Things to Do in Hamilton

Duck behind bunkers, belly-crawl through the jungle, or peak over sandy dunes on more than 125 acres of obstacle-laden fields and heart-pumping terrain. Located in Anderson, just 20 minutes northeast of Indianapolis, White River Paintball offers indoor and outdoor fields. Play it up old school on the classic woodsball field or duck behind a real Sikorsky helicoper at the airstrip. Hide out in an abandoned building in Bedlam City or head to the fort to artfully reinterpret the Korean Conflict with a loaded paint weapon and a promise not to cry.

For three generations, the Morgan family has equipped adventurers with the accouterments they need to conquer the great outdoors. The outfitters supply canoes, kayaks, and rafts for excursions at both their Fort Ancient location on the Little Miami River and Brookville location on the Whitewater River. Adventurers choose from a range of downstream floats, with river jaunts stretching from 3 miles up to 18 miles. The company also operates campgrounds with cabins and tent space on the banks of both rivers, allowing guests to stop overnight to rest their muscles or practice non-native birdcalls while everyone else sleeps.

Great-white sharks, silverback gorillas, and bengal tigers guard the nine holes of That Fun Place's phosphorescent mini-golf course. That’s where families tap neon golf balls through aquatic and jungle landscapes before kids holster putters to climb through the padded three-story playground. After slipping through tunnels and peering through portholes, groups reconvene at the bumper cars to slam into each other under more black lights. Meanwhile, in the laser-tag arena, kids and adults slink through rainforests and space ships to fire the same photons that render alien skin smooth and hairless.

Outside, carnival games and roller coasters envelop visitors in natural light, and children mine for gems and arrowheads at the wooden sluicing contraption. With a full-service pizza parlor on site and an arcade filled with more than 40 games, That Fun Place can also host birthday parties for up to 22 guests.

Colonial Pines Golf Club’s 18-hole course blankets 127 acres of tranquil Ohio Valley farmland for 5,966 yards of rolling hills and imposing hardwoods. Golfers traverse the par 70 layout on the backs of motorized carts or caddies hoping to improve their piggyback-ride form, steering balls away from a menagerie of hazards, including mounds topped with swaying heathers, woodsy thickets, and six lakes spanning 11 acres. The first tee shot aptly foreshadows a round in which avoiding water hazards and ingratiating oneself to ball-stealing fish will be critical, as drives must cross a pond that runs from the tee box to the beginning of the fairway.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course
• Length of 5,966 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 68.3 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 117 from the farthest tees
• Three tee options
• Link to scorecard

Players have to find peace and serenity while they're on a golf course. The gentle babbling of the Blue River as it cuts through the Bear Chase Golf Club's par 72 Championship course helps golfers uncloud their minds when setting up for booming drives and precise approaches. But Bear Chase Golf Club is more than a place to play a round of golf. A 1,600-square-foot banquet room with attached outdoor patio overlooks the club's 127 acres of swaying trees from alongside the course's 18th hole, where hosts can invite guests to enjoy the fresh air and try to catch passing tee shots during wedding receptions or other celebrations. An onsite pro shop also helps players prepare for future games by pairing them with gear and apparel from trusted brands.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,506 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 70.7 from the back tees
• Course slope of 123 from the back tees
• Three sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard

Founder Sarah Rose McGuire dedicates her stable to rescuing and rehabilitating horses that may have been neglected or abused by a former owner. During lessons for children 3–12, both horse and child benefit from gentle interspecies interaction: the rescued horses learn to trust their pint-sized human partners and the children enjoy themselves or overcome their fears of riding or being recruited as a jockey. The 60-minute sessions illuminate the subtleties of equine grooming, tack, and proper riding form, with new riders leashed on a lead line until they demonstrate mounted mastery. An experienced trainer with a class A show pedigree conducts each lesson in a private one-on-one format, though two siblings may take their lessons together.