Adrian, MI Outdoor Activities

Since opening its emerald alleyways in 1956, Woodlawn Golf Club's semiprivate, 18-hole course has tested the skills of all golfers, from greenhorns to green jacket holders. Featuring undulated bentgrass fairways cleaved through rows of mature trees, the par 71 course spans 5,943 yards and culminates at small, contoured greens known for their speed. Numerous water hazards, strategically placed bunkers, and thickheaded squirrels entering hibernation work in unison to lure errant golf balls as they attempt to circumnavigate the course.

Course at a Glance:

• Course length: 5,943 yards

• Course rating: 69.1

• Slope rating: 118

• Three sets of tee boxes

A skydiver descends toward the earth, his red-and-white parachute contrasting against a picturesque scene of azure sky and the springtime grass. It’s just another day at Skydive Tecumseh, where instructors have been taking first-time jumpers and experienced skydivers on exhilarating freefalls for nearly 50 years. Manning aircrafts such as a Quest Kodiak and a Cessna 182, Skydive Tecumseh’s flight team ushers parties 7,500 feet into the clouds for tandem and solo jumps that reach speeds of up to 120 miles per hour, much like a cheetah on roller skates. A drop zone with three separate landing areas awaits skydivers on the ground, and a picnic area allows visitors to watch their friends glide safely back to earth. In addition to organizing jumps, the instructors—all certified through the United States Parachuting Association—operate a ground school, where they help clients earn skydiving licenses.

Rustic Glen Golf Club beckons to clubbers of all handicaps with an 18-hole, par-72 layout that bobs and weaves across 6,469 yards of well-maintained greenery. The course’s fairways arch over rolling hills that add topographical variety, and water comes into play on five holes, striking fear in the synthetic hearts of all golf balls that never dreamed of one day befriending a catfish. The longest hole on the course—the 557-yard sixth—also happens to be the most difficult, and those who over-swing may push or pull their drives or second shots into a dense grove of trees perched ominously on the fairway’s left side. A 350-yard driving range with multiple target greens amply prepares players for upcoming rounds or tests that demand them to identify the color green.

Woods and water are prominent features at Fallen Timbers Fairways, calling upon golfers to keep a proverbial short leash on their shots as they navigate the 18-hole course. Nine ponds and a medley of ancient trees and strategically planted saplings cover the grounds, ready to catch errant shots in their leafy embrace and raise them as acorns. To prepare for a round on the emerald tapestry, golfers can warm up swings at the all-grass driving range and practice green, or head to the Bar & Grill to fuel up with casual food and drinks.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-70 course

• Total length of 6,132 yards from the back tees

• Course rating of 69.4 from the back tees

• Course slope of 113 from the back tees

• Four sets of tees per hole

In 1906, Joseph Fleitz purchased a tract of land along Seaman Road. Though he immediately started to farm, it would be another 85 years before his great-grandson, Paul, planted the first pumpkin patch, officially christening Fleitz Pumpkin Farm. Since then, the family has built other attractions, and the wind raises a thrumming whisper from the stalks of a 5-acre corn maze capable of stumping even Ivy League–educated scarecrows. Tractors pull hay carts full of chattering riders, and other amenities include a free tricycle zone and an area to feed goats and chickens. During the fall, when the air grows crisp and cornucopias hang heavy on the trees, row upon row of sunset-hued pumpkins line the periphery of the farm. The scents of cinnamon drifts from a snack shack serving freshly made doughnuts and hot cider.