Fort Payne, AL Outdoor Activities

Somewhere in the mountains of Chattanooga in 1928, Garnet Carter patented the first miniature golf course, inciting a nationwide pastime that brought families and friends together around pintsized putting surfaces.

Inspired by the local history and an indoor golf course visited while on vacation, Nathan Brown and his friends began fantasizing about their own miniature golf course, either building one in their hometown or patenting the first ever zero-gravity moon course. After tireless efforts and multiple failed rocket launches later, Scenic City Mini Golf opened its indoor greens in November 2010.

Dimpled balls roll along verdant turf that simulates real grass, while beige and blue turf mimic sand and water traps, adding strokes to scorecards for errant shots. Hole 14 requires golfers to double back and hit golf balls around, then beneath the hole's rough and toll troll, while hole 17's two-tier design draws shots into one of two preliminary holes before they can approach the green below. Pre- or postrounds, golfers can cool off with Blue Bell ice cream from the snack area, enjoying their frozen treats in a cone or as a milkshake, malt, or float.

A U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association–rated master pilot, Matt Taber has been soaring through the skies since 1978, during which time he's managed to design several of his own gliders. He's also devised and constructed other contraptions, such as glider-towing equipment and lightweight tow planes—both of which his company, Lookout Mountain Flight Park, uses to teach new recruits how to surf the skies. Matt leads a team of USHPA-certified pilots and instructors that coaches students of all levels in basics and advanced maneuvers through on-the-ground training and hands-on tandem flights, during which plots safely guide their charges over the scenic mountains and blurry bushes of Lookout Valley at altitudes of up to 4,000 feet. Conducted on a 55-acre private training facility, lessons can include the overnight use of amenities such as a pool, volleyball court, bathhouse, and cabins.

The history of today's Atlanta Braves traces back to 1876 in Boston, where the team played as the Red Stockings. In the more than 100 years since, the club lived like a nomadic tribe, claiming two World Series titles in separate cities before finally landing in Atlanta in 1966. There, they found reason to settle down, winning an unprecedented 14 consecutive division titles, as well as another World Series in 1995. Throughout the years, many of baseball's all-time greats have donned the Braves uniform, including Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Cy Young. Opened in 1997, Turner Field serves as the club's home turf, relaying the action on a 29'x38' BravesVision video board as a 27' neon tomahawk menaces visiting players and vegetables alike.

Upon their arrival to Fairways of Canton Golf Club, golfers feast their eyes on the club’s bucolic 18-hole course as it unfurls across 6,515 yards of rolling terrain and scenic Georgia pines. The pristine par-72 course fosters aggressive drives into generous fairways, which lead to small bermuda-grass greens teeming with subtle slopes and trick holes that lead to another dimension in Space Jam. Dimpled orbs graze the stratosphere at the club’s practice facilities, which include a driving range, a putting green, a chipping area, and a sand bunker. Back muscles weary from a day of smashing drives or wrestling a gang of rogue golf carts can recess at the club’s onsite Canyon Grill, which slings sumptuous fare such as philly cheesesteaks, pizza margherita, and pasta with a choice of sauce.

After spying his first electronic bike while teaching in China, owner Garnet Caldwell vowed to bring the unique and potentially revolutionary vehicles to his hometown. He told the Times Free Press, "These bikes are for people who just want to get out and ride," explaining that they can go about 20 miles before needing to be charged and, like a championship racewalker, can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.

The bikes, available at the shop for rental or sale, come in all sizes and run off a battery that is recharged via a traditional wall outlet. Chattanooga Electric Bikes caries models from Ezip, Izip, Liberty, and Pedego, as well as conversion kits to help traditional two-wheelers to make the jump to electric. Certified technicians ensure bikes are held to the highest safety standards and don't become sentient, and they can service any brand of electric bicycle.

The Hawks migrated to Atlanta from St. Louis for the 1968–69 season and have since become a venerated local institution. Though the Atlanta club has never claimed an NBA title, they've appeared in the playoffs 27 times since 1969, stamping their punchcard frequently enough to receive free hot dogs for the whole team during their next postseason appearance. Since 1999, the Hawks have perched in the rafters of Philips Arena, where more than 18,000 fans cheer them to victory in the Eastern Conference's Southeast Division.