Things to Do in Daphne

Run by the adventurers at Wild Native, City Safaris' urban expeditions invite participants to discover the unlikely thrills hidden within some of Mobile's stateliest settings. Whether they're recreating the festive fun of Mardi Gras, exploring downtown's historical haunts, or snooping through the inside of the U.S.S. Alabama and the surrounding grounds at Battleship Park, participants compete with one another while flexing their problem-solving muscles. Since friendly competition often brings out a participant's true nature, Wild Native's adventurers also schedule singles hunts that pair up prospective dates for an evening of strategizing.

A selection of three family go-kart tracks ensures kids will have an exciting ride suited to their age, size, and ability. The Junior Racers track gets little ones between 4 and 7 behind the wheel of a perfectly sized one-pedal fun machine, and children who meet a 54-inch height requirement get a crack at the challenging curves and bridges of the Crazy 8 or Spinnin' & Grinnin' tracks.

Double-ride karts are available for kids who prefer to be chauffeured by an adult or a demanding imaginary friend. Seasoned weekend golfers get the chance to flaunt their skills for awe-filled offspring of all ages during a nine-hole game of mini golf. At the end of a long day, four buckets of water balloons await at Water Wars, a battleground set amid personal battle stations soon to be littered with the rainbow shrapnel of giggle-filled war. *Inside the game room, players take on arcade-style games for tickets that can be exchanged for prizes at the redemption center. Other visitors, meanwhile, enjoy snack-bar refreshments on a covered patio and celebrate birthdays and jury-duty summonses in the air-conditioned party room.

Just off the white-sand coastline of northwest Florida, Lanier Sailing Academy teaches students to captain their own aquatic adventures with classes in cruising, chartering, and navigation. Classes include programs for beginners to advanced students, starting with the Practical Sailing for Basic Keelboat Certification course, in which novice navigators learn to steer boats, trim sails, and avoid swashbuckling sea otters. While working toward certification in various programs, students explore the Intracoastal Waterway and its bounty of dolphins, rays, blue pelicans, and myriad fish. Lanier Sailing Academy’s experienced members earn membership into the Buccaneer Sailing Club and are able to rent and sail 22- to 25-foot boats at their leisure.

Dreamland Skate Center accommodates wheeled escapades in a recently updated facility that features airbrushed wall art and refinished flooring. After lacing up pairs of roller, speed, or inline skates, duos can orbit the baby-blue rink while listening to DJ jams or whistling a medley of cartoon theme songs. Cosmic laser lights permeate the premises on Friday and Saturday nights, when the center extends its hours until 11 p.m. In the laser-tag area, glowing beams propel competitors into hiding or spur them into action against faux foes. Nearby, an arcade attracts stationary visitors with air hockey, driving games, and a colorful prize wall.

At Skater's Choice, a separate roller rink in Parker, athletes test-drive skates atop colorful carpet in an area with lockers before zooming to the rink or forgoing rolling in lieu of arcade games.

Winding through dense, verdant forests, the peaceful waters of the Perdido River form an aquatic highway for Perdido Natural Adventures' fleet of canoes, kayaks, and tubes. The company's rental watercrafts facilitate journeys into the natural habits and underground gambling rings of bald eagles, wild turkeys, beaver, and deer. As vessels float along the bass-filled river, white sand beaches beckon adventurers to swim and play in the water. Perdido Natural Adventures' shuttle facilitates each expedition, carrying rentals or customers' own vessels from Fran's Country Grill to various launch points along the river. The staff can also arrange overnight camping trips with the centaurs that manage the forest.

Emerald Coast Tours' knowledgeable guides champion the bicycle as Pensacola's ideal mode of transport. They strive to serve as ambassadors to city visitors, customizing sightseeing biking tours to suit cyclists' interests and happily recommending travel destinations to patrons seeking daylong rentals. Their shop's single-speed Sun Revolutions cruisers prove ideal for coasting down city streets and laying siege to sand castles along the coastline.