Things to Do in Fountain Hills

The stables at Cave Creek Outfitters nestle into the natural splendor of the Sonoran Desert amid its valleys, boulders, and saguaro cacti silhouetted against the setting sun. Owners and operators Todd Masden and Cheryl Ward lead educational tours through the Western landscape with more than 40 well-mannered steeds paired with riders according to their individual ability and experience. Cave Creek Outfitters equips riders with complimentary bottled water and asks that they wear long pants and closed-toe shoes so horses don't feel jealous of their opposable toes.

A flurry of paintballs whiz through the air, splattering their targets with brightly colored pigment. Players at Westworld Paintball Adventures explore either indoor or outdoor fields, where they can unleash a paintball-pelting fury, rain or shine. At Splatter Ranch’s outdoor enclave, paintballers find cover in gullies or clusters of shrubbery as majestic cacti stand guard a safe distance away. The field and on-site pro shop spread across 20 acres of terrain, which is peppered with a few buildings where players can duck into or play Rochambeau for decoy duty.

At the indoor arena, Xtreme Pursuit, players kick up clouds of dirt as they chase each other around a 33,000-square-foot facility and take shelter in bunkers and buildings amid specialized lighting, a sound system, and fog machines. The facility is air-conditioned and open year-round, with a pro shop supplying equipment to players.

At Lynda Orescanin’s lampwork studio, she melts rods and tubes of glass into silver-studded spheres and delicate aquamarine swirls. Intricately detailed and no bigger than an eraser tip, the glass beads resemble paperweights for a doll’s desk. “I love the way the glass flows,” says Ms. Orescanin. “I love that you can’t rush it.”

Ms. Orescanin brings that same passion and expertise to her shop’s jewelry-making classes. She seeks out striking materials for her students, from Czech pressed-glass beads and Afghan lapis to metal charms cut from recycled filing cabinets. Inside her intimate studio, she strives to create a nurturing, friendly environment that encourages experimentation. Classes allow up to six students to sidle up to the well-lit worktable and try their hand at making jewelry. Ms. Orescanin walks them through the basics of jewelry making, from tool use to beading technique. “People say, ‘Oh, I’m not creative, I don’t know anything about color,’" she says. "But when they finish something, I’m like, ‘Wow, it's magnificent. I would have never thought to put those together in that particular way.”

Fun facilitators Monica and Gabor accelerate customers’ heartbeats with exhilarating motorcycle rentals through AZride.com. Gabor, a biker since the age of 14, started AZride by deciding to combine his cherished hobby with more than 20 years of collected industry experience. His infectious love for riding spread to Monica, AZride’s guest-relations expert, who personally tends to each customer’s reservations and special requests for a Batcycle. AZride's enthusiastic duo hosts customized and guided motorcycle tours across Arizona’s arid landscapes or equips customers to explore their surroundings with structured ride plans for private self-guided tours.

Jennifer Pilates’s clients range from celebrities to professional athletes to international fitness gurus, none who live in Scottsdale. Luckily for them, she’s turned to Skype to revolutionize and expand her classroom, doling out individualized lessons online. She partners her high-tech classroom with an actual studio in Scottsdale, where students can take part in the core-strengthening practice of Pilates in both group mat lessons and private training sessions. She also conducts wellness consultations to further boost her students’ health.