ones body weight, as progression entails more body lifting. Christy taught us some key exercises to help build and prepare our bodies for more intense moves that would come with time. Its very much an eased in process, and very fun! I'd suggest wearing pants as oppose shorts, as the extra slide from the fabric could making things a bit easier. The attention to body awareness and technique exemplified a superior knowledge of instruction, and its clear that the pole class is more than just a giggle or two. Great work out and a fun time.

So, I can't comment on the entire place, because this visit was just to the "Wave Pool" but one…read morething I must say is: Holy cow! The place is looking great! Not the same rec. centre we used to go to when we were kids! Now, on to the Wave Pool... As I mentioned, I've been going to the Wave Pool since I was a kid. I spent a LOT of time learning backstroke and front crawl in that pool. It seemed deeper back then... Anyways, the pool is still great. It looks almost exactly the same as when I was a kid except there's some new equipment (a climbing wall in the deep end for kids...HOW COOL!!) and you don't have to pay for the inner-tubes anymore! I like this pool because it's good for swimming laps, just hanging out with friends or taking little kids swimming. It's got a gradual slope so it starts about ankle deep and moves out to 6 feet in the deepest part. Every 15 minutes, during family swims, they turn on the waves. Kinda fun as an adult, EPIC FUN as a kid (especially if you can grab one of those inner-tubes!) The place is pretty clean, but be warned: The locker rooms are FREEZING and sometimes have pretty sloppy floors. Other than that small issue, this is an awesome place to take your kids or just go swim some laps!

I started going to the wave pool when it first opened, and ad not been back for about 15 years…read moreuntil recently. There have been major renovations outside the pool, but the pool itself is still the same great pool it always has been. The prices are low, but have gone up since some of the prior reviews. We just put our daughter into swimming lessons and the instructors seem to do a great job with the kids making sure they are teaching to their level. My lane swims cost me $4.00 even, and the parent and tot swims are $4.50 but we will probably be getting a family pass in the near future. Great place, and if you've never been in a pool with indoor waves, I'd highly suggest checking it out.

If you are looking for something adventurous to do, this would be a great item to put on your list!…read moreThis facility is located at Ski Martock in Windsor. It is easy to find with lots of signs, and a ton of free parking. Admission will give you a tutorial on how to use the course, helmet and harness. You need gloves for this course (mandatory). You can buy gardening gloves there, or bring your own of any style. The courses are broken up by difficulty, so you can pick and choose which ones you want to do. There are wires, boards, zip lines, and swings (among other things) to challenge you. Once you arrive, you are given a bracelet with a time. You must turn in your gear by that time or else you will be charged for running late. You can do as many courses as you want/can during that amount of time. I didn't like the time restriction, but I can see why they would want to do it that way - keeps things from being overrun with a bunch of people staying all day to do the courses. If you want to see a video of this, please visit my YouTube page at "Josh the Travel Guy" Thanks!

If you've been debating going to TreeGO in Moncton, save some fuel $ and stay in NS. I've done both…read moreTreeGO and OnTree twice. I'll stick with OnTree. Why? Let's do some comparing. Courses TreeGO has three courses - they're all fun but kind of long. OnTree has 12 courses - they are generally shorter but they also have a ranking system so you know how difficult they are. And a separate kids' area. ...And that's really it. That's the big point for OnTree. The equipment is also slightly different - a bit less convenient because it's safer. The rules and formats are pretty similar. It's mostly that there are more courses (which means shorter lines) and you can choose how difficult you want it to be. With TreeGO, you do the three courses and then ... you come back and do them again? With OnTree, you can start off easy and work your way up to Black Diamond (... not that I have). If you have a group (15 or more?) you can also get a discount which is nice. I definitely see this as a good team-building venture. But you can't really keep that large a group together. Half the people will finish a course before the last person even gets to the first obstacle. Seriously - this place is just fun.

We rolled out of bed in time to hit the road by eight-ish this morning in hopes of spending a quiet…read moremorning in the wilderness of Duncan's Cove, a coastal hike out past the Herring Cove region. It's only a short drive, it's not even remotely busy, and it's off-the-grid enough to feel the relaxation benefits! I'll get to all the reasons why it's easily one of my new favourite places around the city in a minute, but I do have to point out that it lost some serious points with me before we even got there. Duncan's Cove isn't easy to find without someone who knows where they're headed, there are few (if any) directional signs pointing you in the right direction and even when you're on the right track, there are 'Private Property' signs making you doubt yourself the entire time. Without noticing the path naturally paved with smooth, white rocks for easy passage, we ended up plowing through a trail reminiscent of the raptor fields in Jurassic Park 2 (Anyone? Just me?) with foliage up to our shoulders, rough and dangerous terrain, and plenty of opportunities for injury including ankle-high stone walls, foot-deep sinkholes, and roots ready for the tripping. Nonetheless, we still managed to make it down but much happier with the more user-friendly route on the way back. Even with the safer trail, there are some dangerous spots so pay attention, watch your kids, and give it some serious thought if arriving with a mobility challenge. Once you reach the rocky shore, you can hike for hours without really reaching anything. All the while, you get an unobstructed view of the Atlantic complete with fishing and sailboats, coastguard patrols, schools of herring visible at water level, families of seals on the hunt, incredible diving birds that nab fish right out of the water, and yes - we even saw a school of pilot whales diving off the coast. This was some National Geographic stuff, guys! Dog-friendly for medium to large-size breeds but know that they're going to get messy in the process. Leave the short-legged guys at home, the ground will be a little too dangerous for them. And for any dog brought out, please remember to keep them on-leash to avoid harming any of the wildlife including geese that all too often fall victim to inattentive dog owners.

We stayed in one of the houses at Duncan's Cove (There are 3 or 4 available on airbnb). There is…read moreparking by the trail head which is kind of hidden. There is a gravel drive across from the parking bay area that leads towards a massive white house in the distance. Follow the drive and disregard the sign that says private no vehicles. You will see a sign pointing the direction of the actual trail on the right of the path. The trail forks immediately. Take a left to head to head the fastest way down to the ocean. You will definitely want proper footwear, as the path is not paved and it will involve some rock climbing. The path exits out of the undergrowth to the rocky shore and follows along it some way where it eventually meets the other fork. If you had taken the straight ahead path at the fork you hike for some distance before coming across an abandoned WWII bunker (we used it for shelter for a storm that hit during our hike). We had the privilege of being the only ones there on our sunny return visit the following day. We sat and watched almost two dozen seals play in the surf. The stormy day was as rewarding, watching the waves crash against the rocks. I encourage any hikers to please take the threat of ticks very seriously. You will be walking on narrow trails between thick undergrowth. Tuck pants into socks, spray repellent, and conduct thorough checks afterwards.

Awful air quality in the pool/swimmer area. Athletes were unable to breath properly causing many of…read morethem to leave with chest pains and lung irritation.

I joined the DalPlex and within my 3rd visit I had enough of the poor parking. The membership…read moreincludes a parking pass, however there are a number of spots with parking meters and 2 only for Electric Vehicles. I have more to do with my time instead of driving around for 30 minutes looking for a place to park. It is frustrating that such a large facility has such poor parking. Parking on the street is limited as well. I ended up cancelling my membership without penalty. In addition, I found the large new gym not clean. They have several members of staff walking around but I didn't see any of them actually doing anything. However I was only there 3 times! Not impressed