Things to Do in Lynn

At The Clayroom, an evening spent decorating bisque pottery pieces can spark conversation and unleash each guest's inner artist. Visitors hunker down next one of the studio’s two working fireplaces and work on their selected pottery pieces. After choosing anything from coffee mugs or butter dishes to cereal bathtubs, painters brush on various paints to create their own inimitable pieces of art. The studio kicks open its doors for birthday parties and baby showers, and hosts weekly events as Pizza Night and Wine and Cheese Night.

Visitors to Mel's Funway Park can try their hand at two 18-hole mini-golf courses before speeding and swinging their way through the go-kart track and batting cages, which feature a replica of Fenway's Green Monster and slow- and fast-pitch machines that can reach speeds of up to 85 mph. Inside, a laser plex hosts games of laser tag, while other visitors attempt the laser maze, a web of 36 lasers that participants must avoid to keep from triggering the alarm and receive their cat-burglar certification. Funway Park has also partnered with Woodman's Restaurant to recharge empty body batteries with fare from a renowned and award-winning eatery.

Hidden among Strasburg's thicket of spindly trees, patchy grass, and dirt fields, castles and wooden forts stand strong while flying saucers hint of an alien invasion. This is all part of Skyline Paintball's battlefield landscape, which includes more than eight fields such as Mars Attacks and Frontier Fort. Before slinking through trenches and underground bunkers, players load up on fresh paintballs by Kee and GI Sportz, sold by Skyline onsite. Refs oversee matches to ensure everyone understands the finer techniques of pointillism and that no one uses a marker that fires faster than 280 feet per second. Players can walk on during open play each Saturday and Sunday or buy a group package for weekday melees during which up to 20 players can sling rainbows of paint throughout strategy-laden matches. For paintless competitions, Skyline also hosts laser tag sessions.

Since its inception as a nonprofit organization in 1985, Community Rowing Inc. has guided more than 15,000 students in invigorating rowing sessions held on the Charles River. Their experienced staff of Olympians and coaches helps students to become familiar with industry-standard boats and rowing machines through comprehensive introductory lessons and extended handshakes with the rowing arms. After gleaning the skills necessary to properly use equipment, students gain access to locker rooms, training areas, and any additional courses on the Charles River. The full-body, calorie-burning workouts are available throughout the week, allowing students to learn essential techniques such as sweeping, sculling, and dealing peacefully with the water road rage of aggressive gondoliers.

Paramotor Tours sends adventurers skyward on the wings of motor-powered paragliders. Nationally certified pilots adhere strictly to FAA safety regulations as they strap in for tandem flights, lifting thrill seekers to heights of up to 8,000 feet. To help ensure smooth takeoffs and landings, each glider boasts several safety features, including reserve parachutes, GPS navigation, and a pause button. Adventurers who wish to pilot their own glider can sign up for a solo-flying course, available on select days.

Head instructor Francois Asselin has guided Boston Sailing Center's neophytes to seaworthiness for more than 15 years, with his programs reaching more than 400 students annually. Mr. Asselin and his cadre of nine other sailing instructors take small groups onto the water to provide hands-on experience with the ropes, sails, steering, and maintenance of sailboats. Together, they introduce the science of seamanship or sharpen the skills of experienced sailors so they can eventually set sail on their own with a complete mastery over wind, water, and doing jumping jacks with a peg leg.

Boston Sailing Center owns an armada of vessels, which, in addition to lessons, may be rented for on-the-water events or lent out to members for regular sailing. Skippers conduct tours of Boston Harbor's skyline, stopping at scenic islands for impromptu picnics or to let parents maroon angst-ridden teenagers.