Lubbock Outdoor Activities

Expert horse wranglers lead riders of all levels through trail rides in the sprawling, dusty desert just outside Lubbock. Riders climb on top of horses appropriate for all levels, and absolute beginners can profit from a 10- to 15-minute orientation before their ride.

In 1973, Jimmy and Katie Dean signed the papers to purchase Joyland Amusement Park, which had fallen into neglect after first opening in the 1940s. They thoroughly revamped the 13 attractions the park had then, and Katie still helps manage the more than 30 kiddie, thrill, family, and water rides that send guests rolling, spinning, and splashing today. From the Skyride's gondolas that sail high overhead, families take in scenic vistas of an antique carousel, the speedy Galaxi coaster, and a log flume powered by Old Faithful’s underachieving brother. Joyland opens its gates from mid-March until early fall, closing in the winter months for rollercoaster-hibernation season.

Three years after founding Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts in 1997, Louise Hopkins Underwood’s operation finally found a permanent home in the city's vacated Fire Department Administration Building. These days, her vision for a thriving contemporary-arts community has grown into a four-block campus with nine buildings spread across 64,000 square feet. The LHUCA team repurposed those structures—warehouses and former municipal buildings among them—into arts spaces that include an exhibition hall and four galleries whose nearly 5,000 square feet display local, national, and international artists. The renovated Icehouse accommodates rehearsals and performances of dance, music, and performance art, and the 159-seat Firehouse Theatre's 5.1-surround-sound mix brings films to life more effectively than hiring Dr. Frankenstein as a projectionist. Along with showcasing the work of prominent figures, the center's teachers nurture up-and-coming artists with classes in disciplines such as oil painting, bagpiping, and creative writing.

Dave's Need 4 Speed revs entertainment engines with a trio of attractions that send adrenaline juices coursing through thrill seekers of all ages. Laser-tag combatants equipped with light-blasting carbines sprint, crawl, and conga dance through a pirate-ship-themed battleground where glowing barrels and wooden bridges conceal camouflaged warriors and deflect misfires back into the darkness. The illuminated fairways of a cosmic mini-golf course unfurl amid radiating urban backdrops, challenging putters to sink holes in one beneath the shadows of the Statue of Liberty and other American landmarks. Guests who share Dave's disdain for sluggish steering can hop into a go-kart and whip around one of the center's age-appropriate tracks, which foster high-speed excitement with a fresh slathering of melted butter prior to each race.

A 1997 George Williams design, the Reese Golf Center course gives golfers of all stripes pleasant challenges as they send shots skyward off of lush bermuda grass. Water enters play on half of the holes but only crosses the fairway on two, allowing golfers to safely attack the open fairways and leave collared life preservers at home. As players make their way around the course, they chase shots inside golf carts equipped with GPS tracking systems. These systems allow riders to see their position on the course, helping them determine the exact yardage to the flagstick.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course

• Total length of 6,367 yards from the back tees

• Course rating of 69.9 from the back tees

• Course slope of 120 from the back tees

A plethora of water hazards designed by course architect Walter Denzer challenges golfers as they swing through Stone Gate Golf Course's 18 holes. Denzer crafted the front nine to form a regulation par 36 course, and made the back nine into an executive par 3 course. Across both nines, he peppered a glut of ponds to test players’ aptitude at launching dimpled orbs safely over the rippling water. Denzer outfitted hole three's fairway with a trio of sand traps and mammoth Venus flytraps, and designed holes two and eight as par 5s to up the challenge. The back nine is equipped with lights so games can continue until midnight on warm nights.

Lights also illuminate the driving range, where golfers hone their form at 22 hitting stations. The practice area’s new target greens challenge short and long irons or ball-launching crossbows. For additional game improvement, swingers of all levels can join golf professional Jimmy Saenz—NPGIA’s 2011 Teacher of the Year, a featured guest on KFYO 790 AM, and an instructor with more than 16 years of teaching experience—for personalized lessons. To prepare for their day on the course, guests can drop into the recently renovated clubhouse to consult a club fitter or order equipment from Titleist and Pinnacle. And, after swinging in the sun, players can unwind by sipping a beer at the Stone Gate Grill.