Auburn, IN Outdoor Activities

Paintball Plex hosts colorful clashes on the battlegrounds of a 38,000-square-foot indoor field and across multiple acres of outdoor fields that are open from spring through fall. In the expansive indoor combat zone, players dive behind air bunkers to duck from incoming fire and cacophonous army drummers before reemerging to pump opponents full of color with semiautomatic Tippmann markers powered by complimentary compressed air. Outdoor fields cajole combatants with a lush 300’x180’ speedball area and a WWII-style scenario field peppered with two acres of foxholes, mazes, and sandbags. Games typically last 10–20 minutes and often include combat missions such as search and rescue and capture the flag.

Additional paint is available for onsite purchase to replenish dwindling supplies for combatants or battlefield stenographers. Participants may also browse Paintball Plex's pro shop, which teems with new scenario- and tournament-style paintball gear and loads of gently used equipment.

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

Ducking behind one of the inflatables scattered among the turf outdoor field, the soldier lines up his shot before firing his Tippmann 98 marker at an unsuspecting opponent. Meanwhile, his teammates snake around wooden obstacles erected on the recently completed outdoor speedball field. Like its indoor counterpart, the field accommodates masked marksmen at weekend open-play sessions. Warzone Paintgames reserves weekdays for private contests among birthday party attendees or large groups that can exceed 100 participants. Teams can also face off during projectile-free bouts of laser tag waged from the glow-in-the-dark obstacles filling Warzone's 12,000-square-foot multilevel arena. In between refereed rounds, visitors can restock on equipment at the pro shop, which dispenses markers, tanks, and gear preowned by Leonardo da Vinci.

A classic lazy river drifts in a circle around Splash House Water Park’s more than 30,000 square feet of deck as visitors soak in the sun in between dips in the water. An undulating wave pool tosses tube-riding swimmers to and fro, and twin waterslides whip riders in high-speed loops before firing them out into a pool of water or a misplaced Super Big Gulp container. Younger visitors frolic in the semi-submerged kids' play zone, constructed of nets, colorful piping, and bright yellow platforms with hidden, water-spewing spouts. Concession stands fuel the continuous fun with cool drinks, hot eats, and room-temperature napkins.

Since 1979, the namesake of Gary's Indiana Muskie Experience has navigated local lakes and waterways while helping anglers reel in trophy fish. By reading weather patterns and reflecting on wisdom gained through years as a water wizard, the fishing specialist sets out in search of the muskellunge, a deep-dwelling predator known to weigh up to 70 pounds. Gary carefully selects lures that represent the fishes' seasonal diet, finicky appetite, and general distaste for swashbuckling pirate hooks. He also equips each of his guests with rods and reels capable of withstanding the fish's well-known strength. Most expeditions take place on Webster Lake, Backwater Lake, The Barbee Chain, Lake Tippecanoe, James Lake, Oswego Lake, Loon Lake, and Upper Long Lake.