Things To Do in Kingsville

Laser taggers scramble across Play Extreme Sports & Store's outdoor field all day and night on Saturday and Sunday, seeking tactically advantageous vantages from which to zap at their opponents. Designed as a less splattery alternative to paintball, paintball laser tag employs real Tippmann 98 Custom markers outfitted with infrared and radio-frequency technology, meaning they can fire up to 500 feet and pick up light-jazz stations in the process. During one-hour sessions, duos and quartets play unlimited games, all the while under the watchful eye of a game official, who referees and sets up each mission. An LCD screen on each marker tracks vital stats, such as ammo, game time, health, and Congressional Medals of Honor. Visitors are advised to wear comfortable clothing for running and kneeling, and must sign a waiver before joining the fray.

Under the new management of Tom Lawless, the 2011 Hooks—the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros—look to proclaim bat-swinging dominance in the Texas League. Baseball supporters can claim seats at Whataburger Field, which is built to reflect the feel of a classic ballpark and can hold about 7,000 Hooks fans and three times as many foam fingers. Two wristbands adorn arms and grant access to extracurricular excursions in the Driscoll Children's Hospital Kids Zone, featuring a rock-climbing wall and a chimp-free jungle gym. Along with being able to see the USS Lexington and the Texas State Aquarium from inside the park, fans can enjoy breath-robbing views of the Harbor Bridge and mascots removing their comically oversize heads to observe the National Anthem. After the game, fans can trade their baseball caps for 10-gallon hats as they take in a concert by Tejano rockers Texas Tornados or Green River Ordinance, a quintet of aspiring environmental attorneys moonlighting as talented musicians.

Funtrackers summons fun-seekers with a mother lode of scintillating attractions for guests of all ages. Drivers in tiny cars vanquish fellow racers with expert passing maneuvers and cloying drive-time radio jams across four different go-kart tracks, which range from a kiddie track built for drivers 3 aged and older to a pro track reserved for motorists with a valid driver’s license or permit. Floating in a 3-foot-deep pool, guests can douse each other with water from a squirt-gun turret built in to bumper boats, engaging comrades in a friendly rivalry to be continued at the 18-hole, tropical-themed miniature-golf course. Inside, buzzing sounds and whirring lights emanate from more than 50 arcade games, including skee-ball and air hockey, many of which reward success with tickets that can be redeemed for an assortment of fun prizes.

Paintball Fixx's four playing fields provide battlegrounds for four different types of polychromatic warfare, allowing paint slingers to make artwork of their opponents on various terrains landmarked with obstacles. After selecting a battle style, players can outfit themselves with a marker and the appropriate safety equipment, such as masks and wound-erasing Wite-Out. Soldiers then take to the fields, sprinting through rapid-fire, five-player hyperball matches or dotting the outdoors during games of 10-man rec ball. Peg competitors as you scurry between course barricades and seek shelter behind lofty stacks of tractor tires or large wooden spools. An ammunition bag of 500 paintballs provides ample opportunity to slug opposing team members, and unlimited air refills for the day guarantee you won't have to resort to futilely throwing your paintballs. Although not included with today's Groupon, visit the on-site snack bar between matches to re-energize with a water ($1), soda ($1.50), or energy drink ($3).

Fennessey Ranch’s ornithological guides, Nan, Lyndon, and “Famous Shoes” Crofutt, introduce bird watchers to scores of migrating avian species along a 4,000-acre Coastal Bend property. During treks through expansive wetlands, woods, and lakes, up to 40 birders gaze skyward as continuous kettles of hawks and swallow-tailed kites rocket from the Mission River as part of Mother Nature’s routine jet-pack tests. In addition to winged critters, sightseers often encounter deer, alligators, coyotes, and bobcats as they traverse the brush lands and nearby McGuill Lake. Lunch is provided, and guests are encouraged to bring comfortable attire, binoculars, bug repellant, and a sack of beefy worms to snack on.

South Texas Speedway fulfills enthusiasts of distance divided by time with thrilling races and events for all ages. This summer features a full schedule of Saturday races that commence in the evenings at 7:30 p.m. and cover five different classes, from youth go-karts and front-wheel drive Front runners to entry-level Bomber cars. Pure stocks race around the quarter-mile dirt track with the speed and agility of a thoroughbred panther, and all races conclude with thrilling limited-modified laps.

The talented trainers at Snap Fitness help tone clients’ muscles and shoo calories out of bodies with a high-powered mixture of exercise and nutritional guidance. Snap’s wellness wizards lead exertion endeavors three times a day Monday–Thursday, focusing the boot camp on cardio, strength, and flexibility with a series of semiprivate personal-training sessions. The program’s beginning and intermediate levels welcome newcomers into the world of wellness, and they can consult with a member of the staff to determine how to proceed. After the assessment, the team guides exercisers through an orientation with the equipment in the 24-hour fitness emporium, which culminates in a sing-along led by the squat machines. A tool called EasyFit helps track the amount of calories its user has burned before connecting to its user’s personalized Web page. On the online support site, patrons harvest exercise info and support and plan healthy meals, such as salad sprinkled with treadmill parts.