Things To Do in Green Valley

At PB Dye Golf Club, golfers wallop, pitch, and putt through more than 7,000 yards of lush, forested greenery on a challenging course that was ranked as one of the best in the state in Golf Digest magazine. Push a dimpled projectile across some of Maryland's only Penn G-2 bent grass greens, which lie at the end of rolling fairways and are defended by bunkers as closely as a mother bear protects her vinyl collection. A flowing waterfall and pair of ponds flank the course's 9th and 18th holes and add aquatic scenery while threatening to capsize novice club-swingers' confidence. With five different tee distances on each hole, the course yields a par-72 rating for men, par-73 rating for women, and par-18 rating for habitual liars.

The night sky lay heavy over the rolling hills of Gettysburg. In a tent among his fellows in the Union Army, Private Ron Angleberger woke from a restless sleep to the blaring of a cavalry horn and the earth-shaking rumble of hundreds of horses on the charge. He raced outside his tent with the other Civil War reenactors to discover that there were no horses present, and, in the eerie silence that followed the apparition, the regiments of actors realized they might have been privy to one of General Custer's July 3rd charges. This incident, along with a love for history and similar paranormal experiences on the many battlefields around Frederick, led Ron to form Candlelight Cemetery Tours.

Today, Ron's tours explore the bone-chilling histories of Frederick's most haunted abodes as he tells stories of their inhabitants both living and dead. Walking tours began in late March and end late in the year, depending on the weather.

Spanning 18,000 square feet of turf-covered courts and batting cages, Raider's Edge hones bat-swinging skills with practice areas and instruction for individuals and groups. Baseball- and softball-pitching machines spit endless volleys of spheres, their speeds adjustable to accommodate both little leaguers and six-armed spider-men. The two spacious turf courts can also accommodate practice for soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey, and dual pitching lanes allow pitchers to perfect their craft side by side. Weekly exercise and softball practice programs focus on skills such as hitting, fielding, and pitching, and young players put their skills into practice as part of Raider’s Edge’s Red Raider softball teams.

At Adventure Park USA, visitors amble, shriek, and laugh through a sprawling 17.5 acres replete with Old West–themed rides and attractions such as the Wildcat roller coaster, which dips and curves around a track in order to elicit screams of joy. Outdoor diversions such as bumper boats and go-karts stoke competitive fires, and a collection of little tykes rides invite pintsize riders to spin in teacups or gallop on carousel horseback. Open year-round, a 22,000-square-foot indoor frontier playzone thumbs its nose at inclement weather with laser tag, an arcade, a ropes course, and a climbing wall. Owner Larry Stottlemeyer continues to expand this already extensive list of family-friendly diversions.

In the world of athletic training, Robert Taylor, Jr.’s resume speaks for itself. In addition to stints as the strength and conditioning coach for two NCAA Division I programs, his expertise also landed him gigs with professional baseball, football, and basketball franchises. Now, along with the other experienced coaches at SMARTER Team Training, Robert shepherds high school athletes toward their full potential at training camps and clinics. Whether they’re honing game-specific skills for field hockey, soccer, or lacrosse, or increasing overall athleticism during the school’s signature Speed, Agility, and Conditioning Camp, students always find a challenging itinerary designed to bring skills to a more advanced level. There's even a college prep training program, which gets high school players ready for the increased intensity and remorseless, cold-eyed referees found at the college level.

During 60-minute private lessons, one of Tennis in Urbana’s certified pros helps racket wielders acquire and develop proficiency in every aspect of the game, including ball striking, serving, and winking at umpires. The pros will drive up to 30 minutes from the Tennis in Urbana facility to meet students at a court of their choice. Six-week clinics challenge a minimum of four individuals with intensive workouts that focus on a particular skill set or aspect of the game. Junior clinics are divvied up by age group: Tiny Tots clinics teach youngsters aged 4–7, Big Shots clinics focus on kids ages 7–10, and Academy clinics prepare 13- to 17-year-olds for competition with intense stroke drills, rigorous conditioning exercises, and trophy-kissing practice. Adult clinics offer men and women choices between clinics designed for their skill levels and clinics designed for cardiovascular exercise.

Master falconer and bird-of-prey expert Mike Dupuy shares his love of the 4,000-year-old sport of falconry during exciting and informative demonstrations with his avian costars. A professional public speaker, Mike entertains his audiences with personal anecdotes and motivational speeches that use falconry as a metaphor to encourage them to follow their dreams. Guests also get to learn about each feathered raptor while it surveys the crowd for wild Energizer bunnies, and Mike encourages audience interaction by inviting volunteers from the audience to hold the hawk and try in vain to teach it to bark like a dog.