Active Recreation in Moscow
The most thrilling activities to get your blood pumping
Moscow offers a wide range of entertainment options, from shopping and strolls in parks to full-fledged extreme sports. Karting for those who like racing around the tracks, surfing and jet skis for water sports lovers, a wind tunnel and trampolines for fans of free flight: whatever your hobby, there is definitely a place in Moscow where you can pursue it. Here’s a little guide for thrill seekers.
Karting
For professional-level karting, check out Karting MSO, a top-tier track with high-speed races and training programs. X-TI Pilot in Medvedkovo is the largest open-air karting circuit in Moscow. It offers a wide range of karting options for both children and adults. Moscow also has a chain of TIMATI electric karting facilities at the Riviera, Europolis, and MEGA Belaya Dacha shopping and entertainment centres. There is a large karting centre, Lonato, on Varshavskoe Highway, and E-GO Karting in the SportEX shopping centre. These are indoor venues are suitable for both adults and children.
Shooting
Moscow has all sorts of different shooting ranges: try a combat weapon, crossbow, regular bow or toy rifle. For instance, Fireline in Kitay-Gorod, in the very centre of the city, is a shooting range where anyone, aged eight and older and regardless of their skill level, can sign up for a lesson. For adults, there are master classes that include shooting a carbine similar to a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a Benelli shotgun, a Makarov pistol, and a Desert Eagle. The Vystrel combat shooting range near the Krestyanskaya Zastava metro station teaches visitors how to shoot pneumatic and long-barreled weapons. At Varyag, you will be taught to shoot different types of bows and a crossbow, while Labyrinth combines all types of shooting: pneumatic or blank-firing weapons, a bow, and a crossbow.
Surfing
There is no sea in Moscow, but this is not an obstacle for surfers. There are several spots in the city where you can learn to stand on a board, ride an artificial wave, and just have fun. Surfway Moscow, at Luzhniki Stadium, Flow Moscow, at the large sports and entertainment complex, will give you all the necessary equipment and instructions. You’ll probably want to hire a trainer if you are a complete beginner. The waves are up to 1.4 metres high, so surfing is only suitable for those aged 10 and up. An alternative option is Surf Brothers Skolkovo, which has 2-metre waves, and there are two types of boards, one for the ocean and the other for rivers.
Motor Surfing and Jet Skiing
During the summer season, water sports equipment is available for rent nearby bodies of water in Moscow and the Moscow Region. Moswake offers a special kind of water entertainment: riding a surfboard, wakeboard, or water skis as you follow behind a boat. Flyboards, hydrofoils, and electric foils are also available. Similar services are offered by Motosurfing, an exclusive distributor of jetboards, eFoils, and other aquatic equipment. Moswake is located by the Klyazminskoye Reservoir in the Moscow Region.
Wind Tunnel
A flight in a wind tunnel is an unusual source of entertainment for those who want to experience weightlessness, train their sense of balance and muscles, and possibly even prepare for parachuting. There are several facilities in the city where you will be taught how to ride the current of air properly. I-fly is located almost in the city centre, by the Kursky Railway Station. Wind Tunnel "Aerodynamics" is in southwest Moscow. In addition to the wind tunnel, it has aircraft and automobile simulators and laser tag. Vacuum isn’t too far from Sokolniki Park, which is a great spot for a walk after taking a flight.
Trampolines
Another option for those who want to fly is a trampoline park, where everything works completely differently: you need to push off the ground and gravity will return you to a horizontal surface one way or another. Seems easy enough! A qualified trainer will teach you a few new tricks, though! There are several centres in Moscow where visitors practice high jumps. Nebo, a chain of entertainment centres, allows visitors to jump on trampolines. In addition, guests have access to a rope park, a climbing wall, and VR games.
Similar services are offered by Flipfly nearby Semyonovskaya metro station.
Rock Climbing
Anybody that wants to conquer great heights on their own should visit a rock climbing gym. This is a great endurance workout and a way to test your strength. There are quite a few gyms in the city where you can go rock climbing, but first of all, we recommend going to Limestone, which partners with the Climbing Federation in Moscow, in the Basmanny District. It’s close to the city’s historic centre. There are children's and adult climbing schools, an early development centre, competitions, and festivals. Other top climbing walls include Atmosfera, Arena, and Old School Gym.
Helicopters
If you’re looking for magnificent views of the city, you definitely should book a helicopter flight. This service is provided by Heliport Moscow, Captour, and Territoria Poleta. In case you feel uneasy so high in the sky, but still want to fly, we recommend checking out a Flight Over Moscow at Zaryadye Park.
Read More
Moscow: A Resort City
The capital has many sights and architectural monuments. Yet Moscow is no concrete jungle. It is a city where visitors are able to take a much needed rest while enjoying its countless parks, beautiful river walks, beaches, and unique nature reserves.