Things to Do in Chaparral

A member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball's sunny South Division, the El Paso Diablos dazzle crowds that can exceed 10,000 at the friendly confines of Cohen Stadium. Though not affiliated with any Major League teams, the American Association has helped launch the careers of numerous major and minor leaguers, giving fans the fun of guessing who might be the league’s next MLB prospect, which team he might play for, and which flavor of Gatorade he sweats.

Guided by illuminated handholds equipped with sensors that respond to climber movement, youngsters scale FuntastiCo. Pizza & Games's DigiWall, which combines rock-climbing panels with computer-game technology for interactive versions of Pong and Follow the Leader. A nearby rock-climbing wall accommodates three participants with a more traditional ascent, and whippersnappers clad in a Velcro suit can leap off a trampoline-like inflatable and stick onto a Velcro wall. Elsewhere, wiggle cars, powered by drivers twisting their steering wheels from side to side, reunite guests with the ground's tight turns, and the Tot Tree enthralls tykes aged 2 and younger with blooming flowers and squeaking ladybugs. Along with games, a full-service restaurant reenergizes guests with an extensive menu of treats, and the Performance Playhouse plays home to kids who can rest, socialize, or discuss the latest stock-market trends.

Balls hurtle down 40 polished pathways at Fiesta Lanes as bowlers lace up rented shoes and set their sights on demolishing 10-pin clusters. Flashing lights illuminate players’ faces as they plot out angles on the lanes, and pop music blares through the loudspeakers to heighten the drama of each frame. Seasoned staffers fit patrons for custom balls and tri-tone kicks in the pro shop, and partygoers shot put balls toward pin-shaped piñatas in one of three large meeting rooms. Chirps and beeps fill the air in a video arcade that boasts 65 games, and bowling rivalries reignite on foosball, billiard, and shuffleboard tables. Players can warm up their fingers before games by lifting burgers or hot pizza slices at Frankie’s Sports Grill, located next door.

Author and radio host Ken Hudnall leads groups on an informative trek through El Paso's famed, and oftentimes spooky, past during the Downtown History and Mystery Tour. Each traipse through time begins at the Camino Real Hotel, where ominous tales of a distressed bride and the lingering presence of Pancho Villa cast a spectral tone upon the outing's onset. Winding through city streets, Ken and crew stop at the Cortez Building, the Plaza Hotel, and the very first Hilton Hotel, which has hosted several celebrity weddings. As night falls and shadows begin to dance and pants unsuspecting patrons, a stop at the Mills Building—constructed on the site of a hotel that burned to the ground—rounds out the tour's itinerary.

Raekwon, whose quest for hip-hop immortality led him on sonic adventures with the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, headlines the 2012 edition of the St. Patrick’s Day Block Party at Robinson Street. His rhymes mingle with sounds from the party’s other musical guests, which include Pitchfork darling Cults, Supernatural, and JD Era. As their ears take in the amplified sounds emanating from three outdoor performance spaces, guests can fill mouths with snacks from food trucks such as Tacoholics instead of showing St. Patrick’s pride by eating a bag full of grass clippings.

The sight of foam balls raining from the sky would be unusual at any place but Jungle Jaks’ Foam Factory, where they’re part of a brightly decorated playground that kids aged 3 to 12 can roam to their hearts’ content. Young ones of all dispositions can find something entertaining among Jungle Jaks’ range of athletic and artistic attractions, such as a mini soccer field for pickup games and a well-stocked arts and craft studio where masterpieces can be created. Excess energy burns away in the disco area as danceable pop hits play, while the Wii room, equipped with numerous Nintendo games and a flat-screen television, keeps arms and legs engaged as players search for Princess Peach’s lost contact lens. Elsewhere, a toddler play area engages tots with age-appropriate slides and toys, and a snack bar reenergizes guests before they collide with fellow riders on indoor bumper boat and bumper car rinks.