Fremont, OH Outdoor Activities

Surrounded by a semicircle of hills, the main lodge at Clear Fork Resort serves as the access point to miles of alpine and cross-country skiing, ATVing, and snow-tubing trails that populate the surrounding countryside. The downhill skiing trail map contains terrain suitable for every level of skier or snowboarder, with a beginner's area and numerous difficult runs serviced by triple and quad chairlifts. When Old Man Winter hits the snooze button, a fleet of Snow Guns stands ready to bombard the slopes with artificial snow and passive-aggressive taunts skyward. Resort visitors can always check current weather conditions, which are constantly monitored by the resort's snow report.

The entry door slams shut, and you immediately plunge into a world of terror and macabre. Skeletons hang from a dungeon's walls, maniacal clowns run through a fun house, and a blood-spattered bathroom horrifyingly runs out of soap. This is Dimensions of Darkness, a haunted walk-through that takes brave souls across a maze of terrifying rooms with even more terrifying inhabitants. The fright fest has caught the attention of USA Today and the Toledo Free Press, which noted that "each room, hallway and prop is so well-crafted that if you’re not being stalked by one of the resident ghouls, your focus is on how real everything feels."

Thoroughly immersed in their roles, live actors pop out at guests, thus filling every room with an orchestra of screams. Meanwhile, fog creeps over the floors and creepy sounds build tension between every scare. But despite this terror, visitors are never trapped. Security officers, each thoroughly vaccinated against zombies, stand ready to lead guests to the nearest exit should they wish to depart early.

Originally sculpted into the landscape in 1958, Green Hills Golf Course winds through 5,933 yards of smoothly rolling terrain bordered by clusters of mature arbors. To compensate for its relatively short length, the 18-hole course catches clubbers off-guard with strategically placed ponds, subtle slopes, and self-destructing yardage markers. Each round takes spiky-shoed golfers gliding around tranquil ponds and past rippling creeks, which add to the course’s shot-impeding obstacles. A nine-hole par 3 executive course stretches out alongside the full-length monolith, beckoning to greenhorns, youngsters, and experienced pin-hunters still seeking their first hole-in-one. A driving range, practice green, and full regimen of golf clinics nurse withering swings back to life, while the onsite restaurant fuels muscles and carnivorous golf carts with all-beef hot dogs and other savory grill fare.

With decades of experience skimming the shores of Lake Erie, U.S. Coast Guard–licensed Captain Sib Randolph has had ample time to hone in on the best spots to nab walleye, bass, and perch. Though he relies on years of successful fishing charters to guide his routes, it doesn’t hurt that his 27-foot SportCraft fishing boat is equipped with fish-finding and navigational equipment. In addition to advice on the likelihood of a fish’s ability to grant wishes, Captain Randolph supplies fishermen with free bait and ice.

Since the first swing in 1972, Tamaron Country Club's course has been sending golfers down an idyllic path filled with rolling fairways, swaying trees, and impeccably maintained terrain. Greens superintendent Mike Kaminski obsesses over the upkeep of lush fairways and carpet-like greens, ensuring verdant beauty, true roll, and infinite sleeping spots for mid-round naps.

On the front nine, golfers start their round with a shorter par 5, presenting a green that's reachable in two. The next par 5 on the side is hole seven, which presents the longest hole on the course, made longer by out-of-bounds areas on the left and trees on the right that force some players to hit an iron or an oversize gavel off the tee.

Though the back nine is shorter than its predecessor, it makes up for its lack of length in deceptive lies and fewer birdie opportunities. Before signing scorecards and mailing them as postcards, players must first divide and conquer hole 18, a tricky par 4 that forces tee shots over or into a bowl-shaped depression that must be carried to reach the elevated green.

Tamaron Country Club houses an indoor golf simulator, where golfers can play virtual renditions of 38 world-famous courses. The high-tech apparatus makes a round possible even in inclement weather and removes many of the hassles of real golf, such as lugging a bag or getting out of quicksand bunkers.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course
• Total length of 6,060 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 67.7 from the back tees
• Course slope of 109 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole

North Coast Parasail lofts guests high above the freshwater majesty of Lake Erie with gravity-defying parasailing excursions. Drift kite-like through the atmosphere during a 10-minute parasailing experience, which safely suspends adventurers at the end of an 800-foot towline. Breeze cruises deliver picturesque panoramas of Sandusky, Cedar Point, and the rarely seen tops of tall beachgoers' heads. Participants snag a complimentary T-shirt as well as a disposable camera good for capturing images of your feet dangling several hundred feet above the water.