Things to Do in Fairmount

Twenty-one runs streak across the Toggenburg Mountain Winter Sports Center trail map, furnishing skiers and snowboarders with ample real estate to perfect swerves and test nerves in the crisp high country air. Five lifts—two doubles, a triple, and a pair of beginner rope tows—hoist snowy revelers to the top of runs such as the black diamond Oh My Goat, the blue square Angora Alley, and the green circle Capricorn Caper, as well as two terrain parks. Here, a gantlet of rails, boxes, and tables not only give daredevils the chance to show off their aerial acrobatics, but also provide a rough idea of what it would be like to wear skis into a furniture store. First-timers and skiers in need of a refresher can sign up for snow school, where expert instructors illuminate proper technique during private, semiprivate, and group lessons.

Off the mountain, Chilly Choices ski shop keeps skiers and snowboarders warm on the outside with hats, gloves, goggles, and apparel. Meanwhile the Foggy Goggle and Toggenburg Cafeteria keep them warm them on the inside with toasty eats such as braised tenderloin tips and pizza.

Players at NVP Paintball wreak colorful havoc across two speedball courses during weekly skirmishes. A massive indoor arena houses the action during winter months, keeping harsh elements and battle-tested yetis away from combatants as they unload paintballs on nearby frenemies. Padded Turf XL flooring simulates the experience of playing on grass, and an upper-level viewing area gives onlookers an overhead view of every match. On the outdoor field, players duck behind strategically placed inflatable covers stationed on blue astroturf. Between matches, players can retire to the pro shop to peruse new equipment or grease their ammo hoppers with nacho cheese from the snack bar.

Located in central New York, just off New York State Thruway exit 40, midway between Rochester and Syracuse, sonorous moos and sloshing tins of milk once echoed across this idyllic nine-hole course, which James and Dee Ball converted from their family dairy farm in 1968. Since then, Meadowbrook Golf Club has seen a slew of proprietors, each of whom have added their own distinct touch by installing automatic watering, improving the drainage system, or building a 40’x80’ pole barn to house equipment and botched Dorf clones.

In May 2008, PGA golf professional Trey Walewski and his wife, Tina, took over the Meadowbrook. The golf club remains a family owned and operated business with Trey and Tina, and their daughters, Taylor and Sydney, taking on the operations of the course, practice facilities, pro shop, and bar and grill.

Clasped between Saguaro National Park and the Ironwood Preserve, Double R Ranch appears as though it were plucked straight from the frames of an old Western movie. The windswept grounds stand as a gateway to the thousands of untouched acres that quietly stitch together the Northwest side of Tucson. The ranch gives visitors a chance to explore that land with horseback rides and birthday parties. It also offers weekend getaways and RV hookups to city-dwellers in need of an escape from the crowds and door-to-door minivan salesmen that come with urban living. Double R also accommodates guests who have their own horses with overnight stabling services.

The ember of Nick Coppola's fervor for fishing began years ago. While Nick studied biology in college, this passion bloomed into a full-blown vocation as he spent summers scouring the rivers of Southwest Montana. Since those early moments wading in the tides, Nick has become a New York State–licensed guide, continuing to catch trophy salmon, steelhead trout, brown trout, and runaway goldfish as the head of Slickwater Adventures.

Throughout two seasons each year, Coppola and his staff lead anglers of all levels into some of the East Coast's most picturesque habitats, including the Ausable River during summer months and the eastern Lake Ontario tributaries during winter. No matter the location, Coppola encourages participants to customize each adventure to their specific goals, whether they are honing existing skills, learning basic techniques, or luring in trophy catches with tricks and well-timed eyewinks.

At Create Art Studio, owner and instructor Karyn equips prospective paint-slingers with the instruction and inspiration to realize artistic dreams during step-by-step classes, private parties, and open-studio sessions. The studio seamlessly combines two of Karyn's greatest passions, drawing on both her art-education degree from Purdue University and more than 10 years of classroom experience as a teacher.

During the two-hour step-by-step sessions, she and other instructors equip aspiring artistes with all of the necessities to create an original masterpiece, including smocks, easels, canvases, paints, brushes, and haughty French accents. In addition to the instructors' aid, creatively challenged participants can glean clever ideas from the inspiration wall, which helps pupils explore art-worthy subjects beyond traditional bowls of fruit and sunsets. Like conscientious speakeasies, the studio invites guests aged 21 and older to bring along their own snacks and alcohol.