Eureka, MO Outdoor Activities

St. Louis County Parks and Recreation awakens the active side in community members with a bevy of sites and facilities dedicated to sports, outdoor exploration, and kid-friendly fun. Families splash away the summer heat with trips to the pool at the Kennedy Recreation Complex or the St. Vincent Community Center water park, where adults can swim laps in two 25-yard lanes while tykes descend an open water slide and practice their manners at underwater tea parties. The six recreation complexes serve as hubs for everything from fitness classes to ice-skating, and offer a diverse blend of indoor and outdoor activities. For more relaxing amusement, the stewards of the parks and recreation department maintain multiple museums and historic sites as well as outdoor trails, where voyagers can get in touch with nature and add to their collection of acorns that resemble former presidents.

Shane Perrin’s love for the standup paddleboard led him to set a world record as the first person to use the simple vehicle to travel the Missouri River’s 340 miles between Kansas City and Columbia. His trek even made him the subject of the documentary Stand Up Guy, which chronicles his odyssey against more than 100 kayakers and canoeists in the sixth annual Missouri River 340.

When he’s not looking for another stretch of water to conquer or out paddling for the Pau Hana Surf Supply team, Shane shares his passion through lessons and guided tours for all levels of outdoorsmen. Venturing out onto waters such as the Meramec River, Shane pays meticulous attention to every detail to help guests have a positive, memorable experience. He starts by matching each client with a standup-paddleboard outfit that suits their stature, which facilitates proper maneuvering. He then provides ongoing training as he guides guests past wildlife such as deer, hawks, and the beavers who built the river’s hydroelectric dams.:m]]

Every design choice of Top Gun Shooting Sports' 18-lane indoor range was made with marksmen's comfort in mind, starting with the roomy booths. At 40 inches wide, each booth can accommodate both a shooter and an instructor, and at 84-inch-tall, the partitions prevent shells from ejecting into a neighbor's lane. While sportsmen enjoy these spacious surrounds and the convenience of automatic target retrieval, a HEPA-filtered ventilation system controls climate while removing up to 99.97% of particle discharge.

Complementing the range, a training center equips instructors to teach classes such as the NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course and personal home protection through a blend of classroom and live-fire training. In addition to overseeing this training, Top Gun's staff coordinates several levels of membership, such as the Silver membership that grants marksmen privileges such as waived lane fees for a year. The arms experts at the pro shop advise visitors on defense options, and gunsmith Eric Olson repairs, restores, and customizes firearms.

It’s only 5 kilometers long, but the Zombie Survival Dash, as the name might suggest, is a bit more than the average run. As runners tagged with timing chips for tracking, placement, and action shots make their way toward the finish line, they're also equipped with three flags representing their health. Meanwhile, the course's stretch is littered with both traditional obstacles and costumed zombies who block, stumble, and chase runners and attempt to steal their health flags.

All the while, spectators look on, as every half hour a wave of 300 survivors is unleashed upon the course. Then, spectators, survivors, and zombies retire hand-in-hand to an all-day after party with live music and entertainment, just like at the end of a real zombie movie. Vendors dispense food and drink as partiers participate in zombie-themed fair activities such as faux-grenade tosses and body-bag drags.

There are a lot of places sinister ghouls can hide in 29 acres of forest. But unfortunately for STLFear’s guests, only the light of the moon will guide them as they navigate the forest’s haunted depths, forcing them to rely on their wits as they make their way through the leaf-strewn paths. Visitors can test their mettle on Friday and Saturday nights in October until 11 p.m. when the staff closes off the gates. STLFear also offers passes so that guests can skip the line and a coffin in which brave visitors can take novelty photographs.