Things To Do In Hopatcong

In the summer, Captain Don Cartwright migrates from Florida to New Jersey to captain fishing trips off Sandy Hook and Raritan Bays aboard his 35-foot boat, the Bill Chaser. Cartwright, who has a US Coast Guard master's license and more than 20 years of fishing experience, helps groups hook everything from striped bass and bluefish to larger catches such as bluefin tuna and shark.

Since 1959, the reigns that urge Circle Lanes forward have been handed down through three generations. While the establishment still cultivates the now-retro vibe that characterized its early years, it's also outfitted with modern accoutrements including AMF automatic scoring and regular laser-bowl sessions that set brightly colored accents aglow. The facility features 34 Heddon synthetic lanes, which beckon sure-footed bowlers and discerning woodchucks alike with wood approaches. Bumpers are also available for those who can't yet roll between the lines. Beyond the lanes, Circle Pizzeria stands ready to serve a menu that sates appetites at all hours. Breakfast food such as muffins, omelets, and egg sandwiches gives way midday to a selection that includes roast-beef club sandwiches and pizzas topped with meatballs. Nearby, fellow patrons sit at Cabaret Lounge's wooden bar to sip beer, wine, or mixed drinks. Dartboards, a pool table, and a big-screen television offer additional diversions, ideal for distracting opponents while filling the finger holes on their bowling balls with mustard.

With more than 100 pieces of cardio equipment and numerous strength machines, the Rockaway branch of World Gym upholds the franchise's relentless tradition of providing comprehensive fitness. Each device in the cardio stable is hooked up to a personal cable TV. Conversely, a bevy of tanning beds help clients obtain a healthy glow to match their burgeoning biceps. Instructors lead a medley of aerobics and yoga classes, and personal trainers help members to craft their own custom fitness plans.

A HPA?charged Tippmann 98 marker in hand, paintballers in pursuit of their opponents' flag race among the wooden spools, barrels, and bunkers gracing the fields of Paintball Depot's wooded outdoor arena. As colors fly through the air, Helix goggles with antifogging helix lenses and face masks shield players' faces against the rainbow barrage. In addition to offering open play, Paintball Depot accommodates corporate team-building events, group outings, and airsoft games that often run on one field as paintball sessions commence on other courses.

Designed by course architect Geoffrey Cornish—who has designed more than 230 courses—Bowling Green Golf Club blankets the tree-lined terrain of a former dairy farm with a challenging, 6,863-yard golf course. Immersed in a network of rolling hills topped with tall red pines and oaks, the par-72 design provides a scenic escape more enjoyable than burrowing one’s head into a potted plant. Dense tree lines play a prominent role throughout the entire course, and the back nine also runs along native ponds and wetlands that loom near fairways and greens. To help golfers excel in the wooded layout without the use of a chainsaw, Bowling Green Golf Club offers golf lessons and clinics for players of all abilities.

At The Grill Room, guests can enjoy a casual atmosphere of drinks and inventive twists on traditional grill dishes. While digging into grilled filet mignon or Mediterranean chicken with penne pasta and sun-dried tomatoes, patrons can pause to take in views of the rolling hills and give nicknames to each pine needle in the forest.

Course at a Glance:

• Designed by Geoffrey Cornish
• 18-hole, par-72 course
• Length of 6,863 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 73.2 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 134 from the farthest tees
• Six tee options
• Scorecard

In the open countryside of the town of Sparta stands a red-brick, 17,000-square-foot training facility. Inside are not the Greek warriors of legend but the sporting heroes of tomorrow, still growing into their uniforms. At DreamField Sports, developing athletes train year-round to unveil their inner champion. The facility houses a spacious, brightly lit indoor field that allows for air-conditioned versions of outdoor sports, including football, baseball, softball, and soccer. The enormous field also divides via retractable curtains or is lifted by a troop of dislocated circus strongmen to reveal polished hardwood basketball and volleyball courts. Away from the courts, waiting areas with flat-screen televisions let parents catch up on the local news when they're not looking in on the training sessions through large windows. Each session is led by a group of experienced coaches, many of whom lived former lives as professional athletes and some of whom train current professional and Olympic athletes. Not only do these gurus provide technical instruction, they also encourage positive attitudes and fair sportsmanship and instill the confidence necessary to enter the Indy 500 on roller skates.