Things To Do In Del City

On the second weekend in November, Vintage Market Days will once again fill the Farmers Public Market with clothing, furnishings, and knick-knacks from days past. Stacy Gray, or Calamity Jane as she's known in the "junk" business, brings this national event to Oklahoma City, helping local antique shoppers and treasure dealers meet and barter within the confines of a historic trading space.

And what a historic space it is; listed on the national register of historic places, the Farmers Public Market opened its doors in 1928, a time when farmers had no place but the roads to sell their wares and shoppers could only wait for mail-order groceries to be invented 50 years later. In its heyday, the market housed not only a variety of stores and markets, but also a concert space where country troubadours including Hank Williams Sr. and Bob Wills plucked at the heartstrings of rapt audiences.

The breadth activities at OKC Riversport is nearly as diverse as the natural terrain and wildlife that surround their locations. Adventure-seekers can test their mettle on the Air Express zipline and SandRidge Sky Trail, or explore the 13 miles of trails on a bike.

Like a cat equipped with scuba gear, OKC Riversport's visitors aren't relegated entirely to the land. Across Lake Overholser and the Oklahoma River, fleets of kayaks and standup paddleboards cut across the water. The sounds of drums fill the air as instructors teach students how to man the dragon boats—inspired by festive Chinese fishing vessels—or battle maritime knights. Pupils can discover a water sport for the first time or hone existing watercraft skills.

The Range

• 42 indoor firearm shooting lanes
• 6 Olympic-grade air-gun lanes at 10 meters
• 12 pistol lanes at 25 yards
• 18 rifle lanes at 30 yards

The Rentals

• Rental firearms from manufacturers such as Glock and Smith & Wesson

At a Glance

Miles and Jayne Hall opened H&H Shooting Sports to blend community, education, and retail with a commitment to safely developing the sport of shooting, helping them earn a five-star rating from the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Instructors lead private and group classes for students of all levels, teaching basic firearm safety or advanced pistol techniques. The 19-lane archery range mimics real-life conditions with its interactive digital hunting simulator, and the facility also hosts an on-staff gunsmith for repairs and a retail shop that stocks new firearms and accessories every week.

Water erupts in twin geysers from the tail end of riders' wakeboards as they're pulled around a lake holding a fast-moving cable. In the open water, these riders would be pulled by boats. But here, a complex series of cables runs from the hands of riders to a motor on a steel apparatus above, which drags them on high-speed rides around the lake’s circumference. Onlookers at adjacent picnic benches applaud the spectacular tricks or particularly powerful wipeouts they see, after which the dunked party swims back to shore to hop back in line for the next available cable.

Many days, visitors can find the park’s team of professional cable boarders pushing the envelope and developing new air-defying stunts off semi-submerged ramps and grind rails. The staff sets aside Mondays and Tuesdays exclusively for beginners, reserving all seven cable tows for newbies to practice gliding on the water's surface.

Known as one of the largest tennis facilities in the state, Oklahoma City Tennis Center helps amateur racket-wielders ascend to excellence with 24 outdoor courts, a modern pro shop, and upgraded sports lighting. Young beginners camps focus on imparting the fundamentals of the game for children age 5–9, and are held 9 a.m.–10:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. More mature players looking to pick up a racket or those with prior forehand experience can take a swing at the older beginners or intermediates classes, which are designed for tennis lovers age 9–17, and are held 9 a.m.–11 a.m., Monday through Friday. Concentrating on footwork, score keeping, and ref flattery, older beginners or intermediates classes employ strategy and drills that become more challenging as the player's ability improves. All students benefit from the focused instruction of small class sizes and can relax between lessons by the refreshing misting stations and covered seating area. All camps also include a free T-shirt and hard-court-flavored victory taffy.

John Conrad Golf course, constructed in 1971 by Floyd Farley, bestows golfers with ample opportunity to challenge friends and skills. The 6,854-total-yard course thwarts players' efforts for low scores with a slew of obstacles, including tree-lined roughs, sand bunkers, babbling creeks, and ball washers filled with maple syrup. Precise shots are welcomed by bermuda grass fairways leading to smooth bentgrass greens, which golfers deftly traverse in the provided golf cart. Before taking to the turf, visitors can warm up rusty drivers and test theoretical dimple-to-distance math ratios with a bucket of range balls at the John Conrad Golf Course driving range.