Things to Do in Akron

Once the warm weather hits, families begin to fill the grounds of Sluggers & Putters—a sprawling family fun park built into the natural landscape. Children and adults alike tear around two tracks in single or double-seat go-karts, follow a yellow-paved path through 18 holes of old-fashioned miniature golf, and race to scale a rock-climbing wall. While parents and children fill out insurance claims after playing double-seat bumper cars and water bumper boats, other visitors practice their swing in fast-pitch and softball batting cages. On a landscaped garden patio, staff helms an installment of the local Auntie Em's Ice Cream Co., where they serve frozen treats such as hand-dipped cones and old-fashioned sundaes.

At White Horse Equestrian, riders earn their spurs during lessons, classes, and outings run by the ranch’s corral of coaches. Students learn horsemanship and riding techniques according to their existing skillset, whether acquiring advanced communication skills or fundamentals, such as where in the saddle to store a pony's sunglasses on cloudy days. Casual visitors can board rented steeds for trail rides, attend themed summer camps, or use the idyllic grounds to host a birthday party featuring games, crafts, and instructional trots.

The Yoga Place’s founder, Michael Curtis, considers himself an eternal student, always learning more of what yoga has to offer. Somewhat paradoxically, this is what makes him such a good instructor, since it means he’s ready to go back to any point in his yogic journey to help a fellow student. He characterizes his pursuit of yoga in three foundational descriptions: skillfulness in action, equilibrium, and clarity of mind. He imparts these principles six days a week in classes for all levels of practitioners.

Michael’s pursuit of fitness doesn’t end with yoga, however. He also has teachers on staff who conduct belly-dancing and tai chi classes, both of which are excellent ways to enhance the mind-body connection without growing an extra spinal cord.

Amid the uncertainty and complex nature of the aviation industry in the early 2000s, Denise and Mike decided to buck opposition and follow their dreams. The husband-and-wife team kept their dream relatively simple: move to northeast Ohio, secure season tickets for the Indians and Browns, and open up the world of flight to others. They soon took Mike's 35 years experience as an entrepreneur and Denise's time as a commercial pilot and turned it into American Winds Flight Academy. Today, their flight academy preps prospective pilots with FAA-approved ground courses and hands-on instruction in their fleet of Piper and Cessna airplanes and accommodating pterodactyls. The duo's 15-plus flight-training courses and fast-track program include everything from advanced flight-simulator instruction to commercial-pilot certification.

The medieval carvings, European antiques, and Italian alabaster sculptures at the Akron Civic Theatre absorb the ascending harmonies of symphony concerts and heavy rock ‘n’ roll alike. Built in 1929 to resemble a Moorish castle, the venue has maintained much of its historic charm, including the exceedingly rare atmospheric ceiling, in which stars twinkle and clouds float by as mesmerizingly as the last few corn flakes atop a bowl of milk.