The waterfront strip along the lakeshore is what gives Sylvan Lake its character: a collection of amusement rides, mini-golf courses, go-karts, ice cream shops, fish-and-chip takeaways, and arcade halls that has been here in various forms since the 1920s. It's cheerful, slightly kitschy, and entirely unembarrassed about being exactly what a lakeside resort should be.
Most of the attractions are seasonal (May to September) and aimed at families with children. The strip is best in the evenings of July and August when the rides are lit up and the whole thing has a holiday-fair energy. Even without children it's a good place to eat a piece of deep-fried fish and watch people enjoying themselves.