Things to Do in Lockhart

Most people don't get business calls from Walt Disney World. But, two decades ago, Glass Addicts owner Denise Hurley received just that—along with a request to design and build Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa's carousel horse. In the years since, orders have continued to pour in from Kohl's, The Mirage hotel, and other businesses and collectors seeking Hurley's Tiffany-style stained-glass and art-glass designs. Hurley also builds masterpieces on a smaller scale, restoring and repairing customers’ already existing pieces and building custom panes for homes and offices. Intent on sharing her talent with others, Hurley teaches classes on formats ranging from mosaic picture frames to stepping stones to dentists' mirrors overlaid with your favorite Metallica album covers. No previous experience is necessary, as classes accommodate beginners and master artists alike. Sessions take place in spacious, well-lit rooms filled with materials, and students and customers can study from books inspired by Hurley's designs or observe the installment skills of her professional staff.

Rusty Anchor's tour boat chugs down the calm waterways of the Dora Canal, as passengers gaze out over the railing at ancient cypress trees covered with spanish moss. Aboard the vessel, tourists might also see alligators lounging on fallen logs, nesting ospreys, wading herons, or rubber duckies searching for a nearby bubble bath.

The certified flight instructors at First Landings Aviation were all actively airborne by their 20s: Adam Valencic earned his Private Pilot's License at 19, and Chris Buell and Kyle Pack began flying at ages 12 and 13, respectively. The pilots harness their years-long enthusiasm for each individually tailored student program they offer, be it a half-hour Discovery flight, sport-pilot training, or private-pilot training. The sport-pilot flight-instructor course, meanwhile, affords students opportunities to practice their instruction skills before teaching others how to beat flocks of migratory geese in drag races. With their licenses in tow, pilots can also take the skies in one of First Landing Aviation's rental aircrafts.

Each day, golf carts trundle over wooden bridges, their wheels thwacking against each plank as they cross the myriad waterways that dot Alaqua Country Club's 18-hole layout. Designed by golf legend Gary Player, the 6,662-yard course is sculpted through tunnels of 55-foot trees and incorporates water hazards that come into play on 16 holes. One shining example is the par 3 hole 13 with an island green that tests golfers' iron play and ability to use those same clubs to fight off feral caddies that use flagsticks as swords. Surrounded by the Lower Wekiva Preserve State Park, the course enchants golfers with palms draped in billowing spanish moss and occasional sightings of deer and wild turkeys.

Alaqua Country Club's new, adobe-accented clubhouse offers weekly dining specials served to tables draped in white linens, where guests can unwind after rounds or fold burgundy napkins into festive new club head covers.

My Gym, which currently has more than 200 international locations, began more than 20 years ago as a structured place for children to safely play, acquire new skills, and romp off a sugar buzz. All classes are organized according to age level (starting as young as 6 months) and designed to incorporate the latest physiological and psychological research. Tiny Tykes gets babies moving with help from their parents, Mighty Mites teaches toddlers self-reliance and beginning sports skills, and Champions, a class for kids aged 6–9, emphasizes the importance of using teamwork to master more complex sports skills and achieve group goals such as building a human pyramid to reach the cookie jar. My Gym's energetic instructors are experts at using music, dance, and gymnastics to build youngsters' strength and self-esteem while stimulating their giggle-plexes. The noncompetitive environment fosters creativity and hands-on activities boost children's learning retention and fun quotient.