Things to Do in Derby

A nine-hole course ideal for a leisurely midday game or early morning jaunt, Clearwater Golf Course unfolds across level terrain unencumbered by an overabundance of sand bunkers and water hazards. Hurtling orbs sail into the sky at an onsite driving range, where players can hone swings in anticipation of holes four, five, and nine, numbers which not only signify Clearwater’s toughest obstacles, but also the toughest questions on the drivers-ed exam for a golf cart.

The animal-loving owners of Tanganyika Wildlife Park know that in order to save endangered animals, humans must feel a strong connection to them. It is the park’s mission to foster this connection by putting visitors in close contact with its rare animals. Visitors can gaze at cheetahs and red pandas and feed reticulated giraffes and African spur-thighed tortoises, which are best known for their role in slow-motion Westerns. The park also safeguards endangered animals from extinction by breeding species such as clouded leopards and amur leopards.

Rumbling balls and clattering pins create a cacophonous symphony at Seneca Bowl, where electronic scoring screens glint off 36 glossy, well-maintained lanes. Staffer and PBA bowler Lonnie Waliczek roams this family-friendly facility, doling out bowling tips during private lessons and schooling youngsters on the arcade's pinball machine. After the final strut and strike, bowlers can clink celebratory glasses of soda at the snack bar or meander into the pro shop to purchase night-vision goggles for the alley's next cosmic-bowling event.

At Wichita Ice Center, ice skaters glide and pirouette on Olympic- and NHL-size rinks during classes, league sessions, and open-skating hours. Several full-length viewing windows span the length of each rink, enabling parents and loyal fans to peer in on class sessions without having vision blurred by clouds of foggy breath. The ice center’s instructors teach adults as well as children 2.5 years and older. Their curriculum follows a structure promoted by the United States Figure Skating Association and—like lessons on how to be a polar bear—includes equal parts of on-ice and classroom instruction.

A purely recreational facility, Frog Holler Paintball accommodates players age 10 and older across 25 acres of outdoor playing fields. The battle zone spans grounds of tall grasses and scrubby trees interspersed with sheltered hiding spots behind particleboard structures, tractor tires, and overgrown marshmallow bushes. Frog Holler Paintball supplies equipment, paint, and CO2 refills, and opens its fields to walk-on players during the weekend and groups of 15 or more on weekdays.