Things to Do in Chesapeake Ranch Estates

Bowl at one of the upscaliest bowleries in the city and feel like Jay-Z or Mason Andrews. Today's Groupon gets you an hour of bowling plus shoe rental at Mustang Alley's Bar Bowling and Bistro for $15 (normally $31.50). Though you won't be able to use this Groupon on Friday or Saturday from 7 p.m. to close, you can still bowl when the alley has its weekday specials, such as half-price wine bottles on Tuesday and half-price burgers on Wednesday. Follow @Groupon_Says on Twitter.

At Chesapeake Beach Water Park, guests swiftly wind down eight curling waterslides, skimming through fast-paced twists and gravity-defying turns before shooting out into the pool's calm, cerulean waters. A league of EMT-trained, certified lifeguards watch over the waters, ensuring visitors stay safe as they romp through the beach-like lagoon and the kids' activity pool. Glistening streams flow over picturesque rock faces, splashing onto guests as they float lazily beneath on complimentary rented tubes or pet sea monsters brought from home.

Those who've tired themselves out with daylong Marco Polo matches can sunbathe on lounge chairs on the expansive decks, or walk to the Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa to rejuvenate. Further connecting with the community, the park supports local organizations such as Relay for Life, the Red Cross blood drive, and Great Dane Rescue.

At Rivertowne 12 Cinemas, children’s films, supernatural thrillers, comedies, and superhero blockbusters all share equal billing. Twelve auditoriums light their silver screens with 3D and digital projections, carrying audience members to other worlds so they don't blow their savings accounts while trying to make a space elevator.

Kim Yates's passion for the macabre spawned from a 1973 ride through the Haunted Mansion at Disney World, after which the child collected props and crafted monsters for her parents' front porch. Over the next several decades, Kim channeled her energy into drumming for a Baltimore metal band and building a sprawling Halloween attraction in her front yard and then watching it blossom into a full-scale haunted house in 1994. Despite various relocations, her indoor haunt has been growing ever since.

Featured in the Baltimore Sun, Kim’s Krypt sets Charm City teeth chattering with 25- to 30-minute adventures teeming with unexpected spooks and surprises in a show that adds new scenes annually. A terror-ridden tradition for more than 19 years, the indoor haunt invites brave patrons to test their nerve against killer clowns soliciting screams, zombies seeking fresh flesh, and blood-spattered apparitions recklessly searching for change for a $20 bill. Staffers fortify patrons for their harrowing journey with a range of concession fare as they converse at the covered waiting area after receiving their first shock of the night in the form of free parking. A force of uniformed and plainclothes police officers patrol the building to ensure visitors scare in safety.

In 1949, William E. Miller—known as W.E. to his friends—opened Rosecroft Raceway, transforming a 120-acre farm into a showcase for the exciting standardbred racing that had begun to take the nation by storm. After briefly closing in 2008, the track soon reopened, hoping to reclaim W.E.’s legacy with fast-paced action seven nights a week. Every day, simulcasts convey harness- and quarter-horse races from across the country as visitors place bets on which steeds will attempt to chew their jockeys’ hats. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, hooves pound the dirt during live contests as chefs prepare everything from mozzarella sticks to succulent spare ribs in the Terrace Dining Room.

When Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre's doors open for each evening's performance, guests are greeted and escorted to their tables where they can order cocktails. Then, with thirsts parched and pocket watches swinging, they move onward to a hot buffet of made-from-scratch Pennsylvania Dutch dishes, including breads, roast beef, chicken, fish, and housemade desserts. But sweets aren't the only treat here. After dessert, the curtain opens to family-friendly Broadway-style shows that incite laughter, explore American history, or challenge theatergoers to discern which actors are real ghosts. And to tie the dinner and show together even tighter, the performers are the same people pouring the coffee. DC Metro Theater Arts notes that "the warm ambiance found at The Lazy Susan is indeed half of the fun of going."