Things to Do in DeBary

Renowned golf-course architect Bobby Weed aims to fill his courses with the kind of rich details typically produced only by Mother Nature herself. His 2008 overhaul of The Deltona Club completely transformed the course: today, blowout-style native-sand bunkers bear roughly scalloped edges that call to mind a raw desert landscape, and the elevation rises in craggy steps as the course progresses, giving players a sense of conquering the land itself. The course's resulting beauty, sense of challenge, and secret bonus level snagged the club a spot on Golfweek's list of best Florida courses in 2012.

Most people don't get business calls from Walt Disney World. But, two decades ago, Glass Addicts owner Denise Hurley received just that—along with a request to design and build Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa's carousel horse. In the years since, orders have continued to pour in from Kohl's, The Mirage hotel, and other businesses and collectors seeking Hurley's Tiffany-style stained-glass and art-glass designs. Hurley also builds masterpieces on a smaller scale, restoring and repairing customers’ already existing pieces and building custom panes for homes and offices. Intent on sharing her talent with others, Hurley teaches classes on formats ranging from mosaic picture frames to stepping stones to dentists' mirrors overlaid with your favorite Metallica album covers. No previous experience is necessary, as classes accommodate beginners and master artists alike. Sessions take place in spacious, well-lit rooms filled with materials, and students and customers can study from books inspired by Hurley's designs or observe the installment skills of her professional staff.

Eight potters' wheels whirl next to shelves stacked with bisque pieces, worktables spotted with glaze, and walls hung with abstract art. The eclecticism of the space is one of owner and artist Tracy Wilmes's favorite things about his pottery studio, Cup O' Pottery—that, and the opportunity to inspire his students by leaping on a chair in his typical ebullient, and sometimes downright zany, teaching style. As a former high school art teacher, he loves educating students of any age, leading both family-oriented studio classes and open pottery paint and design sessions. The studio also includes a small retail area, where Tracy sells his own pottery and hands out mock detentions to disobedient clay.:

My Gym, which currently has more than 200 international locations, began more than 20 years ago as a structured place for children to play safely, acquire new skills, and romp off a sugar buzz. All classes are organized according to age level—starting as young as 6 months—and are designed to incorporate the latest physiological and psychological research. Tiny Tykes gets babies moving with help from their parents, Mighty Mites teaches toddlers self-reliance and beginning sports skills, and Champions, a class for kids aged 6 to 9, emphasizes the importance of using teamwork to master more complex sports skills and achieve group goals such as building a human pyramid to reach the cookie jar. My Gym's energetic instructors are experts at using music, dance, and gymnastics to build youngsters' strength and self-esteem while stimulating their giggle-plexes. The noncompetitive environment fosters creativity, and hands-on activities boost children's learning retention and fun quotient.

At first glance, Battleground Orlando’s grassy Field F may look suspiciously unoccupied, dotted with only trees, a few wooden forts, and some stacks of tires. But the regulars know better. They sit still as statues, gripping their laser guns and surveying the landscape for peeking heads and dashing bodies. This mix of strategy and stealth resembles a video game, and that’s by design. The course, inspired by the video game Call of Duty, is one of six courses at Battleground Orlando Laser Tag, each with their own challenges, ambiance, and 99-life-granting cheat codes.

Keeping with this realistic aesthetic, the laser-tag facility hands out advanced lasers outfitted with infrared beams and RF signals with a 1,000-foot range. Players can partake in team battles as well as scenario games such as “capture the flag,” “last man standing,” and “whiten my teeth before my big job interview.” The facility, which also houses Orlando Paintball, is open daily from noon to midnight and until 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.