Things to Do in Galion

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.

Your hands wrap around the grip of a Tippmann marker. Multicolored spheres fly past you, spattering the trees and cutting air inches from your mask. Through the foliage, you can see half a plane buried nose-first in a clearing, one of many obstacles concealing potential foes. At SplatterPark, this good-natured combat sprawls across the adrenaline-soaked turf of 12 outdoor fields and 40 wooded and open acres adjacent to a lake. Warriors battle through capture-the-flag, base-defense, and other scenarios in themed arenas with adventurous names including Fort Buckeye, Snake Pit, and Dark Forest. Each field is suited to at least three types of play, but only the regular type of physics, and shouts of camaraderie echo off paint-flecked cover such as a broken-down school bus and a wooden-slat fort. In preparing for battle, combatants strap on rental or purchased gear under covered staging shelters, happy in the knowledge that their biodegradable paint ammunition will be harmlessly washed away by the elements or bears doing community service.

The arena's surreal terrain was featured in the intense combat of Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball, a video game from Activision, but the real park caters to players of all abilities and ages. At an onsite café, hot dogs and burgers refuel warriors and allow them to tell if their nemeses are actually target dummies with no appetite, and the pro shop's staff bustles among markers, accessories, and spare parts.

Every summer, the double-decker Good Time I forges connections between mainland Ohioans and their island-dwelling neighbors to the north. En route to Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island, captains divulge each island’s history and point out popular attractions such as Marblehead Lighthouse and their reflections in the water. To further prime passengers for island revelry, the _Good Time I_’s weekend tours regale guests with live DJs and mixed drinks.

The satisfying rattle of golf balls falling into cups soundtracks rounds at Perry Falls Miniature Golf Course, an 18-hole putters circuit that emulates a scaled-down, resort-style course. Placid streams, fountains, waterfalls, and tidal waves run throughout the par 40 course, setting a tranquil tone as golfers stand over tricky putts. Bereft of the windmills and loopty-loop gimmicks that populate most putt-putt layouts, Perry Falls challenges golfers with water hazards that come into the field of play on most holes. The course is open from 3 p.m. to dark on weekdays and noon to dark on weekends in May, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. June to August, but closes in the event of rain or golf-ball mutiny.

The Oak Harbor Golf Club's 6,493-yard course protrudes into an oxbow on the Portage River, pairing scenic views and cool breezes with an ever-present supply of water hazards and small greens. Along the front nine, players patrol tree-lined fairways dotted by small ponds and bisected by a marshy brook that requires calculated drives and sharp wit to solve riddles proposed by retired caddies turned bridge trolls. The back nine meanders out onto a narrow neck of land within the oxbow and wraps golfers in panoramic views of the river.

Off the course, golfers can bogey-proof their swings with a practice session at the grass-tee driving range or a lesson with PGA–certified instructor Matthew Jennings. After a day filled with aggressive drives, players can relax at Baldy's Roost, which serves a menu of sandwiches, wraps, and salads most enjoyed when eaten with polished divot tools.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,493 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 71.1 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 121 from the farthest tees
• Six tee options
• Scorecard