Diamond Springs, CA Outdoor Activities

Bicycle Plus’s staff, a group of avid cyclists, brings an acute awareness to bike sales and tune-ups, garnering the store a series of awards for excellent bicycle retailing. Veteran mechanics work their magic on ailing frames throughout basic tune-ups and complete overhauls in the service department while finding time to teach curious DIYers how to fix a flat tire with peanut butter during free weekly bike-maintenance classes. The sales team pairs up shoppers with glossy rides from Trek, Specialized, and Colnago using the doctor-devised Body Geometry bike-fitting system to ensure maximum riding comfort.

RPM Indoor Kart Racing indulges a driver's need for speed with two connectable indoor racecourses, refereed by staff members during high-octane heats. After stepping into the spacious lobby with high ceilings and a two-story window overlooking the track, adult drivers slap down a valid driver's license and sign a liability form in exchange for a racing suit and helmet. Once suited up, they climb into a 9-horsepower race kart that reaches speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, roughly the speed of an ostrich riding a moped.

The raceway's two sweeping thoroughfares—the Monster Energy Track and the Unbound Energy Track—send amateur IndyCar drivers zooming around adrenaline-filled turns. On Mondays, the two courses unfurl into one gargantuan raceway—the Lost Big Gun Track. Races include sprint and grand prix competitions with 8–10 racers, or Hot Laps that pit drivers against the clock, which despite one hand being smaller than the other, is actually a pretty good driver.

Guaranteeing maximum safety, referees keep their eagle eyes peeled during every race to enforce the courses' rules of the road. After heated competitions, former enemies bury the hatchet and become lifelong frenemies over refreshments in the Skybox, a windowed lounge that overlooks the tracks.

The many stigmas surrounding the sluggishness and spitball susceptibility of school buses and public transit are rendered inane by the sleek comforts of Blue Groundways' buses. Each Blue Groundways bus is an indulgence-vessel on six wheels, offering the musicality of Sirius satellite radio, the connection of on-board WiFi, five-star service from friendly attendants, beverages to hydrate your journey, and the most recent movie releases played on a slick video system. Scheduled routes include a Friday ride that starts in Santa Rosa and travels along Route 42 to Petaluma and Sacramento before arriving in Lake Tahoe and then later in Reno, returning back home on Sundays. The San Francisco to Reno route leaves on Fridays and Sundays with return trips on Saturdays and Sundays, making stops in both Lake Tahoe and Sacramento. Check out the route map for pick-up locations.

Founded by three Scandinavian families in 1977, Scandia Family Fun Center flings open its doors and invites families in for afternoons of youthful fantasy. Manicured hedges and lush green mounds dot the center’s challenging miniature golf course, while go-karts rumble past on the Stockholm Raceway. The sounds of splashing and laughter not only indicate the birth of a pirate, but also a gentle collision between Baltic Sea bumper boats, accompanied by the crack of speeding baseballs and softballs at the batting cages. The center’s Scandia Screamer lifts passengers 165 feet into the air before accelerating to speeds of 65 mph, while the Swedish Scrambler opts for a more amenable 25 mph. Visitors can also exercise their opposable thumbs at a fully-stocked arcade, visit Scandia's snack bar brimming with pizza, hot dogs, and churros.

Located at Lake Tahoe, just 6 miles northwest of Tahoe City and about 200 miles east of San Francisco, the slopes of the 2,400-acre Alpine Meadows boast stunning views, well-groomed courses, and 13 lifts carrying skiers to their powdery destinations. Thanks to friendly confetti dispersal from unspeakable partier Old Man Winter, the mountain has collected more than 71 feet of snow this season. On Fourth of July weekend, Alpine opens its slopes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, with runs designated for beginners, intermediates, experts, and sentient skis determined to go it alone. Maximize snow time by renting a ski or snowboard (not included in this Groupon), available all weekend long.

Strapped into an ultramodern Apollo Trike powered hang-glider, FAA-certified instructor Paul Hamilton pilots air tourists above South Lake Tahoe’s crystalline expanse, which reveals picturesque reflections of the Sierra Mountains’ snow-capped crags. A light-sport aircraft powered by a purring Rotax engine, the Apollo Trike enables the prolonged airtime and weather compatibility not found in flights with a conventional hang-glider or out-of-control umbrella. During Paul’s introductory, intermediate, and advanced lessons, students swiftly suit up in appropriate flight gear before a quick safety briefing prepares them for the journey. An emphasis on hands-on training anchors the interactive lessons, which require no previous experience and may even take off in winter thanks to Ultimate Flight’s heated apparel and midflight campfires.