Things to Do in Harrisburg

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 akin to Steven Tyler on Christmas morning. 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 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.

CBS Baltimore lauds Robin Hood Paintball as one of the best paintball arenas near the city, but the year-round, 10-acre facility is actually eight arenas in one. Here, players clad in protective gear race around the airball field's bobbing inflatables, duck behind the wood-spool field's namesake spools or wrap their opponents in giant piles of unused thread. Elsewhere, they sneak through the tall trees and verdant brush of three wooded fields or storm the arena's towering castle. Thorough safety orientations prepare each player before they enter the facility, where referees keep watchful eyes over every game to ensure everyone's safety and compliance with the rules.

Right where the mouth of the Susquehanna River yawns into Chesapeake Bay lies the protected, uncrowded waters of Havre de Grace harbor. BaySail's instructors take advantage of these opportune conditions, operating a sailing school that's accredited by the American Sailing Association. Upholding training standards that have won the ASA's School of the Year award, they lead sailing classes ranging from introductory lessons to certification courses in coastal cruising and bareboat chartering. In addition to lending its fleet for lessons, BaySail's team rents its vessels—from a Capri 22 to a Hunter 460—to members. The sailboats also glide out on chartered cruises, taking guests to nearby destinations such as Inner Harbor and the Sassafras River, where sassafras trees come to spawn every winter.

The shores of the Juniata River abound with lofty trees and verdant plants, creating a scenic backdrop for Juanita River Adventures's aquatic excursions. The family-owned-and-operated company saddles guests into quality and clean tubes, canoes, and kayaks while pointing them toward scenic routes, plentiful fishing holes, and cozy campsites. Staff at their headquarters lease fishing rods and tackle, while their campgrounds speckle with picnic tables, horseshoe pits, and a beach-volleyball court. Throughout the trip, guests have the chance to witness diverse wildlife— such as bald eagles, smallmouth bass, and tech-startup employees on wilderness team-building retreats—in its natural habitat.