Where To Get Your Game On in North Bay: Golf, Arenas, Parks and Sports Facilities Across the City

A visit to North Bay, Ontario, is a great opportunity to explore its wide range of recreation venues. The city is home to scenic golf courses, well-equipped arenas and indoor training centres, along with parks, tennis and pickleball courts and more—including a brand-new multi-million-dollar sports complex. Whether you're visiting for a tournament or looking for casual ways to stay active, North Bay makes it easy to play year-round.

About a three- to four-hour drive from Ottawa, Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo, this northern city offers a beautiful boreal setting and plenty of recreation, often without the crowds or sticker shock of bigger centres. Ready to play? Read on!

Best Golf Courses in North Bay for Scenic and Affordable Play

The North Bay area’s abundant trees, rolling terrain and rock formations add up to a fun game of golf. Osprey Links Golf has a variety of strategic water features and a back nine that’s carved right out of the forest.

Terrace Golf puts its focus on the game with a mantra of “affordable, accessible and enjoyable” and an 18-hole course that can be played in just two hours.

Highview Golf Club has a challenging 18-hole course plus an “all-you-can-play” offer so that true golf enthusiasts can have bragging rights to a, say, 30-hole day.

Clear Springs Golf Course was voted one of Canada’s top 10 “hidden gem” golf courses, so you’ll want to check out its fun and scenic 18-hole course.

The North Bay Golf & Country Club is a century-old venue with a reputation for hosting prestigious championships like the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship and the 2024 Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, and while it’s a private club, it welcomes visiting golfers through its group event bookings and its popular invitational tournaments.

Arenas That Keep North Bay on Ice: Hockey, Skating and Curling

From beginner skaters, hockey and ringette players, curlers to pro athletes, there’s something for everyone at North Bay’s arenas. Here are a few key spots to check out:

Pete Palangio Arena (named for the local NHLer who played in the 1920s and 30s) is centrally located and has twin regulation-sized rinks.

West Ferris Arena, also known as Sam Jacks Complex, plays a meaningful role in Canadian sports history as the birthplace of ringette, invented by Sam Jacks in 1963. Its regulation rink area is used for hockey, ringette, ball hockey, recreational skating and martial arts competitions.

Curling is pretty big in North Bay, so head to the North Bay Granite Club, a renowned centre with six ice sheets to catch regular bonspiels and games. The Granite Club also has outdoor fun for non-winter months: five lighted tennis courts and two pickleball courts open to non-member drop-ins.

Inside the New North Bay Community Recreation Centre

Scheduled to open in fall 2026, the North Bay Community Recreation Centre in the city’s east end rings in at $60 million-plus, delivering all kinds of state-of-the-art facilities. Plus, it will be one of the first net-zero carbon recreation facilities in all of Canada. Features include two NHL-sized ice pads, heated viewing areas, 14 dressing rooms, a walking track and a large community room, all designed to support a variety of year-round activities.

Multi-Sport Training at Canadore Sportsplex in North Bay

The Canadore Sportsplex adds even more options for indoor play in North Bay, with a massive air-supported dome that’s one of the largest of its kind in Ontario. Fully climate-controlled and open year-round, it’s designed to host everything from team practices and training camps to multi-sport tournaments, all under one roof.

Inside, the flexible space can be set up for a wide range of sports, from soccer and volleyball to pickleball and ultimate frisbee, often with multiple games happening at once. It’s a go-to spot for local teams and visiting groups alike—and another reason it’s easy to stay active here, no matter the season.

North Bay Gyms, Fitness Centres and Indoor Training Facilities

North Bay also offers a variety of gyms, fitness centres and wellness facilities that support training, conditioning and everyday recreation. Across the city, these spaces accommodate everything from strength and cardio workouts to group fitness classes and sport-specific training, making it easy for athletes and visitors to stay active between games or events.

North Bay's Outdoor Sports Fields and Recreation Facilities

Head to the city’s website for a full list and more info about North Bay’s ball diamonds, football fields, soccer fields, pickleball courts, basketball courts and beach volleyball courts.

These facilities are distributed throughout the city and include spaces designed for both organized sport and casual recreation, supporting everything from league play and tournaments to spontaneous pick-up games.

Steve Omischl Sports Field Complex

This new rec centre is part of the 80-acre Steve Omischl Sports Field Complex (named for North Bay’s own three-time Olympian and four-time World Cup freestyle skier). There, you’ll find three ball diamonds and three soccer fields (including one lined for football), with a mix of indoor and outdoor facilities and natural and artificial turf.

Basketball Courts, Tennis and Pickleball in North Bay

Basketball players will find both indoor and outdoor courts throughout North Bay, alongside widely available tennis and pickleball facilities. Many are located in parks, gymnasiums and multi-sport spaces, making it easy to drop in for a casual game.

For indoor play, the Robert J. Surtees Athletics Centre at Nipissing University is one of the city’s top venues, with multiple basketball courts and flexible space for tournaments and training. It’s also home to the Nipissing Lakers varsity teams, and offers a range of fitness and recreation facilities that are open to the public at select times. The 22 Wing Fitness and Wellness Centre is another solid option, with public access and a mix of court sports, fitness and recreation facilities.

Casual Outdoor Sports and Parks in North Bay

If you like your games a little more unstructured, head to one of North Bay’s 70+ parks to throw a frisbee, play tag with the kids or explore the trails. Facilities include ball diamonds, soccer fields, football fields, basketball courts, pickleball courts and beach volleyball courts across North Bay.

Ultimate Frisbee is another option, with a lively community that runs year-round and has pick-up games open to all, in addition to league play.

Cheer on the Home Teams: Spectator Sports and Local Teams in North Bay

The excitement of fast-paced elite hockey is at the city’s centrally located, multipurpose arena, the Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens, which can host more than 4,200 spectators. Cheer on the OHL’s North Bay Battalion, as well as Nipissing University’s men’s and women’s hockey teams, the Lakers. The Gardens also play host to some prestigious sporting events, like Skate Canada competitions, Women’s World Curling Championships and Boost National Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling.

Other local teams include the North Bay Bulldogs (youth, varsity and semi-pro, and part of the Northern Football Conference) and the Powassan Voodoos junior A hockey team.

Stay, Eat and Explore More in North Bay

North Bay is considered Ontario’s Gateway to the North, with plenty of ways to round out your trip—from festivals and craft breweries to standout dining, comfortable places to stay and even the chance to catch the northern lights. Looking to eat out as a group after a day on the court or field? Check out these top team-friendly restaurants in North Bay.

And when you’re done playing at the city’s sports venues, there are still plenty of ways to stay active, whether that means skiing, biking, paddle sports, or just getting outside and exploring a little more.

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