Lawrence, IN Outdoor Activities

One of the hostage takers adjusts his protective mask nervously as the dull thuds of the police team's fire hits outside the makeshift house. He and his four allies protect a VIP they kidnapped while the rescue team waits outside. Moments later, the door bursts open as the rescue team breaches through and unleashes a fury of paintballs at the villains. After a few tense minutes and paint-spatter casualties on both sides, the battle is over, the hostage rescued, and the teams reversed. This is a regular scene at Indy Acres Paintball, a field that takes pride in the variety of scenarios available on its six fields.

From hostage rescue to large-scale woodsball and fast-paced speedball, the outdoor fields accommodate every type of play, and Indy Acres equips players with .50-caliber paintball guns that hurt more than a rubber-band snap but less than knowing that the sun has a shelf life. Additionally, the field’s rules of conduct maintain fair play and fun for every participant.

The staff at Hanna Haunted Acres knows that there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all nightmare. That's why they've curated a lineup of six different haunts, each with their own spine-tingly style. Four different haunted houses prey on deep-set childhood fears, including the Carnevil haunted house––a twisted, circus-themed fright, perfect for murderous clowns who are tired of blind dates. Other attractions include haunted hayrides around the farm and a twisty corn maze designed by a vengeful scarecrow. Those whose greatest fears including standing in line can skip straight to the screaming with a VIP pass, while snacks and mugs of steaming hot chocolate keep patient patrons warm between haunts.

At the newly erected Dallara IndyCar Factory, Indy Racing Experience joins forces with Dallara Automobili—an Italian manufacturer of competitive racecars that has been designing, building, and supporting professional IndyCars for more than 40 years. The 100,000-square-foot structure towers over the town of Speedway, Indiana, and houses the first Dallara factory outside of its hometown of Parma, Italy. Inside the interactive facility, visitors can watch technicians build cars for IndyCar racing teams before experiencing a race themselves on an advanced simulator or on a high-speed ride through the streets of town in a genuine IndyCar two-seater. The factory's expansive halls also host special events, from corporate banquets to town-wide attempts to break the world record for the longest game of hopscotch.

A mobile water-sports company, Salty Dog Paddle delivers aquatic adventures to public waters in both Florida and Indiana. After reservations are made, the paddleboard purveyors meet renters at the water's edge with the boards, supplies, and life jackets in tow. For beginners, lessons are available that cover basic skills such as how to balance and paddle atop the board, and how to say "excuse me" in fish to passing schools. Always finding new ways to use a paddleboard, Salty Dog Paddle's crew also schedules paddleboard yoga classes with registered yoga instructors in Indianapolis's Geist Park and Florida's Clearwater Beach.

After a day of tending to his biotechnology company, Todd Bracken relaxes the way many CEOs do: by diving into another business venture. For Todd, that means sharing his passion for sailing and windblown hairstyles through Dauntless Sailing School, where he imparts his more than 20 years of experience to students of all experience levels. Docked at Geist Lake Marina, his 28-foot performance cruiser comfortably holds up to ten with a full galley and private bathroom. Eschewing classroom instruction, Todd prefers to give each student as much hands-on experience as possible, teaching them how to navigate the winds blowing across Geist Reservoir. In addition to beginner through advanced lessons, the captain also leads more adventurous outings that include multi-day sails on the Great Lakes, regattas, and coastal cruises around the Florida Keys.