Battle Creek, MI Outdoor Activities

Marksmen with CO2-powered guns volley paintballs back and forth at T.C. Paintball’s four Michigan locations. Indoor and outdoor battlefields beckon players with a number of obstacles to duck under, dive between, or readjust for ultimate feng shui. Referees patrol the color-strewn grounds, where guests celebrate birthdays and special events with games of capture the flag and el presidente. The experienced staff at each of T.C. Paintball's well-stocked pro shops offer sharpshooting tips gleaned from years of chromatic combat, and can replenish paintball supplies that run low.

[[m:####EasyRotor Helicopter

Founded in 2005 by passionate aviator Eric Swanson, the high-flying adventures of EasyRotor Helicopter have enjoyed publicity from Rapid Growth Media as well as from fellow Michigander and recording artist Kid Rock, who hired the company to shoot aerial footage for a music video. EasyRotor's world-class R44 Raven chopper, manufactured by Robinson Helicopter Company, conveniently facilitates the company's tours and aerial services based out of Gerald R. Ford International Airport. As the helicopter slices through the air, views of Grand Rapids, its downtown, and passengers' own homes come into view. Noise-canceling headphones allow for both free-flowing conversation and unobstructed listening to the pilot's anecdotes on the sights below and the exploits of Leo da Vinci, the patron saint of helicopters.:m]]

At Action Park Paintball, paintballers of all skill levels square off in bouts of simulated warfare on 23 acres of outdoor fields. Tire towers, inflatable obstacles, and Mother Nature's secret hide-and-seek spots provide cover for players engaging in shootouts, all of which are moderated by on-field refs. Action Park's 8,000-square-foot indoor arena ensures play can continue even in inclement weather. The facility also hosts regular tournaments and has a winter league for paintball teams. Open-play hours take place on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

With three Michigan locations, Action Water Sports carries boats, water-sports equipment, and apparel to help customers fully enjoy the state's aquatic playgrounds. Their staff of authorized boat dealers educates customers on watercraft, and was recently ranked No. 25 on BoatingIndustry.com’s Top 100 Dealers list. In addition, their factory-trained technicians provide customers with regular boat maintenance, receiving annual training to learn more about boating innovations and techniques to keep boats afloat while changing their tires.

Action Water Sports’ pro shop outfits adventurers with Radar Skis and Ronix Wakeboards along with wetsuits, lifejackets, towable tubes and apparel and accessories by Oakley, Roxy, and O'Neill. While browsing shelves, shoppers may inquire about Action Water Sports’ lineup of summer events and clinics to improve their wakeboarding, surfing, and skiing skills.

According to an interview with mLive, Placid Wake Park's owner Scott Ferwerda can easily pinpoint the crown jewel of his wakeboarding park: a Sesitec System 2.0 cable that spans a 700-foot manmade lake.

"When you hit a rail and fall," Scott explains, the boat "has to come back and get you." Not so with cables. "With this, the operator sees you fall, stops the cable immediately, you swim 5 feet over to get a rope, and 10 seconds later, you are back up hitting the same things you just tried."

Riddled with optional obstacles, such as a pyramid playfully named the Ninja Turtle and a hydraulic rail on which to hide from creepy dragonflies, the cable lake is only one of Placid's two aquatic bodies. The boating lake branches out into three prongs, where wakeboarders, surfers, and waterskiers have the option to conquer currents the old-fashioned way—pulled by a boat and whistling the song from Steamboat Willie.

The park welcomes athletes of all ages and abilities, offering rental equipment and lessons with pro wakeboarders to individuals as well as families. On the shore, spectators can lounge on at picnic tables shaded by umbrellas or snag a front seat to the action atop an observation deck, and landlubbers can stay active by digging for seashells at the sand volleyball court.