Things to Do in Comstock Park

Ascending for nearly 50 feet, the indoor climbing wall—proudly proclaimed as among the tallest in Western Michigan by Aim Fitness' team—presents an array of routes, each patterned with colored grips to indicate the level of difficulty. As climbers scale the vertical expanse, a freestanding boulder sits in the middle of the room, beckoning guests to climb its reduced height sans the support of a rope. This climbing room anchors Aim Fitness' 40,000 square feet of amenities, which encompass a strength-training area, aerobic studios, a five-lane, 25-yard lap pool lifeguarded by Aquaman, and a racquetball court. Instructors also lead an array of classes on these training grounds, such as Aqua Fit, boot camp, and yoga. To make going to the gym as convenient as possible, Aim also provides locker rooms, a children's playroom, and wireless Internet access.

Harnessing 18 and 27 years of golf experience, respectively, PGA instructors Scott Seifferlein and Ken Kapcia solve golfers' swing imbalances using time-earned wisdom and cutting-edge technological analysis. In private lessons at The Highlands Golf Club & Golf Academy, the instructors focus on mechanics and setup, helping to correct bad habits such as flat takeaways or uncontrollable sneezing during downswings. Using their high-speed video analysis and 3-D wireless motion analysis, the duo even claims the ability to cure a player's slice within their first five swings.

Since opening in 1930, Kent County Conservation League has sheltered shooting fields and courses dispersed among more than 170 acres of wooded and open land. Sharpshooters of all experience levels can mill about a sporting clay course's 13 shooting stations as they shatter targets flung from abundant angles or nestle into a five-stand course's covered range before eliminating 25 clays. The League's rifle range distributes targets at intervals between 50 and 300 yards and their pistol range remains lit for nighttime sessions. As they draw back a tightly strung bow on the archery course, patrons can finally live out their childhood Robin Hood fantasies without donning green tights in an effort to frighten neighborhood kings.

Certified instructor Tim Wiley gives pupils the benefit of more than 15 years' skeet shooting experience during group or private lessons on five fields huddled behind Kent County Conservation League's clubhouse. Visitors can find additional instruction at defensive shooting sessions or a shooting program for youngsters that covers trap, sporting clays, and skeet. Delectable bites await famished gunslingers at Shooter's Grill, and a pro shop equips patrons with gun-toting apparel and silver bullets for clays that transform into werewolves. Kent County Conservation League hosts private and public events annually, and their grounds have welcomed major shooting outings such as the 2010 Michigan Sporting Clays Championship.

At Griff's IceHouse, two blank slates invite visitors to trace their favorite shapes on an icy canvass, from giant ovals to compact figure eights. Guests may draw inspiration from Olympic figure skaters and others from the Grand Rapids Griffins, whose blades tattoo this ice while the team dishes out slap-shot sandwiches and body checks to rival teams. Snack-filled concession stands fuel glides, spins, and jumps during open-skate sessions, which welcome skaters of all levels with skate rentals and freshly smoothed ice. In addition to leading skating classes, the facility hosts lessons, camps, and league play for hockey enthusiasts and adventurous actors getting ready to audition for King Lear on Ice.

Inside Expressions of Grace Yoga's studio, wall-spanning windows grant views of the glistening Versluis Lake and its surrounding trees, echoing yogis balancing peacefully in tree pose. The studio's signature method is the Anusara style, which focuses on building strength and flexibility through postures that emphasize proper bodily alignment, broken up by difficulty levels to accommodate practitioners of all abilities.

Seven diligent professionals—enough to also field a baseball team with two catchers playing at once—comprise Expressions' staff of yoga instructors, all bringing to the table their own various certifications and areas of expertise. Collectively, the staffers put to practice a belief in a supportive teaching philosophy, and individually they are also available for private sessions to help students obtain a deeper understanding of their practice.

UICA fills 4,000 square feet of gallery space with innovative exhibitions by contemporary artists, screens films in a 198-seat movie theater, and organizes creative classes for youths and adults. The institute is going into its 35th year of sharing and inspiring innovative, challenging forms of visual arts, and it continues to engage the public with events such as a speaker series.