Durant, OK Outdoor Activities

Originally a 9-hole course upon its opening in 1978, community-owned The Bridges at Claresholm expanded into an 18-hole course in 2005 after designer Les Furber spent four years expertly crafting a back nine. Four tee boxes and attachable Gadget arms precede each hole, allowing patrons to adjust their distance to the green and driving angle to better avoid obstacles such as 12 water hazards. The Bridges at Claresholm also employs golf expert Lyle Broderson to offer private, semiprivate, or group lessons to golfers looking to make improvements, and hosts tournaments and male, female, and gopher leagues. Additionally, an on-site pro shop supplies participants with essential gear such as balls, clubs, and golf-suitable clothing, and Mac's Diner in the facility's clubhouse satiates visitors with weekly specials such as the Wednesday Chinese buffet and the Friday-night all-you-can-eat fish fry.

Drag Racing every Friday and Saturday. Fantastic food concessions. Fun for the whole family. Kids 12 and under get in free.

Supreme Golf makes maintaining an oft-pricey golf addiction a bit easier on the wallet by granting golfers discounts at golf courses and golf schools, as well as cutting the price of books, golf clubs, and nutritional supplements. Golfers can enjoy relaxing, discounted rounds at area courses in cities across the country including such area courses as Bear Creek Golf Club in Dallas, Gateway National Golf Links in St. Louis and St. Andrews Golf and Country Club in Atlanta, soaking in the sights and badgering local pros for analysis of the annual caddie draft.

Your bulging basic tandem package includes classroom instruction, gear rental, and a shiny first-jump Certificate of Extremeatude, Cum Laude. From the private, closed drop zone in Whitewright, the sky is clear for unbelievable views of impossible flatness. As you plunge from up to 13,500 feet in the air, safely tethered to an expert instructor, you'll experience during the one minute of freefall what Wilber Wright called a "perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost, bra." People who skydive say the feeling of pure freedom is unparalleled, the adrenaline rush is addictive, and facing one's fears is satisfying. For frequently asked questions, see here.

A coalition of ice arenas endorsed by the Dallas Stars, Dr Pepper StarCenters help nurture athletes of all ages and skill levels with activities on or off the ice. Dr Pepper StarCenters house NHL-regulation ice-hockey rinks that host hockey leagues for players of all ages, eradicating the need to play on dangerous frozen lakes dotted with irritable frozen geese. StarCenters' skate schools instill students with the fundamentals of ice hockey or figure skating, allowing them to progress to hockey leagues and local skating competitions if they choose. To warm up after laps around the Euless ice rink, skaters can check out the onsite baseball stadium, batting cages, soccer fields, and Texas Star Golf Course. All locations are open for birthday parties and special events; see each location's website for details.

Whether grounded or airborne, balloons dominate the festivities at Old Celina Park. On the ground, the vibrantly patterned balloons glow and undulate as propane burners pump them with hot air. These bright shapes slowly diminish to colorful specks in the sky as the balloons ascend, leaving the fairgrounds far behind.

With this canopy of colored dots overhead, the festival’s entertainment comes alive as musical acts such as the Emerald City Band and Sonny Burgess take the stage. Pristine cars and trucks made as early as the 1930s shine at the classic-car show, a four-story inflatable slide promotes adrenaline rushes, and a beer garden fuels festival-goers with heady pours and margaritas. In the evening, when the balloons that have served as a backdrop all day finally land, each pilot contributes to the balloon glow, punctuating the dusk with jets of flame from their burners to illuminate their vessels in time to music.