Things to Do in Highland

Baseball in San Bernardino dates back to 1899. More than a century's worth of history includes such team names as the Kittens and the Pioneers. It also includes a drought from 1950–1987, during which the city lacked enough dirt to build a baseball field. That drought ended when the San Bernardino Spirit began play as part of the California League. In 1996, the Spirit became the Stampede, and in 2003, the Stampede became the 66ers, a name chosen in honor of the historic U.S. Route 66 that is famous for its hitchhiking umpires. Over the years, the 66ers organization has spent time as the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Mariners, Dodgers, and most recently, the Angels. The team has brought honor to each of its MLB partners, as it has won five California League championships since 1995.

The twists and turns of SB Raceway's indoor track challenge drivers seated behind the wheel of speedy Sodikarts. After garbing their brain-cages with Snell-approved helmets and liners, adrenaline-seekers age 8 and older can gain speed on straightaways and hug corners like a lonely carpenter. Each 17-lap experience features up to 15 karts whizzing around the track at the same time, and concludes with a post-race printout with individual lap-times and the right to chug a gallon of milk. Patrons over the age of 16 can come in on Saturdays for cosmic karting, which remixes classic races with black and neon lights and live, DJ-spun tunes.

At the recently opened SkyTown Trampoline Park, kids and adults find plenty of ways to burn off excess energy in a clean, safe environment. Jumpers ricochet off various padded surfaces, including the very walls themselves. A rebound might send them hurtling toward a cushy foam pit or a basketball hoop poised for a perfect slam dunk. Youngsters can also exercise their throwing arms on the dodgeball court, and wee ones who are too small for the main court find their own fun in the tamer Jump-A-Roo area.

Because the trampoline-filled center is a part of Splash Kingdom water park, kids are only a few steps away from go-karts, mini golf, and bumper boats; water slides and other aquatic attractions keep things cool during the summer months. While tots refuel with pizza and corn dogs at the Splashin' Café, adults can head to the Upper Deck Sports Lounge to count their favorite quarterback's pores on one of five massive 15-foot high-definition projection screens.

For tennis players, the elements are not only capable of spoiling an outdoor match or practice session entirely, they can also be taxing to the body in the long-term, especially for those trying to put in the court time required to attain greatness. That reality was behind the creation of Hampton Indoor Tennis Center, which—unlike most sunbaked, wind-lashed, and rain-beaten tennis complexs—offers players a respite from the weather with four indoor courts. Underneath low-glare lights, players trade ground strokes and volleys atop blue-and-green courts that provide a medium-speed bounce and are identical in composition to the hard-court surface of the Indian Wells courts where the BNP Paribas Open is played. Tennis balls pop crisply against racket strings as trainers teach youngsters on a miniature court with dimensions suited to the de-pressurized balls that foster proper stroke development in undersized racquet-wielders.

USPTA-certified tennis instructor Otis Vu draws upon a decorated career, during which he says he played singles and doubles at Oklahoma Wesleyan University and once beat Michael Chang in a doubles set. He uses this background to forge formidable players, emphasizing proper footwork, conditioning, and not accidentally shouting one’s social security number while serving. He and his staff preside over a wide range of adult lessons, including clinics in which players learn alongside others of the same skill level and one-hour cardio tennis sessions, which feature a series of high-energy drills. The Center’s junior tennis program helps youngsters meet on-court goals of all kinds, from those simply looking to play recreationally to those hoping to grow into an elite competitor.

Helmed by Kevin and Carolyn Craig, the boutique winery imports grape juices from all over the world, fermenting and transforming each into wine on-site. Peer into the mysterious bottling process during the tour to work up a thirst and follow it up with a tasting that includes five different vintages per person. Afterward, you can adopt one of The Winery's bottled specialties, including Vidal diamond ice wine ($22 per bottle), a sensual sip exploding with fruit flavors derived from grapes that were frozen on the vine, and the Eagle Rock Italian Amarone ($15 per bottle), a blend of varietals that aptly accompanies pizza, steak, or reading Jamie Farr's biography. Wine labels are available for customization, allowing you to personalize a pour to hand out at celebrations for having a baby, getting married, or successfully performing your own dental work.

The Christiansen family's roots in the carnival industry run deep, stretching back to Ralph B. Christiansen's 1920s amusement business, which his hard-working sons kept running through World War II. Today, Ralph's grandson, Buzz, hosts more than 80 Christiansen Amusements events per year and rents out carnival rides for parties and gatherings. Events pop up throughout Southern California and feature an assortment of family-friendly excursions ranging from mild kids' rides to more intense rides such as the Skydiver or Kamikaze. Carnival games challenge guests' hand-eye coordination, rewarding feats of strength or accuracy with stuffed animals to give to dates or mount on the hood of one's car.