Longview, WA Outdoor Activities

Apex Karting satisfies your undernourished need for speed by letting you experience the thrill of finally outracing your cheetah half-sister on one of the Pacific Northwest's longest indoor racetracks. And you'll do it all behind the wheel of an 11-horsepower Stratos Kart, a clean-burning conveyance that can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour. Races may be split between family, friends, and medieval scholars, and after you retire from the tracks for the evening, you can unwind in Apex's beer garden; while sipping one of their barley-pop selections (starting at $3), you can reflect on how much more thrilling engine-powered speed is compared with leg-powered penny-farthing rides. Your Groupon may also be redeemed for a $110 credit toward private-track rental (usually $725–$800 per hour).

Many traditional artists paint linen or sculpt stone. For an agri-artist such as Craig Easterly, though, a cornfield makes a perfectly good canvas. For more than a decade, Craig has been chiseling through the 12-foot stalks of his 5-acre field to create what is from the ground a maze of rustling green tunnels and from above a stunning tableau of Portland themes and images. "I like to create designs that resonate with Portlanders and our friends in the greater Portland area," he said in a 2011 press release. One year, his work cut the city's bridges and rivers into the corn; in another he incorporated the Portland Timbers insignia into his maze.

Many traditional artists paint linen or sculpt stone. For an agri-artist such as Craig Easterly, though, a cornfield makes a perfectly good canvas. For more than a decade, Craig has been chiseling through the 12-foot stalks of his 5-acre field to create what is from the ground a maze of rustling green tunnels and from above a stunning tableau of Portland themes and images. "I like to create designs that resonate with Portlanders and our friends in the greater Portland area," he said in a 2011 press release. One year, his work cut the city's bridges and rivers into the corn; in another he incorporated the Portland Timbers insignia into his maze.

Each fall, these Sauvie Island fields birth both Craig's famous corn maze and its evil twin, the Haunted Maize, which spooks its visitors at night with costumed actors and eerie animatronics. Along with its mazes, The Maize at The Pumpkin Patch also sprouts fall-centric family-friendly activities. Overall-clad patrons bounce along on free hayrides, get crowned king of the hay mountain, or mimic the beastly accents of farm animals in the big red barn.

Pet lovers congregate inside the Portland Metropolitan Expo Center’s 72,000-square-foot expanse for the 11th annual Northwest Pet and Companion Expo, featuring a weekend's worth of pet-centric exhibitions and more than 120 vendors. Now entering its second decade, the locally owned event entertains kids with face painting, bounce houses, and demonstrations by pet experts, while adults enjoy live entertainment and informational resources about adoption opportunities. Pets can accompany their owners through the fair's walk-through aviary and exotic animal display, and a truffle-dog tournament lets canines test their sniffing abilities in discerning pinot noir from chardonnay.

It’s fitting that Brian Nosler’s hobbies include both golf and fly fishing. Both sports require concentration, appreciation for the outdoors, and a fluid backstroke to hit a specific target. But when he’s not intentionally wading in streams, the 2009 Oregon PGA champion does his best to avoid water at all costs. During professional golf-instruction sessions, Nosler guides students with a simple approach to swing fundamentals, teaching both full-swing mechanics and short-game techniques—his personal specialty. In addition to helping students master the art of reading greens' dense instruction manuals, Nosler provides club-repair services and personal club-fitting sessions.

Seven Seas' Discover Scuba class prepares curious scuba dabblers to meet the deep in a safe, kraken-free environment. Class begins with a DVD viewing at the dive shop, as well as an introduction to Seven Seas' expert diving staff. Then, undersea novices are whisked away to the facility's nearby pool for practice using underwater breathing devices and other scuba equipment. By the end of class, eager greenhorns' interests are piqued and prepared to begin their pursuit of open water certification, also available through Seven Seas. A $25 credit toward certification assists future divers in accomplishing their dreams of viewing an authentic tableau of dogfishes playing poker. Grab a Groupon and view the website's calendar to see which session best fits your schedule, then call to reserve your spot.

It's hard to believe that Portland ever lacked a dearth of quality paddle outfitters, considering the many evergreen-lined rivers and nearby coastline. But back in 1986, the founders of Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe felt there were too few options serving the area, so they launched their own garage shop. Their passion for the outdoors and paddle sports steadily built the company, and today, a staff of equipment experts advises guests on kayaking, canoeing, standup-paddleboarding, and rafting supplies. Beyond selling gear from vessels to apparel, staffers lead on-the-water classes and organize group trips. The shop also outfits customers for independent exploration with a fleet of rentals.