Things to Do in Elmont

Discover the exact location where music meets visual art and toast their mutual admiration. Since this Groupon is good for two tickets, use this opportunity to repay a friend who introduced you to the healing power of string quartets or to experience date night in the middle of the day. Spend an afternoon at the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium at the Brooklyn Museum soaking up the auditory gravy. Call ahead to reserve your seats.

Climbers of all ages and skill levels scamper across roughly 22,000 square feet of climbable space inside Brooklyn Boulders's rock-climbing gym. A dedicated route-setting staff organizes color-coded problems on craggy, angled top-rope walls as well as bouldering walls that reach up to 15 feet, on which climbers scramble as nimbly as mountain goats or fall from safely onto 12-inch pads. To help visitors master these walls, seasoned instructors train them in three basic types of climbing: bouldering, top-rope climbing, or lead climbing—and also test them for a mandatory lead-climbing certification. They teach these skills through classes such as the peak-performance program, which combines seven courses in lead climbing, bouldering, and cross-training to accelerate students' learning. To ease stressed muscles and promote calm reflection, staffers also lead all-ages yoga lessons and monthly yoga workshops.

Brooklyn Boulders also injects creativity into its special events, which encourage visitors to climb in costume around Halloween and take part in competitions during which they pretend the floor has turned to lava. Staffers also invite local graffiti artists to display their murals inside, work to preserve regional climbing areas by partnering with Access Fund, and coordinate programs through its BKB Foundation—a nonprofit that introduces rock climbing to kids and adults.

Rugged Maniac 5K Obstacle Race sends runners into an obstacle-filled odyssey of muddy endurance. The 5-kilometer course meanders through more than 20 obstacles, with participants undertaking such punishing feats as scaling 16- to 20-foot walls, crawling through mud-filled trenches, and preventing swinging tires from reforming into the Michelin Man. Waves of no more than 350 runners start every 15 minutes, keeping the track from developing human traffic jams. After the race, live music and cold beer invite triumphant runners to unwind. Those with excess energy can head over to even more kinetic activities such as mechanical bull riding, tug-of-war, and adult-sized bounce houses.

A Class-A PGA professional with more than 25 years of experience, Rick Nielsen applies his time-earned expertise to help golfers shave strokes during lessons at Randalls Island Golf Center, where he's been the head pro since 1998. Rick employs the latest technologies to aid in instruction, including The Golfing Machine system⎯which takes a geometric approach to swing mechanics⎯as well as digital-video analysis and FlightScope 3-D doppler radar launch monitor. These sensitive instruments measure each shot on a number of parameters, from club-head speed and launch angle to total distance and nougat ratio of the ball’s core. Meanwhile, Rick observes and isolates specific areas in need of improvement so that players can develop muscle memory and consistently repeat a successful swing motion. Ultimately, with Rick's pointers, players leave lessons equipped with the tools to reach their full potential on the course without temptation to modify their 9-iron into a bedazzled baton.

The Skate Truck NYC's mobile rental unit sets up shop at various locations—from the sprawling reaches of Central Park to the picturesque paths of Prospect Park in Brooklyn—and outfits pedestrians with both roller and inline skates. Tourists and locals alike can track down the rental unit for a day of adventure, equipping themselves with necessary helmets, kneepads, elbow pads, and wrist guards. The Skate Truck NYC even throws in park maps that highlight viable routes and areas where skaters are least likely to encounter two men carrying a massive pane of glass across a busy street. And for special occasions, the company also assists with parties, field trips, and team-building activities.

The location of Skate Truck NYC's rental truck changes throughout the week. To view the truck's current and future locations, check out the Where Are We page on the company's website.

EscapeMaker.com facilitates transit-friendly and sustainable excursions within 500 miles of New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, or DC with their online guide to the northeast United States. The staff reviews towns and plunges deep into popular regions to unearth the most compelling and budget-balancing activities around as well as intriguing sights. An EscapeMaker feature aids trip planning by custom aggregating each step of the trip into one handy document, ensuring that sojourners always have helpful info on hand, such as phone numbers, directions, and translations of campfire songs in local languages. In addition to their stalwart guidance, EscapeMaker.com also hosts weekly specials from bed and breakfasts, hotels, and other travel enterprises.