Things to Do in Lawrence

At Amesbury Sports Park, windswept passengers sail tubes down the snow-less summer lanes or, during winter, the powdery pathways of packed snow that dot hillsides of varying steepness. A conveyor belt returns them to the top of the hill in 90 seconds, where they can repeat the ride or hop inside of one of Amesbury Sports Park's plastic spheres, to take what they call a zorb ride. Their outdoor event venue can accommodate up to 30,000 people, and has previously hosted events such as the Warrior Dash, the Spartan Race, and their annual Brewfest. An onsite restaurant refuels recreationers with tasty American fare, and also hosts regular wine dinners that often sell out in advance. The park also has a function hall available for private parties, and a full-service catering business with cuisine prepared by executive chef Kevin Jacques.

The working cornfield at Marini Farm embraces the festive spirit of autumn by wearing a different mask each Halloween season. The corn maze has featured farm-themed shapes, a giant bald eagle, and a pirate design that was featured in the Wicked Local Ipswich in 2010. This year the 10-acre field is sliced into an outline of planet Earth, an astronaut, and a spaceship thought to occupy Buzz Aldrin's secret collection of pet Martians. The maize maze is designed to be both educational and interactive, with about 20 clue stations strategically placed throughout the labyrinth to help adventurers conquer the nearly 10 miles of paths. The maze is open during the day and remains open Friday and Saturday night for flashlight-lead escapades.

The smaller, less complex Finger Fortune maze delights younger adventurers, as do the apple cannon, jumping pillow, pumpkin patch, hayride wagon, and separate play area. For parents or guests staging a corn coup, the third-generation farm serves up a cornucopia of fresh veggies, bakery treats, and plants for purchase or for hurling at scarecrows creepily staring at them in the distance.

A maze of megalithic chambers and hallways made by man more than 4,000 years ago nestles into the snow- or moss-covered woods at America’s Stonehenge. Guests meander along a trail, marveling at one of the oldest constructions in the United States, complete with inscriptions, eating areas, and evidence of prehistoric art classes. Explorers delve into Stonehenge's history, learning about its use as an accurately aligned astronomical calendar, its role in the Underground Railroad, and the theories about who actually built it. Nearby, eight fuzz balls graze in the alpaca habitat, offering up skeins of yarn spun from their fluffy locks. Winter months coat the site's 105 sprawling acres with crunchy layers of snow, perfect for adventurous snowshoe outings or piggybacking on a snowman.

Apple Hill Golf Club entices golfers of all abilities with a 27-hole tapestry weaved into rolling, New Hampshire woodlands. The club’s 18-hole course meanders across 6,184 yards of wide, bermuda grass fairways and bentgrass greens flanked by ponds that come into play on more than half of the holes. Those looking to hone their short game can tee it up on the nine-hole, par 3 course, an 800-yard layout that duffers can complete in an efficient 45 minutes, enabling them to squeeze in a session before dark or in time to drop off their 9-iron at soccer practice.

During the summer, PGA professional Steve Lundquist utilizes the multifaceted grounds to host a junior golf academy, which grants pupils free play on the par 3 course throughout the season. Along with a wide selection of clubs, balls, clothes, and shoes available for purchase, the club’s pro shop curbs appetites with fresh sandwiches, drinks, and hot dogs that can be braided together to form fully functional putters.

Championship Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course
• Length of 6,184 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 68.6 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 124 from the farthest tees
• Three tee options

Situated on 25 wooded acres located next to the Taylor River, Taylor River Farm uses its beautifully bucolic space as a school for teaching students correct horsemanship and riding form. The Lesson Academy offers individualized instruction to students of all ability levels under the guidance of head instructor Kristin Farley, who has trained numerous world champions over a riding career that has spanned more than 25 years. The barn's heated indoor arena features a viewing room from which spectators can view a pupil's lessons in Hunt Seat, Saddle Seat, or Western. In addition to riding properly, students learn how to groom and tack up their lesson horse, as well as how to communicate with the horse telepathically.

Victory is right there, staring you in the face. Unfortunately, victory is also on the other side of rolling barrels and a wall filled with boxing gloves waiting to punch that face. This is Extreme Obstacle Course, an intense blue and gray obstacle course with challenges that require physical prowess, problem-solving skills, and more than a little bit of luck. Challengers must first jump over giant balls and then dodge a wall of moving boxing gloves, which can send them falling into the foam pits below. Then, swinging punching bags attempt to knock them off their feet as they navigate a series of narrow beams. Other challenges include rolling barrels and a Tarzan-esque rope climb. There's no reason to fear defeat, however. If knocked off the course, participants will fall safely into a pit of foam cubes or be sucked into an alternate dimension made of cotton candy.