Things to Do in Carson City

Currently ranked as the 14th best hang glider in the United States, 23 year-old Alex Cuddy flies, competes, and teaches around the globe. But each summer, Cuddy returns to the familiar air of the Sierra Nevada, where he heads up Thermal Sky Sports, sharing his passion for engine-free aviation with illuminating lessons and tandem hang-gliding sessions. Before unleashing worthy pupils on their first solo flight with radio assistance, he'll teach them how to soar with the grace and majesty of an eagle-shaped helium balloon during low-flying ground towing sessions, tandem flights, and training-hill lessons. In his free time, Cuddy travels to various competitions and strives to break personal records, recently completing a 198-mile hang-gliding journey in 5 hours and 47 minutes.

Strapped into an ultramodern Apollo Trike powered hang-glider, FAA-certified instructor Paul Hamilton pilots air tourists above South Lake Tahoe’s crystalline expanse, which reveals picturesque reflections of the Sierra Mountains’ snow-capped crags. A light-sport aircraft powered by a purring Rotax engine, the Apollo Trike enables the prolonged airtime and weather compatibility not found in flights with a conventional hang-glider or out-of-control umbrella. During Paul’s introductory, intermediate, and advanced lessons, students swiftly suit up in appropriate flight gear before a quick safety briefing prepares them for the journey. An emphasis on hands-on training anchors the interactive lessons, which require no previous experience and may even take off in winter thanks to Ultimate Flight’s heated apparel and midflight campfires.

Inside Bouncerz Indoor Party Center, kids can plunge down cushy slides, vault off of springy bounce-house floors, or reign over pumped-up castle turrets that are spread over a 6,000-square-foot, climate-controlled facility. Bouncerz also keeps tykes occupied with an arcade and dodgeball games, and parents can kick back with free WiFi. Each day, staffers clean and inspect the facility to ensure safe, sanitary conditions and to rescue abandoned action figures. It's also possible to set up parties at Bouncerz, or you can turn your own front yard into a mini carnival by renting inflatables from the facility.

Together, Pirate Rafting Company's guides have logged more than 15,000 miles on dozens of rivers. Their steadfast paddles continue to lead the charge as groups, seated in sky-blue rafts, crash into whitewater, spraying guests with mist like a surprise party for Shamu. Three separate stretches of river set the stage for these adventures. The North Fork American River includes Class IV+ rapids that blast the snowmelt against the dusk-colored rocks. The South Fork American River and Middle Fork American River include intense stretches, but are generally better suited to beginners.

Off the water, the guides demonstrate their expertise by setting up camp along the tree-lined banks and pitching tents beneath the stars.