Things to Do in Fountain Hills

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.

Fourteen lighted outdoor tennis courts, four new pickleball courts, seven indoor racquetball courts, weight rooms, a group fitness studio, and an indoor cycling room make up the facilities at La Camarilla Racquet, Fitness & Swim Club, setting the stage for members to get fit any way they see fit. For one, there’s a varied schedule of group fitness classes, with structured workouts such as tai chi, muscle cardio, yoga, and spinning. Treadmills, upright bikes, elliptical machines, and other fitness machines are within the four fitness rooms, too. If you want to cool off after a workout, feel free to swim the club's 25-meter outdoor pool or juggle ice cubes in the members’ lounge and bar area.

You can hear a constant thwacking of tennis balls and shuffling feet in the outdoor tennis facility, which hosts numerous tournaments, clinics, and lessons. Director of tennis Roger Furman and his staff of USPTA-certified pros offer instructional guidance to aspiring tennis players and ball boys of all ages.

In the shadow of the mountains of Tonto National Forest, Bartlett Lake watercrafts skid across 2,815 acres of the lake's pristine waters. The marina abounds with recreational facilities—its fleet of professional jet skis, pontoons, and ski boats sit parked along docks of grills, a general store, and a covered, floating patio. A 45-foot yacht towers over the rest of the rental boats, furnishing lively parties of up to 25 people with a slide, bar, and restroom, while a large houseboat floats along the lake peacefully—an impressive vessel complete with private rooms, a deck, and kitchen. As visitors navigate the lake or forage the surrounding area's desert terrain trails, they have the opportunity to admire indigenous plants and abundant wildlife.

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.

There's something timeless about Macdonald Ranch. Maybe it's that visitors can take a guided horseback ride through the desert, pose for an old-time photo, or ride a stagecoach—which in certain cases, might be held up by actors dressed as outlaws. But whatever the reason guests dock their zeppelin at Macdonald Ranch, the staff hopes to treat them to a fun ranch experience. They surround them with music, cowboy shows, and seasonal attractions such as the annual pumpkin festival.

Macdonald Ranch covers 1,300 acres of the scenic Sonoran Desert. Whether on horseback or a hayride, guests can explore the area and view its desert flora, hawks, petrified spurs, and coyotes.

Since hosting their first class in 1989, Arizona Climbing and Adventure School's instructors have sent an estimated 37,000 students scurrying up the earth's craggy cliffs. Instead of learning climbing in an indoor facility, participants climb nature’s precipices outdoors upon the Southwest's cliffs and mountains. Adventurer and school director Mark Brontsema guides his students and fellow instructors by a philosophy that emphasizes self-reliance, goal setting, and teamwork. He now brings more than three decades to his post as school director, taking time from a busy schedule that includes writing gear reviews for the New York Times.

The school offers a large number of courses that target students of varying skill levels and reveal technique secrets in small groups of two to six students. Classes may focus on rappelling and anchors, guide services, and equipment-free bouldering, which relies solely on the climber's hands, feet, and retractable suction cups. Adventure courses include day trips and overnight climbing excursions, while special workshops address topics such as backpacking, being an ecologically responsible climber and hiker, and using GPS devices.