Reasons to Love Toronto Now: because grown-ups can play, too
First we played board games at bars, then it was axe-throwing in the backyard. The surge of adult-friendly recreation continues unabated.
Track and Field The new basement bar from the owners of Dundas West’s Montauk has four lanes devoted to lawn games like shuffleboard and bocce, and crokinole tables (think tabletop curling in the round) for sit-down fun. Trendy on-tap negronis and craft beer fuel the hijinks. Free for walk-ins; $40 per hour to reserve a lane. 860 College St. W., no phone.
Archery District In a massive warehouse, Hunger Games fantasies run wild. Book an hour-long session for up to 20 people, then jump into a paintball-like frenzy where bows and foam-tipped arrows replace guns. You can’t imagine how satisfying it is to ping a frenemy in the back of the head until you try it. $24.80 per person. 770 Birchmount Rd., Scarborough, 647-955-3111.
Real Escape Escape games, those immersive experiences where players are locked in a room filled with Sherlock Holmes–worthy puzzles, have exploded in the suburbs. There’s great fun to be had downtown, too, at Real Escape—just know that you need to book a month in advance. $28 per person. 376 Bathurst St., 1-800-649-9304.
