Things to Do in Ballwin

After a decade getting her hands dirty with clay, artist Donna Schreiter swung open the doors of The Painted Pot in 2001, determined to bring the art of ceramic creation to all ages and skill levels. Inside the open studio, adults, kids, and families dabble raw bisques with glaze-soaked sponges, assemble mosaic works, and shape wet clay on spinning wheels. Kids' classes guide little hands to shape and paint their own pieces, and grown-ups-only evenings throw in margaritas for sipping and instructions for weaving baskets out of old utilities bills.

At The Falls Golf Club, lush bermuda grass blankets challenging fairways populated by more than 200 mature trees, saved or relocated onto the course, as well as miniature lakes and fairway-splitting creeks. The doglegs and sand traps were designed by Ed Schultz, Terry Houser, and Bob Saur. Poorly aimed balls splash into placid water or tumble over the course’s half-dozen waterfalls, and the slopes of two-tiered greens can send them rolling away from pins. The course’s PGA professionals await players hoping to perfect form or get scores lower than an SAT completed in invisible ink.

Adjacent to the championship course, the 20-acre recreation center invites golfers to warm up at a driving range with a buffet of practice options such as bermuda-grass tees, artificial mats, and a 6,000-square-foot putting green. Nearby, an 18-hole miniature golf course beckons putting enthusiasts, and the pitching machines in seven batting cages launch baseballs and softballs with precision in the hopes of one day pitching for the Yankees.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 71 course
• Length of 6,510 yards
• Course rating of 71.0
• Slope rating of 126
• See the course layout and the scorecard

Glowing monkeys scamper toward a neon waterfall, and a knight bearing a radiant yellow lance rides past a bright orange octopus emerging from the ocean. What appears to be a time-traveling session gone awry is really the evolving environment within Putting Edge’s indoor black-lit mini-golf course, which whisks players to deep seas, Aztec jungles, and medieval times. Since opening its original location in Canada, Putting Edge has now expanded to 18 North American locations, all of which invite guests onto its challenging 18-hole courses to seek victory over opponents and the forces that keep their teeth from not glowing as brightly as they could. Elsewhere, the facility houses private party rooms, concessions, and an arcade filled with gamer favorites such as air hockey.

St. Louis County Parks and Recreation awakens the active side in community members with a bevy of sites and facilities dedicated to sports, outdoor exploration, and kid-friendly fun. Families splash away the summer heat with trips to the pool at the Kennedy Recreation Complex or the St. Vincent Community Center water park, where adults can swim laps in two 25-yard lanes while tykes descend an open water slide and practice their manners at underwater tea parties. The six recreation complexes serve as hubs for everything from fitness classes to ice-skating, and offer a diverse blend of indoor and outdoor activities. For more relaxing amusement, the stewards of the parks and recreation department maintain multiple museums and historic sites as well as outdoor trails, where voyagers can get in touch with nature and add to their collection of acorns that resemble former presidents.

Shane Perrin’s love for the standup paddleboard led him to set a world record as the first person to use the simple vehicle to travel the Missouri River’s 340 miles between Kansas City and Columbia. His trek even made him the subject of the documentary Stand Up Guy, which chronicles his odyssey against more than 100 kayakers and canoeists in the sixth annual Missouri River 340.

When he’s not looking for another stretch of water to conquer or out paddling for the Pau Hana Surf Supply team, Shane shares his passion through lessons and guided tours for all levels of outdoorsmen. Venturing out onto waters such as the Meramec River, Shane pays meticulous attention to every detail to help guests have a positive, memorable experience. He starts by matching each client with a standup-paddleboard outfit that suits their stature, which facilitates proper maneuvering. He then provides ongoing training as he guides guests past wildlife such as deer, hawks, and the beavers who built the river’s hydroelectric dams.:m]]

Demolition Ball - Adrenaline Zone's inventive twist on team sports challenges players, daring groups of kids and corporate staff alike. In demolition ball, teams face off in a game that blends bumper-car crashing and lacrosse-like ball handling. As they veer into oncoming opponents and shoot goals to the beat of pulsing music and sound effects, live referees provide commentary on action-packed plays and each player's hairstyle. For a dose of on-foot competition, up to three teams can battle in the power-plant-themed laser-tag arena, where players target opponents with laser beams while darting between slate-gray barriers, hoping their foes will be disoriented by the flashing strobe lights. Players test their sneaking skills in The Heist—a museum-themed maze—dodging trip lasers as they attempt to steal a replica of the Mona Lisa without waking a sleeping Leonardo da Vinci.